BEATLES MAGAZINE: PETER ASHER: "I REJECT SOUNDLY ANY IMPLICATION THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING UP THE BEATLES"

Saturday, 20 June 2026

PETER ASHER: "I REJECT SOUNDLY ANY IMPLICATION THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING UP THE BEATLES"

Peter Asher shared his memories in front of a live audience.

Photo: Peter Asher
In the new documentary Peter Asher: Everywhere Man, which chronicles the life and professional journey of the musician-turned-art-dealer-turned-legendary-producer, 82-year-old Peter Asher—famously one component of the 1960s musical pair Peter and Gordon—reflects on his lasting influence within the music industry. The documentary highlights his accomplishments, such as the chart-topping 1964 smash "A World Without Love," written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and explores the significant role that the Indica bookstore—and, by association, the collective of Asher, Peter Dunbar, and Barry Miles—played in facilitating the meeting of one of rock history's most iconic couples.

"John Dunbar was made aware of this Japanese American artist who was Yoko Ono," Miles recalls in the documentary. "And he thought she sounded suitably interesting and wacky to be in our avant garde gallery." "And then, of course, famously, when we were hanging a show, that was one of the days that John Lennon showed up in is little wide wheelbase Mini with a chauffeur," Miles continues.

A clip is then shown of John Lennon and Yoko Ono making an appearance on British journalist David Frost's long-running talk show. In it, John Lennon describes the genesis of his connection with Ono.

"They were having a show at this gallery, and she had all these things, all these hammer nail things, Lennon says, recounting his first encounter with Ono. "There was this ladder on a thing on the ceiling. So I climbed the ladder, and on the ceiling it said 'Yes.' If it had said 'No,' then I would have carried on with my preconceived ideas about art and artists.... But it said 'Yes,' and that was enough, you know. That was how we met actually."

Following the footage being projected onto the screen while Asher recounts anecdotes before a live crowd, the attendees break into applause. Subsequently, Asher provides a comical concluding remark to Lennon’s reminiscence.

"Thank you," Asher says. "It's very interesting. That was a nice little round of applause. Sometimes it's a 'awww,' you know, like, what a great love story. But other times, it's a 'grrr.' "

He continues: "And the most dramatic one, which has only happened once, but it was quite startling when it did, was as soon as the clip was over, John said, 'and that's when we met,' some bloke in the audience jumped to his feet, pointed at me, and yelled at the top of his voice, 'It was you! You broke up the Beatles!' "

As the audience erupts in laughter, Asher adds, "I reject soundly any implication that I was responsible for breaking up the Beatles."

Peter Asher: Everywhere Man opens June 19 in New York and June 26 in L.A. and other cities.

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Saturday, 20 June 2026

PETER ASHER: "I REJECT SOUNDLY ANY IMPLICATION THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING UP THE BEATLES"

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