Producer Andrew Watt remembered the moment he believed he would have to decide between collaborating with Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones.
He praised the Stones’ kindness for sparing him from having to make the tough choice. This resulted in McCartney making a cameo on the group’s most recent album, Hackney Diamonds.
In a recent Rolling Stone interview, Andrew Watt stated that he had already started working with the band in the autumn of 2022. He had multiple one-on-one meetings with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood prior to the start of recording. “Mick mentioned that it will take place in Los Angeles in November,” he clarified.
And I’m thinking, ‘Oh, fu*k,’ as I look at my calendar. Paul McCartney is scheduled to visit me at this time. The Stones planned to perform that way from early November through early December for a full month. But you don’t cancel on Paul McCartney, so I don’t think I need to explain why.”
“Listen, I can work, but I have these four or five days booked with Paul right in the middle of this,” he informed Mick over the phone. After which he said, “Oh, yeah, I get it.” I told myself, “I’m going to ask the dumbest question I could ever ask,” as soon as I ended the call. “What do you think about me asking if Paul would be into playing bass on a track?” When I called Mick back, I asked. To which Mick replied, “Yes, that sounds fantastic.” When I called Paul, he said, “Yeah, I’d love to play bass with the Stones.”
That is precisely how it happened; McCartney is audible on the song “Bite My Head Off”. “I can’t explain what that feels like,” Watt thought to himself. Paul’s smile grew wider and wider as he spoke. That was done in three or four takes. Paul exclaimed, “I just played fucking bass with the Stones-and I’m a fu*king Beatle!” as I was escorting him out. He said those exact words. You can hear it on the tape; these guys were acting like they were eighteen again. It is fierce.
