Paul McCartney is doing fine, thanks for asking.

Granted, it's not easy dealing with a money-hungry, promiscuous ex-wife, such as Heather Mills, but the former Beatles member says his musical work "sustains" him in difficult times.

McCartney, 64, spoke at a press conference in London for his new classical album, "Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart)." Asked how he's faring these days, he said:

"I'm doing fine. It's okay. I am enjoying music. It's something I love to do. It's something that sustains me."

Are you listening, Pete Doherty? You don't need drugs to sustain you.

The new album was inspired by McCartney's late wife, Linda, who died of breast cancer in 1998.

"It was started when Linda was alive," he said. "It has a lot of my feelings for her in it.

"When she died it stalled me and it took a year or so to before I could get back into it," he continued. "And the interlude in the middle, the sad melody, is what got me back into it. So her spirit is very much in this. It would have been her birthday yesterday, so it's very appropriate.

The press conference came to an end, however, when a reporter asked about a story that had appeared in the morning's newspapers, apparently quoting McCartney as saying he found it hard to cope with his split from Mills.

"Now wait a minute. You're a little renegade, coming out of the corner here," Sir Paul responded. "I haven't read The Daily Mirror today. Have we someone breaking away from the script? I think we have."

A bit testy, it seemed. But we understand. At least McCartney didn't pull a Kim Basinger and refer to his ex as Saddam Hussein.