Paul McCartney's Only Real Jobs

Up until mid-1962, The Beatles as a band made paltry sums of money on a sporadic basis. It was feast or famine. Even when playing in Hamburg, there were no riches, just survival money. Like all teens, they went home daily to face the parents. Of course, the parents are the ones paying the bills, like today, while the kids pursue dreams of grandeur.

Paul's dad Jim, was a salesman, making adequate money to live on for his two teens, Paul and Michael in 1961. Back in his youth, he too, dreamed of being famous and did have his own small band. So, he could understand his son's drive and dreams, but like all parents, at some point he had enough because he was 17 now. John was 20.

It was when Paul returned home from the Hamburg trip, elated but still poor, hanging around with John talking music, when his dad snapped and told him to get "real" job. He had said this before but unlike the other times, Jim got in Paul's face about it. Enough is enough!

So, Paul went down to the local labor office and having no experience in anything, the office found him a job to go to with the firm Massey and Coggins, well known electrical engineers. Paul met the foreman and he told him he needed a job and did not care what it was. Paul even said he would be a janitor. The job given to Paul was a Coiler. This is a person who winds electrical coils and paid a great wage of seven pounds a week. As Paul said, " It was big money back in 1961".

The workers in the facility teased Paul for his long hair, which actually was not long, but it was for that time. He was expected to do at least 14 coils daily, but Paul only managed to make 2-4. Of course, the coils made were expected to work. It seems, many of the ones Paul made did not work. Even while working, Paul's mind was on music. During lunchtime, he would run over to the Cavern Club and meet Jon and George to do a "lunchtime" gig for free, or food, or small change. After lying about being sick and being perpetually late, his brief employment was literally terminated, as in Paul was fired.

Paul returned to the labor office and once again they sent him to a delivery firm. He was given a job as a truck driver. That job ended the same way because The Beatles played during the night into the wee hours. Paul suffered from sleep fatigue as he had to be at work at 6:30 a.m.

After oversleeping and being late a few times, Paul was fired once again. So, Paul's brush with real jobs was very unsuccessful because The Beatles took priority and he had room and board supplied by his dad. But, the Beatles lunchtime sessions were popular and grew as locals found out who was playing there. At first, it was just a small crowd that swelled to over 200. It was then that the club's owner started to book the band at night. That is how the band began playing there and how they would own it.