Allen Klein

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Allen Klein

Role / Field:

Powerful American music manager known for negotiating deals with artists like the Beatles and Rolling Stones.

Born:

1931-12-18

Died:

2009-07-04

Century / Era:

1931s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Allen Klein (December 18, 1931 – July 4, 2009) was an American businessman who was the manager of the Rolling Stones and later the Beatles, along with many other artists. This made him one of the most powerful individuals in the music industry during his era. Klein acquired a reputation as a tough negotiator who could bring money to his clients. Klein set up what he called "buy/sell agreements" through which a company that Klein owned became an intermediary between his client and the record label, owning the rights to the music, financing the recording and production of the music, and selling them to record labels to manufacture and distribute the music. Klein would subsequently pay royalties and cash advances to his client.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Although Klein greatly increased his clients' incomes, he also enriched himself, sometimes without his clients' knowledge. The Rolling Stones' $1.25 million advance from the Decca Records label in 1965, for example, was deposited into a company that Klein had established, and the fine print of the contract did not require Klein to release it for 20 years (it was paid in 1971 after the Stones sued Klein). Klein's involvement with both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones would lead to years of litigation. The Rolling Stones in particular accused Klein of withholding royalty payments, stealing the publishing rights to their songs, and neglecting to pay their taxes for five years, thereby necessitating their French "exile" in 1971. Klein was born in Newark, New Jersey, the fourth child and only son of Jewish immigrants.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His mother died of cancer soon afterward, and Klein lived for a time with his grandparents, then in a Jewish orphanage, until his father remarried shortly before Klein's 10th birthday. An indifferent student, he graduated from Weequahic High School in 1950; fellow graduate Philip Roth was the only classmate to sign his yearbook. In early work experience with a magazine and newspaper distribution company, Klein showed skill with numbers, and learned about how profits were often concealed from those who had been crucial in generating them. Eventually he realized that much the same situation existed in popular music, where labels routinely took much profit from the transitory careers of the artists who created the profit-generating music, paying them less than Klein thought they should. Klein enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1951, and served as a clerk typist on Governors Island, New York.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1931 (1931-12-18): Birth of Allen Klein — Powerful American music manager known for negotiating deals with artists like the Beatles and Rolling Stones.
2. 1950: 1950 Milestone — An indifferent student, he graduated from Weequahic High School in 1950; fellow graduate Philip Roth was the only classmate to sign his yearbook.
3. 1951: 1951 Milestone — Army in 1951, and served as a clerk typist on Governors Island, New York.
4. 1965: 1965 Milestone — 25 million advance from the Decca Records label in 1965, for example, was deposited into a company that Klein had established, and the fine print of the contract did not require Klein to release it for 20 years (it was paid in 1971 after the Stones sued Klein).
5. 1971: 1971 Milestone — The Rolling Stones in particular accused Klein of withholding royalty payments, stealing the publishing rights to their songs, and neglecting to pay their taxes for five years, thereby necessitating their French "exile" in 1971.
6. 2009 (2009-07-04): Passing & Historical Legacy — Allen Klein passed away on 2009-07-04, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Allen Klein

True or False: “Allen Klein's initial success in auditing music publishers taught him that labels often underpaid artists by controlling the flow of profit.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): He observed early on that labels routinely took much profit from artists, paying them less than they deserved.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Adolfo Pérez Esquivel — Contemporary (Born in 1931) (1931): Argentine activist and Nobel Peace laureate for human rights defense.
• Akseli Gallen-Kallela — Contemporary (Died in 1931) (1931): Leading Finnish painter and pioneer of national romantic art, famed for the Kalevala.
• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Al Martino — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Alejandro Sanz — Shared historical date (12-18 · Born) (1968): Iconic Spanish singer known for flamenco-infused ballads and global success.
• Alexei Kosygin — Shared historical date (12-18 · Died) (1980): Soviet statesman who chaired the Council of Ministers from 1964 to 1980.
• Abbas Kiarostami — Shared historical date (07-04 · Died) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Abe Masakatsu — Shared historical date (07-04 · Born) (1541): Japanese samurai of the Abe clan who served Tokugawa Ieyasu and gained significant status.
• 1931 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1931
• December 18 (12-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 18
• 2009 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2009
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Frequently Asked Questions about Allen Klein