Who left The Beatles first?
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Legally, The Beatles were formally dissolved on 29 December 1974. This was the date on which their 'divorce' became final. |
Until that point John, Paul, George and Ringo were still technically Beatles. That said, from the summer of 1968 three of the four clearly had one eye on the exit.
The unravelling
The death of Brian Epstein in August 1967 intensified internal band tension - see here.
Ringo briefly walked out in 1968. George did an even shorter flounce-off in January, 1969. John announced to all and sundry he wanted out after his Plastic Ono Band gig in Toronto in 1969.
John later claimed to have been persuaded to delay his departure by Paul, who was still desperate to keep the band together. But by this point, even Mr Beatle was lawyering up for the coming divorce.
In fact, it was McCartney who was publically thought of as the man who ended The Beatles. An interview and press release in April 1970, stated that he was no longer working with the group. This was the de facto moment in which The Beatles were pronounced dead.
John was furious and felt cheated.
Before they were famous
The Beatles emerged out of The Quarry Men, a school group started by John Lennon. By 1960 the band had a fixed name and line up: John, George, Paul, Stu Suctliffe and Pete Best.Suctliffe, who helped name the group, was the first to leave in 1961. He died a year later.
Photo from The Beatles last photoshoot 22 August, 1969 By unknown, Fair use,
