Sir Paul McCartney says he is ‘in denial’ over the ‘senseless’ murder of John Lennon 40 years ago

He recently admitted that he still turns to the late John Lennon for advice when writing new songs, 40 years after he was shot and killed outside his New York apartment. 

And, Sir Paul McCartney has said that he remains ‘in denial’ over the death of his former The Beatles bandmate, and admitted that he still ‘breaks down crying’ over the ‘senseless’ murder of his friend. 

During an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, the Live And Let Die hitmaker, 78, candidly confessed that he doesn’t think he’s ‘dealt with it very well’. 

In denial: Sir Paul McCartney has said that he remains ‘in denial’ over the death of John Lennon, 40 years after he was shot and killed outside his New York apartment

Discussing John Lennon’s murder, host Seth Doane asked: ‘I wonder how all these years later, you’re processing it?’

‘I’m not sure I am’ confessed Sir Paul, adding: ‘It’s very difficult for me and I, occasionally, will have thoughts and sort of say: “I don’t know why I don’t just break down crying every day?” because it’s that bad!’

‘Do you sometimes?’ asked the host, to which the emotional star replied: ‘Not every day… Yeh, you know there will be times when I just have memories and just think: “Oh my God”… well it’s just so senseless.’

Asked if he believes that John Lennon would still be writing and producing were he alive today, Sir Paul admitted: ‘Yeh – he was showing no signs of slowing up, you know? He was still making great music.  

Devastated: The Live And Let Die hitmaker, 78, admitted that he still 'breaks down crying' over the 'senseless' murder of his friend (Pictured in 1963)

 Devastated: The Live And Let Die hitmaker, 78, admitted that he still ‘breaks down crying’ over the ‘senseless’ murder of his friend (Pictured in 1963)

Very difficult: Asked how he is processing John's death, 40 years on, Sir Paul confessed: 'I'm not sure I am. It's very difficult for me'

Very difficult: Asked how he is processing John’s death, 40 years on, Sir Paul confessed: ‘I’m not sure I am. It’s very difficult for me’

Candid: 'I, occasionally, will have thoughts and sort of say: "I don't know why I don't just break down crying every day?" because it's that bad!' stated the musical icon

Candid: ‘I, occasionally, will have thoughts and sort of say: “I don’t know why I don’t just break down crying every day?” because it’s that bad!’ stated the musical icon

‘The question is: Would we have ever got back together again?… I don’t know. We don’t know,’ mused the superstar singer.

‘We were friends. That was one of the great things about it. You know, I don’t know how I would have dealt with it [John’s murder] because I don’t think I’ve dealt with it very well.

‘You know, in a way… I wouldn’t be surprised if a psychiatrist would sort of find out that I’m slightly in denial, ’cause it’s too much,’ admitted Sir Paul.

Senseless: Asked if he breaks down crying, Sir Paul said: 'Not every day... Yeh, you know there will be times when I just have memories and just think: "Oh my God" - well it's just so senseless'

Senseless: Asked if he breaks down crying, Sir Paul said: ‘Not every day… Yeh, you know there will be times when I just have memories and just think: “Oh my God” – well it’s just so senseless’

Great friends: 'We were friends. That was one of the great things about it. You know... I don't think I've dealt with it very well' confessed Sir Paul

Great friends: ‘We were friends. That was one of the great things about it. You know… I don’t think I’ve dealt with it very well’ confessed Sir Paul

Too much! 'You know, in a way... I wouldn't be surprised if a psychiatrist would sort of find out that I'm slightly in denial, 'cause it's too much,' admitted Sir Paul

Too much! ‘You know, in a way… I wouldn’t be surprised if a psychiatrist would sort of find out that I’m slightly in denial, ’cause it’s too much,’ admitted Sir Paul

Paul recently described his late friend and Beatles co-founder as ‘the best collaborator in the world’ and said the anniversary of what would have been his 80th birthday was ‘happy sad’.

In an interview with Uncut magazine, he said: ‘I’m working on one at the moment that was going one way but I didn’t like the lyric. “No, this is not happening, mate.”

‘This would have been the point where John and I would have said “You know what, let’s have a cup of tea and try rethink this.”‘

Sir Paul also revealed he mentally ‘consulted’ with Lennon while working on new material.

Old times: It comes after Paul admitted he still turns to former bandmate John Lennon for advice when writing new songs (pictured in 1964)

Old times: It comes after Paul admitted he still turns to former bandmate John Lennon for advice when writing new songs (pictured in 1964)

He said: ‘Yeah, often. We collaborated for so long, I think, “OK, what would he think of this? What would he say now? We’d both agree that this new song I’m talking about is going nowhere.

‘So instead of sitting around we should destroy it and remake it. I started that process yesterday in the studio. I took the vocal off it and decided to write a new vocal.’

His songwriting partnership with Lennon is still seen as one of the most successful in history and together they turned The Beatles into the best selling band of all time, releasing 11 albums between 1963 and 1970.

He added: ‘Yeah it was [strange]. Because right up until that point I’d been working with John, the best collaborator in the world. Suddenly that was taken away. It was very difficult.’ 

'That's stupid!' Elsewhere in the interview, Sir Paul slammed those who oppose wearing facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic

‘That’s stupid!’ Elsewhere in the interview, Sir Paul slammed those who oppose wearing facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic 

Elsewhere in the interview, Sir Paul slammed those who oppose wearing facemasks amid the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: ‘I don’t wanna give it to anyone, I don’t wanna get it! When people say “I don’t wanna wear masks, infringing on my civil liberties”, I say: “No, that is stupid!” 

On Tuesday, Sir Paul – who is one of the most recognisable faces in the world – admitted he is currently enjoying a slice of anonymity thanks to the mandatory face masks that have to be worn in indoor public spaces.

The Beatles singer  said he likes wearing the masks because he can ‘go anywhere and do anything’ without people recognising him, he revealed during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show.

Masked up: Sir Paul admitted he is currently enjoying a slice of anonymity thanks to the mandatory face masks that have to be worn in indoor public spaces

Masked up: Sir Paul admitted he is currently enjoying a slice of anonymity thanks to the mandatory face masks that have to be worn in indoor public spaces

Sir Paul told the host: We love the mask. I walked into work today wearing a mask, you know, looking at everyone. Looking them right in the eye. “Hello. You don’t know who this is. Do you know who I think I am?”

When quizzed on whether he ‘enjoys the anonymity’ he revealed that he does because it gives him the ability to be out and about in public more freely. 

Paul said: ‘Even though it’s been probably the most frightening year of our lives … because cause you know, when there were other big crises like AIDS, the bird flu or SARS or whatever, they tended to happen to other people, but this thing’s happening to us, no matter who you are or what you’ve been doing. 

However he added that he has been trying to see the positives in the situation. 

Freedom: The Beatles singer said he likes wearing the masks because he can 'go anywhere and do anything' without being recognised, he revealed while on The Howard Stern Show

Freedom: The Beatles singer said he likes wearing the masks because he can ‘go anywhere and do anything’ without being recognised, he revealed while on The Howard Stern Show

He said: ‘In this most frightening year of our lives, I think we’ve got to kind of take some lessons from it, like, it’s quite good to slow down, it’s very good to be with your family, have time for people instead of just rushing around, and to me that was the silver lining.’ 

‘It’s not over but it’s something that’s brought a lot of people together, so I hope that we’ve learned something from it.’  

Paul’s new album is set to be released on December 18 and serves as a continuation of his first two solo albums McCartney, from 1970, and McCartney II from 1980.