Paul McCartney ‘not devastated’ over Michael Jackson will

The former Beatle has said he didn’t believe ‘for a second’ that the King of Pop intended to leave him his share of the Fab Four’s back catalogue

Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson in 1983. Photograph: Bettmann/Corbis

Sir Paul McCartney has said he is not surprised that Michael Jackson didn’t leave him the rights to the Beatles‘ back catalogue, saying he didn’t believe “for a second” that this would happen. Despite rumours that Jackson planned to bequeath his share of Sony/ATV publishing to McCartney, it was revealed last week that there was no such instruction in the will.

“Some time ago, the media came up with the idea that Michael Jackson was going to leave his share in the Beatles’ songs to me in his will,” McCartney wrote on his website. “[It] was completely made up.”

That “idea” was first reported by the Mirror in January. Jackson, their source alleged, had decided to build bridges with McCartney by drawing up a new will that left him his share of the Beatles’ back catalogue. But after Jackson’s death on 25 June, there was no sign of this will – and the singer’s assets were all left to a trust.

“The report is that I am devastated to find that he didn’t leave the songs to me,” McCartney wrote. “This is completely untrue. I had not thought for one minute that the original report [about the will] was true, and therefore the report that I’m devastated is also totally false.”

In fact, Jackson may scarcely have had any of the Beatles’ back catalogue left. The Quietus reports that earlier this year, Jackson sold all but 5% of his remaining 25% share in Sony/ATV – in an attempt to improve his financial situation.

Jackson acquired the rights to the Lennon/McCartney song catalogue in 1985, outbidding McCartney in the purchase of ATV Music. ATV later merged with Sony’s publishing division, shares of which were considered some of Jackson’s most valuable property. Though Jackson and McCartney had collaborated on songs like The Girl is Mine and Say Say Say, the ATV purchase permanently soured their relationship.

McCartney often complained of “having to pay” every time he performed songs such as Hey Jude, but his resentment has faded with time. “I got off that years ago,” he told Halifax’s Q104 radio station last Thursday. It was something for a while I was very keen on and you can see why, naturally … [but these] sort of things can eat you up.”

After Jackson’s death, McCartney described the singer as a “massively talented boy-man with a gentle soul”. “I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael,” he said.

source the guardian online