Paul McCartney has addressed the break-up of The Beatles, emphatically denying that he was to blame for the group’s collapse.
In an interview to the BBC Radio 4’s This Cultural Life set, McCartney said that it was John Lennon who wanted The Beatles to break up.
He said “I didn’t instigate the split, that was our Johnny.’’
Fans have long debated who was to blame for the band’s collapse, with many blaming McCartney. However, according to McCartney, the primary reason for the breakup was Lennon’s wish to “break loose.”
He continued that confusion about the break-up was allowed to fester because their manager asked the band members to keep quiet until he concluded a number of business deals.
The interview takes place ahead of Peter Jackson’s six-hour documentary about the band’s final months. ‘The Beatles: Get Back’, which will premiere on Disney+ in November, will undoubtedly revisit the iconic band’s breakup.
When questioned about the decision to strike out on his own his choice McCartney retorted, “Stop right there. I am not the person who instigated the split. Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said: ‘I am leaving The Beatles’. Is that instigating the split, or not?”
McCartney expressed sadness at the split, but said that the group was still producing “pretty good stuff.” He continued, “This was my band, this was my job, this was my life. So, I wanted it to continue.”
