Paul McCartney on new album ‘Egypt Station’ and collaborating with the next generation: “I feel lucky that these people are interested in working with me”

It’s 3pm on a sunny Monday afternoon and we’re sat in Paul McCartney’s countryside studio, listening to the most successful musician in the entire world (a quantifiable fact) make cow puns. In an almost comically-in-character turn up for the books, the famed animal rights campaigner just been told that his petition to help save a pregnant cow unfairly earmarked for death row has been successful. Visibly chuffed, Paul spends the next few moments riffing on potential headlines: “Love Me Moo?”

If these particular scenes are about as surreal as they come, then that’s just what it’s like spending time in the company of a bona fide legend. The bookshelves that stand near him hold the same texts as thousands all over the world – a hefty copy of The Beatles’ Anthology; a Linda McCartney recipe book – except in this house… well, it’s a bit different isn’t it. And as the endlessly charming 75-year-old flits between apologising for the 3D-printed version of his own face that also sits on the shelf (“It’s a bit strange having this in here…”), excitably showing us around his studio (yes, we did lose our minds a little), and throwing out anecdotes about his tenure in the greatest band of all time, you can’t help but feel that everything here comes imbued with an extra dash of magic, just by association.

We’re not just here to geek out, though. We’re here to chat with Sir Macca about his forthcoming new album ‘Egypt Station’ – set for release on September 7th and recorded with super producer Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia) with an unexpected one-song production cameo from OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder (also responsible for tracks from the likes of Demi Lovato and Maroon 5).

Listen to the first tracks from the album – ‘I Don’t Know’ and ‘Come On To Me’ – below.