Los Angeles (E! Online) - Maybe Paul McCartney's money can't buy him love, but it can apparently buy his way out of an unhappy marriage.
According to published reports, the former Beatle has successfully brokered a settlement in his bitter divorce battle with Heather Mills, who has reportedly accepted his offer of an estimated $56 million in cash and property as well as joint custody of their three-year-old daughter, Beatrice.
As of Monday, there was no confirmation of the report from the respective camps of either McCartney or Mills.
Word of the purported settlement was first reported by Britain's News of the World—the same outlet that claimed Mills had accepted a $63 million settlement back in January, a report her legal team quickly denied.
Though proceedings in the Mills-McCartney divorce battle have been conducted behind closed doors, leaks from the courtroom have included reports that Mills, 39, was seeking $6.6 million a year—or about $20,000 a day—from her estranged husband, as well as sole custody of Beatrice.
Under the terms of the couple's alleged agreement, Mills will reportedly drop those demands and will in turn receive $48 million in cash, plus a Georgian mansion worth $8 million.
Because Mills and McCartney had no prenuptial agreement before they married in 2002, Mills could potentially have walked away from the split with one-quarter of the 64-year-old musician's fortune, valued at about $1.6 billion.
However, Mills, who has been raked over the coals by the British press since the couple announced their separation, has bristled at the suggestion that she entered the marriage with designs on McCartney's money.
"I fell in love for the right reason. I fell in love unconditionally," she said in an interview with Extra in November. "If I was a gold digger, I would have a lot of money in my bank account...I'd be worth millions and millions."
If the $56 million shoe fits…
Though neither Mills nor McCartney had commented on reports of a settlement, Mills took to her official Website Monday to defend herself against a report in London's Daily Mirror that outed her as having once worn a mink coat to a wedding, despite her ardent antifur stance.
"She really loved that coat. When I see her antifur campaigns now, I always chuckle," Mills' former sister-in-law, Dianna Karmal, told the paper.
In a message on her official Website, Mills said the photo of her in the fur was taken in 1989, before she was "aware of the issues surrounding the fur trade."
"The coat belonged to my mother, who had sadly died just a few days earlier, and I wore it because it made me feel close to her," Mills wrote. "I am not ashamed I wore it. At the time, I was not a vegetarian and was not an antifur campaigner."
Meanwhile, with her debut on Dancing with the Stars just a week away, Mills has expressed confidence that her artificial leg will not fly off during the reality competition's high-stepping routines, telling Extra that such an event is "very unlikely."
Nonetheless, offshore gambling Website bodog.com has started accepting wagers on the possibility of the prosthetic limb coming unattached unexpectedly, with a maximum bet of $50 on the outcome. The site is specifying that the limb "must fall off, not be purposely taken off," in order for bets to be honored.
Mills acquired her artificial limb after her left leg was amputated below the knee following a 1993 motorcycle accident.
"I'm hoping to show people that even with a prosthetic leg, you can dance," she told Extra last month.
Bet on for fate of Heather Mills' leg on dance show
Mon Mar 12, 3:22 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An online gambling site is taking bets on whether Heather Mills' artificial leg will fall off during her upcoming appearance on "Dancing with the Stars."
Mills, 39, the estranged wife of Beatle Paul McCartney, lost her left leg below the knee in a traffic accident in 1993. She is the first contestant on the hit ABC television show to compete with an artificial limb.
A week before Mills' March 19 debut, Antigua-based gaming site http://www.bodog.com opened bets on whether her prosthetic leg would fly off during a dance routine -- and made "no" a heavy favorite.
The site added that Mills' leg "must fall off, not be purposely taken off, during a dance routine for all Yes wagers to be graded a win."
Mills, a former model, has been upfront about her unique challenge. "It's very very unlikely my leg's going to fly off even though it would be quite funny to knock one of the judges out," she told U.S. celebrity TV show EXTRA last week.
"I'm hoping to show people that even with a prosthetic leg you can dance," Mills said.
Mills will be paired with professional dancer Jonathan Roberts on the dance contest show. Other celebrities in the season starting March 19 include female boxer Laila Ali, the daughter of Muhammad Ali, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno.
MSNBC has been reporting on this during the morning today. The slant is that Heather's lawyers are apprently telling her to settle before she loses all of her credibility. Really? Oh brother! Where's our IMWAN friend Melissa? I keep thinking about her catch a bus line whenever the story comes up.
Apologies if this has already been posted but I've only just come across it. It's a mash-up of The Beatles' Come Togethe & NIN's Closer. I have to admit I really liked it. If only "Love" could have been this adventurous.
Apologies if this has already been posted but I've only just come across it. It's a mash-up of The Beatles' Come Togethe & NIN's Closer. I have to admit I really liked it. If only "Love" could have been this adventurous.
Maybe the piano can co-headline a tour with "Elvis's Coat."
. . . and the opening act can be (drumroll) the Ashes of Keith Richards' father - or at least the remaining ashes (which Keith hasn't gotten around to snorting yet).
McCartney on Concert for Diana Wish List? Paul McCartney reportedly is being sought after to perform at the Concert for Diana, the London event scheduled for July 1 that will commemorate the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death. Word has it McCartney has been approached to possibly lead an all-star ensemble playing Beatles tunes during the festivities. Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams also are being eyed as possible additions to the lineup. In the United States, NBC and VH1 will air the Concert for Diana.
from Mirror.co.uk--
PRINCES TARGET US STARS
PRINCES TARGET STARS TO MAKE DI GIG BIG IN USA DIANA DAY 2
04/04/2007
NOT content with the amazing line-up we revealed yesterday, Princes William and Harry are determined to recruit even bigger stars to make the tribute concert to their mum a global spectacle.
We can reveal that the young royals have targeted Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Paul McCartney to ensure the show - to mark the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death - appeals to a huge TV audience in America.
One idea - already suggested to Macca - is that he leads a supergroup to play Beatles anthems at the Concert For Diana at the new Wembley Stadium on July 1. The date would have been Diana's 46th birthday.
Our source reveals: "The Princes know that they need to get artists who are loved around the world, but particularly in America, to ensure it's a truly worldwide event no one will forget.
They would love it to be the biggest since Live 8 or even Live Aid.
"They've already secured Elton and Kanye West, who are huge in the States, but really want Beyonce, Justin and Macca to ensure there's massive coverage over there. If it's big in America, it will be big all over the world.
"As far as they're concerned, Macca would be the icing on the cake. He met their mum many times and is a living legend. He's been approached to do it and talks are still going on. It's being suggested he do something special, such as leading a supergroup, like he did with Bono to kick off Live 8. That would be talked about for years and be a really fitting tribute to Princess Di."
Our source adds: "William and Harry have not just been sitting back and letting everyone else do the work. They keep offering to help in any way they can, to secure the biggest names. William even phoned Elton to get him to agree to be one of the headlining acts.
"The Princes are getting regular updates on which artists have confirmed. There are a number who have agreed in principle, but things still need to be firmed up. As always, there are issues with some about where they would be in the running order."
Organisers, who had planned to announce the bill for Concert for Diana in two weeks, were caught on the hop yesterday when we revealed the worldbeating acts being lined up.
Among them are Take That, Rod Stewart, Pharrell Williams, Bryan Adams, Joss Stone, Orson, Keane, Bryan Ferry, Meat Loaf, Duran Duran, James Morrison, Andrew Lloyd Webber and, bizarrely, the English National Ballet (they had links with Diana).
Organisers had discussed trying to get Dire Straits and Spice Girls to reform (although play separately!)
More than 60,000 people snapped up tickets - costing £45 each - within 20 minutes when they went on sale last December, but millions more will be able to follow live coverage on BBC1 and Radio 2. Cash raised by the event will benefit the Diana Memorial Fund and other charities.
Prince William says: "We want it to represent exactly what our mother would have wanted. It has to be the best birthday present she ever had."
He may be TOO successful - with too many acts wanting to play. Our source says: "It's only been scheduled for four hours and, even with supergroups taking part, there may just not be enough time for everyone."
I'm glad that they clarified that Dire Straits and the Spice Girls would not be playing together, but separately, if they were to reunite for this event.
Thanks for the info, Steve. Always good to have a heads up on potential Beatles-related events. But truth be told, I'm getting a little tired of the McCartney-led band/superband running through a short set of Beatles songs at a mega-concert-event (see Live Aid, Knebworth, Concert For George, Concert For New York, Live 8, etc.). Usually means that I have to purchase a new CD and DVD months afterwards to keep the collection complete, all for a new live version of "Hey Jude". I'm secretly hoping that this event doesn't come off as planned.
Happy Easter everyone!
Steve In Louisville
_________________ Don't You Know Who I Think I Was?
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The reclusive, hard-nosed businessman who oversaw the Beatles' complex financial interests has left their organization after more than 40 years, the group said on Tuesday.
Neil Aspinall, 64, a Liverpool native who started out as the band's driver, will be replaced as head of Apple Corps. Ltd. by Jeff Jones, an American music industry executive who specializes in deluxe reissues of classic albums.
Jones, who will take the title of CEO -- Aspinall disdained formal titles -- will relocate to London, where Apple runs a small headquarters.
Aspinall was so closely identified with the Fab Four that he was often called "the fifth Beatle" -- an accolade also given to the likes of manager Brian Epstein, session musician Billy Preston and producer Sir George Martin.
"He was there since the inception of the band in Liverpool and has meant so much to the Beatles' family for all these years and still does," said a statement released by Apple in London. "However, he has decided to move on. "
Aspinall's departure surprised Beatle fans, but people with knowledge of the handover said it had been in the works for a while, and that it was amicable.
Jones, 51, the executive vice president of Sony BMG Music Entertainment's Legacy Recordings division, said in a statement that the job was a "dream come true ... The multiple opportunities to reach music lovers, both new and old, with the Beatles' spectacular body of work makes this position incredibly challenging and exciting."
A combative, media-shy executive fiercely protective of the Beatles' legacy and Apple Corps Ltd., Aspinall kept busy in recent years waging a legal battle against computer company Apple Inc. over their similar logos.
A bigger issue was the Beatles' noted refusal to license tunes to online retailers, such as the technology firm's iTunes store.
KEEPING THE PEACE
With a settlement announced in February -- Apple Inc. gets all the trademarks related to Apple but licenses certain trademarks back to the band -- hopes were raised that the Beatles would enter cyberspace. But no announcements have been forthcoming, and Aspinall's departure was unlikely to speed things along, said people close to the situation.
Indeed, Aspinall's job over the years was to second-guess and keep the peace among his four bosses: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow Olivia Harrison.
His slow-and-sensible approach to the band's affairs paid off in the 1980s when compact discs were introduced. He refused to join the rush, and held out for a higher royalty rate. The band's crowning moment, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band," finally came out on CD in 1987, amid a worldwide publicity blitz marking the album's 20th anniversary.
Aspinall was also the main reason why Beatles tracks are not heard on multi-artist compilation CDs, because he said they cheapened the band's image.
He spent his entire adult life in the service of the Fab Four. A trainee accountant, he became the band's driver and first road manager in 1961 at the behest of his friend Pete Best, the band's original drummer. He wisely stayed with the Beatles after Best was replaced by Ringo Starr.
When the Beatles launched Apple Corps. in 1968, Aspinall was put in charge. He managed to survive the company's chaotic beginnings, when millions of dollars of waste almost drove the group to bankruptcy.
Geoff Baker says Neil Aspinall news is astonishing About Neil Aspinall leaving Apple, former Apple press officer Geoff Baker said, "This is astonishing news. Neil was the architect of all the Beatles' success over the past 15 or 20 years. I can't see how the Beatles' legacy will be looked after as well without him, and I'm amazed that Paul and Ringo are letting this happen."
Apple, guardian of Beatles' commercial interests, says its chief exec has quit
Canadian Press
Published: Tuesday, April 10, 2007
LONDON (AP) - Apple Corps., guardian of the Beatles' commercial interests, said Tuesday its chief executive, a longtime friend of the Fab Four, has quit. Neil Aspinall, a school friend of Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison, was the band's first road manager and would drive them between gigs in his van. He later became their personal assistant and in 1968 was given a management role at Apple Records, the band's own record label. Aspinall, now 64, was executive producer on the top-selling "Beatles Anthology" album and was behind other successes, including the "Beatles One" album.
The company said in a statement that Jeff Jones, a former executive vice-president at Sony BMG, has been appointed as Aspinall's replacement. There was no explanation for why Aspinall decided to quit. "This is astonishing news," said former Apple press officer Geoff Baker. "Neil was the fifth Beatle and the architect of all the Beatles' success over the past 15 or 20 years. I can't see how the Beatles' legacy will be looked after as well without him, and I'm amazed that Paul and Ringo are letting this happen." The Apple statement said Aspinall "had been with John, Paul, George and Ringo for a spectacular 40 plus years, during which he played an indispensable role for the four. He was there since the inception of the band in Liverpool and has meant so much to the Beatles' family for all these years, and still does. "However, he has decided to move on. Apple as a whole, and each member of this company, wishes him great success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue in the future."
Apple Corps Ltd., the Beatles' company, has appointed Jeff Jones as chief executive officer after the departure of long-standing CEO Neil Aspinall. Jones joins Apple Corps Ltd. from Legacy Recordings/Sony BMG Catalog Worldwide, where he was executive VP.
It is unusual for an outsider to take such a senior position at Apple Corps, but Jones' experience is particularly relevant with the Beatles' back catalog set to be made available as digital downloads once an agreement is reached.
Neil Aspinall quits as Apple Records CEO. It looks as if Neil Aspinall has finally called it a day as the head of The Beatle’s Apple label. We had posted previous grumblings two months ago that he may leave, amidst the Apple vs. Apple court hearings, but now it is official.
It looks like this may be a new beginning for the Beatles and their label as they slowly enter the digital realm. The reasons for Aspinall’s leaving are not given, but we can all speculate I suppose. Maybe it was simply his time to leave?
These are interesting developments indeed. We’ll have to see how this effects the Fab Four and their upcoming remasters and their release. Maybe Neil didn’t like the direction the ship was heading in? Maybe he simply wanted to call it a day? Either way, the Apple family is losing a longtime member. Hopefully his predessor can handle the responsibility with as much love and care as Neil himself did. Time will tell.
Here’s what we’ve read.
Neil Aspinall, the CEO of The Beatles’ record company Apple Corp, has left the label. Aspinall was at Apple Corp for 40 years, and was close friends with the band.
Reasons for him deciding to leave were not given with a statement simply explaining: “He has decided to move on.” Aspinall will be replaced as the head of Apple Corps by Jeff Jones, who had been at SonyBMG since 1995.
One of his first challenges will include releasing The Beatles’ material online. So far the Fab Four have shunned legal downloads, but EMI, who release the band’s records, recently revealed they are “working on” making The Beatles’ songs available through legal download sites.
Geoff Baker astonished the Neil Aspinall has left Apple. I have had time to ponder Neil Apinall’s Apple departure. I have also read some of your comments here, and on other messageboards. It seems that half of you are happy that he is leaving and the other half are in utter shock and bewilderment. I am in the camp that, yes, he did drag his feet on certain projects, (Shea DVD, LIB DVD, Hollywood Bowl LP), but you have to remember that he was trying to be the ring leader, coordinating all opinions with the powers that be.
I can imagine it, Neil would have to get all of the Beatle representatives together and agree. That would mean Paul, Ringo, Olivia, and Yoko would have to assemble (in person or electronically), and try to agree on these releases. That is a huge undertaking to deal with each time you want to release something.
I can imagine Neil getting a little frustrated at times. To me his departure is a shock, and I am sad to see him go. It truly, as one reader here put it, is a new Era for The Beatles. I thought Neil would at least wait for the remastered albums to come out, but maybe there were various reasons for his departure. Maybe now we’ll all get a book of his account with Apple. That would be something.
Here’s a clearinghouse of many stories around Neil Aspinall’s departure. All of these articles give various reasons for his leaving the label. Some range from ill health problems to problems with the board to technological issues. Whatever reasons you give for his departure, the end result is still the same.
(There are scores of other articles, but this is simply a start.) Here’s what we’ve read.
Apple Corps., guardian of the Beatles’ commercial interests, said Tuesday its chief executive, a longtime friend of the Fab Four, has quit.
Neil Aspinall, a school friend of Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison, was the band’s first road manager and would drive them between gigs in his van. He later became their personal assistant and in 1968 was given a management role at Apple Records, the band’s own record label.
Aspinall, now 64, was executive producer on the top-selling “Beatles Anthology” album and was behind other successes, including the “Beatles One” album.
The company said in a statement that Jeff Jones, a former executive vice-president at Sony BMG, has been appointed as Aspinall’s replacement. There was no explanation for why Aspinall decided to quit.
“This is astonishing news,” said former Apple press officer Geoff Baker. “Neil was the fifth Beatle and the architect of all the Beatles’ success over the past 15 or 20 years. I can’t see how the Beatles’ legacy will be looked after as well without him, and I’m amazed that Paul and Ringo are letting this happen.”
