Money Can't Buy the Beatles (1996)

 Money Can't Buy the Beatles

By Felicity McCormick

Yorkshire Post

March 5, 1996

    "Can't Buy Me Love" sang the Beatles 32 years ago, and yesterday proved they were not just empty words. For the love of John, Paul, George, and Ringo have turned down a £147 million offer to perform live on a world tour as the Threetles. It would have been the first time the Beatles had performed live for 30 years, and the first time they had been together on stage without John Lennon, who was murdered in 1980.

     But to Paul McCartney, "The size of the offer is scandalous. It's ridiculous, from a money point of view, most people would do it. But to me, the three of us isn't as exciting as the four of us. The Beatles were always the four of us. Of course, people will say that we could get someone else to fill John's place, but it just wouldn't be the same."

     A Beatles aide said, "Talk about real love. They have such love for John that they won't play with anyone else, even for a paycheck of $75 million each."

    The 22-night tour of America, Japan, and Europe, proposed by a consortium of German and American businessmen, would have seen Paul, George, and Ringo back on the road this summer, but they have always resisted offers to reform after their split at the end of the 60s, and they can hardly be said to need the money.

     Paul has an estimated £580 million with shares in the Beatles' two main companies, Apple Corps and Maclen Music. George Harrison has been rumored to be down to his last few million, but he still owns a quarter of Apple, or £75 million, and another £10 million through Maclen.  As for Ringo Starr, he has a quarter share in Apple and a fortune estimated at £30 million, much of it in offshore accounts.