Spotlight on Music: Macca – Privacy loss is cost of fame

In his first live in-person event in two years, Paul McCartney has appeared in conversation discussing his new career-spanning book, The Lyrics.

The book is the product of a collaboration with award-winning poet and author Paul Muldoon, who spent five years taking an in-depth look at 154 of his lyrics, writes Adam Davidson.

The book gives devoted fans a chance to see never-before-seen photographs, letters and drafts from one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

During the event at the Royal Festival Hall on Friday, November 5, Mr McCartney reflected on his life, his songs and his creative process
with Mr Muldoon.

The 90-minute conversation with The Beatles legend, chaired by journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed, gave the audience an honest insight into a wide range of topics, from the loss of his mother at 14 and his love for buses – and Liverpool.

Particular highlights were when Mr McCartney talked about his experiences in The Beatles and John Lennon.

Mr Muldoon said: “One of the wonderful things to come out of this book was your love for (Lennon) and that you never told him you loved him.”

In response, Mr McCartney said that it just wasn’t done and that two young teenage boys from a working-class Liverpool background would not tell one another that they loved each other.

He said: “I never got around to it, so now it’s great to realise how much I love this man.”

Mr McCartney was also open about the effects that the mad hysteria that constantly surrounded The Beatles had on him as an individual.

George Harrison once described the fab four as forced rhubarb – something forced to grow and mature too quickly.

When asked about this, Mr McCartney said there was a sense of intense pressure at a young age when Beatlemania kicked off.

He said that the lads from Liverpool could no longer be the happy-go-lucky guys down the pub, that peaceful and working-class lifestyle was now unattainable.

As part of the audience Q&A, in which questions were submitted in advance, Mr McCartney was asked: “What has it cost to be Paul McCartney?”

He said his privacy, adding: “I made that decision early on when I could see what was happening with The Beatles.”

The lack of privacy in the UK meant that the band particularly enjoyed their holidays in Greece where they could enjoy some anonymity, with the locals more interested in musicians playing the bouzouki – until The Beatles made it big in Greece a year later.

The event, hosted by the Southbank Centre in partnership with Penguin Live, celebrated Mr McCartney’s book, The Lyrics.

Pictured: Paul McCartney on stage at the Southbank's Royal Festival Hall in conversation with Paul Muldoon (editor) and Samira Ahmed. Photo by Mark Allan/MPL

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CASISDEAD – Park Assist [feat La Roux]

Following a three year hiatus CASISDEAD has returned with a new single Park Assist – featuring Herne Hill local La Roux.

The track is infused with a nostalgic pop sound, overlaid with some straight-talking lyrics about the state of rap and class differences and La Roux closes out the song with her trademark soaring vocals.

The song is accompanied by a video directed by Deadpool and Game Of Thrones actor Ed Skrein.

Although providing little in terms of explanation, the video, a still is pictured left, is rich in dystopian aesthetic, complete with cyborgs and red leather coats.

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Jelani Blackman has returned with his new single Bubblin.

The track, which has electrifying vocals over a classical guitar-sampling beat, was written and recorded in the space of one night home alone during the first lockdown.

Jelani said: “I was actually bubbling when I recorded this tune. Was in lockdown and had to record in my studio at home.

“The next day there was a letter through the door with a noise complaint ‘cos I was on such a wave.’ That’s the whole mood of the song for me.”

Recorded in one take, it preserves the intensity of the feeling of the moment.