Beatles Breakup!

It was on this date in 1970 that Paul McCartney announced the breakup of the greatest rock band the world has ever known. Of course, by then the cracks were already showing in the Beatles relationships.

First, it was the almost constant presence of Yoko Ono in the studio that rankled the other three fourths of the Fab Four. John and Yoko were inseparable, but the bizarre behavior that led to the installation of a bed for Yoko in the Abby Road studios was symptomatic of the many idiosyncrasies that drove a wedge into the creative juggernaut that took the world by storm a mere six years earlier.

While fans mourned the breakup-and many blamed Ono directly, the truth was that all four Beatles had become different people with different aspirations. All four members dabbling with drugs only accentuated the problems that were already lying close to the surface.

John was less inclined to create music that was “pop” in the sense that it needed to be a “hit” with a mass audience. Paul, ever the capitalist, felt the opposite. For George, a growing resentment of his pecking order in the band, especially with regard to songwriting was beginning to surface. His gravitation to Eastern philosophy and music, while influencing all of the Beatles-still separated him from the rest. As for Ringo, sheer boredom from being excluded from so much but the actual recording in the studio finally took its toll.

And then, there were the business deals. Below is a clip of an interview with John and Paul regarding the Apple label and associated businesses. When you look closely, you can see already see the strain, even though this interview was conducted in 1968:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYMWofSqWNQ

Luckily for us, the recorded legacy of the magic created by the Beatles will be with us and enjoyed by millions forever. The Long and Winding Road had to come to an end someday…and that day was today, some 39 years ago.

If you’d like my blog in your e-mail box, just let me know! Tim.moore@citcomm.com