INDEX
Behind-the-scenes story of the Paul McCartney interview
Celeina: And your college thesis topic was “Why did The Beatles sell so well?
Takano: I want to read it!
Yajima: I read it again the other day, and it was quite interesting (laughs).
Takano: Please make it into a book.
Yajima: It may not be of good enough quality to be published in book form (laughs).
Takano: With some additions and corrections.
Yajima: Indeed.
Celeina: I’m curious. And you said that a miracle happened a few years after that thesis. Did you interview Paul McCartney?
Yajima: Yes, I did. I had the opportunity to meet that legend.
Takano: How?
Yajima: A concert promoter called me two days before the Tokyo Dome concert and said, “Would you do an interview with Paul?” I was like, “How is that possible? I was like, “How is that possible?
Celeina: You were the only person in Japan who interviewed Paul that year.
Yajima: As was the case with Eikichi Yazawa for “Fuji Rock,” Paul always had a fresh sensibility, and he wanted to create an article that would reach the highly sensitive young people in Japan. So the Japanese promoter called me and said, “How about Yajima? I said, “Sure, let me do it. It was like a dream come true.
Takano: Was Paul wonderful?
Yajima: He was super nice. He was very kind and even took a picture with me at the end.
Takano: Wow, a treasure.
Yajima: Really, it’s a family heirloom.
Takano: Did you show them your thesis?
Yajima: As expected, I can’t show it to them (laughs).
