The Beatles Biopic Paul McCartney Felt Stole His Rock 'N' Roll
Paul McCartney has always been protective of the Beatles’ legacy – that’s just one of the many reasons he saw the Fab Four’s final single ‘Now & Then’ through to completion. Along the way he’s had to correct a few wrongs, and push back on a few slights – and sometimes, it’s personal.
Take 1994 film Backbeat. Coming ahead of the Anthology project, the independent film aimed to shine a light on the Beatles time in Hamburg, focusing on the tragically short life of bass player (and noted visual artist) Stuart Sutcliffe.
Played immaculately by Stephen Dorff, Ian Hart stepped in as John Lennon, while Gary Bakewell played Paul McCartney. A whirlwind ride through the group’s pre-history, it highlighted the sex ‘n’ drugs ‘n’ roll ‘n’ roll induced in by the Fab Four – well, three of them, anyway.
At the time of its release, Paul McCartney revealed his distaste, insisting they had airbrushed out his rock ‘n’ roll leanings. “One of my annoyances about the film Backbeat is that they’ve actually taken my rock ‘n’ rollness off me,” he told interviewer Andrew Grant Jackson.
Source: Robin Murray/clashmusic.com
