Yoko Ono asserts in a recently released interview that she was not responsible for the breakup of the Beatles. Huffington Post reports that Ono described the breakup of the legendary band as a "divorce" and blamed the divergent paths of the band mates.
Ono states that first Ringo Starr wanted to leave the band, followed by George Harrison and then John Lennon. Apparently Paul McCartney was the remaining Beatle who wanted to keep the band together. However, his efforts were not enough to convince the others, who reportedly believed the Beatles were becoming "Paul's band."
According to Us Weekly:
"The Beatles were getting very independent," she told Smith, adding that while Lennon was "feeling very good about" the split, the other members weren't so ready to let go.
Many believe that Ono was a source of friction in the band, after she began a relationship with Lennon that involved her in every aspect of his life including the music. However, earlier this year the Los Angeles Times quoted McCartney as denying that Ono was responsible for the Beatles' breakup:
"She certainly didn't break the group up, the group was breaking up," McCartney told [David] Frost in an interview coinciding roughly with the Beatles' 50th anniversary this year.
The Beatles stars went on to work on their own solo careers. Ono's interview can be streamed from the Library of Congress website.
