In a candid revelation, Paul McCartney shared that he once found himself agreeing with John Lennon’s harsh assessments of The Beatles.
Though McCartney often stood as the band’s staunch defender, he admitted that post-breakup bitterness led him to question the group’s legacy for a period.
Following The Beatles’ split, disagreements between McCartney and Lennon became quite pronounced.
Lennon frequently criticized McCartney’s solo endeavors and the duo often clashed over lingering contractual issues.
Amidst this tension, McCartney found that he occasionally mirrored Lennon’s negative sentiments about their time together in the band.
“During that period of resentment, I caught myself thinking like John, ‘Oh, the Beatles … nah, just crap,’” McCartney confessed to Rolling Stone.
However, he quickly clarified that despite those moments of doubt, he ultimately believes in the greatness of their collective work.
Looking back, McCartney expressed a longing for collaboration but tempered his expectations for a full-fledged reunion.
“I don’t envision us reuniting as The Beatles,” he noted.
“There are ways we could collaborate quietly and still contribute to something meaningful.”
He acknowledged the individual successes each member has achieved, emphasizing the unlikelihood of anyone relinquishing their solo pursuits at this stage.
“Everyone is doing so well on their own now; it’s tough to imagine anyone stepping back from that,” he remarked.
Nevertheless, McCartney holds onto the hope of future collaborations, even if they aren’t under the iconic banner of The Beatles.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished together.
I’d love to see more cooperation among us,” he said.
With a wealth of ideas swirling in his mind, he hinted at potential projects he envisions, though he was careful not to disclose too much before discussing them with his former bandmates.
The relationship between McCartney and Lennon wasn’t always contentious, however.
Before Lennon’s untimely passing, the two managed to rekindle their friendship.
By steering clear of business discussions, they found common ground and a renewed sense of camaraderie.
Reflecting on one of their last conversations, McCartney shared a light-hearted moment about baking bread.
“I had taken up baking and was getting pretty good at it,” he recounted on Sirius XM’s Howard Stern show.
“When I found out John was into it too, it felt great to talk about something so simple and ordinary.”
McCartney expressed gratitude for having reconnected with Lennon during the latter stages of his life.
“It was heartwarming to return to that easy relationship we once enjoyed,” he said, recalling how closely they had worked together in their earlier years.
As he reminisces about their shared past, McCartney seems to treasure the moments of connection that transcended their professional disagreements.
Their friendship, built over years of collaboration and mutual respect, ultimately found its way back to a place of warmth and understanding before it was too late.
