( Rolling Stone ) -- Twenty years ago , when Paul McCartney turned 50 , he remembers his then-manager pushing the idea of retirement . `` It 's only right , '' he was told . `` You really do n't want to go beyond 50 , it 's going to get embarrassing . '' In June , McCartney will be 70 ( `` I 'm never going to believe I 'm 70 , I do n't care what you say , '' he says . `` There 's a little cell in my brain that 's never going to believe that '' ) , and he still has no plans to stop touring or recording . `` You get the argument 'Make way for the young kids , ' `` he says . `` And you think , ' F*** that , let them make way for themselves . If they 're better than me , they 'll beat me . ' Foo Fighters do n't have a problem , they 're good . They 'll do their thing . `` If you 're enjoying it , why do something else ? And what would you do ? Well , a good answer is 'Take more holidays , ' which is definitely on the cards , but I do n't seem to do that . I love what I do so much that I do n't really want to stop . I 'm just kind of casually keeping an eye on how I feel , and onstage , it feels like it 's always felt . So for the time being , the band 's hot , I 'm really enjoying myself , still singing like I sang , not experiencing , touch wood , any sort of problems to speak of . If it ai n't broke , do n't fix it . '' It does n't hurt that his touring schedule has been reduced to shorter , intense bursts in recent years , largely because of his shared-custody arrangement for his 8-year-old , Beatrice . `` We do n't do the big sloggo tour , we do n't do the big U2-Stones go-out-forever thing , and get a bit fed up with it , '' says McCartney , who 's planning some dates for later this year . `` What we do now is events and selective dates . Because of my custody situation , I can only do that . At first , we thought , 'Oh , God , is this going to be a problem ? ' and it 's actually turned out to be some kind of a blessing . '' He can see himself rocking well into his eighties . Bobby Brown Pays Tribute to Ex-Wife Whitney Houston During Concert . `` I can imagine it , '' he says . `` As to whether my imagination will come true , I do n't know . The last couple of years , I 've gotten into guitar -- so there 's all sorts of little things that crop up that entice you forward , and you go , 'Hmm , I 'd like that . ' '' I broach the idea of actually dying onstage -- would he be into it ? He recoils slightly , then smiles . `` What kind of question is that ? I must say , that 's not in my imagination . Rocking on until a grand old age ... the only thing would be when it 's not pleasant anymore , then it would be 'That 's a good time to stop . ' But it 's way too pleasant at the moment . And it pays . Good gig , man . But I know exactly where you 're coming from , though . How long can this go on ... ? '' To read the rest of this cover story , pick up the March issue of Rolling Stone February 17 . Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone .
McCartney 's touring schedule has been reduced to shorter , intense bursts in recent years . McCartney : ` ` I love what I do so much that I do n't really want to . '' ` ` The music 's hot , I ' m really enjoying myself , still singing like I love , '' he says .