Sir Paul McCartney has admitted The Beatles felt "threatened" by Yoko Ono.

Sir Paul McCartney

Sir Paul McCartney

The 74-year-old rocker has a "good" friendship with the late John Lennon's widow now, but in early days when she used to come into the studio, McCartney felt intimidated by her because she was the only female among himself, the late George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Lennon and himself.

Asked about their relationship, he told Rolling Stone magazine: "It's really good, actually. We were kind of threatened [then]. She was sitting on the amps while we were recording. Most bands couldn't handle that. We handled it, but not amazingly well, because we were so tight. We weren't sexist, but girls didn't come to the studio - they tended to leave us to it. When John got with Yoko, she wasn't in the control room or to the side. It was in the middle of the four of us."

Meanwhile, the 'Yellow Submarine' hitmaker has revealed he's in regular contact with his old bandmate Ringo, 76, and occasionally does approval work for their record label Apple, but apart from that he says The Beatles is "done".

Asked if he meets up with Ringo - who is the only other surviving member of the iconic rock band - he told Rolling Stone magazine: Not often. I see Ringo a lot, because he's a lovely boy. We all see each other socially, go to parties. As for meetings, I'm a bit detached from it. I went off Apple during the heavy breakup period - I sent John Eastman in and said, 'You tell me what everyone is saying, because I can't bear to be sitting at that table'.

"It was too painful, like seeing the death of your favorite pet.

The way it works now, I listen to all the records. I will be in on the approval process. But most of the work for the Beatles has been done."