Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has had his house removed from the Google program Street View.
Sir Paul McCartney bought the North London property in 1965, and it is here that the musician wrote many of his most iconic tracks. The building has operated as his main home ever since, with McCartney regularly returning to rest from the glare of the media spotlight.
The songwriter’s marriage to Heather Mills collapsed over a year ago now, and in that time McCartney has found a new love. Rarely out of the gossip pages, it must have come as a relief to him to emerge onstage at California’s Coachella festival.
Playing a lengthy headline slot, Sir Paul McCartney has an unrivalled back catalogue to draw on. Sure, we all know The Beatles had a few tunes but if we’re honest then Wings have more than their fair share as well.
New project The Fireman released their second album earlier this year, which saw Sir Paul McCartney playfully experiment with electronic music. However press intrusion is never far from appearing around the corner in the life of Paul McCartney, leading to the former Beatle requesting that his home be removed from Google’s Street View program.
The new program allows users to view a top down map of the streets of Britain. Controversial since its inception, McCartney objected to the program as if offered fans a 360 degree view of his house in North London.
The musician’s security team then lodged a formal complaint with the internet search giants, according to The Sun newspaper.
Street View has come under fire since it was launched in the UK in March. The program began in the United States before being expanded across the Atlantic.
Privacy groups have protested against the program, which can be accessed via Google’s website, and claim that it is vulnerable to misuse.
A spokesman for Street View confirmed that anyone could have their house removed at their own request. “Since the launch of Street View, millions have used it and the vast majority are very happy to have their house included,” the spokesman added.
Other musicians have been caught up in the web of Google Street View. A figure resembling Liam Gallagher was spotted outside a pub in Camden Town, but sadly it wasn’t the Oasis frontman.
Come to think of it, there are a fair few people in Camden who resemble Liam Gallagher.
