Paul McCartney Credits Producer Andrew Watt for Pushing His New Album Into Unfamiliar Territory

Paul McCartney’s new record The Boys Of Dungeon Lane arrives to strong early notices, and a sizable portion of the credit belongs to producer Andrew Watt. The partnership began in April 2021 at Watt’s Los Angeles home, where McCartney admits he sensed something sharp in the producer’s approach. “I came away from the first session thinking, ‘Well, I like him, but he’s a bit pushy,’” McCartney told MOJO. “But pushy’s not a bad thing in a producer. It’s just enthusiasm from someone who wants to keep making this record. It’s infectious.”

That persistence shaped an album that deliberately avoids leaning on a signature sound. McCartney draws a contrast with Watt’s work for the Rolling Stones. “If you’re working with the Stones, they’ve got the Stones sound,” he said. “It’s kind of the opposite with me, we’re trying not to do that.” The connection between McCartney and the Stones runs deeper: it was McCartney who introduced Watt to the band during a dinner with Ronnie Wood. Watt then co-produced the Stones’ 2023 album Hackney Diamonds and has already finished their next one, Foreign Tongues, slated for July 10, 2026.

The Boys Of Dungeon Lane does, however, make room for a few revered artifacts. McCartney pulled a harmonium used on “We Can Work It Out” and a Studer 4-track tape machine that captured “A Day In The Life” into his Sussex home studio. The tape machine, in particular, grabbed Watt. “I wanted to hear Paul McCartney make a song on that machine with that sound,” he said. “The idea of committing to a sound and playing the part perfectly was so exciting to me.” McCartney, 83, fed that mindset by starting writing sessions with random chords just to see where they’d lead. “Music is more intriguing than we know,” he said. “It’s amazing how these frequencies can come together to make notes, chords, songs, anthems, ballads. It’s magical.”