Interview for paulmccartney.com

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PaulMcCartney.com: What has been your highlight of 2022? 

Paul: I think I have to say Glastonbury. The lead-up was nice with the American tour, we had some great shows and made some good memories there. But Glastonbury and the little gig before it in Frome were definitely highlights.  

Festivals are special, but Glastonbury is particularly so and it’s a big event in lots of people’s year. Because it had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, it became more important to pull it off.  

I’d asked Bruce Springsteen in 2020 if he’d be happy to come onboard and he said yes, and he kept his promise two years later. So that was very exciting, having him and Dave Grohl up on the stage. It’s a pretty impressive scene for people in the audience, but we get the whole view up on the stage with the flags and the hills going back forever, so it was quite a big deal that they said yes to joining me in that experience.   

PM.com: The Glastonbury crowd is quite unique too – there are so many passionate music fans, and we even saw people crying with emotion during your set! 

Paul: Of course, up on stage I can’t really see people’s reactions, but I love to hear them because I’ve found myself doing that at concerts. I went to see James Taylor once and started blubbing because it was just so lovely! I was thinking, ‘Oh, I love this guy’ – I’m getting emotional even now! It’s a magical thing, knowing music can do that to people. We’re the only animal on the planet that does that.  

Then you’ve got the spirituality of the place, knowing about the key lines and everything else. When you have an event like Glastonbury and everyone comes together with good vibes and energy, I’m very happy to be part of that. 

PM.com: That’s a great highlight from 2022 – it was ours too! What are you looking forward to in 2023?  

Paul: Well, I’m going on holiday – I’m definitely looking forward to that! And I’m doing some more recording. I’ve been recording with a couple of people, so I’m looking forward to doing even more. I’ve started working with this producer called Andrew Watt, and he’s very interesting – we’ve had some fun. Beyond that, I don’t have anything massive planned… at the moment!