Unearthed Documents Reveal Paul McCartney’s Scrapped Alien Musical

In an intriguing revelation that touches both music and science fiction, a forgotten collaboration between Paul McCartney and celebrated sci-fi author Isaac Asimov has come to light. The project was intended to be a sci-fi musical film titled “Five And Five And One”, charting an eccentric storyline involving aliens disguised as members of McCartney's band Wings. Despite its imaginative allure, the project ultimately never materialized. This unfinished venture was uncovered by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair, researchers working on McCartney's biography, “The McCartney Legacy, Volume 2: 1974-80”. Their discovery highlights an intriguing cross-genre artistic endeavor that was lost to time until now.

In 1974, amid the post-Beatles saga, McCartney was driven to continue his creative exploration through music and film with Wings, the band he formed with his wife Linda McCartney and guitarist Denny Laine. The treatment was devised for his band Wings. The narrative that McCartney conceived was captivating—a spaceship lands on Earth, releases five aliens who morph into the band members of Wings, attempting to conquer the world through their musical prowess. The story unfolds with the actual band members battling their extraterrestrial imposters adding a layer of meta-theatricality.

McCartney was known for pushing the boundaries of rock and creativity, so it comes as no surprise that he reached out to Isaac Asimov, whose “Foundation” series is regarded as seminal in science fiction. Asimov reshaped McCartney's initial concept by transforming the aliens into ethereal creatures from a doomed planet. These aliens, depicted as energy beings, aimed to take over the members of Wings not through physical imitation but by occupying their bodies, adding a grim yet philosophical depth to the tale. Asimov's rendition included the notion that music would become a conduit for the aliens to unlock and understand human emotions, an understated nod to the inherent power of music highlighted by the partnership of McCartney’s melodic inventions and Asimov's imaginative storytelling.

Despite the creative synergy between the two icons, the project did not see completion. According to those privy to this historical footnote, McCartney was unimpressed by Asimov's adaptations, leading to the project's quiet shelving. Asimov, whose critique on the rejection was pointedly captured in his line, “Nothing ever came of this because McCartney couldn’t recognize good stuff,” expressed a wry disappointment at the missed opportunity for their collaboration.

The newly unearthed documents, dormant within archival collections until now, offer a glimpse into a realm of creativity that dared to explore a fusion between rock music and science fiction. As fans and historians review these plans through the publications of Kozinn and Sinclair, the potential of what could have been is reignited in public consciousness, drawing speculative curiosity from both music lovers and sci-fi aficionados alike.