I never know why or how, but I think one of the great things is that music is a great healer and it’s a great sort of therapy. And every so often I just get sort of inspired. Paul: It’s simple – I really enjoy what I do. We don’t know what 2016 will hold, but we thought we’d take this opportunity to cherry pick a few decades’ worth of chats with the man to immerse in a bit of his always charming wit and wisdom…įBPO: You have been really creatively consistent for – well, forever, it seems.

His long and winding road shows no signs of abating any time soon. His nimble style, the rockabilly drive of heroes such as Bill Black and Connie Smith with the melodic complexity of Motown’s James Jamerson, McCartney’s approach has a forceful presence that’s both dominant and complementary, integral to any song he’s playing. Since taking over, reluctantly, for Stuart Sutcliffe in 1961, no conversation about rock’s top bassist – or music’s, for that matter – is complete without mentioning McCartney in its Top 5. In addition to playing dates on his continuing “Out There” tour, 2015 found Sir Paul (yes, he’s been knighted) collaborating with rapper Kanye West – even earning a Grammy nomination for their single “FourFiveSeconds” with Rihanna.Īnd then there’s his bass playing. Paul McCartney once asked the musical question, “Will you still need me…When I’m 64.” He’s nearly a decade on from that now, and the answer is still yes, we do.Īs a Beatle, a Wing and a solo artist, McCartney has been impressively consistent and prolific, the writer and singer of myriad timeless pop hits – standards, even, in the case of something like “Yesterday” – and a bit of a renaissance man who also paints, directs films, acts (sort of) and writes children’s books, as well as being an activist fighting for animal rights, poverty relief and environmental concerns.Īnd the creativity never stops. Final prices were not available for all the pieces, though Clayton’s bass raised $78,650.Candid conversation with ex-Beatle, including speculation on what 2016 may bringĮxclusive FBPO interview with FBPO’s Gary Graff Other basses in the lot included U2 bassist Adam Clayton’s tour-played Fender Precision, Lou Reed’s blue Sadowsky bass, Win Butler’s prop bass, and a signed Fender signature bass from Flea. “Prized for its consistency of tone and playability, the Yamaha bass was used prominently on Wings final studio album, ‘Back to the Egg’ (1979).” “Constructed of maple, alder, and mahogany with an ebony fingerboard featuring inlaid mother of pearl fret markers, the BB-1200 features a neck-through design for extra sustain and P-style split pickups,” the description reads. The record was previously held by Bill Wyman’s 1969 Fender Mustang that garnered $384,000 last year.Īlthough McCartney is mostly associated with his Hofner and Rickenbacker basses, the Yamaha was his main axe in the late 1970s with Wings and his solo albums McCartney II and Tug of War. McCartney’s “Wings” bass sold for a whopping $496,100 to become the most expensive bass to ever be sold at auction. Nearly a quarter of that figure came from the sale of one bass: Paul McCartney’s tour and studio-played Yamaha BB-1200.

Paul mccartney bass