Paul McCartney 1986 Q Interview
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- A very interesting interview from 1986 which became the main highlight of the first issue of British music magazine, Q. Press to Play had just been released, which Paul touches on. Other issues include the Beatles' break up, John Lennon and the financial dealings of the Beatles around the time of Allen Klein. Far more forthright than the usual "stage-managed" McCartney interview. The interview was very briefly released at the time on a limited edition picture disc, not authorised by MPL.
I just love the sound of his voice here. The franker, more forthcoming, less performative speaking voice sounds grittier, more versatile, more seductive, more interesting, sexier than the polished, speaking to the masses voice. I can hear all his singing voices here, all the songs, whereas the polished voice evokes just one of his singing voices, the solo sweet-song one (Michelle, etc)
Wow, in all my years of being a fan I hadn't come across this interview. He's being so bare and honest here, and I love that this interviewer was able to get him to open up so much about his real feelings. I felt so sad for him after he told the story of helping John and Yoko get back together and saying, "But you'll never hear about that." That just broke my heart, because I do think it was a shame that John and Yoko were more concerned about perpetuating the mythology of their "perfect love" than being kind and gracious towards those closest to them. I found it especially juvenile that in 1980, during interviews before his death, they were still yammering on about how the rest of the Beatles weren't supportive enough of their "Great love." No mea culpa (both of them could be horribly AWFUL and insufferable to be around at times because of the effects of their heroin use), no ownership over THEIR behavior around the Beatles' breakup, and I find that intensely disappointing. And I do think John is still a very lovable person in terms of his place in human history, and I think the dude generally meant well most of the time, but he was messed up enough, and lacked a certain maturity, and he was just incapable of owning up to what HE could have been wrong about. Honestly, I think John and Yoko were toxic for each other and it wasn't a great relationship, but from Paul's POV, he saw John partying really hard during their separation (despite the fact that he LIKED May Pang and thought she did wonderful things for him in hindsight), and he THOUGHT that with Yoko, John would at least be off drugs (I think he was wrong about that and it wouldn't surprise me if J + Y were on and off heroin from 1975-80). I think he made that move out of concern for his friend. If he had only known that really, their relationship would not have gotten better, JohnandYoko turned into John sitting at home and Yoko everywhere BUT home, that John would turn into a total recluse and be terribly depressed (even if his son yielded some moments of joy for him), and that the "happy househusband" facade was not in fact what was really going on, he would have thought twice about intervening in '74 to get them back together.
Also, this is the first time I've heard that Paul came to NYC at Yoko's behest after John's death and she blew him off repeatedly, after requesting that he come to see her! The cheek of that woman to think that someone who flew a really long-ass way to see her, at her request, should bend to her every whim. I think Yoko generally views people as her assistants. And I've spent a lot of time as a fan trying to be fair and objective about Yoko, her place in history, her place in John's life, but it's hard to do that when I learn that she would pull such inconsiderate stunts like that (not to mention that her feminism is very selective and she only practices it when it suits her). I think it's taken a lot of time for Paul to feel at peace about him and John's actual relationship (where they stood together at the time of his death), and he's never made peace with John's death and likely never will. He's still fighting the demons he has over people trying to say that Paul meant nothing to John (completely untrue).
But, I think he understood John's real personality and mental illness enough to understand that at his core, John really didn't mean a lot of what he said and did. Despite everything, John was very sensitive underneath it all and had a very soft and affectionate side to him. Paul seems to have a very intuitive understanding of how John's brain worked when he was alive and realizes that a he didn't need to internalize it or blame himself entirely for their falling out anymore. That's a good and healthy thing for Paul to understand. It was also enlightening hearing about some of the other wacky stuff that John was getting into (the hole drilling in the head thing, yeesh!) that Paul was just like, "Uh, I'm good bro, but thanks," at the time. Look, I have every reason to believe that Paul loves John to the ends of the earth and beyond, but he's a million times more stable and grounded than John was, and he had a much more effective "bullshit filter" than John did as a result, so it's understandable that this duality may have driven him insane while he was still trying to have a functioning relationship with Lennon. Anyway, I love John and Paul. I think they were pure magic together and each brought out the best in the other. But I can see where Paul is coming from so much, and I hate how people put him down all the time and hail John as an infallible saint or the sole genius of the Beatles and Paul was just a nobody along for the ride. That's completely untrue. And John knew Paul is a genius as well, and John simply didn't have the emotional maturity, self esteem, or mental wellness to not get weird and jealous about it when Paul was successful and he wasn't AS successful. It's a shame because Paul would have done anything for John, had he only reached out and asked for help. He didn't realize how loved he was, I guess.
