Wix Wickens - Paul McCartney's Keyboard Wizard
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- Опубліковано 10 жов 2017
- Sir Paul McCartney's longtime keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Paul "Wix" Wickens gives KEYBOARD an exclusive look at WixWorld, his magical and often mysterious touring rig. Stay-tuned for our full interview with him shortly at keyboardmag.com
He's the most accomplished keyboard player I've seen I think and what a great guy. All that setup and technology makes the space shuttle look a doddle. Mindblowing.
Wix is amazing. After seeing this, I am in awe of him. He wasn't with Wings in '76; however, the next time I saw Paul in 1989, he was there. Cheers to Wix!
Saw the show...didn't really make an impression until song 3 or 4, "Listen to What the Man Said," with Wix playing the sax lines with the breath controller. All of McCartney's force fell on me that moment.
Wix is the man! They put on a mind-blowing show.
Thanks, Wix. You rock! I have enjoyed watching you on stage 6X over the last 2 years. You are absolutely amazing!
OMG so amazing! Wix you're a badass. Saw you with McCartney just a few years back in Columbia, SC. Awesome show!
what they are now doing, essentially, is bringing the STUDIO, and the advantages of a studio, on the road, live , with the band. Can you just imagine breaking down and then setting up that rig again??? All of the real work is behind the scenes , setting up each song so that the DAW directs all the correct midi changes and messages to all of the keyboards, modules and plug ins.....a mountain of work, and then when he is on stage, he has only to select a song on that Pad, and then the computers take over, rearranging everything for him , making it ready to go. Takes a certain mindset that even the very best of keyboard "players" might not have the head for.
indeed but done over decades since 1987 - you can see the technology like an archaeological dig
But if everything turns off, he has an accordion))
Makes so much sense, watching Wix play in Concert. So complete…‘lots going on!’ Thanks Wix, pleasure!
I have been a Wix fan for a long time! He is amazing with his instrumental dexterity, even playing at least chords on the guitar along with the other guys, which he did not even mention in this interview. But of course his mastery of the keyboards is the marvelous thing that has kept him with Paul for so many years now.
@Kyle Hall Acapella Man Yeah I wonder if he is still on the pay roll because of Covid.. No touring.
Also Nigel Ogden should have him on The Organist Entertains.
@@joesmith34 I have wondered about Abe, Rusty and Brian as well. Though Brian and Rusty seem to have had their own careers going all these years when not touring with Paul. I doubt he pays them anything if not touring though. But, then again I don't know what is customary.
Wix, we met in Knoxville this past May… you were with your wife and you were such a gentleman to entertain my questions about the tour! I have been watching you live sine the 1990s… Thank you for all that you do to bring Paul’s songs to sounding like the record! Love this video tour of your equipment!!
I can imagine the support you must get, so envious!
Man if this is overwhelming to watch, imagine how intense the shows are!!! Sick!!!
Thank you, Wix for the key-rig tour
Wowza!! Absolutely amazing and a Kronos just in case the big rig misfires lol. I had a lava lamp on one of my shows so, yehey, I have something in common lol. Great stuff here and happy gigging, sir. :)
That’s amazing how prepared he is
So refined, i can see the evolution of your arrangement. To perform is to not struggle.
This is amazing! Wix is Paul McCartney's producer and keyboard extraordinaire!
Uh... not Paul McCartney.
He’s a fantastic musician.
He´s a good, prof. keyboardist. His work on sounds is really convincing.
...and he makes what he does look so easy! WOW!!!
Paul mccartneys new band doesn't get enough appreciation. If I search up paul wickens, not much information comes up about this guy. I've seen your organ playing and your amazing
Wix works hard & does a lot for Paul, saw him at the 30 Oct 2018 Concert in Copenhagen.
Wow! My favorite parts were the huge number of foot controllers plus th breath controller, numeric keypad, emergency keyboard and custom stand. Inspiring! Interesting too that he uses MainStage. I tried a while ago to figure out MainStage and did not succeed LOL.
Love how he played a bit from Live and Let Die!
I always look for the lava lamps at a Macca concert. Thank you, Wix. I miss Linda, too.
Still using old Roland JV modules, these things are build like a tank and most of the sounds, especially pads and strings, are still very useful in 2020, I combine my jv1080 patch with all my mainstage stuff and I would even use it as a backup if my mac freaks out for whatever reason, very nice rig
I met Wix in 2004 in London. Is an excellent person, very simple. And although I have nothing similar to his keyboards, I try to emulate him in his way of playing
Friggin sick!
