Paul McCartney Revisits The Time He Became The ‘Instigator’ In The Beatles

Paul McCartney reflects on when he was the “instigator” in the Beatles, saying that it was recurring in his friendships with John Lennon and George Harrison before they became bandmates.

It’s a widely-known fact that McCartney’s growing control over the band in its final days was one of the reasons that pushed them to the edge. But in a new interview with the New York Times, he shared that it ensued way before they dove into music.

“I was thinking the other day of my hitchhiking bursts,” the Beatles bassist said. “This was before the Beatles. I suddenly was keen on hitchhiking, so I sold this idea to George and then John. … What I was thinking about was – it’s interesting how I was the instigator. Neither of them came to me and said, ‘Should we go hitchhiking?’ It was me, like, ‘I’ve got this great idea.’”

McCartney says it was proof of a theory he formed, saying: “My theory is that attitude followed us into our recording career. Everyone was hanging out in the sticks, and I used to ring them up and say, ‘Guys, it’s time for an album.’ Then we’d all come in, and they’d all be grumbling. ‘He’s making us work.’ We used to laugh about it. So, the same way I instigated the hitchhiking holidays, I would put forward ideas like, ‘It’s time to make an album.’ I don’t remember Ringo, George or John ever ringing me up and saying that.”

He doesn’t want to take credit for the band coming together, however. “We happened upon each other in Liverpool through a friend of mine, Ivan Vaughan,” McCartney shared. “Ivan said, ‘I think you’d like this mate of mine.’ Everyone’s lives have magic, but that guy putting me and John together, and then George getting on a bus – an awful lot of coincidences had to happen to make the Beatles.”

McCartney also took note of his talents, saying that “there is something with my ability to write music that I don’t think I’m necessarily responsible for. It just seems to come easier to me – touch wood – than it does to some people. That’s it. I’m a fortunate man.”