POP/ROCK - Jan. 23, 1989

Former Beatle Paul McCartney, who’ll participate in a live BBC Russian Service call-in program on Thursday, disavowed his youthful world view on Sunday. “When I was growing up, I automatically assumed, when I was in the pub as a kid . . . that world communism was the thing of the future,” he said. “I no longer hold that view. I definitely do believe in capitalism.” McCartney will go on the BBC program that airs in the Soviet Union with a new wave of popularity there, after having released “Back in the USSR.” The album, recorded on Moscow’s Melodiya label, went straight to the top of Soviet pop charts, selling out its initial 50,000 print run in 48 hours. “We released this record as my response to glasnost and because many of my most loyal fans are in the (Soviet Union). The radio program should be very exciting.”