Just saw McCartney for the first time in Seattle. I thought they piped in canned parts but now I realize Wix was triggering samples with his foot pedals , wow! I wish Paul would’ve introduced his band. Does he ever do that? He really puts on a wonderful show. Highly recommended
What a gig. Trip on his sample triggering from the pedals! How delicious to have someone setting this stuff up for him!
McCartney tours always have the top engineers and sound .. tripping the live fantastic is one of the best mixed and mastered live album ever
Your so great sir wix....
Where was this filmed at? Looks like Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Paul was there Oct 1st & 2nd.
I'd like to hear him demo the fade-out synthesized or phased keyboard flourish that he finishes off Hope of Deliverance tune with. I noticed that when McCartney played that track live, Wix was playing guitar because Hamish was on the bass guitar, but at the end, that part of Wix still closed the tune so he must have been using some kind of sequencer/programmer/controller to synch the part at the appropriate moment. He didn't have to lift a finger; he had the guitar around his neck.
"... and these are the cable-y things." :-) amazing rig.
That was so very cool….
Wix looks about the same age as he did 30 years ago
he sure does!!!!
That's because he's the fake Wix. The real Wix was killed in a car crash in 1989.
Musical hero!
Wow! That's some rig! What equipment you using on frog chorus?
It would probably take at least a handful musicians to fill in his place in the band. He is a true wizard back there!
Wow, complex setup (to me anyhow, for onstage). You certainly know your way around it, obviously, but I kinda felt relieved about the backup keyboard and monitor at the end. With all the Macs/iPad and samples I’d be afraid of a crash or something mid set.
I use an iPad and computers top for shows, been doing it for 8 years now, only ever had 1 glitch in all of that and it was with a regular windows based computer I used to run an Arturia program. The iPad has never given me an issue.
The saxophone bite controller thing blew my mind
Looks like he uses the VB3 for Organ. Best sim ever
Wix is a magician!!#51daystilMaccadownunder
Wow. I like select the song and all the settings change appropriately. Seems like a friendly dude with a sense of humor. You can see why he was hired, due to his personality, if you have to hang with him on a 6 month tour.
Cool as hell.
I've seen him at Paul McCartney's concert on Red Square in Moscow
What mixer does he use as sub in his rack?
Man, Sir Paul has this guy pulling quintuple duty!
Hardly.
Cool Wix! - :)
I feel like I’ve just seen Oz- incredible.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!
Super !
Holy Smoke!!
Anyone know what kind of mixer he is using? Looking for one for my live rig.
looks like soundfraft Si Performer 1
'Lots of cable-ie things"
The only thing I understood lol
What happened to de full interview? The link doesn´t work anymore
i want to buy
スゲェ…こんなにやってたんだ…
No spoons?? How do you cope?
This is kind of insane.
damn!
And who gets to set up all that gear?
Ah, yes, the good old backup Kronos. In case of emergency.
This man's a genius!!! I think I saw a credit card machine also. Lol
And here I am trying to constantly downsize my live gear :)
Was this interview in Detroit? It looks like Little Caesar's Arena.
He always seems to be in the background but maybe he likes it that way?🤔
Brilliant artist and Paul McCartney is lucky to have him.
Not sure if anyone paid any attention. But this is the biggest scoop ever about macca set list . On his monitors you can see “macca gig 2017” and you can see patches for songs like appreciate , good night tonight , every little thing etc…. That leads me to believe those were all songs rehearsed but never played live !!!!!!!!!!
Does Macca even have to turn up?😊😊😊
Just goes to show
Oh men ! Really all that stuff on the stage !!?
I couldn't stand doing all that! Cool for Wix though. He's obviously really geared up for that.
This is great but I do think it's amusing that he has teh best keyboard, the Korg Kronos as his emergency backup keyboard. great guy!
Imagine how many musicians it would take to replace him!
So there's no software sequencing at all - everything is played by human hands?
It's a really good idea he put 2 large flasks of hot liquid on top of his quarter million dollar keyboard setup
You need two heads and six hands to be a top keyboard player now . Glad I’ve only got a bass guitar
This guy's not afraid of technology, boy
never talks about his boss....
oh the things he must know....
been with him since 89
where are the interviews????
technology gone mad !!!
I'll bet he has some Non-Disclosure Agreement.... lol
What? No light up Christmas tree just in case McCartney wants to throw in Wonderful Christmastime? ........................... unforgivable.
Paul McCartney isn't gonna "throw in" anything. He's been dead now for 50 years.
@@20alphabet Will you shut the fuck up? I've seen several of your comments trying to bait people. Fuck off.
He doesn't state the names of most the equipment.
