He is one of the most recognisable faces in the world.
Yet Sir Paul McCartney admitted he is currently enjoying a slice of anonymity thanks to the mandatory face masks that have to be worn in indoor public spaces.
The Beatles singer, 78, said he likes wearing the masks because he can ‘go anywhere and do anything’ without people recognising him, he revealed during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday.
Out of the spotlight! Sir Paul McCartney admitted he is currently enjoying a slice of anonymity thanks to the mandatory face masks that have to be worn in indoor public spaces (pictured in September 2019)
Sir Paul told the host: We love the mask. I walked into work today wearing a mask, you know, looking at everyone. Looking them right in the eye. “Hello. You don’t know who this is. Do you know who I think I am?”
When quizzed on whether he ‘enjoys the anonymity’ he revealed that he does because it gives him the ability to be out and about in public more freely.
Paul said: ‘Even though it’s been probably the most frightening year of our lives … because cause you know, when there were other big crises like AIDS, the bird flu or SARS or whatever, they tended to happen to other people, but this thing’s happening to us, no matter who you are or what you’ve been doing.
However he added that he has been trying to see the positives in the situation.
Freedom: The Beatles singer, 78, said he likes wearing the masks because he can ‘go anywhere and do anything’ without people recognising him, he revealed during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday
He said: ‘In this most frightening year of our lives, I think we’ve got to kind of take some lessons from it, like, it’s quite good to slow down, it’s very good to be with your family, have time for people instead of just rushing around, and to me that was the silver lining.’
‘It’s not over but it’s something that’s brought a lot of people together, so I hope that we’ve learned something from it.’
Paul’s new album is set to be released on December 18 and serves as a continuation of his first two solo albums McCartney, from 1970, and McCartney II from 1980.
It comes after Paul admitted he still turns to former bandmate John Lennon for advice when writing new songs, 40 years after he was shot and killed outside his New York apartment.
The star described his late friend and Beatles co-founder as ‘the best collaborator in the world’ and said the anniversary of what would have been his 80th birthday was ‘happy sad’.
In an interview with Uncut magazine, he said: ‘I’m working on one at the moment that was going one way but I didn’t like the lyric. “No, this is not happening, mate.”
Sir Paul told the host: We love the mask. I walked into work today wearing a mask, you know, looking at everyone. Looking them right in the eye. “Hello. You don’t know who this is. Do you know who I think I am?”
‘This would have been the point where John and I would have said “You know what, let’s have a cup of tea and try rethink this.”‘
Sir Paul also revealed he mentally ‘consulted’ with Lennon while working on new material.
He said: ‘Yeah, often. We collaborated for so long, I think, “OK, what would he think of this? What would he say now? We’d both agree that this new song I’m talking about is going nowhere.
‘So instead of sitting around we should destroy it and remake it. I started that process yesterday in the studio. I took the vocal off it and decided to write a new vocal.’
His songwriting partnership with Lennon is still seen as one of the most successful in history and together they turned The Beatles into the best selling band of all time, releasing 11 albums between 1963 and 1970.
He added: ‘Yeah it was [strange]. Because right up until that point I’d been working with John, the best collaborator in the world. Suddenly that was taken away. It was very difficult.’
Old times: It comes after Paul admitted he still turns to former bandmate John Lennon for advice when writing new songs, 40 years after he was shot and killed outside his New York apartment (pictured in 1963)