Sting explains how Paul McCartney inspired a “whole generation”
Sting, the former lead singer of The Police, has spoken of how Paul McCartney and The Beatles helped inspire a “whole generation”.
Speaking to Music Week, Sting was asked for his thoughts on McCartney previously saying he wishes he’d written his 1993 single ‘Fields Of Gold’. In conversation with Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker at The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in 2018, McCartney said: “There’s always a couple that I hear that I think I’d have liked (to have written). I liked Sting’s ‘Fields Of Gold’, and I thought, ‘Y’know what, I should have written that.’”
In response, Sting has now said: “I can’t tell you how many songs of Paul McCartney’s I wish I’d written. So that was a lovely thing for Paul to say. But again, he’s one of those people who inspired me to become a songwriter. He’s from Liverpool, a working class guy who conquered the world with his songs, so he gave a whole generation of people behind him the permission to attempt to do the same. And we did.”
In the same conversation, Sting also gave his seal of approval to fellow North East musician Sam Fender, who is set to play two sold-out dates at Newcastle’s St. James’ Park stadium this summer. “Oh, I know all about Sam Fender, I think he’s wonderful,” he commented. “He’s the real thing. The songs are fabulous. The playing is great. The singing is great. I’m a big fan of Sam and he’s a nice guy – and a Geordie!”
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