Imagine that Paul McCartney didn't bury himself in hermit-like seclusion in Liverpool after the assassination attempt by Jack Ruby that followed the break-up of the Beatles. Imagine instead that he formed a group with his wife, put out a massively successful string of easy listening albums and singles, became the most prominent of the ex-Beatles and climaxed his career with a tribute to his Scottish home-from-home.*

CREEM: Once they've attained a certain level of popularity, many artists consider it unnecessary to converse with the public through the media...

McCartney: Just do it through their music?

CREEM: Yes. So why do you feel it important to do press interviews?

McCartney: One of the reasons is that I like to meet the people who do interviews and who're slagging me off in the papers. When they're faceless figures, it can drive you a bit mad, so I prefer to meet them face to face.

CREEM: I know for a fact that you follow the music press more than most artists care to admit to.