He asserts that Lennon himself “hid behind” this idea in order to distance himself from the group. “I think this idea that Yoko breaks up the band is one of the most racist, insidious, stupidest small-minded things you could possibly say,” says Riley. In recent years, however, an increasing number of critics have argued that may not be an adequate explanation. Ono’s presence and the surrealist, experimental direction in which she pushed him have led many observers, from the 1960s to the present day, to conclude that Ono was responsible for breaking up the Beatles. Lennon had met the conceptual artist in 1966, and by 1969 they had become inseparable, with Ono greatly influencing Lennon’s songwriting and even appearing on several Beatles tracks. Throughout the "Let It Be" sessions in late 1968, Yoko Ono was constantly at Lennon’s side. The Beatles signed the deal, which greatly improved their financial situation, on the day that Lennon left the band for good. Klein persuaded Lennon to keep his departure a secret, so as not to scuttle a lucrative deal that would give Apple ownership of their entire back catalogue. Lennon officially told McCartney and Starr that he was leaving the group during a meeting with Klein on September 20, 1969. The group’s eventual dissolution came during one such appointment. Over the course of 1968, ’69 and ’70, the Beatles spent hundreds of hours in often contentious business meetings at the headquarters of their label, Apple Records. Financial concerns even found their way into their music: the "Abbey Road" song, “You Never Give Me Your Money,” for example, describes a love affair as a “negotiation” during which both partners “break down.” They ventured into retail with the psychedelic Apple Boutique, but it closed after eight months at a loss of around £200,000. The "Magical Mystery Tour" film blew minds, but didn’t break any box office records. Without the reliable income that touring had provided, the Beatles became increasingly desperate for revenue. “Consider the reverse-he would never have let John Lennon bring his in-laws. “I think that was Paul’s giant miscalculation,” says Tim Riley, a journalism professor at Emerson College and author of several books about the Beatles. While Lennon, Harrison and Starr wanted Allen Klein, manager of the Rolling Stones, to take over, McCartney favored Lee and John Eastman, the father and brother of his soon-to-be wife Linda. When Epstein died of a drug overdose, the Beatles lost a man who expertly managed both their finances and their egos. But they also made less money, and drifted away from Epstein. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band" and became global countercultural icons. Over the next few years, the Beatles redefined pop music with the seminal "Sgt. Epstein opposed the decision, which the foursome felt was necessary in order to focus on the quality of their music. to publish the Beatles’ music, giving Lennon and McCartney each a 15 percent stake.Įxhausted from their extensive tours, during which they couldn’t hear themselves play over the roar of their fans, the Beatles decided to stop performing live in 1966. Epstein also co-founded Northern Songs Ltd. A record store owner with no experience managing bands, Epstein had nonetheless played a crucial role in their rise to worldwide fame. Many trace the breakup of the Beatles to the death of their manager, Brian Epstein, on August 27, 1967. You Never Give Me Your Money: Money Gets in the Way But why did the most influential band of the 20th century break up within seven years of releasing their first album? The answer is as complex as the relationships between the men themselves. The foursome came together as teenagers and became superstars by their early 20s, sharing a unique set of experiences and, naturally, forming a unique set of rivalries and grievances. The four Beatles-John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr-changed music forever in a relatively brief timespan, bursting onto the scene in 1963 with "Please Please Me" and recording their last albums, "Let It Be" and "Abbey Road," in 1969.
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