(Nigel) basically, right or wrong, felt like the band was very close to Paul and we're good friends and we're very much a team and he felt he couldn't challenge Paul on things with the band there. I think it's sort of his own crazy insecurities. |
A producer I had worked with (David Kahne) got the gig with Paul and brought me in and then, that was that. I was a big Beatles fan when I was young and they were the reason I started playing music. |
Backstage I met Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, all these people, even (former President) Bill Clinton, ... It was way too much to take in in one day. |
He's thrilled that it's doing well and I think that definitely makes him excited about the whole touring thing. But at the same time, it's just such a great buzz being on stage, and having those great vibes come back at you. It's just all positive. |
I knew he had three days before he had to return to England and I just said 'Hey, Paul, wanna play on a tune?' and he agreed. Everyone from (McCartney's) touring band came in and we did the song together - it was very surreal. |
I think the hooks are important in songs. I'm very respectful. (The Beatles) were like a very huge influence on me, along with a lot of other musicians. But at the same time, I'm a living, breathing musician, and I have my own take on it and my own English that I spin on the bits. This band definitely has a personality to it that's different from The Beatles, or whatever. |
It feels like a vacation down here. Well, except for when (Hurricane Katrina) came through. I'd never been through anything like that. Trees were upturned and there was a really sharp, loud howl of the wind - incredible. |
It feels very loose, in a good way. There's a very large comfort level with the band because we've been doing it for a while now. There's just a lot of trust between everybody. |
It was pretty bizarre, |
It was really fun, ... (Paul) was very endearing when he would make a mistake when I was teaching him the song and stuff and he was cursing himself. It was really, really cool. Very surreal. Just fun. He's so musical, it was a really great experience. It was just fun doing it together. |
It's been going really well, |
It's great. It's supercool. He's got a lot of energy, it's mind-blowing. I think he's just gifted. God sort of said, 'I'm going to throw about 50 people's talents into this one person.' He's just blessed with a lot of things. |
It's just being in proximity to someone who, all your life, you have heard about and seen hs pictures and movies and heard his records and, all of a sudden, I'm with (him). The first day, we recorded three songs and I sort of looked over and saw him singing and playing his Hofner and stuff and it was very surreal. It took a while to kind of get used to it. You can't stay there, you get nothing done. You get stuff done but it's too stressful. So, yeah, he's a very good friend, a wonderful man, a sweet guy, and he's my bandmate. |
So I go to the studio, and just say, 'Hi Paul, it's me, Rusty.' I think I kept it together pretty well, although I was pretty nervous. And before the day is over I'm playing guitar, and there's Paul McCartney over there, playing his Hofner bass and singing. All I can do is think, 'This life is so so bizarre.' |
We were touring and he heard some of my music and wanted to play on it and I said, 'Well, let's see, maybe we should do a brand new song for it?' |