During the 2023 Tribeca Festival on Thursday, June 15, Paul McCartney made an appearance on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast to give a sneak peek of his new book titled “1964: Eyes of the Storm.”
The book showcases nearly 300 previously unseen photographs of The Beatles during their early years as a band.
Paul McCartney revealed why his late friend, John Lennon, appeared downcast in some of the images, attributing it to the singer’s tragic upbringing as a teenager.
“[John] had a really tragic life,” McCartney recalled during the podcast, according to Entertainment Tonight.”
As a kid, his mother wasn’t considered capable enough to raise him… His father had left the home when John was only 3. So, that’s not an ideal start.”
The 80-year-old musician continued, “John had to endure several little misfortunes throughout his life. It made me understand why he carried that vulnerability.
I always admired the way he dealt with it because I’m not sure I would have handled the things he went through that well.”
McCartney’s book, “1964: Eyes of the Storm,” was released on Tuesday, June 13. The book comprises photographs taken by McCartney himself with a 35mm camera. The images capture young McCartney, Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr just as they were on the verge of achieving global fame, now famously known as “Beatlemania.”
Speaking about the photos, McCartney expressed his fondness for the innocence they portray. “What I love about these photos is the innocence,” he told O’Brien.
“We wanted to become famous, but we had no idea it would happen.”
Despite the tragic losses of Lennon in 1980 and Harrison in 2001, McCartney recently revealed that a final Beatles song was in the works, thanks to the assistance of artificial intelligence.
He shared with BBC Radio 4’s Today that they were able to complete the song using John’s voice and a piano, with the help of AI.
The song, a demo that John had, will be released later this year, marking the end of The Beatles’ musical journey.
