Sir Paul McCartney: Glastonbury would be a 'superspreader'

Sir Paul McCartney has had six UK number one solo albums

Sir Paul McCartney has said that next year's Glastonbury Festival would be a Covid "superspreader", and he does not expect it to go ahead.

The former Beatle was supposed to headline the cancelled 2020 event.

Co-organiser Emily Eavis told the BBC this week that they were doing "everything we can" to make the festival happen in 2021.

The 78-year-old, however, told Radio 4's Today programme the festival is not currently in his diary for next year.

• Glastonbury 2021: 'We're doing everything we can'

• Paul McCartney reveals his 'fun' lockdown album

"100,000 people closely packed together with flags and no masks, you know, talk about superspreader," said Sir Paul.

"I'd love it to be, but I have a feeling it's not going to be."

'Much more serious'

Sir Paul used lockdown to record a "fun" new solo album, McCartney III, which arrived on Friday.

However, rather than gearing up to perform the new songs anytime soon, he is simply more concerned about get himself vaccinated against coranavirus.

The singer and bass player urged fans to do the same as soon as they can.

"We'll see what happens with the vaccine and everyone doing all the rules and stuff," he continued.

"I would like to encourage people to get it too, because with this it's much more serious. And yeah, if I am allowed to get it, I will."

Another Sir, Ian McKellen said on Thursday he felt "euphoric" to have received the jab.

'Harder for artists now'

Also in the interview, Sir Paul threw his weight behind the campaign for better royalties on streaming.

Elbow frontman Guy Garvey recently told a House of Commons committee inquiry into the streaming music market that the way artists are paid for audio streams is "threatening the future of music".

"I think it's harder for artists now, unfortunately," Sir Paul told interviewer John Wilson.

"I think they probably don't pay enough, but they're [streaming giants] in such a powerful position. What can people do? I suppose you just organise and try and put some pressure on them.

"The truth of it is John, is that the artists are the ones who make the music. The Beatles sang and played all those records. You know, you went to work, you did all the job, you got all the money - it's not the way [now].

"For younger people, particularly, I would like to see them get more because they get very small shares, particularly as you said on the streaming."