Recently, drummer/journalist Bob Girouard was busily finishing up his memoirs and sent me a rough draft to check out. Of the hundreds of famous musicians Bob has written about over the years, one stands out far more than any other – His interview with Sir Paul McCartney from October of 2009.

This came about as Bob was in the process of interviewing legendary Paul McCartney and Wings drummer Denny Seiwell for a feature article in Classic Drummer Magazine.

While speaking with Denny - Bob said, “Wouldn’t it be super if we had Mr. McCartney’s take on those post-Beatle beginnings, not to mention his relationship with you being in his rhythm section?”

Denny responded - “I think it would be very interesting… By chance, I spoke with Paul a few weeks ago in Los Angeles… I’ll get a message to him concerning the article.”

Denny called me back and said: “If you’re not in a hurry, Paul said he’d do it.”

“One morning my phone rang to the sound of a female (British) voice: “Hello, Robert? May I call you Bob? This is Hanalei-Perez-Lopez, Sir Paul’s personal assistant calling.” - I thought it might be a joke until I looked at my phone displaying a European number.”

“I’m calling about the Denny Seiwell piece you’re writing for Classic Drummer Magazine, and I wondered if you would still be interested in speaking with Sir Paul?” I excitedly said Yes! Yes! It would be a great honor.”

“Alright then…We’ll be in-touch when Paul winds down his North American tour.”

Later, when I spoke to Paul, about Denny Seiwell’s audition he explained: “It’s an indefinable thing, what you like about a fellow musician, particularly drummers. There are a lot of good drummers around, but it’s just that little thing that clicks. I liked his style and what I was hearing. Denny just had something more… I also liked his attitude and sense of humor. On top of which he is a red-hot drummer.”

We talked about the symbiotic relationship between the drummer and bassist, including the major role Denny played in developing the Wings sound. Paul also referenced his relationship with Ringo Starr and how they approached Beatles songs as a rhythm section.

“My interview with Paul McCartney lasted nearly a half-hour. Paul was one of the most engaging and down-to-earth people I’ve ever met… A true gentleman who is seemingly unaffected by his standing in the world of entertainment.”

Bob Girouard : Never Give Up
By David Barsalou
July 8, 2015
https://www.notsomoderndrummer.com/not-so-modern-drummer/columns/david-barsalou/bob-girouard-never-give-up