Paul McCartney has opened up about his complicated relationship with John Lennon following the Beatles’ bitter split.
The group parted ways in the spring of 1970. While they quietly agreed to go their separate ways the prior fall, things went downhill after the news went public that April.
“When we broke up and everyone was now flailing around, John turned nasty,” the 79-year-old recalled in his new book, “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present,” as quoted by People magazine on Thursday.
“I don’t really understand why,” the singer admitted. “Maybe because we grew up in Liverpool, where it was always good to get in the first punch of a fight.”
JOHN LENNON HONORED BY PAUL MCCARTNEY, YOKO ONO ON 81ST BIRTHDAY
In an interview with Rolling Stone following the band’s breakup, John Lennon (left) targeted Paul McCartney over his alleged bossiness in the studio, as well as the apparent disrespect towards his wife Yoko Ono.
(Getty Images)
Lennon released his first solo studio album, “John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band,” in December 1970. It featured the track “God,” in which the singer-songwriter declared, “I don’t believe in Beatles / I just believe in me.”
McCartney said he wasn’t impressed.
“John was firing missiles at me with his songs, and one or two of them were quite cruel,” he explained. “I don’t know what he hoped to gain, other than punching me in the face. The whole thing really annoyed me. John would say things like, ‘It was rubbish. The Beatles were crap.’ Also, ‘I don’t believe in the Beatles, I don’t believe in Jesus, I don’t believe in God.’ Those were quite hurtful barbs to be flinging around and I was the person they were being flung at, and it hurt.”
“So, I’m having to read all this stuff, and on the one hand, I’m thinking, ‘Oh f— off, you f—ing idiot,’” McCartney continued. “But on the other hand, I’m thinking, ‘Why would you say that? Are you annoyed at me or are you jealous or what?’ And thinking back 50 years later, I still wonder how he must…
Source : foxnews
