MACCA LEAVES (Room 501)
MACCA LEAVES (Room 501)
Ringo had been the first to crack and walked out of The White Album sessions, declaring he was quitting the band, only to return two weeks later, after a break on Peter Sellers yacht (where he wrote Octopus Garden after refusing to eat squid). George was next after a furious argument with Paul over how he was playing lead guitar and with John over George’s song writing. George stormed out of the Let It Be filming but returned twelve days later. John’s decision to quit the band came after he performed at The Rock N Roll Revival Concert in Toronto with his Plastic Ono Band in September 1969. He informed both Allen Klein (who was now handling the Beatles affairs) and Paul. Paul convinced John to keep the news to himself until the impending Beatles album ‘Abbey Road’ was released. John reluctantly agreed. They all felt the pressure of being the most famous people in the world and all were feeling stifled by the constraints of being a Beatle. Paul had tried his best since the death of Brian Epstein to keep the ball rolling. He was the one at the helm of most of the projects and he desperately wanted the band to play live again, which all of the others resisted. As friction and tensions increased Paul came to the same conclusion as the others had reached earlier. The position was untenable, especially the choice of Allen Klein as their new business manager. He had proposed his father-in-law, Lee Eastman, a prominent New York lawyer, but the others had preferred Klein, who in managing the Rolling Stones had secured a better deal than the Beatles had with EMI. Paul had recorded a solo album, which was not unusual as all four were working on individual solo projects. However he did something that John never ever really forgave him for. After informing Paul six months previously that John was quitting the band, Paul decided to make an announcement to the press that he, Paul had left the band! His first solo album ‘McCartney’ came out a few days later. John and the others were furious! John later observed “I should have done that, used an announcement to sell my record, but I didn’t.” If there had been a rift, the announcement on April 1st 1970 had widened it into a chasm. This in turn was to be compounded on New Years Eve 1970 when it was announced in the press that Paul was suing George, John, and Ringo, in the High Court, to terminate their business relationship. Proceedings were concluded on March 12th 1971 when the High Court, pending an appeal, found in favor of Paul and the dissolution of their partnership. Ringo, John, and George later declined the opportunity to appeal. The Beatles, as a business partnership, was dissolved... forever. Or so it seemed... two days later the band was awarded a Grammy and a month later an Oscar. In real terms the story will never end because of the magnitude of their musical legacy. They continue well into the 21st Century, to be the yardstick against which all others are judged. The Beatles will never die and if anything, interest and appreciation of their achievements grow unabated. As Keith Badman put it “As long a the human race survives - interest in the four lads from Liverpool will continue. Let it be.”
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
MACCA LEAVES (Room 501)
Ringo had been the first to crack and walked out of The White Album sessions, declaring he was quitting the band, only to return two weeks later, after a break on Peter Sellers yacht (where he wrote Octopus Garden after refusing to eat squid). George was next after a furious argument with Paul over how he was playing lead guitar and with John over George’s song writing. George stormed out of the Let It Be filming but returned twelve days later. John’s decision to quit the band came after he performed at The Rock N Roll Revival Concert in Toronto with his Plastic Ono Band in September 1969. He informed both Allen Klein (who was now handling the Beatles affairs) and Paul. Paul convinced John to keep the news to himself until the impending Beatles album ‘Abbey Road’ was released. John reluctantly agreed. They all felt the pressure of being the most famous people in the world and all were feeling stifled by the constraints of being a Beatle. Paul had tried his best since the death of Brian Epstein to keep the ball rolling. He was the one at the helm of most of the projects and he desperately wanted the band to play live again, which all of the others resisted. As friction and tensions increased Paul came to the same conclusion as the others had reached earlier. The position was untenable, especially the choice of Allen Klein as their new business manager. He had proposed his father-in-law, Lee Eastman, a prominent New York lawyer, but the others had preferred Klein, who in managing the Rolling Stones had secured a better deal than the Beatles had with EMI. Paul had recorded