With their manager Brian Epstein (1934 - 1967) (left), the Beatles watch as American television host Ed Sullivan tries out Paul McCartney’s Hofner violin bass during rehearsals for the ‘Ed Sullivan Show’, From left, Epstein, Sullivan, John Lennon Ringo Starr, and McCartney. If you were singing 'She was just 17…' and going, well… that became the skill, I could just learn, nicked from Chuck Berry as I’m sure you know, I’m Talking About You. “So I had to put a little special effort into that, which made it very interesting. 'The other thing for me that was hard was because some of these parts were independent melodic parts, it became much more difficult to sing, it was like doing this. But as I say, I became very proud to be the bass player in the Beatles. “To come back, that’s right, to come back to the nice simple stuff. It’s like you have to learn the complicated stuff in order to… Sort of country and western bass playing.” But actually… now, I quite like that, I like the simplicity. “The danger with bass is that everybody else has got the interesting jobs and you’re just the last guy to get a part, and literally you get the root notes, two in a bar. It was very exciting, that, and it also gave me something to keep me interested. 'That was the thing, though, it did become a lot more of a funky instrument: it was becoming almost like a drum, the rhythmic possibilities.

It did become a lot more of a funky instrument: it was becoming almost like a drum, the rhythmic possibilities. But I think James Jamerson, him and me, I’d share the credit there.

I wouldn’t personally credit myself, but thanks for that. You were responsible for many people thinking of the bass as a much more acceptable instrument, compared to when you were “lumbered” with it back in the early days of the band, when you took over from Stu Sutcliffe.

Beatles tell me why guitar chords