Former Beatles and Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein has passed away, aged 77. The formidable, some would say ruthless, former music svengali had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Klein originally involved with acts such as the Dave Clark Five and the Kinks, became renowned when former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham transferred the running of the band's affairs to him overnight.
A controversial character, he kept a sign on his desk based on the 23rd psalm that read 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for I am the biggest b*****d in the valley.' Klein was disliked by many in the industry, including record labels and later many of the clients he represented.
Cutting some good and even ground-breaking deals for his clients, he forced record labels into giving his artists ownership and control of their recordings, close to standard practice today but unheard of at the time. Unfortunately for the Rolling Stones he also cut a deal which means this his company ABKCO still owns the rights and receives the royalties to many of their biggest hits.
Following the death of Beatles manager Brian Epstein, Klein took over the running of the Beatles' business affairs after George Harrison and Ringo Starr sided with John Lennon in his choice of him over McCartney's father-in-law Lee Eastman. The dispute and subsequent actions are said to have contributed to the Beatles' split and an already strained relationship between McCartney and Lennon.
However Lennon later fell-out with the smooth talking former New York accountant/lawyer taking legal action to sever ties and penning the unflattering song Steel And Glass about him.
More recently Klein took successful legal action to acquire all royalties from The Verve's Grammy nominated song Bittersweet Symphony for the unauthorised use of a Rolling Stones' The Last Time string sample in it.
He is survived by his long time companion Iris Keitel, estranged wife Betty, three children, four grandchildren and a sister.
10:39 AM | 06/07/2009
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