The Beatles enthusiasts believe they have deciphered the reason behind Sir Paul McCartney’s departure from the iconic band.
The Fab Four officially disbanded on this day in April 1970, never performing together as a four-piece again. McCartney, who announced on April 10, 1970 that he was no longer collaborating with the group, ignited a media frenzy just before his debut solo album’s release.
His eponymous album, which included the hit track ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’, was initially overshadowed by the reaction to his exit from The Beatles.
McCartney, now 82, later confirmed that the band had essentially dissolved prior to his announcement, with John Lennon having informed McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison of his intention to leave.
McCartney’s fans are now attempting to unravel his reasons for leaving the band, suggesting several potential explanations. One user on the r/TheBeatles subreddit queried: “What was Paul’s reason for quitting?”
And many agreed about one popular theory. A fan suggested: “Paul’s release of McCartney had a release date set before the Get Back/Let It Be album had. [Allen] Klein and the Beatles decided that Paul’s album would be delayed and Let it Be would take its release date.
“Paul was pretty p***ed at this after being told that he would not be able to change his songs on Let It Be. Before that he always had final say on his own songs.”
The user in question also suggested other factors that may have contributed to McCartney’s departure, such as “his in-laws being called ‘animals’ by John and the general animosity between them and Klein,” who was managing the Beatles at the time.
Some also think McCartney objected to “Klein being the manager of Apple and the band conceding to pay him more than Paul felt he deserved (Paul as member of Apple would be forced to pay for Klein even though he did not want him managing him).”
What’s more, it has been alleged a rift with Lennon made enduring the situation untenable. A commenter claimed: “The pushback of his album was the final straw. He wrote an interview which was very similar to an interview John had given a few months previously, and people read between the lines and saw that he had quit. The world media took Paul’s quitting as the end of the Beatles and the rest is history.”
Yet another perspective claims it was McCartney alone who could have held the group together but chose not to. A fan suggested: “If anyone had wanted to save the group, it would have been Paul. But I think even he realized that this was a case of irreconcilable differences. Someone had to step up and make it official.”
In a telling revelation, McCartney placed the blame for the band’s demise firmly on John Lennon, stating: “I didn’t instigate the split. That was our Johnny [Lennon].”