While agreeing with everything you stated,i'm a fan of both equally but one thing that always stood out, for me anyway, was John's treatment of Julian,that was either Yoko's behind the scene's bias and control freakery,drugs,or a reflection of John's true nature,this was very noticable by seeing Sean strutting around like the 'chosen one' while Julian had to basically make an appointment(not often granted)to see his dad.
music girl, well said! I agree with every word.
thank you so much for this, you are completely right about this. It really does bother me that John gets so much credit nowadays when, if you actually look at what happened, Paul carried the beatles to success and wrote the most hits, I love all of the beatles and i dont want it to seem like im putting the others down but it really bothers me that this is how the general public seed the beatles, with John as the leader, an activist and a hero and paul as just a tag along who wrote some good melodies. At least Paul seems to be at peace with this situation, he’s actually quite humble. Which is another thing that bothers me, when people say Paul tries to hard or is a show off and that he seems like a ham.
If anyone was a tag-along it was John. Throughout the Beatles history it was Paul always looking for new and innovative ways to do things. It was Paul who wrote most of the songs and still granted John equal credit for them. It was Paul who tried to hold the Beatles together. Paul is modest and doesn't speak up about what he does do. For instance, it was Paul who found and purchased the very private home in Los Angeles where George Harrison and his family stayed to be near his new cancer treatments at UCLA and that home is where George passed on.
@@TheBluewaterBlonde your taking it to far the other way now “John was a tag a-long” that’s just as wrong as saying Paul was a tag a long. They were BOTH equally as important to the Beatles and without disrespecting George it was really more Paul and johns baby who took turns at being the main parent. Who knows after abbey road maybe George was gonna take a lead as he was peaking as a songwriter at the time but Paul was writing his ass off as well and it seemed like Lennon had lost his way since white album you can’t deny plastic Ono band . It is brilliant if a bit too personal but as an album like that has never been done before it’s ok.
When I was a kid and got into the Beatles about 1991/2 it was all John John John I didn’t even know Paul really wrote the songs with him coz I was only 10/11 and going by little things I’d read and seen who were always strawberry fields and imagine as greatest songs ever written, John Lennon as greatest songwriter ever, Lennon the tormented genius , John the peace hero fighting the government, USA trying to kick him out because he’s to powerful in my young mind it was made out he was a god 😂 but as I started getting more albums and becoming obsessed (used to bunk off school and read books bout em in library 😅) it was obvious Paul wrote and sang as much and more in the end. And when oasis came out (who I loved still do) they only banged on about John , John was the cool one. Point is that I glad to search over the years the find out all the things Paul done but to the general person they still think John done it all which if annoys me imagine how much it annoys Paul!! I’m sure money pillows help and paying a women to constantly have mouth around your xxxx helps but it must have drove him nuts! But what I’m seeing lately and is just as annoying is a hatred and disrespect towards John , that he was a bully a women beater they’ve basically took tiny bits of his personality and made out that that was all he was and most of it ain’t true! It just shows what the media are like if they can change people perceptions gradually like this about pop stars imagine what else can do.
But your wrong in saying John as a tag along very wrong. There would 100% be no band without either of them and that my friend is a scientific theological religious ideological psychological FACT !
Best McCartney interview i've ever heard
21:28 This moment is so frank and open, when he interrupts himself with an echo of John's taunt, "but you're always right".
This is so honest it's like Paul doesn't know it's being recorded.
He knew it was being recorded but thought it was just for the interviewer's recall. When the tape was released on picture disc MPL tried to shut it down & McCartney felt hurt by the interviewer who he felt friendly with (Chris Saliweicz (sp?) But yeah, this is Macca feeling like no one else will hear this. I bet he knocked the "reference" tape recording on the head with interviewers after that...
God, why do,people betray him like that? Hunter Davies did the same thing.🤨
Money. @@gretchennelson7056
“Now Let it Be would be one of the hippest albums if they brought it back” great prediction
One of the most revealing Macca interviews I have heard. His candid is disarming. Feels like we are eavesdropping in on a conversation rather than interview. Here you get a feel for how Macca really thinks.
Also the first time I have heard him say "fuck".
He is from Liverpool (with that strong Liverpool accent) -- and working class. Liverpool is like being from Brooklyn or the Bronx in the USA where four-letter words are learned first.
You should check out his song 'Big Boys Bickering' (or possibly not as it's not very good)
That was amazing. He's very self aware and so unfiltered here. Especially considering his final comments re: "bigger than Jesus" and "it's a drag" and how statements get twisted, I can understand his wariness in interviews - he's been burnt. But it makes many interviews bland and gives the impression he's bland too. Which is nuts, because obviously his interesting, clever songs didn't write themselves. Most press interaction just don't reflect that because of his wariness. Still, this ups my opinion of him even more. He's a perceptive guy, and I enjoyed hearing that.
Paul Mccartney must have had great parents. He has remained grounded throughout his very public and insane life, and he has always taken the high road, no matter the criticism, or who his antagonist has been. And then, aside from all his creative gifts, he is also business minded enough to have realized that the Klein deal would bankrupt them all.
I agree and "grounded" is probably the best word to use regarding his personality. In fact, as the decades have rolled by, I more and more lean towards believing that it was probably through Paul's influence that the Beatles stayed together as long as they did and always seemed to improve musically rather than stagnate. He does, of course, posses a huge musical talent but it took more than just his talent to make the Beatles what they were. I think a big part of their success was also due to his relentless drive to work and improve. The others have always said that it was always Paul who would get them all together to go in to the studio to make another album.
His work ethic and desire to be good at "his job" (as he sometimes calls it) undoubtedly came from his upbringing and probably also a small but healthy dose of insecurity maybe instilled in him by his parents who lived through war torn and bombed Liverpool during WWII.
@@mrfester42I believe you’re right 💯
Best interview ever, we don't often get to hear the real off-the-back-foot McCartney - shame!
This must be the best interview Paul has ever given. The real Paul McCartney, Superb!
Love this! He is so candid. Like when he's telling the story about buying the country house he needs a mortgage and he's exasperated, "Don't we have enough by now???" which you think he would have by then! Best interview I've ever heard from him.
Five mins in and already my favourite interview of him. He rarely gives interviews when he’s being his tough self and he should do. He’s obviously a strong willed tough man
Incredible. This is his Lennon Remembers. As honest and as close to the real Paul McCartney as we ever got and will ever get
It's actually different. John's was filled with hate and lies. Paul was telling the truth here and not telling lies in order to mythologize himself like Lennon did.
At last, a sample of the 'real' McCartney. Makes all his other public facing interviews sound bland and contrived. Thanks for posting
Chris Salewicz is the interviewer. He has also written a very good biography of Paul.
Adding: Ive never heard this interview before. Paul was the beating heart of the Beatles. Nothing would have got done without him. He has been vindicated through the passage of time. ❤️ Ringo even said so later on
Such a treasure, only the candid interviews will be important in the future, when people dissect their characters and lives.
This interview is amazing!!!! This journalist is worth GOLD!!!! The way he has made it possible for Paul to trust him, and relax, has enabled the whole session to be a complete debrief for Paul - the whole picture is coming together - it's all beginning to make sense.
AND WE ARE SO PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN IN!!!! This 52 minutes has revealed the amazing man, Paul is - and the gift to the world that he is. And Praise God for Linda - his beautiful wife who was with him thru this very difficult time of dreadful persecution - and helped keep him sane.
