The sheer nature of the popular music industry means there is just as much competition for the top sales position as there is creative artistry to get there. It’s a complicated blend of ego and inspiration that lends itself to confusing mixtures of jealousy, admiration, indifference, and obsession among artists forced to compare themselves to one another. Not even a former Beatle was immune to this industry standard, as demonstrated by the tense dynamics between ex-bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney post-Beatles. According to Lennon’s confidant in his later years, there was “insane jealousy” involved.
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This kind of envy was predestined to bloom, in a way. Lennon and McCartney both got their first tastes of fame as colleagues and teammates. When they parted ways in an intensely public and equally acrimonious split, the musicians were in unique positions in their careers. Not only would they be watching from afar as their former bandmates go off on their own solo endeavors. But they will now inherently be competing against them as two separate artists vying for the same chart positions. Quite the tricky transition indeed.
During an appearance on Billy Corgan’s The Magnificent Others podcast, Lennon and Yoko Ono’s close friend, Elliot Mintz, described his perception of Lennon’s reaction to McCartney’s blossoming music career in the late 1970s. This was a non-musical period of Lennon’s life, with the musician focusing on raising his son, Sean, rather than spending time in the studio. Meanwhile, Mintz said, “Paul would have these mega hits with Wings, [and] John became insanely jealous about that.”
Elliot Mintz Describes Watching John Lennon React to Paul McCartney Hits
Part of what made John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s writing partnership so special was their ability to utilize one another’s strengths. John without Paul wouldn’t have had the commercial sensibility required to get on popular radio. Paul without John wouldn’t have had the same experimental, avant-garde influence. The Fab Four truly were a sum of their parts, and this became all the more apparent after the band split. McCartney’s music post-Beatles followed in the same vein as the songs he wrote specifically for his other band—ones that Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr complained about.
In contrast, Lennon’s music was far less commercially successful than McCartney’s, despite Lennon believing his art had plenty to say and was worthy of the same acclaim. During his interview with Billy Corgan, Elliot Mintz said he believed Lennon’s jealousy stemmed from the musician’s incredulity about what kind of music was the most popular. “He was jealous of the amount of attention and accolades and the fact that Paul was filling stadiums,” Mintz said. “At that time, John was just looking after Sean. John would say to me, ‘They’re not embracing me,’ I’m paraphrasing, ‘the way they are him.’ I said, ‘John, you’re not on a concert stage, you’re not in a stadium, you’re not making music.’”
“He said, ‘You missed the point. They’re embracing his genius. But have you ever heard ‘Silly Little Love Songs’?’” Mintz continued. The media consultant said arguing with Lennon about what constituted popular music—especially within the context of his former bandmates—would “go nowhere.”
Unsurprisingly, the Musician Took a Different Tone When Speaking Publicly
Elliot Mintz became a confidant of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in the late 1970s, suggesting he saw a different side of the musicians than they presented to the general public. That certainly seemed to be the case for what Mintz called Lennon’s “insane jealousy” over Paul McCartney. While speaking to David Sheff in 1980, Lennon came across as much more indifferent to his ex-colleague’s work.
“I don’t follow their work,” Lennon continued. “I don’t follow Wings. You know? I don’t give a s*** what Wings are doing, or what George [Harrison’s] new album is doing, or what Ringo is doing. I’m not interested. No more than I am in what Elton John or Bob Dylan is doing. It’s not callousness. It’s just that I’m too busy living my own life to be following what other people are doing, whether they’re Beatles or guys I went to college with or people I had intense relationships with before I met The Beatles.”
Elsewhere in his conversation with Sheff, Lennon denounced anyone who thought he was going down the wrong creative path alongside his second wife. “Anybody who claims to have some interest in me as an individual artist, or even as part of The Beatles, has absolutely misunderstood everything I ever said if they can’t see why I’m with Yoko.” He added, “Let them chase Wings. Just forget about me. If that’s what you want, go after Paul or Mick. I ain’t here for that. Go play with the other boys. Don’t bother me. Go play with The Rolling Wings.”
Photo by Tom Wargacki/WireImage
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