The isolated audio of Paul McCartney chewing carrots and celery has been released by Super Furry Animals to announce the 20-year anniversary reissue of their ‘maximalist’, fifth studio album, Rings Around The World, newly presented on 180g gatefold, double vinyl, triple CD and double digital album in September. McCartney’s playful addition is released on its own for the very first time as one of 75 curiosities from the vaults, including unreleased outtakes, remixes, hidden sounds and demos appearing across the multi-format release.

A story that starts with a chance encounter at the NME Awards in 2000 and ends with McCartney’s enthusiastic chewing being delivered by post and then woven into the production of the Furries’ single, Receptacle For The Respectable, the ex-Beatle’s contribution is just one of the wild bends in the road of the expansive, Millennium-era, classic alt-pop album’s remarkable story.

Approached by artificially emboldened Furries keys player, Cian Ciarán at the ceremony at the Mermaid Theatre, London, initially to convince McCartney to let the band loose to remix The Beatles’ songs (a successful pitch as the Furries later received boxes of Beatles master tapes to contribute heavily to the Liverpool Sound Collage), McCartney agreed to appear on the band’s upcoming album. Within weeks, McCartney had sent a tape of just what the band had requested. Having previously ‘played’ the celery on Beach Boys’ 1967 track Vegetables, McCartney took the chance to revive his penchant for percussion with roots.

Ciarán says of the surreal addition to the Mercury Prize-nominated album: “He was going to come to the studio and then decided not to for some reason. So, we sent him stereo backing tracks so he could keep time, then he sent the tape back with a message that started with a really dodgy Welsh accent. Then he goes ‘I hope you like it’ – the next thing you know you just hear this chewing sound!”