Sir Paul McCartney hates the misconception that he broke up The Beatles.
The 79-year-old musician says he has “only finally just got over” claims that he split up the band – which also featured John Lennon, Sir Ringo Starr and George Harrison – in 1969.
During a talk with poet Paul Muldoon – who he has collaborated on ‘The Lyrics, 1956 to the present’ book with – at the Royal Festival Hall in London, McCartney was asked what the biggest misconception was about being Paul McCartney.
He replied: “That I had broken The Beatles up … so I lived with that because once a headline is out there it sticks. That was a big one that I’ve only finally just got over.”
Paul also revealed his regret that he never told John Lennon he loved him and said it was “miraculous” that The Beatles had found each other.
He said: “The four of us miraculously found each other. We grew up together. It’s like walking up a staircase and we’ve always been side by side on that staircase. I’m like a fan. I just remember how great it was to work with him and how great he was. Because you are not just messing around, you are not singing with Joe Bloggs you are singing with John Lennon.
“It’s very true. You say that I loved him and as 17-year-old Liverpool kids you could never say that. It just wasn’t done. So I never really said, ‘John, love you mate’ I never got around to it so now it’s great to know how much I love this man.”