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By Ray Connelly
Evening Standard
December 31, 1970
Paul McCartney's application to the High Court for the winding up of the Beatles' affair is not unexpected. It is the legal end to a situation which has been inevitable for many months, but it could turn out to be a very messy affair.
The Beatles as a group broke up 15 months ago when John Lennon told the other three that he wanted a divorce from them. His new life with Yoko Ono left him no energy or interest for the Beatles, and he set about making a career for himself .
For a time, his decision was kept secret. Meanwhile, enormous friction was developing between John and Paul over John's decision to bring in American businessman Allen Klein to run the affairs of Apple the Beatles record company.
McCartney wanted his father-in-law, Lee Eastman, a New York lawyer, to manage him. Last March, McCartney made the split between the Beatles public when he brought out his own first solo album. But at the time, he appeared to be leaving a few avenues open, should the situation improve.
But since then, the relations between Lennon and McCartney have been nonexistent. For much of this year, Paul stayed on his cottage farm before going to New York in the autumn to make an album. So far, there is no sign of that album being issued.
Now it looks as though Paul wants to get out of Apple and away from Allen Klein completely. But efforts to break up the affairs of the Beatles could be very, very complicated.
It is sad to see the affairs of the Beatles now end in public dispute. Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney have been playing together for practically half their lives. (They met at a village fete outside Liverpool when Paul was 14; he is now 28). And until the last two years or so, they were the closest of friends.
But the different types of women that all four Beatles married indicate the underlying differences in their personalities. While John, George, Paul, and Ringo may once have been friends, it is difficult to imagine avant-garde artist Yoko Ono, model Pattie Harrison, photographer Linda McCartney, and former hairdresser Maureen Starkey having a great deal in common.
Nine months ago, Paul told me, "The Beatles have left the Beatles, but no one wants to say the party's over. John's in love with Yoko, and he's no longer in love with the other three of us. And let's face it, we were in love with the Beatles as much as anyone.
"We're still like brothers, and we have enormous emotional ties because we were the only four that it all happened to. I don't mind being bound to them as a friend. I like that idea. I don't mind being bound to them physically, because I like the others as physical partners, but for my own sanity, we must change the business arrangements we have.
"Only by being completely free of each other financially will we ever have any chance of coming back together as friends, because it's business that's caused a lot of the split."
He went on, "We should all have our independent incomes and let us work out for ourselves the company problems.
After all the years of work, all I've got to show is money locked up in a big company. "
The Beatles shot to world prominence in 1963 when, under the guidance of Liverpool manager Brian Epstein, they became the biggest entertainment attraction ever.
At a conservative estimate, the record sales in the seven years must be well over 250 million copies. While their incomes have been equally staggering.
They have appeared in three films: A Hard Day's Night (which was shown on BBC television on Monday, and appeared woefully old-fashioned), Help!, and Let It Be. During virtually the whole of the 60s, the western world was obsessed with the Beatles and their many fads, but the effect upon the four individuals involved has been staggering.
They became the greatest show business phenomenon ever known, but their private lives could hardly be less glamorous. Now, all four live as quietly as possible. John, Paul, and George are in situations that are very close to isolation, and all four have a cynical disregard for the trappings of show business.
We'll all be sorry to see them go forever, but it was inevitable. We all grow up.
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