Paul McCartney, interview exclusive "The Sun"

YOU'D think Sir Paul McCartney is such a big star that anyone else in the music world would pale into insignificance.

But the former Beatle has revealed that his staff were in awe when he performed on X Factor last weekend - because they all wanted to meet JEDWARD.

Macca topped an incredible bill on the show on Sunday night, watched by nearly 20million people.

And in an exclusive interview with The Sun, the star told me that all the chatter from his staff backstage was who could get their picture taken with the annoying Irish twins.

He said: "Everyone loves them. They may not be the greatest. Let's face it, it's not Bob Dylan. But they are a laugh. It's entertainment.

"I met them backstage. It was impossible not to. They are all over you like a wet washcloth, as Linda used to say. I think they are great.

"They are really enthusiastic young guys. I love to see kids getting on. I don't go, 'Urgh, they are no good, they can't sing'.

So what? They are entertainers and there's a whole group of people out there who love them.

"I tell you what, all my people - head of security, everyone - they all wanted a picture with Jedward.

"My security guy John kept asking them what they wanted the pictures for and they all said the family or the kids.

"That was the shot everyone wanted - them and Jedward."

Macca has taken a bit of stick from certain snobby commentators who say someone of his musical pedigree shouldn't have been within a hundred miles of a singing show like The X Factor.

But, rightly so, he has told people to calm down, chill out and just enjoy it for what it is - a cracking telly show.

He said: "At first, when we talked about going on X Factor, it was a bit of a worry, I must say.

"It was like, 'People say we shouldn't do that. They say you are too big for a show like that. It'll ruin your reputation' - and I thought about it.

"But then I'm always getting told that - 'Don't go to perform in Israel' or 'You can't do this or that'.

"Then if someone tells me not to do it, I want to do it more. They said, 'Don't do X Factor' and I said, 'Wait a minute, let's check it out'.

"I started asking people in the street. They all said, 'Oh, do that, it's great.' I'm a fan of normal people and normal people usually get it right.

"The attitude to X Factor from some people is strange. Look, it's very much a family show and most people love it. They are all talking about it all the time.

"It polarises the purists. We've had that with The Beatles before and whether we should remaster stuff.

"The thing with X Factor is, you don't have to turn it on. It is really not a bad thing.

"You are talking about people being on the dole - this gets people off the dole.

"It gives some people an opportunity, it gives them confidence, it gives them work. There is nothing wrong with that.

"We've still got the likes of Coldplay, Radiohead and Kings Of Leon about - there is a lot of good music about. If you want that, listen to that.

"I'm quite happy with that. There has always been Sunday Night At The London Palladium, the Mike and Bernie Winters show - there has always been that.

"You just choose what you want. It's not a bad thing and it gets people buying records."

Macca does have one gripe, though. He feels short-changed by acid-tongued judge Simon Cowell.

He joked: "After I performed, Simon told me I'm through to the next round. Apparently, there is no next round, so I'm a bit annoyed at him."

I'm chatting with Macca in Cologne, Germany, ahead of a sell-out tour before he heads back to Britain for another sell-out at London's O2 on Tuesday night.

The gig sold out in four seconds - but if you are lucky enough to have a precious ticket then you have a load of moaning mums to thank for it.

Macca, 67, had his ear chewed off by a bunch of mums on the school run as he dropped off his daughter Beatrice, six.

They nagged him that he never plays in Britain any more but does loads of gigs in the US.

Macca said: "I get people at school, all the mums, saying, 'When are you going to play?' and all that - and moaning that I only play America.

"The thing is, this tour was planned so quickly it was a question of availability.

"I only suggested the tour to my promoter in October, so he had to scurry around. I told him that, if possible, I would love to play Britain because we had been doing the shows in America - to bring them home. It is always great to play at home."

Even if you can't get a ticket, his amazing live show is available on DVD at the bargain price of £9.99 - and it is bound to fill a lot of Christmas stockings this year.

As for the mums, they are all sorted for the guestlist for the O2 show on Tuesday.

They will join Ringo Starr, Madonna, Noel Gallagher and a host of other music legends watching another music legend on stage.

Paul hopes the gig goes better than when he played at the Dome some years ago, particularly for the owner of a local cat.

He joked: "The last time we played at the Dome somebody complained because the noise frightened their cat.

"They won't be able to hear us now in the O2. That's why they built the arena - because someone's cat is going to get annoyed otherwise."

The other big issue that has been dominating Paul's mind is the climate conference in Copenhagen - and his anger at not having his issues raised.

The singer, who has also received his first ever Golden Globe nomination for best original song in new Robert De Niro movie Everybody's Fine, reckons answers must be found. Otherwise, we will have a catastrophe on our hands.

He said: "I went to the European Parliament and talked about meat-free Monday, which was received very well. But then people there said this issue is not on the agenda so it is being completely ignored in Copenhagen.

"Every single little bit is necessary to save the planet. People are saying, 'Don't worry about it' - but that's like saying there was no Holocaust.

"No, excuse me, you are wrong. You are entitled to your opinion but the idea that we can just do nothing and then, oops, we have passed the tilt point and you suddenly can't stop global warming.

"They have got to do a lot of stuff. Let's hope they do. Let's hope we do."

But for the time being Paul is still loving playing guitar more than 50 years on from when he first picked one up.

He said: "The truth is I thought I would get bored of this years ago. But every day at soundcheck I get to take this electric guitar, I get to plug it in, wind it up and play loud with a band.

"That's what I always wanted to do and I still have a sense of wonder with that. Just the noise when I turn it on. It's like what we loved when I was 20 - and I still love it. It's a privilege really."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/2778561/Paul-McCartney-talks-to-Gordon-Smart-in-Cologne-before-sold-out-tour.html#ixzz0aGQapIO9

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