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Beatles' guru Neil Aspinall dies Beatles' ally Neil Aspinall dies
(about 1 hour later)
The man who ran Apple Records for the Beatles, Neil Aspinall, has died aged 66, the company has announced.The man who ran Apple Records for the Beatles, Neil Aspinall, has died aged 66, the company has announced.
A childhood friend of Paul McCartney and John Lennon, he was the group's road manager before heading Apple Corps for 37 years. A childhood friend of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, he was regarded by the band as the 'Fifth Beatle'.
In a joint statement, Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Apple Corps paid tribute to "Neil's trusting stewardship and guidance".In a joint statement, Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Apple Corps paid tribute to "Neil's trusting stewardship and guidance".
Despite no musical training, he sang in the chorus of "Yellow Submarine". Despite no musical training, he sang in the chorus of 'Yellow Submarine'.
Fondest memories Road manager
He played background instruments on hits such as 'Magical Mystery Tour', 'Within You Without You' and 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!'.He played background instruments on hits such as 'Magical Mystery Tour', 'Within You Without You' and 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!'.
But it was for his stewardship at Apple Corps that Neil Aspinall will be best remembered.But it was for his stewardship at Apple Corps that Neil Aspinall will be best remembered.
He was the Beatles' road manager and drove them between gigs in his van before becoming their personal assistant. He was chief executive from 1970 until last year.
From 1970 until 2007 he was chief executive of Apple Corps. Throughout his career, he remained fiercely loyal to the group, looking after their business interests and taking legal action on their behalf.
Money-maker
He is credited with ensuring they continued to make money decades after they split up.
He was behind successful retrospective albums such as 'Beatles Anthology' and 'Beatles One'.
Apple Corps estimates that in his last 20 years at the company, the Beatles sold 70 million albums.
Neil Aspinall first befriended Paul McCartney and George Harrison at the Liverpool Institute Grammar School in the 1950s.
This great mass of shaggy hair loomed up and an out-of-breath voice requested a quick drag of my Woodbine Neil Aspinall on George Harrison
In The Beatles Anthology DVD, he described his first encounter with George Harrison behind the school’s air-raid shelters.
"This great mass of shaggy hair loomed up and an out-of-breath voice requested a quick drag of my Woodbine, Aspinall said.
"It was one of the first cigarettes either of us had smoked. We spluttered our way through it bravely but gleefully."
In 1961, he became the Beatles' road manager and drove them between gigs in his van before becoming their personal assistant.
The surviving band members and Yoko Ono said: ""All his friends and loved ones will greatly miss him but will always retain the fondest memories of a great man."The surviving band members and Yoko Ono said: ""All his friends and loved ones will greatly miss him but will always retain the fondest memories of a great man."
Mr Aspinall died at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
He is survived by his wife, Suzy, and five children.