When the Beatles put their first road crew together, they enlisted childhood friend Neil Aspinall for the role of Road Manager. Aspinall stayed with the band through thick and thin, even after the Beatles broke up in 1970. Neil quickly rose through the ranks, and managed Apple Corps’ for over 40 years. If there ever was real “fifth beatle,” Neil Aspinall was the guy. Sadly, Neil Aspinall passed away Sunday night in Manhattan after a battle with lung cancer.
Over the course of their career the Beatles did business with many unsavory characters who tried to take the band members for all they were worth. Neil was the one guy who was true until the end, and never sold his story like Peter Brown. Recently Aspinall spearheaded a number of incredibly successful projects including the Anthology series, the Cirque du Soleil tribute show and a major lawsuit against Apple Computers.
For a more in depth look at Neil Aspinall’s life and career read the comprehensive obituary Allan Kozinn put together for the New York Times.
One Response
He held it all together, even when the band couldn’t.
sad day.