October 14, 2007 9:48

Paul McCartney: 'bassists are the fat guys who stand at the back'

'I didn't want to be the bassist in the Beatles' admits Macca

Photo Gallery: Paul McCartney
Photo: Pa Photos

Paul McCartney has said that when he joined The Beatles he was unhappy with his role as a bassist in the group.

Speaking in an interview in The Observer, McCartney admitted he thought that the role is traditionally for the outsider in the group.

He said: "At first it was the loser role in the group. It's usually the fat guy who stands at the back. So I was a bit unhappy when I got that job. I wanted to be upfront with the guitar."

Elsewhere in the interview, which was conducted by Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty, McCartney reveals that when he first met John Lennon the slight age difference between the two made him look up and respect his Beatles bandmate.

He continued: "He was a year and a half older than me and you really look up to people like that. But it's funny because I don't think I had that same feeling with Ringo, who I think was a few months older than John. John was a pretty impressive cat. Being a year and a half older and going to art school, all that was a pretty cool combination for us."

Paul McCartney is to play a rare live show at the London Roundhouse later this month (October 25) as part of the BBC Elecrtic Proms.