At 83, Paul McCartney remains as reflective as he is creative. In a candid conversation about his new album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, the former Beatle opened up about childhood memories, family life, The Beatles’ legacy, and the actor set to portray him in Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles films. Among the many stories he shared, one stood out: his surprise at discovering that actor Paul Mescal knew how to play one of his most famous songs better than he did.
A New Album Built on Memory and Friendship
Family, friendship, and nostalgia are at the heart of The Boys of Dungeon Lane, McCartney’s latest studio album. Across 14 tracks, he revisits moments from his upbringing in Liverpool, his early years with The Beatles, and the people who shaped his life.
“I like to go over memories, because it brings me back to the time,” McCartney said. “It brings me back to the people.”
The album serves as a musical scrapbook, blending personal stories with a variety of musical styles that reflect different chapters of his life.
Growing Up in Post-War Liverpool
Born in 1942, McCartney spent his childhood in a Liverpool still recovering from World War II. Despite the hardships of the era, he remembers a community filled with optimism and resilience.
“Things were pretty good, actually,” he recalled. “My uncles and aunties and my parents were so relieved that Hitler wasn’t sending these bombers any more – so it was piano, it was music, it was jokes.”
For McCartney, happiness was never tied to wealth.
“It didn’t matter that you weren’t that well off. They made it okay.”
His father, Jim McCartney, played a crucial role in fostering a love of music and language that would later influence his songwriting career.
Unearthing Songs from the Archive
The album also includes music rescued from the past. One track, Lost Horizon, was revived from an early 2000s demo that had been preserved by McCartney’s late engineer, Eddie Klein.
“If Eddie liked it, I knew it was good,” McCartney explained.
Unlike many unfinished demos, the song was nearly complete.
“This [song] was all there. So we copied exactly what was on that cassette, with a little extra guitar.”
While he jokes that there may be no more hidden treasures waiting in the vault, McCartney acknowledges that archival discoveries have often produced surprising results throughout his career.
Reassessing The Beatles’ Final Years
One of the most revealing moments of the interview came when McCartney discussed Peter Jackson’s acclaimed documentary Get Back, which chronicles the making of Let It Be.
For decades, McCartney carried the burden of being blamed for The Beatles’ breakup.
“The headline on the front of the papers was, ‘Paul breaks up the Beatles’, and I had to shoulder all of that stuff, even though I knew it wasn’t true.”
The criticism affected how he viewed himself.
“It changed my attitude to me,” he admitted.
Watching the documentary, however, gave him a different perspective.
“Oh, no, I’m not like that at all. I’m trying to make a record. I’m trying to encourage these guys to be as great as they are.”
The experience proved deeply reassuring.
“So it took a weight off my mind.”
The Bond That Fueled a Legendary Partnership
McCartney also reflected on his friendship with John Lennon and the experiences that laid the foundation for one of music’s greatest songwriting partnerships.
Recalling a youthful trip across Europe, he remembered how the pair adopted bowler hats as a gimmick while hitchhiking.
“We decided that you need a gimmick, and our gimmick was bowler hats.”
Those adventures strengthened their connection long before global fame arrived.
“The point about all that, though, is that it bonds you.”
That bond became a crucial ingredient in their creative chemistry.
“We understood each other very well.”
Always Trying to Do Better
Despite decades of success, McCartney says he still approaches every project with the goal of surpassing his previous work.
“I always approach it like that, yeah.”
His motivation comes from a desire to keep growing as an artist.
“I always think, ‘The last one was OK. I enjoyed it, but I’m going to do better this time’.”
That mindset has helped sustain one of the most remarkable careers in popular music.
Paul Mescal’s Impressive Preparation
McCartney is also looking ahead to Sam Mendes’ ambitious Beatles film project, which will consist of four separate movies, one for each member of the band.
Actor Paul Mescal has been cast as McCartney and, according to the musician, has already demonstrated an impressive level of dedication.
McCartney recalled inviting Mescal to his office to teach him how to play Blackbird left-handed.
“He came into this office and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll show him how to do Blackbird’. So I picked up the guitar and started playing… and he played along exactly! I think he knew it better than I did!”
The music legend was clearly impressed.
“It was amazing how studied and how well-educated he was about me. So, yeah, I thought, OK, I’ll leave you to it.”
Looking Toward the Future
Although The Boys of Dungeon Lane carries the warmth and reflection of a veteran artist looking back on his life, McCartney shows no signs of slowing down.
He is enthusiastic about plans for a Beatles museum in London and fascinated by new technologies such as the virtual performances used in ABBA Voyage.
When asked about future Beatles-related projects, he offered a simple but intriguing response:
“There’s always something cooking.”
Paul McCartney’s latest album is more than a collection of songs; it is a celebration of memory, friendship, family, and artistic perseverance. As he reflects on his past while embracing new opportunities, he continues to demonstrate the curiosity and passion that have defined his career for more than 60 years. Whether revisiting Liverpool memories, reassessing The Beatles’ history, or praising Paul Mescal’s preparation for the role of a lifetime, McCartney remains focused on what comes next.
