Interview with Michel Laverdière

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In 2003, a new recording of Paul McCartney’s 1966 work for “The Family Way” soundtrack as a classical suite for guitar and flute was given the approval of Paul McCartney and George Martin.

Michel Laverdière acted as executive producer and met with Paul McCartney on May 23, 1995, in the MPL Communications offices in London.

Michel Laverdière: [The Family Way soundtrack] was actually the first time you would officially compose outside the Lennon-McCartney tandem.

Paul McCartney: Yes, and you know, it’s funny. That’s true. It’s funny because talking to Yoko recently, you know, you talk about all these things that happen way back in history. It turns out John was not pleased; but I didn’t know ‘til a year ago that he wasn’t pleased. He always told me, “Fine.” ‘Cause he’d been acting in a film – he did a film called How I Won The War – so we started to do little solo thing, just for a change, just for a break, and so I assumed, I asked him, “Is it okay with you?” He said, “Yeah, fine, fine.”

But Yoko told me that he was actually a little bit put off by that, because he hoped probably that I would say Lennon-McCartney will write this together. But to me it seemed a good opportunity to get away of what I did normally. But Yoko just told me apparently John was a little bit hurt about that. Which is sad. But we did actually talk about it. He just never told me at that time. He probably just covered up.

Michel Laverdière: Because that was the first time we could read: music composed by Paul McCartney?

Paul McCartney: Yeah, that’s right. For me it was very interesting, because it allowed me something of my own. You know, like women these days want to get away from their husbands, get a life of their own. It was a bit that. Because with The Beatles, it was a bit like a marriage. It was quite good to just get away do something of my own. I think if I’d known John was disturbed, I would have just asked him to join me. We could have done that.

Going further

• https://amoralto.tumblr.com/post/57775168748/laverdiere-the-family-way-soundtrack-was