Sir Paul McCartney has not only been the man behind some of the most famous songs and performances of all time, but he’s also recorded many of the best bass lines in rock history, for my money. It’s no wonder then that Travis frontman Fran Healy emailed the former Beatle’s management when looking for a guest bassist on his forthcoming solo album, Wreckorder (which also boasts a Neko Case cameo). In an interview with WRNR, Healy discussed the collaboration, saying that McCartney recorded his parts for “As It Comes” remotely and sent three takes back. Healy then edited (aka “comped”) the various takes for the final version. “I didn’t know whether I should or not ‘cause it’s, like, Paul McCartney. How do you comp a Beatle?” Healy joked. Entertainment Weekly’s Music Mix has an exclusive stream of the track, so check it out. If you like what you hear, watch Healy’s interview and performance of new songs on WRNR, and stream a different Wreckorder cut, “Buttercups,” below:

A notable story from the nation’s capital hit early yesterday, which was surprisingly ignored by the music blogosphere: Just four months following Bob Dylan’s performance of “The Times They Are A-Changin’” for President Obama and company, Paul McCartney will be honored in the next chapter of the “In Performance at the White House” series.

In an intimate concert at the East Room next week, Sir Paul will be treated to tribute covers by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, the Jonas Brothers (?), Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Herbie Hancock, and others, including… Jack White.

I was surprised, frankly, that White is set to perform at the White House next Wednesday (June 2), but it does make sense, given the night’s honoree: “Paul is my favorite Beatle,” White said last fall. “He’s been a big influence on me — especially the way that he sings.”

Great news all around, but the best part is that, yes, we will get to watch these performances as the pre-taped show will air on PBS in late July.

Though Paul McCartney has previously released one studio album, Memory Almost Full, with California-based indie label Concord Music Group, the majority of his post-Beatles output, including his first two self-titled solo albums, Ram, and the entire Wings catalog, was partially owned by the Fab Four’s former label, EMI. Well, that deal has since expired, and McCartney is now set to reissue most (if not all) of those classic records via Concord.

ABC News reports that about two dozen albums have been handed over to McCartney’s new indie label, including Wings’ classic triple platinum record, 1973’s Band on the Run, which is already set to be remastered and reissued this August, complete with — according to CMG — “enhanced packaging and rare bonus content.”

No wonder “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” soundtracked a scene in Noah Baumbach’s new indie-centric film, Greenberg.

After the Variety article fanfare, open casting hubbub, and copious performance-capture animation hating, we finally have Robert Zemeckis’ cast for Disney’s upcoming animated Yellow Submarine remake. Ready for the Forrest Gump director’s choice of Beatles? According to Reuters, Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) will play George Harrison, Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead) will play Paul McCartney, Adam Campbell (Epic Movie) has the Ringo Starr role, and… wait for it… Dean Lennox Kelly (Doctor Who) landed the John Lennon part.

Beatles tribute band Fab 4 will cover performance sequences, and actual Beatles music has been licensed by EMI, Michael Jackson’s estate, and all the other suits that own Beatles jams at this point.

Inconceivable! (haha… I had to.) Don’t know what more to say about this trainwreck interesting project except good luck!

It’s almost so easy to hurl insults at a band like Travis that a big part of me can’t help but love ‘em. Frontman Fran Healy and company place themselves readily into the fray, after all, and there’s hits in them hills, so STFU, I say. These Glaswegians get it.

Case in point: Healy has an album in the works, according to his blog (via So Much Silence via @Crumbler), and he’s tapped the best living singer, Neko Case, plus the best living Beatle, Paul McCartney, for cameo performances on his first solo album, Wreckorder.

“One of the biggest coups was getting Paul McCartney to play bass on a song,” wrote Healy. “I’m not sure what non McCartney songs he’s played bass on but I couldn’t think of many. Anyways his bassline is brilliant.” Take that, Ozzy! Healy also shared a demo to new song “Holiday” and provided a muted video of Neko Case laying down some vocals in the studio after a 3-day drive from Arizona for the sessions.

The record isn’t done yet, so we don’t have a release date, label, or tracklist to share, but (based on the info above) this thing will be a winner, right?

I implore you not to accuse us of hating on Sir Paul McCartney or Lily Allen (the British tabloids have claimed their stake in that), but we do need to call these two out for a moment. As suggested above, they’re both chock full of benevolence toward the plight of up-and-coming artists and they do truly believe they “get the internet,” but whenever that’s put into words, pull quotes ensue and things just get ugly.

Here’s McCartney’s latest quote on the subject (via Ars Technica):

Before we get to our usual bits, here’s what the music news beast will be chewing on for most of today.

Paul McCartney announced the “Good Evening Europe Tour 2009” on his official site, which kicks off in Hamburg, Germany (where the Beatles cut their teeth 49 years ago) this December. “This is my chance to bring our current show home to where it all began,” McCartney says. “Starting in Hamburg, ending in London and rocking everywhere in between. I’m very much looking forward to ending the year on a high.” For more info and exact tour dates go here.

A children’s book written by Paul McCartney, Geoff Dunbar, and Philip Ardagh is being made into an animated feature film and the ex-Beatle has signed on to write “a score of original songs” for the project. Variety reports the film, High in the Clouds, will be directed by Lion King director Rob Minkoff and adapted by Edward Scissorhands co-writer Caroline Thompson.

“The book, about a squirrel’s quest to find an animal sanctuary, marks McCartney’s largest involvement in an animated pic since the Beatles frontman was part of 1968’s Yellow Submarine,” Variety’s Michael Fleming wrote.

It looks like McCartney’s not going to let Jack White be the only one working on a dozen projects at once this year. As previously reported, if MGMT or Bob Dylan ever find his phone number, McCartney wants to work with them as well.