You Never Give Me Your Money

Doggett's thorough and absorbing book is the ideal companion piece to Revolution In The Head, Ian MacDonald's track by track analysis of The Beatles music. Doggett picks up the story in the late sixties, as The Beatles set up the idealistic, yet doomed Apple Corps and then follows the tangled web of companies within companies, lawsuits and back biting as the group disintegrates under the weight of their own follies.

There has obviously been a mammoth amount of research involved here, and sometimes the weight of detail can be overwhelming, but Doggett sticks to his task and traces the story through the Seventies, as the individual Beatles' fortunes, both commercial and financial, wax and wane, on into the 80's, 90's and beyond.

The picture that emerges is of four men who didn't want to be “Beatles” any more, but didn't really know how to be anything else. They each forged their own path, often involving isolation, drugs, alcohol or all three. Outside influences played a part, notably Yoko of course, and the tragedy is that these men, once firm friends, ended up resenting each other and their status as “Beatles” and all that implied.

The post-Beatles years were difficult for all of them, to one degree or another, and Doggett documents their ups and downs very well. Harrison's retreat into spiritualism, Ringo's retreat into alcoholism, McCartney's relentless work ethic as he tried over and over to regain the friendship and approval of Lennon. And of course Lennon's own travails with drugs, political activism and the lack of faith in his own ability as a songwriter. None of them ever really matched the work they created as a foursome and the financial mess they found themselves ensnared in ensured that they would always be, to a greater or lesser extent, thought of as a Beatle.

This is a very good book, even if at times you end up thinking “No, don't do that to each other!”. A manual for all aspiring rock stars in how NOT to handle your finances.

Recommended.