Interview for dopeYEAH talk

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So, who got you involved with Paul? Who did the call come from?

Robbie McIntosh: I think Hamish [Stewart] was already with Paul then. Chrissie [Hynde] recommended me to Linda. Hamish and I had met when I was with the Pretenders — we bumped into each other in a bar in New York. There was a funny connection because the original drummer in the Average White Band was called Robbie McIntosh — same spelling as me. Hamish knew of me, so when we met, we had a drink and a laugh about that.

So, between Chrissie and Hamish, I got connected. I’d already met Paul and Linda briefly when I was with Chrissie. They got me into some sessions — I played on some tracks for Flowers in the Dirt. Then they asked me to join the band. So I joined in ’89.

Backtracking a bit — when we toured with the Pretenders for the Get Close album, we brought in Blair Cunningham on drums. He was recommended by John McKenzie, a bass player I knew. Blair came in when we recorded in Woodstock with TM Stevens on bass. Later, when I was with Paul, Chris Whitten was the drummer, but after the first tour he left. So I suggested Blair, who auditioned and got the gig. That’s how Blair ended up in Paul’s band with me.

Hamish had suggested me, I suggested Blair, and later I also recommended Wix [Paul Wickens] for keyboards. Wix and I had been bandmates before — he’s still one of my closest friends. So that’s how Hamish, Blair, Wix and I all ended up in Paul’s band with Linda.

Must have been incredibly exciting—you were a Beatles fan as a kid and suddenly you’re playing with Paul McCartney. What was that first time like?

The first session I did, Paul knew I was a big fan. We talked about Blackbird. I’d taught myself to play it when I was about 12. There’s one little climbing bit that I used to play with a stretch — it sounded right but wasn’t quite how Paul did it.

He showed me the easier, proper fingering. [Demonstrates on guitar.] And of course, I thought: “Of course, that’s the way you play it!”

When we did the MTV Unplugged show, Paul asked me to play Blackbird with him — two acoustics together. He could have done it alone, but he remembered that first conversation we had about the song. That was fantastic.

Paul’s musicianship is extraordinary — he’s one of the greatest bass players ever. If you want to be a good bassist, you listen to James Jamerson and Paul McCartney.

What was it like being in his band?

It was amazing. Great pay, private planes — even Concorde. And I was with mates: Hamish, Blair, Wix. Linda was lovely. Paul himself — one of the greatest musicians alive, yet very down-to-earth.

I stayed until ’94, when Paul wound down the band after the ’93 tour. Linda got ill. I did one last charity gig with him at the Albert Hall for the Montserrat benefit that George Martin organized, but that was the last time I played with him.

Linda’s passing was heartbreaking — she was one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. Treated everyone the same, whether it was a cleaner or a celebrity.

After leaving the band, I didn’t see Paul for years. He sent the occasional Christmas card or a box set when I’d played on some tracks. Very thoughtful. For example, recently he sent me that huge box of 72 singles spanning his career. I’m on six or seven of them, including My Brave Face. It arrived with a personal note — just very sweet.

Then last summer, before Glastonbury, Paul played a surprise pop-up gig in Frome. Wix got me in. I saw Paul for the first time in 25 years — we chatted for five minutes. That was the last time I saw him.