Paul McCartney says he turned to booze after The Beatles split and reveals he still takes the bus after 50 years of fame
SIR Paul McCartney says he turned to booze after The Beatles split and revealed he still takes the bus after 50 years of fame.
The legendary musician, 78, opened up about his mental health battle following The Beatles split in 1969.
In order to cope with the stress, Paul says he turned to booze - and only pulled himself out of it after meeting Linda McCartney.
He told GQ Magazine: "In truth, I just took to booze. There wasn't much time to have mental health issues, it was just, f*** it, it's boozing or sleeping.
"But I'm sure it did, as they were very depressing times."
Paul then said he met Linda during the throes of depression and she "picked herself up by her bootstraps".
This motivated him to do the same, as he continues: "I think that was what I was able to do, to get out of the depression by saying, 'OK, this is really bad and I've got to do something about it.' So I did.
"And I think that's my way, almost by being my own psychiatrist."
Despite shooting to fame with The Beatles and his own solo career, Paul McCartney still gets on the bus.
He said: "I actually do like [getting on the bus]. I also like a nice car and I like driving too. But there's something about that, being ordinary...
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"I mean, I know I can't be ordinary, at all - I'm way too famous to be ordinary - but, for me, that feeling inside, of feeling like myself, is very important."
The Beatles were - and still are - one of the most famous bands in the world, with songs like Hey Jude, Here Comes the Sun, Yellow Submarine, and Love Me Do.
They were at the top of their game from August 1962 until their break up in September 1969.
However, due to personal problems - including John Lennon's heroin use and McCartney's reported domineering ways - the group parted ways.
Read the full feature in the September issue of British GQ available via digital download and on newsstands Friday 7th August.