50 years since the Beatles break-up became public

The headline that announced the Beatles’ break-up to readers of The Daily Mirror.

April 10, 1970 is usually reckoned as the day the Beatles broke up. The reason for this date is that this is the day after Paul McCartney sent out the press copies of his first solo LP, and a journalist in the Daily Mirror wrote a front page story. The LP, “McCartney” was accompanied by a write-up in the form of an interview with Paul in which he stated quite clearly that he did not think he was going to collaborate with the others in the Beatles again.

Many assumed that it was McCartney himself who had both asked the questions and answered, but Paul has explained that he had talked to Peter Brown from Apple about what he would send out as press material.

Brown answered that he could send Paul a few questions which Paul could then answer in writing and return to Brown. This was when something Brown put together and sent along with the LP to UK record reviewers a week before the record was released on the market on April 17.

Lennon was outraged by Paul revealing that the Beatles were over while releasing his own solo LP.

“The Beatle thing is over” said Paul to Life in November 1969.

What had gone unnoticed by both Lennon, the press and most people was that Paul had actually dropped the bomb during an interview with the American magazine “Life” when they sought him out on the farm in Scotland to deny the rumours of his death. The magazine was on the street as early as November 7, 1969. There he said: “I would rather do what I started by doing, which is making music. We make good music and we want to go on making good music. But the Beatle thing is over.”

This did not result in big headlines about “Beatles breaking up”, they were more interested in the silly “Paul is dead” theory. And so, it was not until April 10, after the music reviewer in the Daily Mirror had been sent the press copy of “McCartney” that the British newspaper was first out with the news: ‘Paul Is Quitting The Beatles’ and then in later editions: ‘Paul Quits The Beatles.’. The story was written by Don Short, who was the journalist in charge of Beatles news in the Daily Mirror, and who had befriended the group early in their showbiz career.

Don Short himself remembers it differently. According to him, he was told the news on the phone by one of his Beatles’ contacts.

–It was the night I was never going to forget. That momentous night April 9, 1970. My world exclusive was splashed on the Daily Mirror’s front page: Paul Quits The Beatles. Unimaginable drama was to unfold, and a world was left asking: “Where will we be without the Beatles?” At the time I was the Mirror’s ­showbusiness columnist and as evening approached, I had just put on my coat and locked down my attache case when my office phone rang. Instantly, I recognised the voice of one of my Beatles’ contacts. From the quiver in his tone, I knew he had something serious to impart. Finally he stuttered: “Paul is quitting, Don. It’s definite. It’s all over. The Beatles are breaking up”. “Can you believe that?”

–I slammed down the phone and called the home of a Beatles aide who was an executive of their Apple company. There was some reluctance on his part to elaborate but, vitally, he confirmed the story.

In a bold typeface normally reserved for earthquakes, plane crashes and other disasters, the Mirror’s front page first edition broke the news.

Don Short’s book “The Beatles And Beyond”. Wymer Publishing (20 March 2020)

Short has a book out with his showbiz recollections, get “The Beatles And Beyond” from Amazon.

---

Here is the interview that came with the McCartney press copies:

Q: “Why did you decide to make a solo album?”

PAUL: “Because I got a Studer four-track recording machine at home – practiced on it (playing all instruments) – liked the results, and decided to make it into an album.”

Q: “Were you influenced by John’s adventures with the Plastic Ono Band, and Ringo’s solo LP?”

PAUL: “Sort of, but not really.”

Q: “Are all the songs by Paul McCartney alone?”

PAUL: “Yes sir.”

Q: “Will they be so credited: McCartney?”

PAUL: “It’s a bit daft for them to be credited to Lennon / McCartney, so ‘McCartney’ it is.”

Q: “Did you enjoy working as a solo?”

PAUL: “Very much. I only had to ask me for a decision, and I agreed with me. Remember Linda’s on it too, so it’s really a double act. ”

Q: “What is Linda’s contribution?”

PAUL: «Strictly speaking she harmonizes, but of course it’s more than that because she’s a shoulder to lean on, a second opinion, and a photographer of renown. More than all this, she believes in me – constantly. ”

Q: “Where was the album recorded?”

PAUL: “At home, at EMI (no. 2 studio) and Morgan Studios (WILLESDEN!)”

Q: “What is your home equipment (in some detail)?”

PAUL: «Study four-track machine. I only had, however, one mike, and as Mr. Pender, Mr. Sweatenham and others only managed to take 6 months or so (slight delay) I worked without VU meters or a mixer, which meant everything had to be listed to first (for distortion etc…) then recorded. So the answer – Studder, one mike, and nerve. »

Q: “Why did you choose to work in the studios you chose?”

