Mick Jagger’s Warning To John Lennon But He Didn’t Listen

The rock ‘n’ roll world is filled with both legendary hits and cautionary tales. One of the most famous warnings involves Mick Jagger trying to save the Beatles from a disastrous decision. Jagger desperately tried to convince John Lennon to stay away from Allen Klein, a notorious music manager with a reputation for shady dealings. Sadly, the Beatles ignored Jagger’s advice, and the consequences would haunt them for years to come.

Jagger Sounds the Alarm: A Friend’s Warning

After losing their beloved manager, Brian Epstein, the Beatles were adrift. They needed someone to handle their finances, but choosing the wrong person could be disastrous. Enter Allen Klein, a music manager with a reputation that made Mick Jagger shudder. Jagger, who had already clashed with Klein while managing the Rolling Stones, urgently warned John Lennon against this alliance. “He’s all right if you like that kind of thing,” Jagger famously said when the Beatles asked about Klein, according to Paul McCartney in his book, “Many Years From Now.” Unfortunately, Lennon ignored Jagger’s advice, setting the stage for a turbulent period in the band’s history.

The Stones’ Bitter Lesson: Dealing with Klein

The Rolling Stones had already tasted the bitterness of working with Klein before the Beatles made their fateful choice. They accused him of a long list of offenses, such as stealing their song copyrights, ignoring their tax duties, and siphoning off their royalties. Jagger, who had already engaged a law firm to look into Klein’s business methods, was extremely disturbed by these charges. He felt he had to try to stop the Beatles from hiring the same management when he learned that they were considering doing so.

A Handwritten Plea: Jagger’s Last-Ditch Effort

Knowing that McCartney had his doubts about Klein, Jagger went the extra mile. He had his assistant deliver a handwritten note to McCartney at Apple Records. The note was a desperate plea, a stark warning about Klein’s shady character. “Jagger gave me a note in an envelope to take over to Apple addressed to Paul,” recalled Peter Swales, Jagger’s assistant. “It was a warning, maybe in solidarity with him. It was to the effect of ‘Don’t go near him, he’s a dog. He’s a crook.'”

The Fallout: Klein’s Downfall

The Beatles’ experience with Klein mirrored the Stones’ own nightmare. As Klein managed the band, chaos ensued. Legal battles erupted, and the band’s individual careers suffered. By 1973, mirroring Jagger’s earlier warnings, John, George, and Ringo had all cut ties with Klein.

“There are many reasons why we finally gave him the push, although I don’t want to go into the details of it,” Lennon admitted in 1973. “Let’s say possibly Paul’s suspicions were right… and the time was right.”

The whole ordeal proved that even the biggest bands in the world can make disastrous business decisions, a cautionary tale for any musician.