When Paul McCartney Braved the Set of Roger Cormans The Masque of the Red Death – Den of Geek

So, I got a directors chair, sitting next to mine, during the shooting. And it was a nice, young guy, and we talked during the shooting. And I explained to him a little bit between shots, how it all worked. And then we all, Jane, and he and I, had lunch together. And it all went very well. And at the end of the lunch, I said, Jane tells me youre going to London. What are you going to be doing in London? He said, Well, Im with a singing group from Liverpool, and were going to be making our debut tomorrow night in London.

Yes, it was Paul McCartney.

By that point, Corman had already made the jukebox movie Rock All Night, which featured the music of The Platters, and would go on to produce the 1979 punk movie classic Rock n Roll High School. That film starred The Ramones, who got their name from Paul McCartney when he tried out the stage name Paul Ramon. But Corman had no clue who he was talking to back then, and the Mersey musician kept up his part in the masquerade of red sauce.

He was very cool, Corman says. He knew that as an American, I didnt know who The Beatles were, or what he was. And as he left, I said, Well, good luck, Paul, on your debut in London tomorrow night. And I remember he was very cool. He understood, and he didnt want to say, Listen, buddy, were the number one group. He just said, Well, were a singing group.

Whatever show it was Pauls singing group was in town for, the band apparently passed the audition. Then I saw the paper Sunday morning headlines, Beatles conquer London, Corman remembers.

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When Paul McCartney Braved the Set of Roger Cormans The Masque of the Red Death - Den of Geek