PAUL: “They were available. EMI is technically very good and Morgan is cozy. ”

Q: «The album was not known until it was almost completed. Was this deliberate? ”

PAUL: «Yes, because normally an album is old before it even comes out. (A side) Witness ‘Get Back.’ »

Q: “Why?”

PAUL: «I’ve always wanted to buy a Beatles album like people do and be as surprised as they must be. So this was the next best thing. Linda and I are the only two who will be sick of it by the release date. We really love it. ”

Q: “Are you able to describe the texture or feel of the album in a few words?”

PAUL: “Home, family, love.”

Q: “How long did it take to complete?”

PAUL: “From just before (I think) Xmas, until now. ‘The Lovely Linda’ was the first thing I recorded at home, and was originally to test the equipment. That was around Xmas. »

Q: “Assuming all the songs are new to the public, how new are they to you? Are they recent »

PAUL: «One was from 1959 (Hot As Sun). Two are from India – ‘Junk’ and ‘Teddy Boy,’ and the rest are pretty recent. “Valentine Day,” “Momma Miss America” ​​and “Oo You” were ad-libbed on the spot. ”

Q: “What instruments have you played on the album?”

PAUL: “Bass, drums, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, piano and organ mellotron, toy xylophone, bow and arrow.”

Q: “Have you played all these instruments on previous recordings?”

PAUL: “Yes, drums being the one I normally wouldn’t do.”

Q: “Why did you do all the instruments yourself?”

PAUL: “I think I’m pretty good.”

Q: “Will Linda be heard on any future records?”

PAUL: “Could be. We love singing together and have plenty of opportunity for practice. ”

Q: “Will Paul and Linda become a John and Yoko?”

PAUL: “No, they will become Paul and Linda.”

Q: “What has recording alone taught you?”

PAUL: “Making your own decisions about what you do is easy, and playing with yourself is very difficult, but satisfying.”

Q: “Who did the artwork?”

PAUL: “Linda has taken all the photos, and she and I designed the package.”

Q: “Is it true that neither Allen Klein nor ABKCO have been involved in any way with the production, production, distribution or promotion of this new album?”

PAUL: “Not if I can help it.”

Q: “Did you miss the other Beatles and George Martin? Was there a moment when you thought, ‘I wish Ringo were here for this break?’ »

PAUL: “No.”

Q: “Assuming this is a very big hit album, will you do another?”

PAUL: “Even if it isn’t, I will continue to do what I want, when I want to.”

Q: “Are you planning a new album or single with the Beatles?”

PAUL: “No.”

Q: “Is this album a rest away from the Beatles or the start of a solo career?”

PAUL: “Time will tell. Being a solo album means it’s ‘the start of a solo career …’ and not being done with the Beatles means it’s just a rest. So it’s both. ”

Q: “Is your break with the Beatles temporary or permanent, due to personal differences or musical ones?”

PAUL: «Personal differences, business differences, musical differences, but most of all because I have a better time with my family. Temporary or permanent? I don’t really know. ”

(So ​​here we see that Paul is still keeping the door open for a continuation of the Beatles. This was to continue during the seventies, where all four were positive to a reunion; unfortunately, all four never agreed on this at the same time. Ed.)

Q: “Do you foresee a time when Lennon-McCartney becomes an active songwriting partnership again?”

PAUL: “No.”

Q: “What do you feel about John’s peace effort? The Plastic Ono Band? Giving back the MBE? Yoko’s influence? Yoko? ”

PAUL: “I love John, and respect what he does – it doesn’t really give me any pleasure.”

Q: “Were any of the songs on the album originally written with the Beatles in mind?”

PAUL: “The older ones were. ‘Junk’ was intended for ‘Abbey Road,’ but something happened. “Teddy Boy” was for “Get Back,” but something happened. ”

Q: “Were you pleased with ‘Abbey Road’? Was it musically restrictive? ”

PAUL: “It was a good album. (number one for a long time.) »

Q: “What is your relationship with Klein?”

PAUL: “It’s not. I am not in contact with him, and he does not represent me in ANY way. ”

Q: “What is your relationship with Apple?”

PAUL: “It’s the office of a company I share with the other three Beatles. I don’t go there because I don’t like offices or business, especially when I’m on holiday. ”

Q: “Do you have any plans to set up an independent production company?”

PAUL: “McCartney Productions.”

Q: “What kind of music has influenced you on this album?”

PAUL: “Light and loose.”

Q: “Are you writing more prolifically now? Or less so? »

PAUL: “About the same. I have a queue waiting to be recorded. »

Q: “What are your plans now? A holiday? A musical? A movie? Retirement? ”

PAUL: “My only plan is to grow up!”