Paul McCartney reveals what he thinks when he looks back at old footage of The Beatles – ahead of Australian tour

Paul McCartney has revealed his fondest thoughts as he looks back on his Beatles days.

An 81-year-old rock legend tells the story The Herald Sun that he feels ‘joy’ when he sees old photos or videos of the foursome.

“When you look at pictures of yourself quite a bit younger, there’s a lot of emotion. I think one of them is, “Boy, didn’t I look good?” he said.

“Well, we all looked young and beautiful. I think everyone experiences it. You look at pictures of yourself in college and think, “God, I didn’t even think I looked good, but I was wrong; I look good.”

He added: “I’m very proud to have been through that period and to have had the luxury of capturing that period. How great does John look?

Paul McCartney (pictured) has revealed his fondest thoughts when looking back on his Beatles days

The 81-year-old rock legend tells the Herald Sun he feels ‘joy’ when he sees old photos or videos of the foursome (pictured)

“How handsome is George and how funny is Ringo?” I just like the positive aspects of these things. The joy of the past.’

It comes as Paul announced he will be playing his first shows Down Under in six years.

The tour will begin in Adelaide on October 18, a city where 350,000 people were on the streets when The Beatles first visited Australia in 1964.

They will then head to Melbourne on October 21, before heading to Newcastle on October 24 and Sydney on October 27.

“How handsome is George and how funny is Ringo?” I just like the positive aspects of these things. The joy of the past,’ he said. Paul was seen alongside former bandmates John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr

“When you look at pictures of yourself quite a bit younger, there’s a lot of emotion. I think one of them is, “Boy, didn’t I look good?” he said

The tour will conclude with a performance in Brisbane on November 1st before continuing to the Gold Coast on November 4th.

McCartney said he has amazing memories of his previous visits.

“Our last trip was so much fun,” he said in a statement.

“We had such an amazing time. Every show has been a party, so we know this is going to be incredibly special. Australia, let’s go on a deadline! I can not wait to see you.’

It comes as Paul announced he will be playing his first shows Down Under in six years

McCartney’s final Australian tour in 2017 was a series of epic three-hour shows where he beat Ed Sheeran to win the Helpman Award for Best International Contemporary Concert.

The upcoming tour will have some elements that are very contemporary indeed, with the former Beatles expected to perform a virtual duet with former bandmate John Lennon, created using AI technology.

At the 2022 Glastonbury festival, McCartney performed I’ve Got A Feeling, a song originally recorded during the Beatles’ famous 1969 rooftop concert in London.

The tour will kick off in Adelaide on October 18, a city that saw 350,000 people on the streets when The Beatles first visited Australia in 1964.

He sang along to a song in John Lennon’s voice extracted from an old demo tape using artificial intelligence, in keeping with the historical vision of the concert.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, McCartney said artificial intelligence was “something we’re all dealing with at the moment”.

“When Peter Jackson did (The Beatles’) Get Back, where we were making the Let It Be album, he was able to get John’s voice out of a small cassette and a piano,” he said.

“It could separate them with artificial intelligence, it would tell the machine ‘That’s a voice, this is a guitar, lose the guitar.’

“We were able to take John’s voice and clean it up through this AI, so we could mix a record like you would.

McCartney’s final Australian tour in 2017 was a series of epic three-hour shows where he beat Ed Sheeran to win the Helpman Award for Best International Contemporary Concert