The mystery of Paul McCartney’s stolen Nigeria demos: “He’s armed with a knife.”

Most artists spend considerable time refining their material before even thinking about recording an album. While many may have song ideas, those typically go through numerous rewrites on demos before they’re ready for the studio. Paul McCartney, known for his dedication while working with Wings, nearly saw *Band on the Run* fall apart before it began when all of his demos were stolen.

At the time, McCartney wasn’t in the best phase of his career. Despite his legacy as a member of one of the world’s biggest bands, albums like *Wild Life* and *Red Rose Speedway* were often dismissed as lightweight. McCartney needed a standout album, but his odds weren’t looking good—two of his musicians quit before recording even began.

With guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell quitting just before their flight to Nigeria, *Band on the Run* left Wings as a trio consisting of McCartney, Linda, and Denny Laine. Upon arriving, they had to build the studio from scratch, but all of McCartney’s demos became useless when he and Linda returned to their home.

 

Despite having been warned not to walk the streets at night, McCartney and Linda were offered a ride just steps from their house, only to be mugged at knifepoint by locals. McCartney recounted, “There were about four or five of them, and one little guy had a knife. At that point, we realized they weren’t offering us a lift; they were robbing us.” All of his demo cassettes for the album were taken, forcing him to rely on memory to recall the songs.