‘He Certainly Doesn’t Need to Keep Working, It’s Not About That’: Paul McCartney Guitarist on Why His Boss Still Hasn’t Retired

“I think to myself, ‘Why? Why do it?’, because it’s a schlep for anybody. I don’t care if you’re Paul or whoever you are, it is still a schlep.”

Longtime Paul McCartney guitarist Brian Ray reflected on his boss’ decision to keep working for all this time, suggesting that the legendary Beatle must really love what he does as working in the industry can often be a “schlep”.

From getting this small rock ‘n’ roll band called The Beatles with a fellow Scouser called John Lennon, to climbing to the very top of the world with said band, and then remaining there for the next five decades as a solo artist, Paul McCartney has done it all. At a time when he could’ve easily retired and assumed the passive role of rock’s elder statesman, the 82-year-old worldwide icon still keeps recording, touring, and collaborating — perhaps more than many of his much younger colleagues.

Brian Ray, who’s accompanied McCartney on his professional journey for the past 22 years, believes that his boss won’t be calling it quits any time soon, as his passion for performing is too great. Ray said during a recent interview on New York’s WAXQ radio station (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar):

“He’s passionate about it. And he loves to sing a song. He loves to entertain. He’s just got that gene in him. He was born to do it. I think to myself, ‘Why? Why do it?’ He has to love it, because it’s a schlep for anybody. I don’t care if you’re Paul or whoever you are, it is still a schlep. You gotta still get up and go and make that plane and make that bus. It’s still a schlep. You’ve gotta really want it.”

“He certainly doesn’t need it. It’s not about that. It’s about — I guess he looked at people like John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, who kept doing it. I think Chuck was doing shows into his early 90s, if I’m not mistaken. So, I think Paul looks at that and goes like, ‘Why stop? Just why stop? I love it. I enjoy it. People are loving it.'”

A few years ago, Ray noted how musicians working with Paul McCartney in the studio need to be “on their toes” at all times, as the Beatle’s approach to composing requires having every instrument — and every musician — ready at all times:

“We’re there to serve at his pleasure as a paintbrush on the palette.”

“You know, he’ll use us if he wants to. He doesn’t need any of us; he can do anything that he’s looking for himself. But he generously has us do stuff sometimes. Sometimes, we’ll play on a whole basic crack as a band. Sometimes we’ll just do a guitar overdub, or a dulcimer, or a solo.”

“And there’ll be some waiting because he wants all those paintbrushes to be ready, just like he wants all the instruments to be ready. But hey man, who would you rather be waiting for, Paul McCartney or some rando? It’s so fun, and his ideas are always so cool…He’s something very special, that guy.”