George Harrison Preferred Willie Weeks on Bass, Not Paul McCartney
George Harrison and Paul McCartney had a strained relationship during their time with The Beatles. Paul constantly pushed George’s songs aside and treated him like a glorified session man most of the time.
When The Beatles broke up, George formed a new band for himself, one with musicians he was friends with and who he thought were great. After getting a taste of that, he didn’t want to be a Beatle again.
George Harrison thought Willie Weeks was a better bass player than Paul McCartney
During a press conference in 1974 (per George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters), George talked about The Beatles getting back together. The only way it would’ve happened was if the band went broke.
By that point, George had gotten a taste of being his own boss and had worked with many great people. He didn’t want to go backward. Besides, George preferred working with the musicians he’d found over the years.
“The point is, it’s all a fantasy, the idea of putting the Beatles back together again,” George said. “If we ever do that, the reason will be that we are all broke. There’s more chance that we’ll do it because we’re broke than because … and even then … to play with the Beatles … I mean, I’d rather have Willie Weeks on bass than Paul McCartney. That’s the truth, with all respect to Paul.
“The Beatles was like being in a box—we got to that point. It’s taken me years to be able to play with other musicians. Because we were so isolated it becomes very difficult playing the same tunes day in, day out. Since I made ‘All Things Must Pass,’ it’s just so nice for me to be able to play with other musicians.
“I don’t think the Beatles were that good. I think they’re fine, you know. Ringo’s got the best backbeat I’ve ever heard… Paul is a fine bass player … but he’s a bit overpowering at times.”
The former Beatle said Willie Week’s bass playing was ‘clever’
When Paul wasn’t available, George had to step up and play bass on some of The Beatles’ songs, including “Old Brown Shoe” and “She Said She Said.” He liked the bass because it held everything down. Willie Weeks was a master, according to George.
“I think bass is a good instrument because, even without being clever, the part of the bass is really important in the way it holds it all down with the bass drum,” George told Creem Magazine. “I like a bass when it doesn’t get in the way of anything.
“I also like really clever bass, like Willie Weeks, who is very clever and funky and versatile, but at the same time is very melodic, too. So I do like that kind of bass playing-but for my kind of music, bass really just needs to hit the right notes at the right time.”
George wouldn’t have been able to be in a band with Paul again
Paul was the only Beatle George didn’t want to work with again. He collaborated with Ringo Starr and John Lennon, but Paul was too hard to work with musically.
“To tell the truth, I’d join a band with John Lennon any day, but I couldn’t join a band with Paul McCartney, but it’s nothing personal. It’s just from a musical point of view,” George continued at the press conference.
In a 1979 interview, Rolling Stone pointed out, “It seems as if Paul was the Beatle with whom you were least compatible musically – you’ve gone on record as saying you wouldn’t play with him again.”
George replied, “Yeah, well now we don’t have any problems whatsoever as far as being people is concerned, and it’s quite nice to see him. But I don’t know about being in a band with him, how that would work out.
“It’s like, we all have our own tunes to do. And my problem was that it would always be very difficult to get in on the act, because Paul was very pushy in that respect. When he succumbed to playing on one of your tunes, he’d always do good.
“But you’d have to do fifty-nine of Paul’s songs before he’d even listen to one of yours. So, in that respect, it would be very difficult to ever play with him. But, you know, we’re cool as far as being pals goes.”
George didn’t have a problem with Paul personally, but they weren’t suited to being bandmates.
