This piece is an attachment to this post on 'what i am reading' about Derek Taylor's book review on my site. I got a little angry. Rather than table my beautiful rant, I opted to move it... and so take the high road
Because of my regard for everyone's regard for Derek Taylor, and my hopes it will turn into some kind of Beatles tell all... I will stick with the book. BONUS - he just got to talking about Allen Klein. Klein may be the worst person in the history of music management. Not surprisingly, no one has a single kind word to say about the man beast. More about that monster here. I believe there is a book about him, maybe many. That may be my next read. People want insight into what made Hitler tick. People study the musings of the 'Unabomber'. Remembers the butcher of Cambodia, Pol Pot? Yeah, Allen Klein goes on that list.
Maybe you wonder why I call Chris Brown the worst person alive, and then say same about Allen Klein? Only because Allen Klein is dead. Sorry for that tangent, what are we talking about again?
people think Yoko broke up the Beatles. Not at all. However, John sure used her to cause a wedge. Guess who brought in Allen Klein? John.
I mean, not just mean, but Machiavellian. QUICK summary character piece on Allen Klein. Following the Beatles break up, Klein briefly represented George Harrison. You only know one George Harrison song, 'My Sweet Lord'. Stay with me, I SWEAR this is very interesting. George gets sued because his song sounds too close to 'He's so Fine'. Klein is representing George here and has an admittedly brilliant idea. He says to George 'we have fucking BEATLES money, man. It would literally be cheaper and easier for us to just buy the right to that song rather that litigate this. In fact, we can buy the whole publishing company.' (obviously, that was paraphrased. The devil speaks mostly in clicks and hisses.) George gives him the go ahead to do so. While Klein goes to research and propose the idea... he goes behind George's back and buy the right's to the catalog himself. THEN... he takes over the lawsuit and sues George himself. Dunno how you don't get disbarred for this stuff, but he got away with it. The suit went on for almost a decade.
OOOH - I did find an Audible book on Allen Klein. It appears we have a differing perspective on Klein. Here is the slug-line for the book which I promise to read. Maybe I am Wrong about him.
Allen Klein
The Man Who Bailed Out the Beatles, Made the Stones, and Transformed Rock & Roll
