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50 years ago today, on the 9th of April 1970 (which was also a Thursday), Paul McCartney put out a press release with a Q&A which was completely written by himself. This press release, by accident or design, became the thing that announced the end of the Beatles to the world.
This is the section that led to the headlines.
The reason for the press release was that Paul was releasing his debut solo album, McCartney. He was adamant that it would hit the stores before the Beatles final record, Let It Be, which had been in gestation since Jan 1969 with the title Get Back.
The truth is that The Beatles were finished before 9th April 1970, but it was a slow ending, and not inconceivable that it could maybe have been reversed at some point. Some key dates...
30th January 1969: The last live performance, the Apple rooftop, 3 Savile Row.
11th June 1969: The last UK number one single...
20th August 1969: The last time all four are in a recording studio, finishing Abbey Road in Abbey Road. https://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/08/20/mixing-editing-i-want-you-shes-so-heavy/
22nd August 1969: The last photo session, at John’s newly purchase Tittenhurst Park mansion. The last picture (you think a 1970s Beatles couldn’t have happened? Just look at this pic!)
September 1969 was where the real break-up happened. John flies to perform in Toronto on a whim and decides to leave. He tells Paul on Sept 20th, the day they resign a revised record deal with EMI, who can then release Abbey Road. https://www.beatlesbible.com/1969/09/20/john-lennon-reveals-he-is-leaving-the-beatles/
The pictures from that signing session are just the craziest thing. Paul trying to be nice beside Klein. John about to drop the bombshell. The last formal pic of John & Paul together.
Paul then spends weeks in Scotland, the world thinks he’s dead. When he’s confronted by a reporter in November 1969, he tells them the Beatles are done, and no-one notices.
2nd & 3rd January: Paul, George and Ringo record the last Beatles song, I Me Mine. George makes a mock statement about the missing Lennon.
By March, Paul has his (secretly recorded) solo album ready to go. He finishes it the day Phil Spector starts working on Let It Be. This is a busy time.
It hits the stores just over three weeks after it’s finished.
Another related thread here! https://twitter.com/doctor_j_/status/1139832479718825985
It hits the stores just over three weeks after it’s finished.
Another related thread here! https://twitter.com/doctor_j_/status/1139832479718825985
The consequence of Paul’s announcement on the 9th of April was that he would spend a long time coming out from the shadow of being labelled as the Beatle who broke at the Beatles. At the time this cast a shadow on him and his work.
Just check out these contemporary interviews, it’s Paul’s fault, more pointedly people are quite happy to blame Linda McCartney.
Of note, at the end of the press release, McCartney mentions setting up MPL, which is still going very strong today as his main business for his work.
So Happy 50th Anniversary to the public realising that the Beatles were finished! Except, of course, the Beatles will never end...
