How Paul McCartney Responded to Quincy Jones' Shocking Comments About The Beatles

• Interview with Quincy Jones in 2018 New York magazine containing his unfiltered opinion of the members of The Beatles has resurfaced
• That same year, Paul McCartney responded to Jones’ comments in an interview with GQ
• Jones died on Sunday, November 3 at the age of 91

After Quincy Jones offered his perspective on the Beatles, Paul McCartney had some thoughts.

A 2018 interview with the late music producer — who died Sunday, Nov. 3 at age 91 — for New York magazine has resurfaced, featuring his unfiltered opinion on the members of the legendary classic rock group.

In it, Jones said the Beatles were “mom—mothers who don’t play.”

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“Paul was the worst bass player I ever heard. And Ringo [Starr]? Don’t even talk about it,” he told the publication.

Jones continued, “I remember one time we were in the studio with George Martin, and it took Ringo three hours for a four-bar thing he was trying to fix on a song. He couldn’t get it.”

The winner of 28 Grammys then revealed that he had come up with a plan.

“We said, ‘Dude, why don’t you have some lager and lime, some shepherd’s pie, take an hour and a half and relax a bit.’ So he did and we invited Ronnie Verrell, the jazz drummer. Ronnie came in for 15 minutes and tore it up,” Jones recalled.

He continued: “Ringo comes back and says, ‘George, can you play that for me one more time?’ George did, and Ringo says, ‘That didn’t sound too bad.’ I said, ‘Yes, mother—er, because it’s not you.’ Great guy though.”

Paul McCartney and Quincy Jones in Beverly Hills in February 2009.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

McCartney, 82, took the opportunity to respond to Jones’ comments in a 2018 interview. GQ.

“I love this guy. He is totally out of his tree. But the great thing is that he called me after this. I just heard about it and thought, I’m not sure if it’s true. The joke is, I love Quincy, even after this,” he told the publication.

McCartney also recalled the apology he received from Jones: “’Paul, I didn’t really say that. I don’t know what happened man, I never said that. You know I love you!’ I said, ‘If you said that, you know what I would say? Y— you, Quincy Jones!’ And he laughed. I said, ‘You know, I’d say to that: Fuck— you, Quincy Jones, fuck—crazy mother—er!’ So we actually just laughed.”

Jones’ “Blackbird” musician added, “He’s an old guy. I don’t know what it was. But I don’t think I’m the worst bass player he’s ever heard. Or maybe he’s never heard bad bass players. He talks about his jazz and his musicianship, and he’s an arranger and that’s it.”

“This is like Buddy Rich saying Ringo couldn’t drum. Because, from Buddy Rich’s sensibility, Ringo can’t drum. But from our sensibilities, Buddy Rich is a load of shit. But God bless him,” McCartney concluded.

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Quincy Jones in the 1980s; The Beatles in the 1960s.

A&M Records/Getty; Mondadori via Getty

Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer who worked with Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, has died at 91.

PEOPLE confirmed with Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, that the music industry legend passed away on Sunday, Nov. 3 at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by her family. The news was originally reported by the Associated Press.

Jones is survived by seven children: Rashida Jones, Kidada Jones, Kenya Kinski-Jones, Quincy Jones III, Jolie Jones Levine, Martina Jones and Rachel Jones. He is also survived by his grandchildren Isaiah Jones Koenig, Quincy Renzo Delight Jones IV and Nea Jones. In addition, he was godfather to actor-musician Quincy Brown, who was named after the music icon.

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Source: HIS Education