The Beatles Keen On Letting Digital Music Industry Pass Them By

October 13th, 2003 at 3:00 PM - News by Bryan Chaffin

I hear the clock aiticking
On the mantel shelf
See the hands aimoving
But Iim by myself

"Donit pass me by," The Beatles, from The White Album

The BBC is reporting that the surviving members of The Beatles have absolutely no plans or interest in putting The Beatlesi extensive music catalog online. None. "I have never heard Paul McCartney talking about it," Geoff Baker, a spokesman for The Beatlesi record label, Apple Corps, told the BBC. The report shows an amazing lack of interest in the changing music industry from the band and its corporate entity. From the BBC article:

A spokeswoman for publishers EMI told BBC News Online: "The Beatles have chosen not to put their music online."

"I do not know their reasoning."

[...]

Geoff Baker, a spokesman for Apple Corps, told BBC News Online: "We have no plans at the moment to go online." When asked why the former band members were not putting the groupis music online, he added: "I do not think there is any reason for it at all."

[...]

Mr Baker said Apple Corps was unaware of any particular demand for the bandis music to go online and was unconcerned by the numbers of Beatlesi tracks being downloaded by so-called pirates for free. "As far as I am concerned we are doing very well as it is." He said neither of the band members have expressed any interest in online music.

Thereis more in the full article at the BBC. The Beatles are also in the midst of a lawsuit against Apple Computer over the iTunes Music Store and the iPod. That lawsuit seeks damages from Apple for violating an agreement between Apple Corps and Apple Computer whereby the technology company agreed not to compete in the field of music.