Comments on: Neil Aspinall

By: Jayson P.

Jayson P. — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 08:13:26 +0000

A long time ago I thought I had read that when Allen Klein took over as the Beatles manager, Lennon had specifically told Klein “to do what you must, but leave Neil and Mal Evans alone.” However, it seems the more current version of the story is that Neil and Mal were canned by Klein soon after he took over, and only reinstated when the Beatles objected to their dismissals. I am frankly surprised that neither John, George or Ringo (I don’t count Paul because he never signed the management deal) never spoke with Klein beforehand to tell him that Neil and Mal had been with the band since the very beginning, and that they should not be touched. I guess Klein objected to their four course lunches, fine wines and other things the two men were buying up. But if you consider that Neil never really wanted to run Apple, and hated being stuck in the Apple offices doing work he despised, I can’t say I blame him for rewarding himself now and then. The three Beatles should have told Klein BEFOREHAND that Neil was in no way a threat to his power, and in fact wanted out of the Beatles management. That if anything, Neil should be viewed as an ally to Klein in that he could get Klein caught up to speed on Apple, its day to day operations and where they were having issues. Obviously, I am glad that the three Beatles (and probably Paul) got Mal and Neil reinstated ASAP, but still, after all that Neil and Mal had done for them, I would have expected the three Beatles to be more thoughtful and to make sure that Neil and Mal were saved from Klein’s hammer. Especially because Neil was really only running Apple until they got someone to run it. It wasn’t what he wanted to do. He wanted to be in the studio as a roadie, a runner , etc. – the stuff that he normally did to help them. Personally, if I were Neil and Mal, I would’ve been a bit hurt, disrespected and taken for granted by John, George and Ringo.

By: Rose Prulx

Rose Prulx — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 13:43:39 +0000

Neil and Mona Best? Where was Mr. Best while this was going on, and what was his reaction when/if he found out. For someone who got all steamed up when Pete got uncerimounsly/cowardly canned she has an affair with her son’s friend. How Mrs. Robinson. Emeraldeyes

By: MikeP

MikeP — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 16:10:19 +0000

Where did you “read” it? Site sources, or it’s just your opinion.

By: James Sullivan

James Sullivan — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 19:57:30 +0000

Thanks to Neil, Pete Best was finally able to get some recognition (not to mention some triple figure $$$), when some of the old Decca tracks and Tony Sheridan stuff were included on Anthology 1. I’ve read that Ringo was NOT happy about that, and insisted that Pete’s image not be used anywhere on the album.

By: Davide

Davide — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:56:13 +0000

But it was Paul who paid the hospital and the funeral expenses. And they were great expenses, for sure!

By: Bill

Bill — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 12:26:13 +0000

I find it interesting that the only Beatle to attend Neil’s funeral was Pete Best.

By: Joseph Brush

Joseph Brush — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 05:55:54 +0000

Abandoned? Oh yeah?
Mal worked for John on Live Peace At Toronto, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine. Mal was a production assistant when Lennon produced Nilsson’s Pussy Cats album. Shortly after John began his househusband years.
Mal also worked on Ringo’s and George’s early solo records.
Mal Evans estate sold Lennon’s lyrics for A Day In The Life for over 56,000 pounds. The lyrics weren’t Mal’s property to begin with unless John gave them to him.
No one forced Mal and Neil to work for the Beatles. They didn’t make a lot of money in the 1960’s, especially Mal Evans. But would they have traded their jobs and the excitement of being a member of the Beatles team? I think not. If they weren’t satisfied for whatever reasons, they could have departed for another job at any time.
As for Neil Aspinall, he did quite well working for the Beatles at Apple after the breakup and made a lot of money. Neil played a vital role in the making of the Anthology series.

By: ForgetScowl

ForgetScowl — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 04:05:46 +0000

Sir Hudd-Fudd,
Intriguing, do you have the facts to back that up?

By: SirHuddlestonFuddleston

SirHuddlestonFuddleston — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 02:39:52 +0000

The Beatles treated Aspinall and especially Mal Evans like dirt. They were the only two people in their lives during the crucial Apple founding to crash-and-burn period who *weren’t* trying to screw them, and that includes Linda Eastman, Allan Klein, Derek Taylor and especially Yoko Ono. In return they made pennies while lesser hangers on scammed lots of money, and were finally abandoned, especially by John Lennon, from whom it is not surprising, and also from George Harrison, from whom it *is* surprising.

By: Joseph Brush

Joseph Brush — Wed, 21 May 2014 23:03:18 +0000

Thanks loyal and true Neil, for all the big and small chores you did for the Fabs over those long and often difficult years.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 16:11:06 +0000

Neil also had an uncredited role as the “Death Soldier” in How I Won the War.

By: Justin

Justin — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:52:10 +0000

I never knew that Neil had a child with Pete Best’s mother! Scandalous!

By: Amphion

Amphion — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:51:33 +0000

Aspinall’s care for The Beatles legacy remains understated.