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47.
An Autograph Postcard Signed from Paul McCartney to “Ian Sommerville & Partners c/o Indica Books and Gallery”, postmarked Klosters, Switzerland, March 7, 1966.
Postcard illustrated with a b/w photographic view of St. Jakob’s Church by H. F. Schmelz. 67 words, written in red felt tip pen: “Dear music lovers, Having a great time in the land of yodellers. Weather O.K. and scenery white. See you when we get back, and, in the meantime, carry on looping. Paul & Jane”. A bracketed post scriptum adds: “N.B. This is the church where we are staying.” Near Fine.
The mention of “looping” refers to the tape loops and other tape recorder experiments Ian Sommerville was conducting with two Revox A77s in the small home studio paid for by McCartney in the basement at 34 Montagu Square he rented from Ringo Starr (in another postscript McCartney writes: “Don’t know what No. Montagu Squ.”). McCartney was also conducting tape-loop experiments using a pair of Brennells at home in Wimpole Street during this period.
Paul and Jane rented a chalet, La Casa Rosemarie, for their two week ski vacation in Klosters, in the bathroom of which McCartney began writing the song “For No One”. Although the audio magazine he originally intended the Montagu Square studio to be used for failed to materialise, McCartney did record most of the early demos for ‘Eleanor Rigby’ there, and Ian Sommerville and William Burroughs used it for their series of experimental recordings known as the ‘Hello, yes, hello’ tapes.
A terrific snapshot from a key period in which Paul McCartney’s musical horizons were continually being expanded, connecting him directly to Indica, the hub of London’s hip avant-garde, as well as to Ian Sommerville, whose tape experiments informed and influenced several Beatles recordings subsequently included on “Revolver” and “Sgt. Pepper”.