Sir Paul McCartney, the Beatle, the icon, the man who wrote 'Yesterday', was outplayed on his own instrument today. Not by a session veteran or a classical virtuoso. By an actor. Paul Mescal, the Normal People heartthrob, sat in on a recording session for McCartney's upcoming project. And according to sources familiar with the exchange, Mescal's guitar work left the room stunned. Including McCartney himself.
Here's the inside track. The session was at a private Georgian townhouse studio in London. McCartney, ever the collaborator, invited Mescal to noodle around after a break. Mescal picked up a vintage Gibson J-45. McCartney handed him a pick. And then, the actor ran through a fingerpicking pattern that McCartney later admitted he 'couldn't quite replicate'. 'He's got the gift,' McCartney was overheard saying. 'He's not just a pretty face. He's got the hands.'
This is a power dynamic worth dissecting. McCartney, 82, has nothing to prove. Mescal, 28, has everything to gain. But the game of politics works in mysterious ways. A quiet endorsement from Macca can launch a thousand careers. Mescal's next move? He's rumoured to be in talks for a musical biopic. This session? A subtle audition. The lobby is abuzz.
Sources confirm the pair recorded a version of 'Blackbird' with Mescal on lead guitar. McCartney on vocals. The track is not for release. It's for the vault. But word has leaked. The great man's camp hasn't denied it. 'Paul always encourages young talent,' a spokesperson said. Vague. Deliberately so.
Now, the polling data. Who benefits? Mescal's Q Score will spike. Young male voters? They love a polymath. McCartney's legacy? Untouchable. But the subtext is clear: the greats are still watching. Still judging. And sometimes, they lose. This is the game.
Cabinet revolts? Not here. But backbench rebellions? Consider the backbenchers of the music industry. The session musicians who've spent decades perfecting their craft. How do they feel about a film star striding in and outplaying the boss? 'It's a flex,' one guitarist told me. 'But it's also a reminder. Talent doesn't care about your CV.'
What's next? Mescal will likely be courted by McCartney's inner circle. A collaborative single? A surprise live appearance at Glastonbury? The whispers are starting. The lobby is watching. And in this corner of Whitehall, we know better than to ignore a beat. Because in politics, as in music, the game never ends.