A pity that in normal circumstances he just tells the same old stories and never reveals his true thoughts. This is the only interview - ever - where he does.
Its all a matter of trust - l guess.
maybe it's because Paul has so often been bashed and slagged off by the media since the 70s basically and some still do it today that he just became very careful with what he says.
@@AdrianAllan Yeah know what you mean at least seemingly new stuff here....
Bingo!!! Love this comment!! ❤
Best interview I’ve heard with Paul. Must have got him on a very good day.
I've read and seen just about every interview. This is what I've always wanted. Wish that guy would dish the dirt more often "you're gonna have to work like a bitch!"
Good interview, much more than was in the magazine. Paul is quite off guard here which is nice.
Amazing interview!
His voice deepened so much between 1980 and 1986
Really?
His singing voice didn't though interestingly enough. That happened more like in the late 90s.
8:00 the interviewer says "completely off the record, she's still on methadone, isn't she?", to which Paul replies "I don't know". I think this is very significant. Lennon's shockingly thin frame around 1980 has been explained as being a result of his "macro-biotic" diet. I have never believed this, personally. Methadone is a heroin substitute for those withdrawing from heroin. Is it possible that John and Yoko were still addicts in 1980?
Good good question. I thought the same too.
Very plausible as well as possible.
Probably a combination of drugs, diet and depression. He was very self-conscious when it came to his weight. Methadone won't suppress appetite that much. I'm pretty sure he kept using heroin at least occasionally throughout the 70s, though.
Having read a variety of sources, anecdotes and accounts of the 1979-80 era, I get the impression she was on the hard stuff and would send John away to get off it or be left alone to deal with the problem. I'm not sure John was ever big on heroin but am pretty sure he was a user of cocaine for a long time.
I have read elsewhere that John & Yoko had started using heroin again around 1980. Perhaps because they were "out of retirement" and back in the music scene with all the undesirable people who gravitate toward that scene.
34:00 or just after "I'm allowed", he always says that was on of Linda's sayings that helped him to be a bit more comfortable in doing what he wanted to do
It doesn't get any more candid than this......Thanks for posting!
Brilliant in depth interview w/ Macca, best I've heard.
I've been promoting this LP for years in Beatle groups- easily the most honest and revealing interview he's ever done. He's full of energy and wanting to set things right. He tried to block the release but shouldn't have done as it garners much sympathy for him, especially regarding John's insane behaviour in 1969 when Yoko and he were staying at McCartney's. The printed version in Q left a lot of this out.
I agree this is the most open and raw sounding interview with Paul I’ve heard
This is the real Paul.
His greatest inteview
I've owned this same picture disc now for almost 30 years.
The guys a genius and he doesn’t get why the people around him can’t relate or do the same 🤔! I believe he produced in terms of arranging and teaching people’s there parts more then has ever been let known even on johns songs , even more then Martin. When we hear all there old recordings in studio now it’s always Paul leading and telling them what to do.
But he stil a human
@@angelicaquirartereally, angel?
Emm nope he develop his skills later in life,we can't atribute everything to him because it would be a lie,it was a combination of everything George martin was a great part of that just read books about it,who make the promotion for america?brian epsteim of course i think the guys were incredibly lucky,they were other bands with great hits the zombies, the kinks, they just weren't promoted as the Beatles thats why.we think they set up the bar very high
It's absolutely nuts. They were looking for a new manager!! They obviously planned to continue on for some kind of time. That Klein devil was brought in by Yoko. John was just so weak. Who knows what they would have done after Abbey Road. Paul said they had Shakey voices and just were all messed up. These guys were like soulmates and he took his lucky break and broke it in four.
This is THE BEST interview
George is with his private detective in the car beeping the horn
Thanks for posting this interview ❤
Love you Paul…..no guilt
That's Ringo beeping his horn at 14:01
Amazing interview:-) Thanks for uploading
Cool interview....but where was this recorded at a bus stop? 😆 cmon paul shut that window!
Right????
"You should work your ass off man send her flowers every day and she might get you back." Okay I like this idea
Thank you for sharing this ! I really enjoyed it !
