Years full of ups and downs

by Chas J. Hartman
Assistant Entertainment Editor

A lot has happened to John, Paul, George and Ringo since the Beatles broke up in 1969. At first they enjoyed commercial success with their solo music, but eventually reality caught up with most of them. What follows is the brief tale of those decades following the Magical Mystery days of the '60s.

Guitarist George Harrison experienced the first big post-Beatles success when his single "My Sweet Lord" reached number one on the charts in 1970. The remainder of the '70s saw only sporadic musical endeavors by Harrison. He had more personal matters to deal with, such as Eric Clapton sleeping with his wife in 1974. Fortunately for Clapton, the affair produced his classic tune "Layla." At least somebody came out on top.

Harrison remained in virtual hibernation for most of the '80s until he helped form the first rock and roll supergroup in 1988. In the Traveling Wilburys, George played alongside the likes of Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. The band only released two albums and disbanded following Orbison's death. Also in 1988, Harrison's single "Got My Mind Set on You" hit number one on the charts.

Bassist Paul McCartney wasted no time forming a new rock group after the Beatles' demise. Forming Wings in 1971, McCartney hired his wife Linda as the group's keyboardist. Six years later, the lackluster song "Mull of Kintyre" became the biggest-selling single in British history. Most people remember Wings for the opera-like number "Live and Let Die."

The '80s began with some flashbacks of his Sgt. Pepper's days for McCartney. In 1980, authorities in Japan arrested McCartney for marijuana possession, which led to the cancellation of a tour and the subsequent end of Wings. Unfortunately, the rest of the '80s witnessed McCartney producing sub-par solo material and take part in ludicrous duets with the likes of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Jackson committed the ultimate act of betrayal in 1985 by purchasing the copyrights to the Beatles' catalog for $47.5 million.

Drummer Ringo Starr never knew quite what to do with himself after the '69 breakup. His darkest times during the '70s came with his attempts at film and television specials. Things disintegrated so badly for this chap that in 1978, The Washington Post called him a "lifeless mumbling cipher" following his self-titled NBC special. The only bright spot for Starr came with his successful 1973 album Ringo. His next three records bombed worse than the last Matchbox Twenty album.

Unfortunately, some former rock stars never learn from their mistakes. Once again, Starr tried out film and television in the 1980s, but failed miserably in his attempts to become an actor. The music fell apart, too, when he decided on his own not to release a poorly constructed solo album in 1987.

Of course, Guitarist John Lennon produced the best and most daring solo work of any of the ex-Beatles. Lennon's 1971 solo album Imagine is considered a rock and roll masterpiece, and it featured him opting for the use of more piano parts and somber tones in his music. Lennon wrote such breathtakingly beautiful music that it made everybody cry. All of his solo albums in the 1970s received critical acclaim and excellent commercial success.

Lennon never failed to continue making headlines in his personal life following the '69 breakup. Everyone knows about his famous bed-ins with Yoko Ono, but he also didn't stray too far from the wild nightclub life of Hollywood. Believe it or not, a rather trashed Lennon once received an ejection from a Hollywood club in 1974 for heckling the Smothers Brothers. Unlike McCartney's choice in musical companions, Lennon possessed high standards for those that he chose to keep company with.

As the 1980s started, Lennon called New York City his home. During the first half of 1980, Lennon spent most of his time writing and recording the ••Double Fantasy•• album. Amidst much shock and disbelief, not to mention plenty of tears, the world lost Lennon on Dec. 8, 1980, when obsessed fan Mark David Chapman shot and killed him.

The three remaining ex-Beatles sank further into obscurity in the 1990s. While a lack of money never became a problem for them, their ability to captivate the nation with something creative appeared forever lost. Surprisingly enough, in 1995, one might say Beatlemania returned from the abyss and Paul, George and Ringo took America by storm one more time. That year featured the multi-part television documentary "Beatles Anthology" and the subsequent release of three Anthology double albums spread out over late '95 and the first half of '96. While the surviving Beatles successfully reclaimed popularity, they continued their insipid post-Beatles ways. Two "new" Beatles tracks featured unused vocals recorded by Lennon for a possible solo album. Needless to say, nobody liked this, and it's been said that Lennon rolled over in his grave.

While Paul, George and Ringo failed at their attempt to produce "new" Beatles music, they did show some integrity by turning down over $100 million to tour the United States as a nostalgia act. That put them above acts like The Eagles and Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, who because of poverty decided to briefly reunite and milk the American public for more of the green.

The new millennium brought good tidings for the ex-Beatles. Not only did they release a collaborative autobiography appropriately titled "Anthology," but they put out a 27-song single disc greatest hits album titled 1. In a phenomenal turn of events, this week witnessed 1 holding the number one position on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart for the sixth week in a row. Currently, this album boasts sales of more than five million copies in the United States after only eight weeks in release. Imagine that.