There is no denying the legendary icon status of Paul McCartney. But with the singer about to turn 84 on June 18, the same question continues to be asked, “Will you retire?” The question makes sense as McCartney holds nearly every major accolade. He was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and knighted by the British Empire. Not shying away from the question, McCartney recently shared his thoughts on what keeps him returning to the stage.
Speaking with NME, the Beatles icon celebrated the release of his latest album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane. Taking McCartney and fans on a journey throughout his life in the spotlight, the singer finally answered the question of retirement. What exactly did he say – “I don’t know. I never know, y’know?”
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Paul McCartney Once Thought “30 Was Really Old”
Maybe not the answer fans wanted to hear, but according to McCartney, he doesn’t feel old enough to call it quits. “I remember when I was 50 years old, my manager at the time said, ‘Well, are you thinking of retiring?’ I went, ‘Uh, I don’t think so.’ But he obviously thought, 50… which, I get it, because we thought 30 was really old [when] we were 20. So 30 was like that’d be unseemly, but it came, and it went, and people were still playing, and audiences like the music.”
Another reason that kept McCartney performing was the fans. Knowing that each new decade brought more fans, the singer wanted to offer them the same performance that the original fans received.
“If the music is from that period, they don’t get to hear it live any other way, so you’ve got to hear Neil Young live to get the whole feel of Neil – the Neil feel. Same with a lot of bands – the Stones, The Eagles. There’s nothing like it.”
Ready to celebrate another year, McCartney understood that time was against him. But for now, he wasn’t looking to retire. “Creative satisfaction is just writing a song – it’s still the same old satisfaction that it was. There’s something magical about it.”
Embracing the magic that first brought him to the stage, McCartney made it clear that his music and fans keep him far away from that dreaded retirement announcement.
(Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)