James McCartney was recently spotted out in public with his famous father, Paul McCartney at a private viewing of Paul McCartney 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery, London. James, who is the only son of Paul and his late wife Linda, has kept a low profile for most of his life until he began his music career. Having towed Paul’s path, he is often compared with his dad who was a member of the iconic band, The Beatles. “It’s challenging to live up to The Beatles,” James told Daily Mail.
Aside from undermining his talent, internet trolls have recently taken things a tad further by coming for James’ looks. “They bear a strong resemblance! If Paul had let himself go and neglected his health during his prime, he might have looked like this. His son should prioritize his well-being,” a critic once said, advising James to be more hygienic.
Fans come to Paul McCartney’s son’s defense
Thankfully, a few fans defended James from the unkind words hurled at him on social media, asking the female trolls to let him be. “It’s astonishing to see all these women body-shaming him based on his looks. If it were a woman, there would be an uproar against any negative comments,” they retorted. “There’s nothing wrong with him… and he probably attracts more women than most men here, too.”
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James, who shares some resemblance with Paul, struggled with drugs and alcohol as well as self-isolation from his family since losing his mom in 1998. “She passed away when I was 20, and that’s when I entered a very dark period,” he reflected. He reconnected with Paul after his angioplasty surgery in 2007 and soon withdrew again after his father married Nancy Shevell. By 2010, he released his debut single, “Availing Light,” and collaborated with Paul on his 2013 debut album, Me.
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Growing up, James “realized that I had a better grasp of playing the guitar than other kids at school, and I took pride and pleasure in that.” He worked with his dad as a backup percussionist and guitarist for solo releases like “Flaming Pie” and “Driving Rain,” and played the lead guitar on “The Light Comes from Within,” on Linda’s posthumously released album, Wide Prairie.
Despite coming from a family of renowned musicians, James hopes to make his name without relying on his parents’ popularity. “I had to pay my dues as a musician and wait until I had a solid collection of songs and a time when both my music and I were ready. I don’t want to rely on my family name; I want to earn my own livelihood,” he admitted. The forty-six-year-old also looks forward to making music with the sons of his dad’s bandmates— Sean Lennon, Dhani Harrison, and Ringo Starr’s Zach and Jason Starkey although he says “there’s no concrete plan behind it.”