Lost Beatles Breakup Documents Offer a Rare Glimpse into Band’s Demise
A treasure trove of never-before-seen documents relating to the infamous Beatles breakup is set to hit the auction block next week. Over 300 pages of typed notes, compiled by the Fab Four’s lawyers and advisors, paint a vivid picture of the legal battles and financial complexities that ultimately led to the band’s disintegration in 1974.
The documents, discovered tucked away in a cupboard and untouched for decades, offer an unprecedented glimpse into the inner workings of one of the world’s most iconic bands during their tumultuous final years. Denise Kelly, an auctioneer at Dawsons, revealed that the papers, originally found last year, were used during a High Court battle that solidified the band’s official split. "I just couldn’t put them down until I had read every page," she said.
"As I read the minutes of meetings – notes which included discussions between the legal teams and accountants – I wondered how on earth they were going to sort everything out, and at times I could sense panic in the room as more and more complexities came to light. One of the lawyers even suggested during one meeting when they had gone round and round and round in circles: ‘Would it be easier if The Beatles just retired?’"
Estimated to fetch between $6,500 and $10,500, the documents, which will be available for online bidding, dating back to the aftermath of the band’s manager Brian Epstein’s sudden death in 1967.
The discovery illuminates a period of financial turmoil for the band. Epstein’s death revealed a tangled web of mismanagement and missing funds, leading the group to form their own company, Apple Corps, hoping to take control of their business affairs.
However, the band’s attempt to unify their interests soon fractured over the controversial figure of Allen Klein, a manager who brokered rights to the band’s music. This disagreement ultimately culminated in a legal battle, with McCartney suing his fellow bandmates to prevent Klein wielding further control over their music.
Recalling the tumultuous period in 2021, Sir Paul McCartney recounted, "I had to fight and the only way I could fight was in suing the other Beatles, because they were going with Klein." This legal fight, coupled with the unresolved financial and business disputes, ultimately marked the end of an era.
Despite McCartney’s formal departure from the band in early 1970, the legal separation wouldn’t be finalized for another four years, leaving the group in a state of purgatory. "So for a few months we had to pretend," McCartney recalled, "It was weird because we all knew it was the end of The Beatles but we couldn’t just walk away."
The auction of these documents, a poignant reminder of one of music history’s most significant band breakups, promises to offer a captivating window into the complex events that led to the Fab Four’s shattering.
PA Media
