The Touring Trend Paul McCartney Dislikes: “What Do You Mean, You’re Not Going To Be a Star?”

Structuring one’s career looks different for every musician. For some, retirement comes early. For others, performing sticks around until they physically cannot go on. And, there are some, that flip back and forth between the two. According to Paul McCartney, he has a problem with farewell tours. Why? Because they often are not a musician’s final tour. Macca once called out a fellow rock star for that affinity. Find out who that is, below.

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The Touring Trend Paul McCartney Dislikes

Many musicians have gone back out on the road despite previously announcing their “retirement.” Not performing anymore after making it your life for decades can be a cold reality to find yourself in. It moves many artists to pick their instruments back up despite calling it quits.

Paul McCartney was well aware of this. And, because of that fact, he thought farewell tours were “silly.” Why announce your retirement just to switch up the narrative the next year? He pointed a finger at one of his peers for doing just that.

According to McCartney, Elton John is a huge offender of the farewell tour. His “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour lasted a whopping five years. On top of adding leg after leg, that tour hasn’t actually been John’s farewell from the limelight. He routinely performs as a special guest, wowing audience’s with his catalog of hits. Macca once commented on John’s loose definition of the word “farewell.”

“It’s like Elton’s farewell tours, it just looks a bit silly after a while,” McCartney once said. “I always think, If you’re really giving it up, then you’re really giving it up. I don’t like any half-a**ed giving-it-ups.”

“I said, ‘Hey, the hardest thing for us guys to do would be to give up fame,’” McCartney continued. “To wake up the next morning and not be a star anymore can’t happen. What do you mean, you’re not going to be a star? You’re going to be the retired star. And if that’s what you want, then that’s a different matter but don’t get this idea that everyone’s going to go away.”

Though we’re certainly not complaining about John’s recent performances–We love seeing this rock giant on stage–we can see where McCartney is coming from. It certainly cheapens the idea of a farewell tour when the artist goes back on their word shortly after.

(Photo by Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns)