Sir Paul McCartney wouldn’t want to have become famous in the age of social media.
The 78-year-old singer thinks there is a lot of "pressure" in making Instagram profiles seem interesting and though he’s happy to "dip in" now and again, he’d rather let his team run his online accounts so he can focus on making music.
He said: "I would not want to be trying to get famous now, with social media and stuff.
"Lots of people in my family do Instagram and I say, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this, because every time you post something you’ve got to think of something clever to say.’ It’s the worst pressure on earth. Because all you’re doing is taking a picture of your breakfast and you’ve got to say, ‘Pancakes are not just for Shrove Tuesday.’ For me that is not fun.
"In truth, I do have an Instagram account and I occasionally dip into it, but it’s not really me. It’s my team who do it. I like it and I like that they do it, and when I do dip in I kind of enjoy it, especially when something important has happened, like someone’s birthday or someone has died…
"I remember once having dinner with Gwyneth Paltrow and she asked if I had a Facebook page and I said I did but that I didn’t look at it very much. And she looked at me in horror and said, ‘That could be very dangerous.’
"And I said, ‘Well, I suppose it could be, but I just can’t be bothered.’ All of this stuff, I dip into it, but it doesn’t really attract me. I’d rather just go off into a corner and try to write a song."
And the Beatles legend admitted he’s glad he doesn’t have to court fame in order to boost his own music sales.
Paul – whose career began in the 1960s when The Fab Four conquered the globe with their songs – added: "So fame nowadays is a big ballgame, where all of these issues come into play and I would not like to be trying to get more hits than Beyoncé or more than Rihanna. I would not like to be playing that game."
The ‘Band on the Run’ singer also admits he is not a fan of the selfie phenomenon and doesn’t really like taking photos with fans but he’s always happy to stop for a chat.
Speaking to GQ magazine, he said: "It was exciting getting famous, but then it wears off a bit and when you’ve been famous for as long as I have, it’s a thrill sometimes and sometimes it’s a nuisance.
"But I’ve got strategies. I’m one of those people who – shock, horror – I don’t do pictures. You’re walking down the street and someone says, ‘Paul! Paul!’ and they’re reaching in their pocket and you know what they’re doing: they’re reaching for their iPhone.
"And I say, ‘No, sorry, I don’t do pictures.’ And then I’ll say, ‘I hope you don’t mind. I’ll chat to you.’
"And then I’ll spend bloody five minutes with them, explaining that if I do pictures I suddenly feel not like me. I feel like this famous celebrity. And you know what I always say? I say it reminds me of the South of France – come and have your picture taken with the monkey. Suddenly I’m that. I’ve got to be myself."