How Paul McCartney Reacted to Quincy Jones Calling Him the ‘Worst Bass Player in the World’
Paul McCartney has been a successful musician for decades, but Quincy Jones once turned up his nose at his talent. In a wide-ranging interview, Jones dismissed The Beatles and said McCartney was the worst bass player he’d ever heard. He later called McCartney to explain his comments. The Beatles bassist revealed how he reacted to Jones during the call.
The Beatle began playing bass when a bandmate quit
Initially, McCartney was a guitarist with The Beatles. He only made the switch to bass when Stuart Sutcliffe, the band’s one-time bassist, left the group. He wasn’t happy about swapping instruments, either.
“When we were in Hamburg, Stuart fell in love with a local girl called Astrid and decided he was leaving the group,” McCartney said in the book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. “So we were now without a bass player. We couldn’t have three guitars and no bass. Nobody wanted to be the bass player in those days because it was always the fat guy playing bass. There seemed to be some sort of stigma attached to it.”
Now, though, he doesn’t have a problem with playing the bass.
“I have to smile at the fact that I turned out to be a bass player, because my dad always used to point out the bass in songs we heard,” he said. “He was a musician with Jim Mac’s Jazz Band, playing piano and trumpet, and he educated me and my brother on music appreciation. We’d listen to something on the radio, and he’d say, ‘Hear that? That’s the bass!'”
Quincy Jones said Paul McCartney was terrible at playing the bass
Though McCartney has been celebrated for his talents for decades, not everyone looks fondly on his musical capabilities. Jones shared his first impression of The Beatles.
“That they were the worst musicians in the world,” he told Vulture in 2018. “They were no-playing motherf***ers. Paul was the worst bass player I ever heard. And Ringo? Don’t even talk about it.”
McCartney later addressed Jones’ comments. He revealed that Jones called him after the publication of the interview.
“So he rang me, and I’m at home on my own. And I’d finished work, so I had a drink, and now I’m grooving at home, I’m cooking, I’ve got a little bit of wine going, I’m in a good mood, and I don’t give a s***,” he told GQ. “So I get a phone call: ‘Is this Mr. McCartney?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Quincy would like to speak with you.'”
On the call, Jones professed his love for The Beatles.
“‘Paul, I didn’t really say that thing — I don’t know what happened, man. I never said that. You know I love you guys!'” he told McCartney. “I said, ‘If you had said that, you know what I would have said? F*** you, Quincy Jones!’ And he laughed. I said, ‘You know I would say to that: F*** you, Quincy Jones, you f***ing crazy motherf***er!’ So actually we just had a laugh. And he was like, ‘Oh, Paul, you know I love you so much.’ ‘Yeah, I know you do, Quince.'”
McCartney also took the opportunity to defend his musical abilities.
“But I don’t think I’m the worst bass player he’s ever heard,” he said. “Or maybe he’s never heard bad bass players.”
Quincy Jones later said he apologized to Paul McCartney after a scolding from his daughters
Jones also issued a public statement about his recent interviews. He admitted that after a scolding from his daughters, he felt he should clear the air.
“A couple weekends ago, my six daughters (who I’m beyond proud of) took me aside to do a surprise ‘family intervention’ because of some silly things I’ve said in two recent interviews & …. I have LEARNED MY LESSON!” he wrote. “Let me tell you, I am so grateful for my daughters because they aren’t scared to stand up to their daddy. I am an imperfect human & I’m not afraid to say it. And I’m sorry & I’m not afraid to say it.”
