You return to Paris to give a concert at the Olympia. When you come to Paris for the first time?

The first time I came to Paris, it was shortly after the 21st anniversary of John Lennon. An aunt who lived in Scotland had offered what we thought was a very large sum of money, 100 pounds (150 euros). We decided to use this money to go on holiday and hitchhike. We should only spend one night in Paris and proceed to Spain but the city has too much rain so we stayed a week. It was there, hanging out in Montmartre, two completely unknown to the prostitutes who asked if they knew how to find a hotel, "you have a hotel for the night?" Unfortunately, they had no idea. (laughter)

What attracted us was the French attitude. The method is interesting because it was the epoch of Juliette Greco, Françoise Hardy and all the bohemian trip we liked a lot, and it was completely crazy Juliette Greco! Of course there was also Brigitte Bardot, who idolized him completely.

Play at the Olympia, was how?

We were not accustomed to a room like the Olympia, we had never seen so many guys in the audience. In normal times, it was mostly girls and some boys, but in Paris there were mostly boys. The police beat them with batons, and we thought they were going a bit far. We we were accustomed to see everybody jump around, scream, yell, and we thought it was normal, but apparently the police saw it rather as an insurgency.

We shared the bill with Sylvie Vartan, who was really charming but that is not dragging a lot. She has not invited her, I do not know why Sylvie, yet it would have really liked! (laughs) We also met Johnny Hallyday and Vince Taylor, this kind of people.

I did not realize the importance of Bruno Merrick, I just thought "he has his name written in big letters on the front of the Olympia, so it must be someone important." I find it interesting to return now with a new sense of history, once you realize what kind of place is, the association with Edith Piaf etc..

The song "Michelle" was also quite influenced by "Milord" by Edith Piaf, a big success in England. I had a very good school friend whose wife taught French, and which I asked "What rhymes with Michelle?" She said, "Beautiful?" and helped me for the rest of the lyrics in French.

When did you realize that you develop your own style, rather than being influenced by your elders or your contemporaries?

Our heroes were American: Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, and later Motown for creativity, imagination. Bob Dylan was also a very big influence and continues to be. I deeply respect and Boby Dylan admires greatly. This was a few years we wrote when we realized we began developing our own style. For me the turning point was "From Me To You", its directness (he starts singing "If there's anything that you want, if there's anything ..." (If there is anything you want, s If there is anything ...) but after about the middle of the song (he sings "I got arms that long to hold you") and that agreement that, immediately after, was somewhat more elaborate than any what we had written before.

You left the Beatles in 28 years. How did you overcome the pressure?

What I did at the time, set up a new group with my wife Linda. Our efforts have focused on it and everything has been rebuilt from scratch. It was particularly difficult because we did things in the shadow of the Beatles. But nowadays, this aspect is taken into account for any group, because the Beatles have produced so many brilliant songs that is hard to beat. But for me it was just discussed forming a group, and the mid-'70s, the Wings had become quite good.

The media have grown exponentially and their power seems unlimited. How do you report?

I have always behaved the same way. I get along quite well with the journalists, not really, compared to others I drew pretty good. And when this is not the case, try to take it philosophically. It is impossible to see every person in the street and say "Look, it's completely wrong what they say, unless you want to settle my accounts in newspapers. But I have no way to stop the media all-powerful is like an avalanche and I am a guy with a shovel, and it takes time to clear the decks monstrous. I let go, having good hope that the truth one day.

Paul McCartney is almost a concept today, which means so many different things to different people. They talk about you as a "British institution". How do you reconcile this with your own person?

