Andrew Watt, who wanted Paul McCartney to play on the Rolling Stones’ latest album, ‘Hackney Diamonds,’ recently told Rolling Stone why people often underrated one crucial McCartney feature.
McCartney played on the Rolling Stones’ punk rock song ‘Bite My Head Off,’ and Watt mentioned how that was an intentional decision. The producer said:
“It would be expected to have him play on a great big ballad like ‘Depending on You,’ or one of the softer songs to get that ‘melodic Paul McCartney’ thing.”
However, it felt to Watt that McCartney’s love for hard rocking was a feature that was underrated:
“[But] You’ve got to also understand, Paul McCartney loves to f*cking rock. I thought, ‘Why not pick the most punk-rock f*cking song – the one where everyone’s on 10 the whole time, and let guys have the time of their lives rocking out together.”
McCartney Had A Secret Weapon
Watt then explained that he’d gifted a bass to McCartney during the studio session, which was identical to the Beatle’s signature bass, a left-handed Hoffner. The producer then pointed out how McCartney reacted to the gift:
“He was crying laughing! He had that as his secret weapon.”
A Beatle And The Stones Rocking Together
He then mentioned how the air changed when the veteran Beatle and the Stones started to jam, record and rocked hard together:
“Paul stands up. All of a sudden, Ron stands up, Keith stands up, Mick drags a mic into the f*cking center of the room, and I swear to God, the roof left the f*cking building. I can’t explain what that feels like, but it was the Stones and the Beatles. It wasn’t heavy for them; it was a f*cking blast.”
The album does not only feature Paul McCartney but also features Lady Gaga, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. Also, you can check out here to read Watt’s full chat.
