Paul McCartney shares the ‘creative luxury’ he loves most of all

The Beatles and Wings frontman Paul McCartney has shared the “creative luxury” he loves most of all.

McCartney, who has won nineteen Grammy Awards and headlined Glastonbury Festival twice, confirmed the ability to “change your direction” is what helps most of all. In an interview given by Paul and Linda McCartney ahead of the release of Give My Regards to Broad Street, The Beatles and Wings member says he was thankful for being given the chance to “work in another medium.” The songwriter had, at the time of making Give My Regards to Broad Street, released his first solo album post-Wings dissolution, Tug of War. He would release Pipes of Peace a year later, and Give My Regards to Broad Street in 1984.

McCartney told Playboy in 1984: “I guess the ultimate luxury professionally is to be able to change your direction, to work in another medium. It’s what a lot of people would like to be able to do.

“It has also given me a chance to see professional actors at work, and now I can tell the acting profession, ‘Nobody need worry about me; there’s no danger from me.’ Still, it’s been great fun, and I’ve learned a lot. It’s a good little film, a nice evening out. I only regret that I didn’t write a completely new score.”

Give My Regards to Broad Street released to lukewarm reviews at the time but has since found a cult audience. Fellow Beatles member Ringo Starr also features in the film, with Linda McCartney suggesting the Wings frontman “hasn’t been happy” with his work since the days of recording with John Lennon, George Harrison, and Starr.

She said of the film: “The music is all live, and Paul’s had a chance to work with great musicians again. He’s started coming home happy again, fulfilled. Paul is a perfectionist. He hasn’t been happy, he hasn’t had a chance to work with the best since the old days.”

The Give My Regards to Broad Street soundtrack has since been re-evaluated by fans of the film, who say it is one of McCartney’s best pieces of work. One user took to the r/PaulMcCartney subreddit and wrote: “The most underrated Macca album is Give My Regards to Broad Street. And I’m not kidding.

“The album is usually maligned more than any other McCartney record (together with Driving Rain and Wild Life). Most songs/versions in Give My Regards to Broad Street are good, and several are just great.”

Another added: “Much of it is great, but I loathe the ‘dance’ version of No More Lonely Nights and cutting a verse out of Here, There and Everywhere was a crime against his own music. The positives far outweigh the negatives, though.”