In a sense, I think of Paul McCartney as "him". I know it's me, but there is a part of me that is very secretive, perhaps even more secret than if I was Paul McCartney. I know I need a balance to remain reasonable. I have a number of friends with whom I am acting in a completely ordinary. If I go see my family in Liverpool, I am as ordinary as I've always been. It becomes very annoying actually, "You forgot how much I'm famous? - Oh shut up, Paul!". Well, not really, I'm kidding. But I am fortunate to have many people who help me keep my feet on the ground, and I think that's the key. That said, I know exactly what you mean, there are mornings when I wake up saying "My God, is this really me what kind? Are we living in the same body ? It's quite strange, but I think all famous people feel that, that part of the game you become two different people and it is important to separate them. I try to keep separate my public persona and me. I work a lot. So if I'm eating in a restaurant and someone comes to ask for an autograph, you can tell him "Listen, this is a special moment for me, I'm really sorry, I hope you understand "and most people understand. Once they understand that you want to be an ordinary guy, they are very nice, they are intimate because it is something they too need. Finally, it is not as difficult as it sounds.

Paul McCartney is also a musical signature. How do you not feel a prisoner of your style?

For example: Memory Almost Full opens with a bit of mandolin ( "Dance Tonight"). I bought this instrument in my favorite guitar shop, one where I go every time in London. So I bought this mandolin, but for me it was like a violin, it does not even tuning a guitar, so I knew of no agreement. It took me back to my 16 years, when I tried to understand the chords of a guitar and is a very exhilarating feeling. That way I do, there are things I like, others who are different, but I hope it's varied enough to not be shut up in a box.

Have you ever tried to unravel the magic that has governed the writing of songs Lennon / McCartney? Why it worked it so well?

The simplest answer is that we were both very good. It's not very modest, but I think with hindsight I can say, because in any case it is more challenging. Most of the early songs they wrote together, to "She Loves You" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand".

But after I wrote "Eleanor Rigby" by himself and he did "Nowhere Man" alone. The reason is simply that they lived apart. It was physical. Initially, shared hotel rooms, and that's where we wrote a lot. When the Beatles broke up, although each lost a writing partner, it was not so difficult since we were accustomed to write our own neighborhood.

Although they worked separately, they came almost every show the other song they had composed before saving. I remember having brought "Paperback Writer" John and I had really ended. I just read him the lyrics, which repeated the form of a letter from a young writer at a publishing house, "Dear Sir or Madam as the case may be .." I read everything out loud, and John said, "Great, fantastic." And it's * that * which is sometimes very important in collaboration, to have someone who is willing to say that's it. I did it for him too. Sometimes there were things to see, one more to write and then we sit still. But we were lucky, we never run out of fuel during a writing session. It's pretty incredible when you think about it.

Do you write a secret? Need a room, an atmosphere?

Away sometimes in the room where the piano or pick up a guitar if you want to be more mobile. And I always had the same method, which is to put myself to play guitar or piano, and see where it leads me. You only have a nose like a greyhound to follow good ideas.

I write when the mood takes me, often when I come to write an album, it is finished in the tray, and I've played on stage. I take a vacation and I said "It is time to start writing again. What is it that my batteries could be recharged, the ideas come back and infuse the period of inactivity. I recently read "A Moveable Fast" Hemingway, who talks about his experiences as a young writer in Paris. He said the thing with which I agree completely: At the end of the day he left the job and he would be home or in a bar. But he never thought of her story or its characters, while at the same time, some writers stayed up all night Gamberger. He thought it was a good thing to leave all that aside and go back the next day to give ideas time to settle. It is a really great idea, the way our subconscious does the work. And we must have faith to do all this, but I think a lot.

Music has always been my passion, listen, simply. I talked with my friends and we all agreed, we all started as listeners. When rock & roll broke, without really knowing why, we said that we too could do. It had become possible. Once I got into it I became completely hooked, it's like a drug, it's very hard to detach. It happens something so magical you sit, you have no idea what will happen and suddenly, your ideas become a refrain, in agreements and suddenly here it is: you have an answer. Sometimes an answer to the problems you meet in your life, sometimes it's just a bonus, you created something magical. I do it because I like it. I think it's also a very good therapy. When we pass through difficult times, what is the case for me right now, it's really great to escape with music.