Paul Quits Beatles - 50 Years Ago

Paul announced the Beatles' Split on April 10, 1970 with the release of his first solo LP. The newspapers reported the split on the 11th, but it wasn't a headline - it was "under the fold." 

That was the definitive moment, when it became real, but the progression started much earlier.

On 22 August 1968, during the recording session for "Back in the USSR," Ringo Starr walked out of the studio and went home, fed up with McCartney’s criticism of his drumming. The remaining three Beatles finished the track without him and then, realizing that things had got out of hand, sent him postcards asking him to return and calling him the world’s best drummer. He came back to the sessions on 5 September to find his drum kit bedecked with flowers, and his good humor was restored. In an interview when asked if Ringo was the "best drummer" in rock music, Lennon had replied, "He isn't even the best drummer in The Beatles."

On 10 January 1969, during the sessions for what would become Let It Be, Harrison and Lennon had a violent argument which is alleged to have descended into physical violence, although Harrison denied it. After lunch, Harrison informed the others that he was leaving the band: "See you round the clubs," was his farewell. He then drove to his home in Esher and wrote the song ‘Wah-Wah’, which would appear on his first solo album. The others contacted him over the next few days and agreed to his terms for returning, which were that they would no longer film in Twickenham Studios but in Apple’s own studio. They reconvened in Apple on 22 January.

On 11 August 1969, the Beatles gathered together at Abbey Road to finish overdubbing and mixing "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." This was the last time that all four of them worked in a recording studio together.

On 22 August 1969, they gathered together for a photoshoot at Lennon's home, Tittenhurst Park.

This was the last time that the four of them met for the purpose of anything other than a business meeting.

On 20 September 1969, the band had a meeting at Apple, in which they signed their new contract with EMI and Allen Klein. It was at this meeting that Lennon told the others that he intended to leave the band. (He had taken the decision a few days earlier, at the Toronto Rock and Roll Festival.) Harrison didn’t actually attend this meeting as he was visiting his mother. It was decided at the meeting that Lennon’s decision would not be announced yet, as it would interfere with the release of upcoming albums.

On 3 January 1970, Harrison, McCartney and Starr gathered at Abbey Road to record Harrison’s "I Me Mine." This was the last time they would play together until 1979, when they performed at Eric Clapton's wedding to Harrison’s ex-wife Patti.

On 31 March 1970, with discussions about the release schedule of Let It Be and McCartney’s solo album ongoing, Lennon wrote to EMI to say "We have arrived at the conclusion that it would not be in the best interests of this company for [McCartney’s solo album] to be released on that date."

Lennon and Harrison then wrote a letter to McCartney to inform him of this. It was supposed to be delivered by courier, but Starr took it upon himself to do it in person:

Dear Paul, We thought a lot about yours and the Beatles LPs – and decided it's stupid for Apple to put out two big albums within 7 days of each other (also there's Ringo's and Hey Jude) – so we sent a letter to EMI telling them to hold your release date til June 4th (there's a big Apple-Capitol convention in Hawaii then). We thought you'd come round when you realized that the Beatles album was coming out on April 24th. We're sorry it turned out like this – it's nothing personal. Love John & George. Hare Krishna. A Mantra a Day Keeps MAYA! Away.

McCartney recalled: "So Ringo arrived at the house, and I must say I gave him a bit of verbal. I said: 'You guys are just messing me around.' He said: 'No, well, on behalf of the board and on behalf of The Beatles and so and so, we think you should do this,' etc. And I was just fed up with that. It was the only time I ever told anyone to GET OUT! It was fairly hostile. But things had got like that by this time. It hadn't actually come to blows, but it was near enough."

On 10 April 1970, McCartney issued advance copies of his solo album McCartney with a self-questionnaire in which he announced that he had no plans to make more music with the Beatles, and that he didn’t think he’d ever write songs with Lennon again:

Q: Are you planning a new album or single with the Beatles?
A: No.

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

Q: Do you foresee a time when Lennon-McCartney becomes an active songwriting partnership again?
A: No.

This was announced the next day as "PAUL QUITS THE BEATLES."