Paul McCartney Talks About Michael Jackson Buying The Beatles Catalog In 2001

Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson’s relationship had an interesting run. The two started as one of the biggest music stars in the industry, until the two collaborated, shocking the world. In an unexpected twist of faith, the two even went to an employer-employee relationship that lasts even today.

Paul McCartney shared his thoughts on Michael Jackson buying The Beatles’ Catalog in an interview with Howard Stern back in 2001. The whole studio watched in amazement as Macca entered the room; it felt as great that something as huge of a rockstar as his become that day’s guest for the Howard Stern Show.

Stern go directly to the point, asking if it’s true that he’s the one who introduced Michael Jackson in the world of music publishing. It turns out, the “irony” of the situation would be Jackson buying the entire Beatles catalog, making him the boss of all the legendary songs created by the Fab Four.

McCartney first started to explain that the two had a “good little relationship,” where Michael first rang up to him and grabbed the opportunity to create songs. When Michael asked the musician if he could give some “advice” in music, Macca introduced him to the idea of going in the business of music publishing.

McCartney further explained: “I thought he [Jackson] was joking [when] he said, ‘Oh I’m gonna get yours.’ Well, I went ‘no, [laughing] slap you in the back, good one!’ I thought that was a joke.” It all came to him when someone rung him up and said that Jackson did buy the entire catalog of the Beatles.

Surprisingly, Macca didn’t mind that Jackson bought it, but what he didn’t like was the how the “Thriller” singer didn’t respond to him around the time he asked him for a raise. “[I] wrote him a couple of letters, saying: ‘Michael, don’t you think, even if I was just a writer on the payroll, after 30 years of being reasonably successful for this company you now own; don’t you think I could have a raise?’ he said, ‘Oh Paul, that’s just business.’”

You can watch the clipped interview below.