4 • The Sunday Times Magazine
Paul
Life had just started to get a bit messy when Linda
became pregnant with Mary. Allen Klein [the American
business manager] was involved with the Beatles and,
over the year, things seemed to get more chaotic and
worrying. Then, the miracle: our Mary. The chaos got
pushed to one side and all I cared about was being a dad.
But there was still a lot of unpleasantness flying around,
so in the end I said: “Let’s get out of here, go to Scotland
and be a family.” It wasn’t planned, but Mary came at
exactly the right time. She changed my perspective to
a degree where I could look at what was happening with
the Beatles and think, “Does it really matter?”
If you were a dad in the late 1960s, you were part of
that first wave who got involved with the whole process
of pregnancy and birth. One afternoon I remember
going down to the local Family Planning Association
and picking up a booklet called You Are Having a New
Baby. I loved reading it: “At this-many-weeks, your baby
will be as big as an orange.” And then being there at the
birth! In my dad’s day, that would have been unheard of.
My first solo album came out in 1970 and I decided to
use one of Linda’s photos of me and Mary on the cover.
This tiny head poking out from the inside of my jacket.
These days you wouldn’t do it because it feels dangerous
to put pictures of your kids out there, but back then we
weren’t bothered. A lot of musical acquaintances warned
me that being a dad would change my professional life.
You can’t take kids on tour, you can’t have them in the
studio. My professional life did change because I was no
longer in the band, but I was still writing and recording.
For the first Wings tour in 1972 we simply packed a load
of nappies and toys and took the kids with us.
Later, when they were at school, I’d have a word with
the headmaster. “Look, we’ll be away for six weeks and
I don’t relish the thought of getting a call in Australia
saying something’s happened to one of the kids.” The
school gave us a list of the lessons they’d be missing and
we took a tutor with us, which the kids hated. They saw
it as a six-week holiday. Like all parents, we were dreading
the rebellious teens, but the most rebellion we had
from Mary and Stella was having to listen to Wham! all
day long. Looking back, I guess that wasn’t too bad.
In 1998 Mary and the kids lost their mum and I lost ...
Linda. I knew it was my job to be “strong Dad who
keeps it together”, but you can’t do that the whole time
unless you completely hide your feelings. Eventually
my emotions started leaking out. That’s when the roles
were reversed and the kids rallied round me. We got
through it, but we all struggled because she was the
glue that held everything together.
Linda would have been so happy to see how far
vegetarianism has come since we started the food
business [in 1991]. And now Mary’s continuing the
tradition with her own vegan cooking show. Yes, I’m
proud of what I’ve achieved musically, but I’m also
proud that Linda played such a big part in bringing
vegetarian food into people’s homes.
Christmas and new year were a big family thing when
I was a kid, so I keep the tradition going. Me and Nancy
[Shevell, whom he married in 2011] like to go to Mary’s,
the grandkids running around with their new toys. I do
it for them as much as me — I want them to experience
the same joy I felt at their age. That connection with
family is what keeps me sane. I’ve got my fingers crossed
for 2022. Like everyone, I’m hoping we’ll get a chance
to do some of the things we’ve missed out on, see the
people we love. It’ll be nice to have a bit more normality.“He’d sit down and start
playing this beautiful music.
We’d all give him an evil stare”
Paul & Mary McCartney
The Beatle and his photographer daughter on meat-free life, losing Linda and craving normality
Main: Paul, 79, and
Mary, 52, filming her
new cooking series,
Mary McCartney
Serves It Up! Right:
Paul and Linda with
baby Mary in 1969.
Above: Mary makes
a guest appearance
on the cover of Paul’s
first solo albumRELATIVE VALUES
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