We've been saying it for years - or at least since we discovered these pictures which showed an uncanny resemblance between the two bands.

But now The Beatles king has spoken as Paul McCartney reveals his soft spot for One Direction.

"I like One Direction. They're young, beautiful boys and that's the big attraction," the 71-year-old said.

Without taking the brave comparison too far he added: "But they can sing, they make good records, so I think that's what I would see in common [with The Beatles]. Girls love them."

In an interview with Sky News, the singer-songwriter did add some humble sympathy to bands being compared to the Beatles.

"I always think it's a little bit unfortunate when you call [a band] the new Beatles. It can be the kiss of death because people expect you to live up to what we did," he said.

"We did what we did in a particular period in time, which was very different to now. I don't know whether it was easier to be a wild success, but it was different."

Well it does feel like we've seen it all before...

Macca is promoting his first album of new solo material in six years after working with a number of different producers on the 12-track disc.

The album, titled New, features work from Paul Epworth, Mark Ronson, Ethan Johns (not to be misread and Elton John) and Giles Martin.

Speaking about his new work McCartney says: "It's not difficult to come up with something new.

“To come up with something new which is good is difficult, because you're stacking them against the stuff you've done -- but you've got to just forget that," he said.

"I love writing songs so I just have to say 'don't even try and better the old ones, just get on with it'. So I do. But I love doing it so much that I can't stop."

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