Paul McCartney has stated that he uses his concerts to get back in touch with his dead Beatles mates.
 
He was speaking in London on the release of his new album and DVD which was recorded while he was playing Shea Stadium in New York earlier this year.
 
He was asked if playing their music made him feel closer to his departed friends John Lennon and George Harrison McCartney replied:
 
" If I'm doing songs by the Beatles, I obviously remember the sessions we recorded. There's always an element of that.
 
"But if I'm doing the song 'Something', I'm thinking of George. It's great. I really like it. In a way I'm revisiting them.
 
"In a way, you're kind of in contact with them again.
 
"And it's sad, it's emotional. There's a song I do called 'Here Today', which is specifically written for John and that sometimes catches me out.
 
"I realize I'm telling this man that I love him. I'm publicly declaring this in front of all these people I don't know.
 
"It's a good thing to do. I couldn't have done it when I was 18 because I would not have allowed myself to cry or go anywhere near that. Now it's okay. I'm used to it."
 
Later, he was asked if there was a sense of the spirit of the Beatles while he was playing, McCartney said:
 
"Yeah. I still think I'm in the Beatles. It's something you don't want to lose.
 
"For a while there with Wings, I didn't do Beatles songs on purpose because I wanted to create a new thing.
 
"But once we'd done Wings, and once I'd got beyond that phase, I started to think it'd be nice -- and I know the audience would like to hear the Beatles' songs, so I started to enjoy doing them."