Thursday 12 July 1973 | Apple Corps HQ, London, England
Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr met at Apple's headquarters in London on 12 July 1973 to discuss the future of The Beatles' partnership. The meeting extended into the following day and had a direct creative consequence: it inspired McCartney to write the opening lines of 'Band On The Run'.
The Meeting
The discussions were also attended by McCartney's brother-in-law John Eastman, and Harrison and Starr's respective advisors, David Braun and Hilary Gerrard. John Lennon was unable to leave the United States and did not attend.
A central item on the agenda was Allen Klein's lawsuit against Lennon, Harrison, Apple Records, and Apple Films. Klein — the former manager of The Beatles, appointed in 1969 over McCartney's objections — had recently filed a suit in New York to recover an alleged $780,000 in loans and advances. Eastman offered to engage the renowned US lawyer David Warner Peck on their behalf.
The Inspiration for 'Band On The Run'
The meeting had an unexpected creative outcome. A remark made by George Harrison during the discussions lodged in McCartney's mind and became the seed of one of his most celebrated songs.
I happened to be talking to George at a meeting – we were sorting out some of the Apple business. Someone said something, and George just said, 'Well, we're all prisoners, kind of inside ourselves,' or, you know, 'inside every fat man, there's a thin man trying to get out.' I just took up that theme of, we're all prisoners in a way, so I kind of wrote a prison song. And as I say, you can take it symbolically or straight, it works on both levels.
Paul McCartney, July 1974
The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969–73
'Band On The Run' was recorded in Lagos, Nigeria, in September 1973 and released as a single in December 1973. It reached number one in both the UK and the US, and is widely regarded as one of McCartney's finest post-Beatles compositions.
The Beatles' Business Affairs in 1973
By mid-1973, The Beatles had been officially dissolved for three years, but their business affairs remained deeply entangled. The Allen Klein dispute was one of several ongoing legal and financial matters that continued to bind the four former bandmates together long after the music had stopped.
Klein had been appointed as The Beatles' manager in 1969 — a decision McCartney had opposed, preferring his father-in-law Lee Eastman. The split over Klein's appointment had been one of the key fault lines in the break-up of the group. By 1973, Harrison and Starr had also turned against Klein, and the lawsuit he filed that year marked the final rupture.
Key Facts: 12 July 1973
| Date | Thursday 12 July 1973 (continuing 13 July) |
| Location | Apple Corps HQ, London |
| Present | McCartney, Harrison, Starr, John Eastman, David Braun, Hilary Gerrard |
| Absent | John Lennon (unable to leave the USA) |
| Key agenda item | Allen Klein lawsuit ($780,000 in alleged loans and advances) |
| Creative outcome | McCartney inspired to write 'Band On The Run' by Harrison's remark |
| 'Band On The Run' released | December 1973 (UK & US number one) |
Apple Corps, 3 Savile Row, London — headquarters of The Beatles' company, where McCartney, Harrison and Starr met on 12 July 1973.
Paul McCartney & Wings: Band On The Run
The song that grew from this very meeting — a number one on both sides of the Atlantic. Officially licensed Wings merch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What inspired Paul McCartney to write 'Band On The Run'?
McCartney was inspired to write 'Band On The Run' by a remark George Harrison made during a business meeting at Apple's London HQ on 12 July 1973. Harrison said something to the effect that "we're all prisoners, kind of inside ourselves", which McCartney took as the theme for a prison song that could be read both literally and symbolically.
Why did Allen Klein sue The Beatles in 1973?
Allen Klein filed a lawsuit in New York in 1973 against John Lennon, George Harrison, Apple Records, and Apple Films, seeking to recover an alleged $780,000 in loans and advances. Klein had been The Beatles' manager from 1969 until they terminated his contract in 1973.
Why wasn't John Lennon at the Apple meeting in July 1973?
John Lennon was unable to leave the United States at the time due to his ongoing immigration battle with the US government, which was seeking to deport him. He did not attend the 12–13 July 1973 Apple meetings in London.
When was 'Band On The Run' released?
'Band On The Run' was released as a single in December 1973 and reached number one in both the UK and the US. The album of the same name, recorded in Lagos, Nigeria, in September 1973, is widely regarded as one of McCartney's finest post-Beatles works.
Who was Allen Klein and why did The Beatles fall out with him?
Allen Klein was an American music business manager appointed by Lennon, Harrison, and Starr in 1969 over McCartney's objections. McCartney preferred his father-in-law Lee Eastman. The split over Klein's appointment was a key factor in The Beatles' break-up. By 1973, Harrison and Starr had also turned against Klein, and his lawsuit that year marked the final rupture.
→ 12 July in Beatles History
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→ Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
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