Paul McCartney Says New Film ‘Proves’ Beatles Split Wasn’t His Fault
Paul McCartney is praising an upcoming documentary from Peter Jackson for reaffirming that the band’s break up was not his fault.
The Beatles: Get Back captures the making of 1970’s Let It Be, an LP now known for its contentious sessions. For instance, in one infamous moment from the original Let It Be film, McCartney confronted George Harrison about his guitar playing on one of the songs.
Jackson has reedited the footage to create The Beatles: Get Back, and McCartney believes the updated version better reflects the band’s culture at the time.
“It was so reaffirming for me,” he told the Sunday Times. “Because it proves that my main memory of the Beatles was the joy and the skill.”
The Times reports that new scenes in the film include several lighthearted moments. At one point, McCartney and John Lennon perform the Let It Be opening track "Two of Us" “as if they are ventriloquists.”
“The proof is the footage,” McCartney said. “I bought into the dark side of the Beatles breaking up and thought, ‘Oh God, I’m to blame.’ I knew I wasn’t, but it’s easy when the climate is that way to start thinking so.
“But at the back of my mind there was always this idea that it wasn’t like that, but I needed to see proof," McCartney added. "There’s a great photo Linda took, which is my favorite, of me and John working on a song, glowing with joy. This footage is the same. All four of us having a ball.”
McCartney has previously noted that the new documentary gave him a better perspective on the group's waning days. The Beatles: Get Back was originally scheduled for release this year, but has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Next up is McCartney's latest solo album, which is due on Dec. 18. McCartney III completes his eponymous trilogy following 1970’s McCartney and 1980’s McCartney II.
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