Paul McCartney Claims John Lennon Is Responsible For The Beatles Breaking Up: 'That Was Our Johnny'
Paul McCartney has gone on the record on the true reason behind The Beatles split, and he isn't shying away from who is responsible — John Lennon.
The English-born songwriter was featured on BBC Radio's "This Cultural Life" set to air later this month, and he gladly opened up about the final days of the incredible band that changed the world.
"This was my band, this was my job, this was my life. So I wanted it to continue," The Beatles alum said in the interview with host John Wilson. "I didn’t instigate the split. That was our Johnny."
Fingers have long been pointed at which band member is truly responsible for the band's 1970 break up, but McCartney is not about to take any responsibility for it regardless of his decision to pursue his own music as well.
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"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 went on candidly, saying that Lennon described his decision to leave as "thrilling" and that the whole experience felt "like a divorce."
The 79-year-old legend also talked about how the band was not allowed to speak about the inevitable split until after the business was completely done, causing them to have to "pretend" for months. "We had to pretend ... It was weird, because we all knew it was the end of the Beatles. But we couldn’t just walk away."
"The point of it really was that John was making a new life with Yoko," the singer elaborated on the rumors that his bandmate's relationship had to do with the band's end. "John had always wanted to sort of break loose from society because, you know, he was brought up by his Aunt Mimi, who was quite repressive, so he was always looking to break loose."
This interview comes ahead of the upcoming documentary, The Beatles: Get Back directed by Peter Jackson. The 3 episode docuseries is set to premiere Thanksgiving weekend on DisneyPlus.