MACCA SACKED ME FOR COCAINE BINGES
Mar 26, 2006 Source: sundaymail.co.uk



MACCA SACKED ME FOR COCAINE BINGES
EXCLUSIVE PAL TALKS FOR FIRST TIME ABOUT SPLIT FROM THE BEATLES LEGEND
By Mike Merritt

SIR Paul McCartney's former right-hand man has revealed he was sacked by the pop legend for his wild cocaine binges and Geoff Baker admitted selling personal gifts from the Beatles legend to pay his mortgage.


Baker said he still respected Sir Paul but refused to extend an olive branch to his wife, Heather Mills- McCartney. She was widely rumoured to have disliked him.

The only previous explanation for the split was given by the singer who said Baker had become "more and more unstable", culminating in a bizarre row as they went to see magician David Blaine suspended over the Thames.

Baker reveals today how: He deserved to be sacked and fears he would be dead if it hadn't happened. He is alarmed at Heather's attempts to control her husband's dope smoking. He turned down an offer of £150,000 to spill the beans about Sir Paul and his marriage.

Baker, who was with Sir Paul for 15 years, has not spoken to him since they parted 18 months ago.

He needed cash so much he sold two books - including one called Blackbird Singing - and a letter signed by Sir Paul to an English collector. They turned up on eBay. The winning bid for the letter - a thank you to people who had worked on a tour - was £1100.

Baker is now editing a golf magazine and hopes he will not have to sell other gifts. He admitted: "I deserved to be fired. I was reckless, risk-taking and maverick. Those are not qualities needed in today's music business. "Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are no longer three things that go together. "Paul was more concerned about my mental and physical health than I was at the time.

"Had I continued in that 60s rock'n'roll spirit I could have quite easily pegged out. "Paul firing me kept me alive. It was not just dope and booze - every rock'n'roll narcotic was being embraced by myself. I was doing cocaine,everything, except smack.

"I was leading more of a rock'n'roll life than Paul. I was leading more of a rock 'n' roll life than Keith Richards, never mind Paul. "Most people behave like that for a tour but I made it a permanent recreation. "I did four world tours with Paul but it was not just the touring. It was the general pressure of the job. One thing for sure, it was not Paul's fault."

Baker still refuses to say how much of his drug-taking was done in Sir Paul's company. And he claims he will never lift the lid on the final rows which earned him the sack. He said: "I like the bloke. I must admit there were times when I was unemployed I did feel resentful and bad about things but understand why he did it.

"Since I left Paul I have not touched anything. My weight ballooned but I have lost two stones now and I have not drank alcohol since April. I still smoke dope but that's good for my health." Just after the split, Sir Paul appeared to launch an attack on Baker in his song Riding to Vanity Fair.

It contained the lines: The definition of friendship Apparently ought to be Showing support for the one that you love And I was open to friendship But you didn't seem to have any to spare while you were riding to Vanity Fair Heather's sister has claimed that Baker tore up photos of the couple and one of Russian Premier Vladimir Putin. They were supposed to have been used for Heather's anti-landmine charity.

Heather's statement that she had banned Sir Paul from smoking dope was seen as a dig at Baker. He said: "I have no idea what she thinks of me and if she wanted me out. But I did read her comments about marijuana with some alarm. I will say no more." Baker has delayed the proposed May launch of his book Rock Bottom, believed to be a thinly-disguised tell-all of his days with Sir Paul. He said: "It is about a PR and a rock star but it is not about Paul. "If Paul ever needed help I would be there in a second and I am sure he knows that.

"These days I am a teetotal, golf - playing vegan. "You cannot get more healthy lifestyle than that."


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[Edited 4/5/06 19:02pm]