In 2024, the “greatest mystery in the history of rock and roll” was solved when Paul McCartney was reunited with a bass that was stolen from him 51 years prior.
As the year drew to a close, and Sir Paul embarked on his Got Back Tour, the ex-Beatle shocked his London audience when he whipped out the stolen bass for its first live performance since the early ’70s. But that wasn’t the only surprise Paul had in store for the show…
Amassing over 589,000 views to date, Music Man readers can watch Paul’s stolen bass performance unfold in the viral clip above.
With his regular bass slung around his neck, Paul tells his audience the ‘stolen bass’ story which broke headlines earlier that year.
In 1972, Paul’s Höfner 500/1 bass guitar – the instrument he recorded The Beatles’ “Love Me Do” and “She Loves You” with – was stolen from the back of a van in Ladbroke Grove, London, leaving “no leads [or] no evidence really where it might be.”
Paul urged the Höfner brand to finally locate the bass, spurring the ‘Lost Bass search project.’ After half a century, the instrument was discovered by a Sussex-based family who found the guitar in their attic. According to the BBC, the Höfner bass had been sold to a pub landlord before “making its way to Sussex,” and, once found and verified to be the real deal, underwent repairs before being returned to Sir Paul.
Paul’s crowd cheered as his “original bass” was handed to him on stage at London’s O2 Arena, where he tested it out live and admitted, “I haven’t played it in 50 years.”
Then, he unveiled his final surprise: special guest and Rolling Stone, Ronnie Wood.
Duetting on The Beatles’ hit, “Get Back,” Paul and Ronnie’s set marked an all-out finale to the Beatles vs. Rolling Stones turf war, the pair sharing heartwarming chemistry as they jammed together like two living legends of the classic pop scene, as the O2 chanted along.
It wasn’t just Paul’s London fans who were held spellbound by this moment. YouTube viewers have been going wild in the comments section as Paul and Ronnie’s ‘stolen bass’ duet goes viral, with one top commenter realizing, “This is the first time we are seeing him play this bass in high definition!”
Another noticed, “He looks younger somehow and more joyful and energetic with his found bass. It must be the exuberance of having found it, remembering how young and carefree he was the last time he played it, and the feeling of closure on something that has deeply disturbed him for many decades.”
However, some were more enchanted by Ronnie Wood’s presence than by the Höfner-McCartney reunion, writing, “Ron Wood is an example of how far charisma and charm can get you in life. Is he the greatest rock guitarist? No, but musical artists and audiences love him!”
Paul McCartney’s reunion with his long‑lost bass made for one of 2024’s most unforgettable rock moments, capped by the surprise on his Got Back Tour that’s now gone viral. To discover more about the story, watch the clip above and follow the useful links below for further footage, interviews and background.