a solo album, which was not unusual as all four were working on individual solo projects. However he did something that John never ever really forgave him for. After informing Paul six months previously that John was quitting the band, Paul decided to make an announcement to the press that he, Paul had left the band! His first solo album ‘McCartney’ came out a few days later. John and the others were furious! John later observed “I should have done that, used an announcement to sell my record, but I didn’t.” If there had been a rift, the announcement on April 1st 1970 had widened it into a chasm. This in turn was to be compounded on New Years Eve 1970 when it was announced in the press that Paul was suing George, John, and Ringo, in the High Court, to terminate their business relationship. Proceedings were concluded on March 12th 1971 when the High Court, pending an appeal, found in favor of Paul and the dissolution of their partnership. Ringo, John, and George later declined the opportunity to appeal. The Beatles, as a business partnership, was dissolved... forever. Or so it seemed... two days later the band was awarded a Grammy and a month later an Oscar. In real terms the story will never end because of the magnitude of their musical legacy. They continue well into the 21st Century, to be the yardstick against which all others are judged. The Beatles will never die and if anything, interest and appreciation of their achievements grow unabated. As Keith Badman put it “As long a the human race survives - interest in the four lads from Liverpool will continue. Let it be.”
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON
MACCA LEAVES (Room 501)
Ringo had been the first to crack and walked out of The White Album sessions, declaring he was quitting the band, only to return two weeks later, after a break on Peter Sellers yacht (where he wrote Octopus Garden after refusing to eat squid). George was next after a furious argument with Paul over how he was playing lead guitar and with John over George’s song writing. George stormed out of the Let It Be filming but returned twelve days later. John’s decision to quit the band came after he performed at The Rock N Roll Revival Concert in Toronto with his Plastic Ono Band in September 1969. He informed both Allen Klein (who was now handling the Beatles affairs) and Paul. Paul convinced John to keep the news to himself until the impending Beatles album ‘Abbey Road’ was released. John reluctantly agreed. They all felt the pressure of being the most famous people in the world and all were feeling stifled by the constraints of being a Beatle. Paul had tried his best since the death of Brian Epstein to keep the ball rolling. He was the one at the helm of most of the projects and he desperately wanted the band to play live again, which all of the others resisted. As friction and tensions increased Paul came to the same conclusion as the others had reached earlier. The position was untenable, especially the choice of Allen Klein as their new business manager. He had proposed his father-in-law, Lee Eastman, a prominent New York lawyer, but the others had preferred Klein, who in managing the Rolling Stones had secured a better deal than the Beatles had with EMI. Paul had recorded a solo album, which was not unusual as all four were working on individual solo projects. However he did something that John never ever really forgave him for. After informing Paul six months previously that John was quitting the band, Paul decided to make an announcement to the press that he, Paul had left the band! His first solo album ‘McCartney’ came out a few days later. John and the others were furious! John later observed “I should have done that, used an announcement to sell my record, but I didn’t.” If there had been a rift, the announcement on April 1st 1970 had widened it into a chasm. This in turn was to be compounded on New Years Eve 1970 when it was announced in the press that Paul was suing George, John, and Ringo, in the High Court, to terminate their business relationship. Proceedings were concluded on March 12th 1971 when the High Court, pending an appeal, found in favor of Paul and the dissolution of their partnership. Ringo, John, and George later declined the opportunity to appeal. The Beatles, as a business partnership, was dissolved... forever. Or so it seemed... two days later the band was awarded a Grammy and a month later an Oscar. In real terms the story will never end because of the magnitude of their musical legacy. They continue well into the 21st Century, to be the yardstick against which all others are judged. The Beatles will never die and if anything, interest and appreciation of their achievements grow unabated. As Keith Badman put it “As long a the human race survives - interest in the four lads from Liverpool will continue. Let it be.”
Artwork painted and owned by ©SHANNON