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Art Garfunkel 'created a monster' in Paul Simon, singer tells The Telegraph

Even 45 years later, Art Garfunkel still feels salt in the wound after his acrimonious split with Paul Simon.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the singer says he still can't understand why Simon went off to start a musical career on his own when the pair were seemingly at the height of their popularity.

"It was very strange. Nothing I would have done," Garfunkel, 73, told The Telegraph's Nigel Farndale.

"How can you walk away from this lucky place on top of the world, Paul? What's going on with you, you idiot? How could you let that go, jerk?" Farndale notes that it seems Garfunkel was addressing the absent Simon, rather than him, during the interview.

When Farndale suggested Simon had a Napoleon complex compared to the taller Garfunkel, he agreed. "I think you're on to something. I would say so, yes."

Parallels to Beatles' Harrison, McCartney

Garfunkel then speculated that their strained relationship can be traced back to when they were children. He says he befriended Simon because he felt sorry for him because of his height. "And that compensation gesture has created a monster."

Garfunkel also made a comparison to another Paul — Paul McCartney, who had a similar relationship with fellow Beatles member George Harrison.

"George came up to me at a party once and said 'my Paul is to me what your Paul is to you.' He meant that psychologically they had the same effect on us. The Pauls sidelined us. I think George felt suppressed by Paul and I think that's what he saw with me and my Paul."

Despite all of this, though, Garfunkel doesn't rule out a reunion in the future.

"Will I do another tour with Paul? Well, that's quite do-able. When we get together, with his guitar, it's a delight to both of our ears," he says.