Paul McCartney Once Sent a Cease and Desist Letter to The Beatles' Most Controversial
Over the past few decades, the folks in charge of The Beatles’ marketing, with input from the band members themselves, have made it a point to play up the togetherness of the Fab Four. But there’s no denying the rancor occasionally enveloped the group. This was especially true around the time their breakup was announced.
For one example, Paul McCartney penned a letter with a cease-and-desist vibe in April 1970. That missive was directed at The Beatles’ manager. Spring 1970 featured a series of incidents where Paul McCartney clashed with his Beatle brethren. He famously screamed Ringo Starr out of his house in a dispute about the release date of the McCartney album. And on April 10, 1970, he gave his “self-interview” that essentially declared the breakup of The Beatles.
In actuality, the break had occurred more than six months earlier. That’s when John Lennon announced he was leaving at a band meeting. But Macca made it official. His stunt angered his bandmates. They’d wanted to hold off on the news until a slew of Fab Four-related releases, including the Let It Be album, hit the stores.
That Let It Be album was also the source of anger and frustration for McCartney. When given an early acetate of the finished product, he heard his song “The Long And Winding Road” rendered in a manner with which he wholly disagreed. And he directed his anger at Allen Klein, who had recently taken over as the group’s business manager.
Source: americansongwriter.com/Jim Beviglia
