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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Grace Hoffman

Paul McCartney's candid comments about The Beatles' inevitable split

Imagine it now - you're in the midst of the Swinging Sixties and watching four friends from Liverpool rocketing to stardom.

The Beatles - consisting of members of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr - were catapulting into mainstream success with screaming girls at their door.

The iconic foursome are still recognised as being the biggest band the world had ever seen - despite having ended over 50 years ago.

Millions of fans around the world were left heartbroken when the band went their separate ways back in April 1970.

Paul - who recently celebrated his 80th birthday - was the member to deliver the jaw-dropping news as he launched his first solo album.

Paul unveiled his thoughts on the band splitting (Popperfoto via Getty Images)

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Speculations around their split have circulated throughout the years - especially of arguments and splits between the band.

Fans initially blamed John's wife, Yoko Ono, and Paul's wife, Linda, but it seems problems for The Beatles started years before their break-up - when the death of their manager, Brian Epstein, left a hole at the helm of the band.

Following his tragic death, Paul is said to have become the unofficial leader of the band - something that band member John admitted the band would not have continued without his efforts.

He also claimed he felt Paul had only taken charge because he was concerned about launching his own solo career.

The band hit the rocks after their manager's death (Getty Images)

However, Paul had a much different take as artistic differences meant that the stars started to branch off individually and their focus on being businessmen was the beginning of the end.

The Beatles suffered problems along the way, including increasing financial difficulties, and when the final album Let It Be was released - little did they know, but it would be the last one the Fab Four would ever record together.

Whilst John had suggested another album with a single release just before Christmas - he wanted a key change - and that was to rid of the joint writing credits between himself and Paul.

He instead proposed he, Paul and George wrote four songs each with Ringo contributing two.

Despite his proposition, John went on to record Cold Turkey, written about his heroin addiction, with the band he formed with his wife, The Plastic Ono Band.

It was an unexpected success and after performing at a festival in Toronto, Canada, John made the decision that he wanted to quit The Beatles.

Paul was devastated when it was unveiled that John wanted to dissolve the band.

He was determined to salvage something from this difficult time and started to record his first solo album with a release date agreed.

Even though the band hadn't been back into the studio together, the threat of legal action from a US film company meant they cobbled together previous recording sessions and transformed it into Let It Be.

However, the release date clashed directly with the date agreed for Paul's first solo album - after releasing this would devastate Paul, Ringo went to tell him in person.

Paul - who was clearly upset - took on the idea that there was no way back for The Beatles and sent out a press release to journalists along with an advance copy of his first solo album.

Paul saw no way back for The Beatles (Getty Images)

It contained bombshell and worldwide news that he was quitting The Beatles - and although he didn't claim the band had broken up, it tellingly discussed his "break with The Beatles" and that he had no plans to record with his bandmates again.

However, a released statement that was published without the knowledge of his bandmates meant there was no option but to end the group.

The remaining members were initially upset by Paul's decisions - something that they thought was used to promote his own album.

Paul launched legal action against his bandmates in December 1970 to release himself from the band and from Klein's management - a judge agreed and he was released from his contract.

Paul was released from the band (Redferns)

For the next decade, the four members of The Beatles refused huge sums of money to reunite for concerts, albums or reunion concerts to raise hundreds of millions for charity.

Then, with John tragic death outside his apartment building in New York on December 8, 1980, the chance of reunion was over.

Tensions dramatically thawed between the group in the intervening years.

Paul and John even jammed together in 1974 and over the years the remaining Beatles have collaborated from time to time.

They notably worked on the Beatles Anthology in 1994 and re-worked two of John's unfinished songs, Free As A Bird and Real Love.

George lost his battle against lung cancer in 2001 - and his former bandmate Paul paid an emotional tribute to his boyhood friend.

"He was a lovely guy and a very brave man and had a wonderful sense of humour. He is really just my baby brother," he said.

Paul and Ringo are the only two surviving members of the incredible band that changed musical history.

Paul will headline Glastonbury this year (Getty Images)

Paul will add another stint to his solo career by taking to Glastonbury festival's iconic stage on Saturday, 25 June as a headline.

The festival is well underway of its long-awaited return - and will continue until Sunday.

The rock star will take to the stage after the Covid-19 pandemic cancelled the festival in both 2021 and 2021.

Paul is not the only headliner for the event - with other stars making an appearance, including Diana Ross, Kendrick Lamar, and Billie Eilish - who has made history as the show's youngest-ever headliner.

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