Neil Aspinall, 66, Beatles’ Business Manager
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Neil Aspinall, who died Sunday at 66, was the Beatles’ original road manager and went on to run the group’s business empire for 40 years; he became their chief confidant and, although not the only contender for the title of the fifth Beatle, perhaps deserved the accolade more than most.
For 20 years following the break-up of the group in 1970, Aspinall applied his business acumen to fighting lawsuits on their behalf and unraveling the tangled skein of their financial affairs. His flair for figures helped transform them into the wealthiest entertainers in the world, with a estimated combined fortune of $4 billion.
Aspinall’s involvement with the Beatles dated from 1960 when the group’s original drummer, Pete Best, asked him to become their driver. Although he protested when Best (his best friend) was replaced by Ringo Starr, he remained with the band, He became the Beatles’ gatekeeper, guardian of their privacy, security, secrets, and eventually the group’s fortunes.
In the mid-1960s, at the height of Beatlemania, Aspinall’s responsibilities as the group’s road manager extended far beyond checking their equipment, stage costumes, meals, venues and accommodation: he judiciously vetted the groupies, and saw to the day-to-day needs of the Beatles themselves as they were shuttled from plane to limousine to hotel. “It was an unattractive life,” he admitted, “and it went on for years. But at least I could go out. They were trapped.” With the death of the Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, in August 1967, he effectively took the group over. As the group disintegrated, Aspinall remained a trusted father figure to the famous foursome.
His role post-Beatles became increasingly entrepreneurial: in 1995 he persuaded Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to collaborate on three Anthology albums and the accompanying television documentary, which took him five years to compile. It was Aspinall’s concept that led to the release in 2000 of the Beatles’ greatest hits album, “Beatles 1,” which has since sold 30 million copies.