Interesting how Paul loves the Glynn Johns Let It Be, whereas John said 'he did a terrible job'. Personally I would agree with John although I've only heard the bootleg. "I've Got A Feeling" has obvious mistakes in it, and the guitar isn't loud enough. I think Spector did a great job on a lot of tracks, especially "I've Got A Feeling', 'Get Back' and 'Two Of Us'. Enjoying listening to this interview....much better than the Tug Of War interview with Peebles.
Isn’t it the naked album?
can someone close the damn window!!
Yeah Paul closed it later
Happy 82nd baby
I wonder if Paul will ever tell all and be honest before he passes away? I think he is the only hope to get the real story.
He does in his latest biography. Paul McCartney: The Biography by Philip Norman. Very revealing and honest.
Thays a joke. He's the same old Macca in that book...even so, he didnt write it, Norman did.
@@perry801 I just bought this book. Can't wait to read it...🥰
I think we just heard the real story.
@@perry801 That book is written by Philip Norman, NOT Paul (he had nothing to do with it), and it's literally just Many Years From Now rehashed to include 100 pages on Heather Mills. Utter joke and total waste of time.
This is amazing! Thanks for posting.
Paul has quite the same workaholic mentality then some of the worlds greatest athletes and artists, and that's why The Beatles turned out to be huge. They had everything to fall apart especially after Brian Epstein died, but Paul milked the potential he saw until it was no longer possible, and that's when we got their better and most groundbreaking projects
Great interview, thanks for sharing it....
Who was the interviewer? Lovely to hear Paul being so candid.
Chris Salewicz
Paul had great restraint & understanding considering the things John had said. He could be quite nasty yet Paul never was. Alan Klein was a crook. Im glad Paul is thinking about it all differently now. ❤❤❤
40:00 Amazing story of Paul sitting down John and telling him he needs to work his ass off to get Yoko back !
Surprising since he probably knew better than anyone how toxic their relationship was. I think he just told Yoko that.
Probably shouldn't have gone and done it, though. But it's all water under the bridge, now.
So great, thank you!
With the advances in technology, hopefully we will soon be able to hear this interview without all the peripheral noise.
A fantastic interview!
Lol. Of course "Bunker Bill" likes "Beatle Bills" lies.
@@olskzeri2723piss off liar lunatic
Thanks, really enjoyed this.
Wish it never ended
Fascinating
It just makes so happy to know Paul watched Spinal Tap.
Funny how he describes the Hey Jude buildup 21:54
You are amazing
@takeitawaypodcast sent me here. Just brilliant
Wow, this is the first "real" interview I've ever heard with McCartney.
I wish he could have brought a little bit more of this to the table in other major interviews over the years.
The ego is well in show though - every example he cites of him being the leader in the Beatles is ones in which he felt he was right and the song was better for it.
Surely there are examples where he was wrong, but he doesn't mention them.
He’s only trying to put right what was wrong. He shouldn’t of been in this position in the first place and wouldn’t of been if it wasn’t for weirdo John Lennon book writers. For some reason there all a little freaky and also Yoko
He was right and the song was better for it because it was his song. Hey Jude is Paul’s song and he had the right to say how it should be played
He WAS right though 👍👍
He has earned his ego. It is part of his drive that makes him so productive. I feel sad that people try to shame him for being so formidable.
Huh?
Omg Paul grew a beard because of that😂
Paul - is your office in the middle of a traffic circle?
Is that an LP? If it is, it sounds like its skipping sometimes because there isn't enough weight on the stylus. I found if I don't have sorbothane pads under the turntable feet, the record will skip if I walk around it.
So Paul introduced Yoko to John....Wow, I guess Paul wishes he could turn back time. 33:16
No, he would want his friend to be happy.
I think Paul is telling the truth here because many years later in the 2000's Paul gave this exact account to Howard Stern.
@@loungejay8555 He also repeated it when being inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
@@satyr1968 Be happy? Paul knew better than anyone how toxic their relationship was and yes, I think she was a big reason, or the reason, why the Beatles broke up. She also kept John away from the other Beatles and wouldn't tell John when they would call him.
