Paul McCartney Talks Setlists & More In New Interview

We were worried in May when Paul McCartney was hospitalized in Japan after coming down with a “mysterious virus.” Thankfully, Macca is back in good health and has resumed his Out There tour. McCartney recently sat for a an in-depth chat with Rolling Stone in which he discusses his health, why he isn’t looking to retire and even gives a shout out to one of the bands from our neck of the musical woods -Phish.

Those following McCartney’s setlists know he doesn’t change it up too often from night-to-night, though there’s usually a variation or two at each show from the tour’s typical setlist. Rolling Stone asked Paul about his setlists and whether he feels like ripping up the setlist and playing whatever he’d like. The legendary rocker shared, “Yeah, we occasionally do that, just for the fun of it. But it’s not like I’m Phish, you know. Certainly, there’s a load of people in the audience that would want us to do that, but I have to be a bit conscious that there’s a load of people that wouldn’t. Last night at the show, I said, ‘I know what you think of new numbers.’ Because when we do the old numbers – something like ‘And I Love Her’ – I see all the phones come out. You see all the little lights, ding-ding-ding-ding-ding, like Disneyland. And why did you just get your phone out? ‘Because it’s my old favorite.’ That’s reality. And like me and the Bill Haley concert, I don’t want to cheat those people. So we mix it up occasionally, but mainly we hope we’re pleasing the various facets in the audience.” We’re glad to see the Vermont jam band is on Macca’s radar!

Paul McCartney continues his tour on August 2 in Minneapolis and we hope he adds a rarity or three to the setlists, especially when he returns to San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, the place where The Beatles ended their touring career, on August 14. Be sure to read the entire interview over at Rolling Stone.

[Hat Tip –@GuyForgetOPT]