As one of music’s premiere record producers, Andrew Watt has worked alongside a long list of stars. Still, nothing prepared him for a collaboration with Paul McCartney.
Watt – whose impressive credits include work with Ozzy Osbourne and the Rolling Stones – initially planned to have McCartney over for a get-to-know-you cup of tea. Creating music together was not originally part of the plan.
“He’s very resourceful,” McCartney explained to the New York Times. “I said, ‘I’d like to show you something on guitar, but I haven’t got my guitar with me. And he said, ‘I’ve got a guitar.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, but I’m left-handed.’ He said, ‘Well, I’ve got a left-handed guitar.’”
Unbeknownst to McCartney, Watt had a premonition that something like this may happen. According to the Times, the night before the former Beatles’ visit, Watt “jolted awake in a cold sweat,” realizing that he didn’t own a left-handed guitar. The producer “began feverishly calling around until he found a friend to loan him a clutch of lefty Hohners, Martins and Rickenbackers, just in case a cup of tea led to something more.”
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Sure enough, McCartney showed Watt his idea and the two began to jam. The next day, he returned with lyrics. “Suddenly, we had a song,” the Beatle recalled. “From a cup of tea to a song. Doesn’t it sound easy?”
Andrew Watt’s Energy Impresses Rock Legends
McCartney’s song with Watt remains unreleased. Still, Macca is just one of the many rock icons singing the producer’s praises.
Elsewhere in the New York Times’ story, both Elton John and Mick Jagger praised Watt for his seemingly endless energy.
READ MORE: Andrew Watt Nearly Had to Choose Between McCartney and Stones
“For someone of my age, [Watt’s energy is] really, really infectious, and it’s really important that I feed off of someone like that,” the Rocket Man explained, likening the producer to a “live wire.”
“He’s very enthusiastic,” Jagger echoed, “to the point of being too enthusiastic, sometimes.” The Stones’ singer went on to recall his reaction to Watt’s energy at one of their earliest meetings. “I said, ‘Look, I can deal with this, but when you meet Ronnie and Keith, you have to dial it down a little bit.’”
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Gallery Credit: Bryan Wawzenek
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