Sir Paul McCartney has revealed the worst person he has ever worked with, branding the individual a 'sort of demon'. The Beatles legend, who celebrates his 84th birthday today, June 18, has long been regarded as approachable and grounded, but not everyone has experienced his affable nature.
McCartney's Feud with Allen Klein
McCartney's deep-seated animosity is directed at Allen Klein, the American businessman who managed The Beatles in their late period. McCartney openly labelled Klein a 'sort of demon', a feud that ultimately destroyed his relationship with his fellow bandmates.
When The Beatles needed new management in the late 1960s, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr voted to appoint Klein. McCartney vehemently opposed the move and refused to sign the contract. He recalled that dealings with Klein were so fraught that the manager invaded his dreams 'like a dentist'.
Dissolving The Beatles
To break free from Klein's control, McCartney was compelled to sue his own bandmates in 1970 to formally dissolve The Beatles. This action led to him shouldering public blame for the split for decades. By the mid-1970s, the other three Beatles had also fallen out with Klein, cutting ties and pursuing legal action against him.
Other Creative Clashes
McCartney also clashed with legendary producer Phil Spector. When John Lennon handed the raw 1969 Get Back session tapes to Spector, who added his 'Wall of Sound' orchestration, McCartney was furious about the heavy additions to his song 'The Long and Winding Road'. In 2003, McCartney released 'Let It Be... Naked', stripped of Spector's production.
McCartney also found himself at odds with producer Quincy Jones, who in 2018 called The Beatles 'the worst musicians in the world' and McCartney 'the worst bass player I ever heard'. However, McCartney later disclosed that Jones apologised personally, attributing the outburst to a misunderstanding.