More like dumped her on John to get rid of her, never imagining in his wildest nightmares he'd find her attractive. It's like giving your friend a rock of crack cocaine to get rid of, then finding him a week later jacking off a hobo for another hit...
Here thanks to I Am the Eggpod podcast which guided me to this. Check it out, it's an amazing Beatle-centric podcast.
Guided me here too ! Never heard Paul speak so candidly, it’s great .
In what episode do they talk about this interview?
Sorry for the disturbe but you could add the subtitles? He has a really thick accent and obviously the sound is disturbed, you would be doing for us not native speaker a big favor
"Reversed logic", "reversed methodology..."...I find it so difficult to live up to it, too...in my life...I've had a lot of that,too....🙃 Love this interview..."just do it"!👍✌️💛😍...I call it "l'art pour l'artism"🤪😶🐽
This is completely off subject but interesting to hear him say yoko still on methodone? I bet a lot of the musicians ie Keith Richards went onto methodone after heroin? It would explain the lack of creativity as you lose all your spark on that much more then actual heroin.... interesting as they all make out there clean
12:24 they considered Richard Beeching as a manager?? the mind boggle!
Paul you are also human, a perfectionist, genius and not to mention a Gemini as am I so we are both perfect 👍
Hmmm kind of admitted to the magik there !
I have a bit of a hard time understanding him at times. His accent is really thick here.😎🥰
Wish it was better on the audio.
the original is not great - I imagine it was recorded on a basic 1980s tape recorder placed between them, no microphones.
I'd rather hear a an average quality recording of a revealing, unique interview with Paul than Beyoncé or whoever in 5.1!
Really shows how horrible and toxic the Beatles break up was.
1969-75ish John really was in a bad place with the drugs and paranoia.
After Seans death John was in a better place and on the right path.
The fact that he was killed when he was means we only saw a John who for the minority of his life was recovering from the damage caused by his childhood.
porfavor alguien que lo subtitule al espanol
Voy a tratar cuando tenga tiempo, es una entrevista larga y dificil de entender por la calidad del audio( especialmente al principio), pero es tal vez la mejor entrevista que se la ha hecho en la historia junto con algun par mas.
Well this must be a trash John session -- however, I do remember how competitive John and Paul were and that will most likely go on forever -- to death and in the afterlife.
I think that Paul was being as generous as he could be. John was quite famously a dick. But Paul loved him and defends him to this day. At least he doesn't turn him into some mythological god-like being like Yoko has. If Yoko hadn't worked so hard to turn him into the Peace and Love icon, then maybe less people would view him as hypocrite
Paul is just telling the truth. He can't do this in other interviews because people like you think he's trashing John. Is it Paul's fault that John has done a lot of shady and fucked up shit?
Oh no, of course not. Is anything ever”perfect Paulie’s”fault? Nope.
@@sheatetables Generous? Bullshit.
@@ewest14 Here you are again. HAHAHAHA. Such a Macca Fanboy WANKER.
Doesn't sound like Paul
Yeah and you have a point. It's because this man isn't Paul McCartney. His name is William "Billy Shepherd" Shears Campbell, and he replaced "the cute beatle" in 1966, after Paul died in a car crash. To this day, Sir Paul (William), has fooled us with his pathetic interviews where he lies about being "the guy from Liverpool who wrote Love Me Do"💀
@@NaaHvaplease shut it
i think he's on something.... probably coke...
I think he's on something too...probably a chair
He's a Gemini -- they deal in words, whether the written word or the spoken word and they can and do go on and on.
@@TheBluewaterBlonde I'm a Libra, what are my traits?
@@sturdeehouse All we are saying is give peace a chance -- John Lennon also a Libra.
You don’t really think his normal personality is the way he is in normal interviews do you?😂!.. the guys a genius he was part of 13 albums, 22 singles and b sides not part of albums,4 films ,about 1,200 gigs in 7 years in the sixties and didn’t much let up after that for another ten years. That’s not the work of a thumbs up wally . He must have always been full of energy ,creativity and always thinking.