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Longtime Beatles insider quits Apple Corps
POSTED: 4:27 p.m. EDT, April 10, 2007

• Neil Aspinall leaving Apple Corps
• Aspinall drove Beatles around in van in pre-fame days
• Reasons for departure not given



LONDON, England (AP) -- Apple Corps, guardian of the Beatles' commercial interests, said Tuesday its chief executive, a longtime friend of the Fab Four, has quit.

Neil Aspinall, a school friend of Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison, was the band's first road manager and would drive them between gigs in his van.

He later became their personal assistant and in 1968 was given a management role at Apple Records, the band's own record label.

Aspinall, now 64, was executive producer on the top-selling "Beatles Anthology" album and was behind other successes, including the "Beatles 1" album.

The company said in a statement that Jeff Jones, a former executive vice president at Sony BMG, has been appointed as Aspinall's replacement. There was no explanation for why Aspinall decided to quit.

"This is astonishing news," said former Apple press officer Geoff Baker. "Neil was the fifth Beatle and the architect of all the Beatles' success over the past 15 or 20 years. I can't see how the Beatles' legacy will be looked after as well without him, and I'm amazed that Paul and Ringo are letting this happen."

The Apple statement said Aspinall "had been with John, Paul, George and Ringo for a spectacular 40 plus years, during which he played an indispensable role for the four. He was there since the inception of the band in Liverpool and has meant so much to the Beatles' family for all these years, and still does.

"However, he has decided to move on. Apple as a whole, and each member of this company, wishes him great success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue in the future."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Wow, that sucks. I wonder what the deal is. What about Mal ? Is he still alive ?

http://beatlesnumber9.com/mal.html

http://history.absoluteelsewhere.net/January/january4.html

1976--At his Los Angeles motel apartment at 8122 West 4th Street, Mal Evans, long time friend and former roadie/bodyguard of the Beatles, is shot to death by police lieutenant Charles Higbie (of the LAPD robbery and homocide division). In a drunken stupor, Mal had become uncontrollably violent, appeared to be attempting suicide, and pointed a rifle at the officer, who, in self-defense, then shot him six times, four bullets hitting Mal. His new girlfriend, Fran Hughes, with whom he was living, found him upset and despondent, and when friends couldn't get Evans to release the unloaded rifle he was holding, they called police. Mal had recently separated from his wife, Lili Evans, who had reportedly asked him for a divorce just before Christmas. Mal was working on a book about his time with The Beatles, entitled Living with The Beatles Legend, which was scheduled to be delivered to the publisher, Grosset & Dunlap, on January 12. He was 40 years old. When John was told of Mal’s death, he broke down in tears.

Mal hasen't been alive in a while... believe he freaked out and the cops shot him in L.A.

I think Neil is just retiring... After 40 years in the business, I think it's well deserved. Neil is one of those people who is in a great position to write a "tell all" and he hasn't... He's been very loyal to The Beatles from Day 1.

agreed. He's 64 after all. Many people decide to smell the roses at that age. Perhaps a book is in his plans. You KNOW some publishers are going to be dangling some $$$ for the rights.

At 64, I believe he can retire after leading Apple into some very lucrative business decisions. I'm sure the others paid him dearly and he so deserved it for performing a tremendous job, coming from just being a friend and road manager to quite an astute businessman and loyal friend, long after 40 years. I hope that this is actually the case -- that he's retiring and not moving on to another business! That later would indicate that maybe he did not reach renewel contract negotiations.

If anyone could be truly considered the "fifth Beatle" it would be Neil or Mal Evans. They were right there with them through the entire time they were together. It's sad that Mal died the way he did. What a waste. It kind of seems like he didn't know what to do after the Beatles break-up. He had been their roadie and bodyguard for so long.

I HOPE he's retiring. Thanks, Neil, for a job well done, for a very long time. That was one hell of a van ride... Cheers to you!

Father of Pete Best's half brother, int he?

Interesting to me that this "retirement" comes on the heels of the Apple Corps vs. Apple Computer (now Apple, Inc.) lawsuit. Apple Computer owning and licensing back trademarks to Apple Corps didn't leave a good aftertaste.

I thought he was Ringo's sister.

I do remember something about Mal being shot to death, now that you remind me. And George Martin gets my vote for fifth Beatle. Murray the K, what a joke.

Neil was Roag Best's dad (Pete Best's half-brother).

Speaking of Roag, his book is a MUST for any Beatles fan: