Comments on: Profile: Neil Aspinall, former head of Apple Corps.

By: h

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:34:22 +0000

I think Neil Aspinall quit because he was tired. I think he had had a few heart attacks behind him and he finally realized that he needed a break. Like other workaholics that I know, he never did get much of a retirement before his health caught up with him.

By: Kenny

Kenny — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:51:53 +0000

@Richard
Having further researched that Sunday Times article, it appears that there are at least two versions of that quote published online. I now believe that the quote I published was inaccurate and have removed it. For the record, I accept that the Sunday Times described Apple and not Aspinall as leading the band to the brink of bankruptcy (although I’m sure his long expensive lunches with Peter Brown didn’t help [source:Alistair Taylor]).

I don’t have an axe to grind and believe that the rest of the post was well balanced.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:15:17 +0000

My assertion is based on fact through loosely knowing the people involved and reading up on the subject in question beforehand (as you should have done before typing).
I’m not interested in doing your job for you by supplying you with information already in the public domain.
You have failed to show any original evidence to substantiate your article (which you acknowledge was written over ten years ago ).
I sincerely hope that one day I have a colourful friend/ accountant who makes me a fortune in excess of £20 Billion through shrewd careful negotiation.
Did somebody mention bankruptcy… Oh yeah… You did !
Neil didn’t suffer journalist fools gladly and he wouldn’t waste his time arguing with them or defending himself because he didn’t have a huge ego.
In the light of your piece above and your defence of it … is it any wonder he rarely gave interviews.

By: Kenny

Kenny — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 21:48:38 +0000

@Richard
If you care to qualify your assertion by giving examples of evidence to the contrary, I’ll be happy to publish them.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:56:24 +0000

Your quote:
Apple Corps. was woefully mis-managed from the start and in 1995, The Sunday Times described Aspinall as ‘merrily leading them (The Beatles) to the brink of chaos and bankruptcy.’

This was a poorly researched piece of journalism when first published.
All evidence is to the contrary yet you choose to quote this.
Real journalists are acknowledged for telling the truth not perpetuating wild fiction.

By: News » Another 5th Beatle passes

News » Another 5th Beatle passes — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:04:15 +0000

[...] of lung cancer. He was the head of the Beatles’ Apple Corporation until about a year ago, when he resigned after the settlement of a long running dispute with Apple Computer. Aspinall was a friend and [...]

By: Another 5th Beatle passes | MetaFilter

Another 5th Beatle passes | MetaFilter — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:01:26 +0000

By: Randy FX

Randy FX — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:48:18 +0000

The Sunday Times article above is WRONG to say Aspinall “led” The Beatles to the brink of chaos and bankruptcy. In the 1960’s Aspinall was NOT a leader at Apple. The Beatles hired friends to supervise such projects as Apple Electronics, Studios and the Boutique. Ron Kass was president of Apple Records (a successful label). Someone else ran Apple Publishing, which successfully signed Badfinger. (So the “bankruptcy” claim is exxaggerated.)

Yes, Apple lost money due to excess catering, bad studios and poor deals. But Aspinall was regarded as a friend-advisor-confidant-driver, he did not lead Apple.

Because he avoids the media, there is a mystique around Neil Aspinall. Sir Paul McCartney calls him “Mr. X.” His wife was born in the USA and is the daughter of the film producer who produced “Hard Day’s Night”. Neil began compiling the Beatles documentary that became “Anthology” all the back in 1970.

By: Kenny

Kenny — Mon, 21 May 2007 12:38:27 +0000

@ James
I used Wikipedia for one piece of trivia that had no material bearing on the rest of the piece. All of the research for the key facts and quotes was carried out using mainstream media publications such as The Sunday Times. And if you think that only those who can write on a subject using information sourced from the top of their head should put pen to paper, then I’m afraid your deluded about the way all media works. Using past interviews and articles as research is a legitimate and common practice.

If you feel that the article is biased, please supply the information you would like to have seen included as a comment. And obviously if there are factual inaccuracies, I’ll be happy to correct them.

As for my judging the man, I didn’t. I may have selected quotes from one article that weren’y particularly complimentary. However, they were representative of much of what has been written about him in the past. My only comment was, if anything, favourable.

By: James

James — Mon, 21 May 2007 12:19:32 +0000

How can you write blogs about subjects which you try to sound knowledgable only to then preface your quotes and facts with the line ‘According to Wikipedia’… Before writing you should prove that youre capable of at least some considered research to back up your judging of a man; not use a tone of obvious ignorance. You’re hardly impartial with your choice of information you decide to include concerning Neil Aspinall. Why would you write about something you know nothing about??