1969-1970: a timeline of the final year of The Beatles
The impact of The Beatles was something that shook the world so much that the music industry didn’t look the same afterwards.
Once those four Liverpudlian lads took to the stage on The Ed Sullivan Show, everything completely changed. It wasn’t just that they were good, it was that they paved the way for British bands to make it in America. They made kids watching want to be in bands with their friends, and their popularity meant that the groundbreaking music they would go on to make was heard by the masses.
When you’re burning that brightly, it can be a surprise that the flame is snubbed pretty darn quick, and that’s exactly what happened. They rose to fame in 1964 and had called things a day by 1970, but what the hell happened? Was it drugs that split up The Beatles? Creative differences? Personal friction? Well, if we’re being realistic, when you know the full story, it was a combination of all of those things and more.
The final year of The Beatles was one of great music, utter chaos and tears around the world as the band eventually decided to call it quits. So, what actually happened?
A timeline of the final year of The Beatles:
January 10th, 1969
George Harrison briefly quits the band
When tensions rise in a band, it’s only natural that it becomes too much, leading to fallouts or worse, someone leaving entirely.
On January 10th, 1969, Harrison became so frustrated during the Let It Be sessions that he called it quits, but only for a few days.
During this time, his diary entry was pretty iconic. He simply wrote: “Got up. Went to Twickenham. Rehearsed until lunchtime. Left The Beatles. Went home.”
January 30th, 1969
The Rooftop Concert
There are some moments in history that seem like they’ve been plucked straight from a movie, and the Fab Four’s famous Rooftop Concert is certainly one of them.
On January 30th, 1969, the band performed a few of their best songs, including ‘Get Back’ and ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, before police turned up to usher them away when a large crowd started gathering on the ground. This would mark the band’s last-ever public performance.
February 3rd, 1969
Allen Klein hired as manager
Doing anything against someone’s wishes is always one sure way to gain their disapproval, which is precisely what happened on February 3rd, when Harrison, Starr, and Lennon hired Allen Klein as their new manager, despite McCartney expressing his desire not to work with him, instead wanting to recruit his father-in-law, Lee Eastman.
Tensions were already rising in the group at this time, but this no doubt added fuel to the fire, exacerbated by the overarching feeling that certain band members’ wishes weren’t being respected or listened to.
March 12, 1969
Paul McCartney marries Linda Eastman
When McCartney married Linda Eastman on March 12th, 1969, none of his fellow bandmates attended.
An outsider might pin this down to McCartney’s desire to keep it low-key and not attract crowds, but when you consider the broader tensions, the reasoning seems clear.
That said, considering that you could cut the tension with a knife whenever the four were in the same room, maybe holding the ceremony away from such hostility was for the best. Still, it likely made matters worse, causing yet another crack in their already ruptured dynamic.
March 20, 1969
John Lennon marries Yoko Ono
It becomes more difficult to balance other things in life when the familiar tells of adulthood slip into the mix, and when Lennon married Yoko Ono the Rock of Gibraltar in Spain on March 20th, 1969, Lennon was no doubt thinking of his future in ways he hadn’t before.
Of course, Ono is often the scapegoat for the band’s problems, and her presence no doubt caused a rift that some of the others struggled to look past. However, Ono couldn’t be blamed for everything, not when the band was already on direct path to splitting regardless of who married who.
July-August, 1969
Abbey Road material, the final photo shoot
When the band returned to the studio in July, 1969, they recorded a handful of songs for their Abbey Road record, including ‘Sun King’, ‘Come Together’, ‘Polythene Pam’ and ‘She Came In Through the Bathroom Window’.
On August 8th, the band shot their iconic Abbey Road cover outside the Abbey Road studios in London, and on August 22nd, they did their final-ever photo shoot at Lennon’s home at Tittenhurst Park in Sunninghill.
September 20th, 1969
John Lennon quietly leaves the band
On September 20th, 1969, Lennon privately told the band that he was leaving, and the others agreed not to make it public.
The last time they were in the studio together was when they recorded ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’, and then Lennon walked away, never to creatively cross paths with his musical comrades ever again.
One of the main reasons why they didn’t announce it was because they were still very much holding up contractual obligations, and it also helped to keep things ticking along nicely, knowing the public frenzy such an announcement would have caused.
September 26th, 1969
Abbey Road released in UK
Abbey Road was released in the UK on September 26th, 1969, marking the last album the group ever recorded.
Despite their tensions, the record was iconic almost immediately, including everything that became hallmarks of The Beatles’ style and innovative range.
At the time, it wasn’t known that the record would mark one of their last, even if hindsight pointed towards the opposite. That said, tensions were undeniably high, and certain members of the groups were quickly becoming aware that they wanted out.
As Harrison put it, “It felt as if we were reaching the end of the line”.
January 3rd, 1970
George, Paul and Ringo enter the studio without John
Just a few days after realising that Let It Be was set for a theatrical release, Harrison, Starr, and McCartney returned to the studio to record a song for its soundtrack.
They completed these sessions without Lennon, who had already been out of the band for almost four months at that point, though it still hadn’t yet been announced to the broader public.
March 1st, 1970
The Beatles make their last appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show
On March 1st, 1970, The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, marking their last-ever television appearance.
A full circle moment considering the legendary status of their first appearance on the show in February 1964, this performance featured pre-recorded promo clips for ‘Let It Be’ and ‘Two of Us’, broadcast only a month before their official split.
Their last in-person appearance was on August 14th, 1965, a stark contrast to the circumstances they faced in March, 1970. After their 1965 performance, they only appeared via exclusive clips provided to the show instead, culminating in one final pre-recorded appearance before their official breakup.
April 10, 1970
Paul announces the split
In early April 1970, a printed Q&A presented as a press release emerged that saw McCartney seemingly confirming The Beatles’ breakup.
In the interview, McCartney answered questions about the future of the band and the nature around his first solo album, McCartney, which was set for release a week later.
When asked whether his record is the start of a solo career or a break from the band, McCartney said it was both. When asked whether he and Lennon would reunite at any point, he said, “No,” and when asked why the band is breaking up, he simply said, “Personal differences, business differences, musical differences, but most of all because I have a better time with my family.”
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