Documents shed light on the reasons for the Beatles’ break-up 54 years ago
Published: Tuesday, Dec 3rd 2024, 00:10
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54 years after the Beatles broke up, fans can hope for new insights into the reasons for their break-up: As the British auction house Dawsons announced on Monday, recently found legal documents that could shed new light on the end of the legendary British rock band from Liverpool will be offered for sale on December 12. The auction house estimates their sale value at the equivalent of 5600 Swiss francs.
The documents discovered in a cupboard contain copies of meeting minutes from a former Beatles consultant, legal letters and a copy of the band's original articles of association from 1967. Among other things, the documents show that after the death of their manager Brian Epstein in 1967, the band was confronted with the fact that funds had disappeared and the four musicians were targeted by the tax authorities.
The documents now discovered also document the legal dispute brought against the band in 1970 by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney over the appointment of new manager Allen Klein as Epstein's successor.
Until now, the dispute over Klein's employment was considered one of the reasons that contributed to the Beatles' break-up. In addition, creative differences, the strain of fame and the estrangement caused by John Lennon's relationship with his then girlfriend and later wife Yoko Ono are said to have been responsible for the break-up of the "Fab Four".
However, as the new documents now reveal, the numerous complicated legal disputes may also have contributed to the musicians' separation. A note in the documents reads: "It would be almost impossible to exaggerate the actual complexity of the various legal arrangements made by Messrs Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starkey (Ringo Starr)."
Although all four Beatles had each pursued solo careers, these years must have been "a difficult time" for each of them, explained Denise Kelly, head of entertainment and pop culture at Dawson.
Paul McCartney had already declared in 1970 that he would no longer work with the band. However, another four years were to pass before the final legal dissolution of the band.
McCartney's former band colleague John Lennon expressed his desire for new paths after the Beatles in a letter from 1971 to the British cult guitarist Eric Clapton - this document is also to be auctioned off next week.
The Beatles announced their break-up in April 1970. The break-up agreement was officially signed in 1974. But "Beatlemania" continues to this day. Fans around the world had already tried to reunite the 'Fab Four' with the help of AI.
©Keystone/SDA
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