No, but he used a GSI VB3 organ plugin, I have the Gemini module, its amazing
Talks about having a backup keyboard and starts playing a Korg Kronos... talk about a trusty backup lol
Imagine, 5 mins before you’re on, ‘A fatal exception has occurred - please report this fault to Microsoft’. I’m sure he’s covered. Performance is outstanding. Too much for my little brain.
that's why he uses Macintoshes
So basically he said.....all that gear onstage can be replaced by one decent keyboard...yea....that makes sense
Dr Bohm Drawbar Hammond Clone ;-)
This guy should work for NASA
keyboard Wixard
This guy is a modest gentel giant. I think Paul owes him a lot for 30 years!
For me to sophisticated, I prefer handmade music.
Paul, if I said to you “in the back of a Volvo” would it bring back memories?
No kitchen Incase you want to bake some fresh bread ... What. Is. Going. On.
Unbelievable , in all seriousness
Wot! No instaPIANO!! Get back to your roots man - how ya ever gonna play Home Groan when I put GBI back on the road?
Must to learn to play music
ENOUGH, WHO CARES. WE MISS THE GARAGE SOUND.
Thousands care .Paul never had a garage sound.
Ah those guitarists indeed... Sorry guys but only a handful (...) in the entire world are always aware of what is going on in their immediate surroundings.
It's sound check dude.
@@jgmiller804 No, it wasn't. And anyway, the guitarist had to be aware an interview was taking place (which would not take place at sound check, don't you think?). One just then wait 5 more minutes to check the sound, the volume, the pedals effects, etc. That is basic awareness from a Professional musician on a very professional gig. My intention is not to demolish the guy; all I said is common knowledge about guitarists = they need to be constantly reminded to turn down the knob. Like a roommate who keeps forgetting to clear the toothpaste in the sink after brushing his teeth... Stay well.
The top keyboard is for organ and so is the bottom? Why?
And for all the samplers/computers he has there..why does he need all of that percussion? Just program it all into a drum machine for goodness sake.
It's Paul McCartney, not Kraftwerk!
Skip- Ad Because who uses two-tiered organs, right?
???? When does he ever say he uses both keyboards for organ...? In his walkaround, he clearly says that he "currently" has organ on the top (with the drawbars) and Wurly piano on the bottom.... But if course, any keyboard can be assigned any sound he wants....
I think he knows what he's going kid
Because as soon as you introduce anything sequenced the drummer has to play to a click and the live groove is lost. Also, live percussion always sounds better than samples.
That was a very lame description of his gear.
Lennon would have had none of this shit.
How would you know? He played harmonium on We Can Work It Out, organ on I´m Down and wrote the Intro of Lucy In The Sky - just for example. So .....
Yeah he would’ve -hated his own voice and asked Martin to modify it with any new studio gadget they had. Especially after Pet Sounds came out. Lennon’s biggest challenge was to keep yoko away from the cat food
Karen - it´s useless. When it comes to guys like Lennon or Morrison etc. you can read all this kind of bullshit as people can´t look behind their aureole.
Yea - I needn’t have bothered but.... am reading a few bios & autos at present. Eg Graeme Nash, ‘wild Times’ , a steelyDan bio - ‘Major Dudes’ and a brilliant little autobiography by Donald Fagen - ‘Emminet Hipsters ‘. Interesting: Nash clearly loves the sound of his own voice- Fagen struggles. Yet for me Fagens (particular ly early) was totally unique whereas any number of rock tenors would’ve done CSN. In fact re Fagen was always trying to get out of singing duties but his perfectionist ways held him to account. When it came to composition DF was masterly. Hence Aja has become a sampling standard even for rappers. Don’t think Graeme Nash is quite there although he wrote a few nice early ones - also with Hollies. Sir Paul’s voice is shot now so I didn’t go but now there is a real Master... woops turned this into a book )
Haha, don´t worry.
You know, I am a prof. musician playing classical music as well as crossover with my band and it really bugs me - sometimes - how amateurs talk about music and musicians. And how they follow some old myths about musicians that don´t stand the test of professional assessment. For example Lennon. Without Paul he would have been the boss of a nice little rock´n roll band in Liverpool. Whereas Paul probably would have made his way to become a well known composer or whatever. I mean - as much as I like their collaboration in composing and singing harmonies - Macca was the one with a much wider musical horizon than Lennon. Of course Wings were not as progressive as Sgt. Pepper but he still wrote some beautiful tunes. In comparison Lennon made a lousy Rock´n Roll record and his so called electronic avantgarde album with Yoko was nothing more than musical bullshit ...
Ooops - another book .....
Paul McCartney? He's been dead now for 50 years!