In 1973 in Lagos, Paul McCartney smoked with Fela Kuti – and became paranoid. Now he tells how Kuti’s music saved him and what Bob Dylan has to do with it.
In the “Words + Music” podcast, Paul McCartney talked about smoking weed with Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti.
The two met in Lagos, Nigeria in 1973 when the Beatles star was recording his album “Band on the Run” there. McCartney contacted Kuti after he made a statement in the newspaper that the band was planning to steal his style of music. McCartney managed to convince Kuti that the music would do nothing of the sort.
Stoned and paranoid – McCartney’s experience with Fela Kuti
He told the podcast: “I wasn’t planning on smoking weed, but [Kuti] gave some to Ginger Baker. And he said, ‘Ginger Baker: The only man I know who has never refused to smoke.'” It occurred to McCartney that he himself would now be the person who would refuse. So he agreed – with dire consequences: “I was totally stoned and really out of touch, and became quite nervous and paranoid.” He admitted that the only thing that could bring him down at the time was the music of Kuti and his band. He even had to cry.
Nine days in prison in Japan
It certainly wasn’t his only experience with cannabis, as in 1980 he was caught at the airport in Japan with half a pound of weed and detained for nine days. This led to the cancellation of his tour with Wings – a shame for the musician, who had been looking forward to his visit, having last been there with the Beatles in 1966.
Saying goodbye to smoking weed
It is well known that the ex-Beatle liked to take drugs. He was convinced that he had seen God when he was under the influence of the psychedelic drug DMT. In 1967 he admitted to taking LSD.
In 2012, the then 70-year-old said that he had now stopped smoking weed – for the sake of his children and grandchildren: “I took a lot and it was enough.” Instead he now drinks wine. In 2018 he also stated that he was firmly convinced that he was never really addicted to drugs and was always cautious.
First joint with Bob Dylan
The first time he tried marijuana was in 1964 with the Beatles at the Delmonico Hotel in New York. The boys got their first joint from none other than Bob Dylan.
