Quincy backs Beatles again

EARLIER this year Quincy Jones raised eyebrows when he called one of the highest-selling bands of all time, The Beatles, the worst musicians in the world.

But the 85-year-old appears to have had a change of heart revealing that he is actually a big fan of the quartet. In fact, music producer Quincy now says: “They are the greatest songwriters that ever lived.”

The music icon did previously apologise for criticising the group, releasing a statement via Twitter in February, saying: “I am an imperfect human and I’m not afraid to say it. I’m sorry and I’m not afraid to say it.”

And Quincy did go on to credit his six daughters – Jolie, with first wife Jeri Caldwell, Martina, from second wife Ulla Andersson, Kidada and Rashida, with third wife Peggy Lipton, Rachel, by Carol Reynolds and Kenya, whom he had with Nastassja Kinski – for helping him atone for his uncharitable comments. He says: “My six daughters took me aside to do a surprise family intervention because of some silly things I’ve said.” This time he has gone one step further than mere apology, commenting: “McCartney is like my brother. Ringo, too.” Of course The Beatles may not need Quincy’s endorsement, having themselves sold more than 800 million physical and digital albums worldwide since debut record Please Please Me in 1963. And for all Quincy’s warm words towards Macca, 76, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison, he made a zipping motion across his lips when asked about Sir Paul’s recent collaborator Kanye West on hit single FourFiveSeconds.