I’m high maintenance in relationships, says Neil Diamond

New York: Legendary singer Neil Diamond has admitted that he is “high maintenance” and that has led to the demise of his first two marriages, but hopes the same doesn’t happen with his third wife, Katie McNeil.

When the newlywed was asked about his previous marriages -- to high school girlfriend Jaye Posner from 1963 to 1967 and to production assistant Marcia Murphey from 1969 to 1994-- the ‘Sweet Caroline’ singer said that he felt he was to be blamed for the demise of both relationships. “Both are spectacular women. I felt if I couldn’t make something wonderful and lifelong happen with them, then maybe I wasn’t capable of it,” the New York Post quoted him as telling Parade magazine. “But I’m throwing myself back in because I like being married. I don’t want to end this whole fabulous journey alone. I want someone by my side who I love and who loves me. I’ve finally found somebody who’s up to the task of being my wife, because I’m very ... high maintenance. “When I need my wife or when I need companionship or someone to talk to, I need it, like, now. So my wife will have to give up whatever she’s doing at that moment to tend to my needs. And in the same way, I would tend to hers. That’s not such an easy thing to do,” he added. So far, McNeil, who started out as the 71-year-old singer’s co-manager -- has been up to the task. But she revealed that she had been nervous when she first felt a connection with the icon. “Part of me said, ‘Don’t get involved; he’s a client.’ There are a lot of complications for a lot of reasons,” McNeil said. “But our chemistry grew into something that couldn’t be denied,” she added. Diamond and McNeil married on April 21 in Los Angeles. “Katie and I got married last night, we wish you all could’ve been there. It was magical!” Diamond tweeted the next day. ANI