The Apple statement said Aspinall “had been with John, Paul, George and Ringo for a spectacular 40 plus years, during which he played an indispensable role for the four. He was there since the inception of the band in Liverpool and has meant so much to the Beatles’ family for all these years, and still does.
“However, he has decided to move on. Apple as a whole, and each member of this company, wishes him great success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue in the future.”
Wow. Beatles fans will definitely want to read this...
Here's the latest scoop...
from FoxNews.com--
Hello Goodbye: Beatles' 30-Year Adviser Leaves
Yesterday, on the 37th anniversary of Paul McCartney leaving the Beatles, there was another scandal in the group's world.
Neil Aspinall, the group's adviser since they broke up in 1970, was ousted from his position by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison and Yoko Ono. Aspinall has literally been the invisible Beatle all these years, keeping the group's business running and making sure they made billions of dollars.
But Aspinall, whom this column has always admired for his devotion and loyalty, recently came up against some challenges of the modern music business.
He took the Beatles into their recently settled lawsuit against Apple Inc. He also has been criticized for not letting the Beatles' albums be downloaded, not issuing remastered albums and not maximizing the group's potential in new areas.
Aspinall has a long and complex history with group, dating back to 1962. Indeed, Aspinall's best friend was the Beatles' original drummer, Pete Best.
In the early '60s, Aspinall, in a Mrs. Robinson-type affair, fathered a child with Best's much older mother. But when Best was fired in favor of Ringo Starr, Aspinall chose the group over family.
From that time through 1970, Aspinall functioned as the group's road manager with Mal Evans, and their personal assistant and driver. He was briefly let go during the Beatles' breakup period by John Lennon's attorney, Allen Klein. But when the dust settled, Aspinall, who had an accounting background, came in and reorganized Apple Records as Apple Corps.
But Aspinall ran into trouble starting with the lawsuit against Apple Computers a couple of years ago. Sources say that he passed on an offered settlement of around $100 million and then was shocked to see the Beatles lose the case in court.
Recently, Aspinall helped negotiate a final settlement right before the appeals decision was heard.
"But it was far less than the $100 million," a source said. "And everyone was unhappy."
Far more complicated are the issues of the Beatles and downloading. So far, the group's music is unavailable on a legal download service.
Aspinall's theory has been that this keeps the CDs selling. He may be right. Currently, 40-year-old albums like "Abbey Road," "Sgt, Pepper" and the "White Album" are ranked around No. 100 on Amazon.com.
On the other hand, critics complain that this method has severely cut off the group from new generations of consumers who only like their music in that form.
And there's more: The Beatles are currently suing EMI Music for another $60 million in misplaced royalties. Aspinall won a similar suit for them 18 years ago, increasing their royalty rate on CDs and recovering millions.
In the new suit, however, the Beatles are also demanding the impossible: rights to their master recordings, which EMI owns.
EMI, for sale now with no real bidders and dwindling fortunes, can't afford to lose those masters. But the masters ownership means the company has a major say in the downloading of Beatles music, which Aspinall resists.
Consequently, the new downloading deal EMI has just made with Apple's iTunes excludes only the Beatles. Plus, a frustrated McCartney has just exited EMI after 40 years, taking his solo catalog with him.
Aspinall, some say, has not been able to untangle this mess.
Aspinall's replacement is Jeff Jones, a much-admired executive from Sony BMG who is said to be welcome by Beatles fans as well as the board of directors.
Choosing someone from Sony BMG makes sense, since the Beatles are inextricably tied to Sony's music publishing division. In May 2008, Sony/ATV Music Publishing will exercise its right to buy out partner Michael Jackson and will own the Beatles catalog of songs outright.
Jones will likely fix a lot of situations, including the mysterious absence of DVDs for the movies "Help!" and "Let It Be" and the severely needed remastering of the group's catalog.
But Apple's press release announcing Aspinall's exit seems a little unkind for a group that preached "all you need is love."
It ended with the words: "We wish him well in all his future endeavors." Ouch!
Wow--if Fox News is correct, this could be the greatest bonanza for Beatles fans since John Barrett copied all of those studio outtakes straight out of EMI's vault and turned them over to the bootleggers.
More importantly--Michael Jackson will only own the Beatles songs for another year or so? That's the first I've heard that--is it true?
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