During this time, there were no more touring to be done, the group had formed The Beatles & Co.(a legal partnership to handle all of their business affairs that held them together until 1977. Each of the band members started to noticeably have their own interests:
Like John, who tried acting, but decided that he didn't like it or the company of most of the actors that he got to associate with. Paul, who wrote some music for a film and tried painting also. George was already interested in India, especially its religions and its music. And Ringo, who was perhaps the most homey out of the four, began to spend extra more time with his family.
Even tho they had differing interests, they still wanted to create music together, and so they started working on their next lp in the studio titled: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
For some time now, they had all been experimenting with drugs, including LSD (is not an acronym for the song: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, like alot of people thought it was) which affected their songwriting capabilities, most notably-John's pieces of work, which began to take on a more disillusioned, metaphoric and disorienting styled lyrics, while in comparison to Paul's song's which were more witted and livelier. Also, their song: "A Day In The Life", from Sgt. Pepper's, was the first song of the Beatles to be banned by the BBC, because of the lyrics contents pointing to drug references. Even Paul admiited in the newspapers and on television a couple of days later, that he had taken LSD, which journalists quickly jumped on his case to show disapproval on. The band's presentation on drugs was made firmer when all four Beatles and Brian Epstein, signed a petition which was published in-The Times, awakening the calling for the legalization of marijuana.
But for the Beatles themselves, they were still searching for the true meaning of life and was already subjugated to giving up on drugs, which they decided was not the answer that they were looking for. It was during this time that they were introduced to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, during his visit to London, thru George's wife-Pattie, that they all thought that this is what they found and were looking for and wholeheartedly threw themselves into. The band members followed the Maharishi to Bangor in Wales to study transcendental meditation.
It was while they were in Wales, that the news came of Brian Epstein's accidental death of an overdose of sleeping pills, that rocked the band into a state of turmoil and devastation. Brian Epstein who felt increasingly lost and depressed after the Beatles announced their giving up touring had put up a public facade, showing success and happiness only to succumb to a state of not being needed anymore as much.
Only days after Brian's death, the group held an emergency meeting at Paul's house to discuss the future of the Beatles. John, in particular, felt that without a manager to lead and organize them that the fate of them would be finished.
On the suggestion of Paul, he mentioned that they should try to start work on a project which had been put on the back burner for some time, which was the filming of the Magical Mystery Tour. The ten or so hours of film had been editted to a final one-hour version, which took eleven weeks to complete, was shown on BBC television and was critically criticized, for the only good news about it was the music, which comprised of six new songs, which were written for the film that were also issued on two EP's with a 24-page booklet telling the story in photographs.
January 6, 1967- Paul's soundtrack LP of the music from the movie: The Family Way, is released by the UK.
January 27, 1967- The Beatles sign a new nine year contract with EMI Records.
February 13, 1967- "Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane" single, is released in the U.S (Feb. 17 in the UK).
March 30, 1967- Michael Cooper's famous cover photo for the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band album is photographed.
April 19, 1967- The Beatles & Co. is formed (a legal business partnership) to hold the group together until 1977.
April 20, 1967- EMI studios holds its first recording session for- "Magical Mystery Tour".
May 15, 1967- Paul meets photographer Linda Eastman while attending a performance by Georgie Fame at the Bag O' Nails Club in London.
May 19, 1967- At his home in London, Brian Epstein throws a launch party for: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
May 20, 1967- Because of the drugs implications, the BBC imposes a radio and tv ban on- "A Day In The Life" song.
May 26, 1967- The "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" lp, is released in the UK before the official date of June 1 (June 2 in U.S.)
June 19, 1967- Paul admits taking LSD on television.
June 24, 1967- Photo-call and Press conference for the 'Our World" tv broadcast at Abbey Road studios.
June 25, 1967- On the world's first satellite tv link-up, watched by 400,000,000 people, the Beatles perform "All You Need Is Love". It is their last tv performance.
July 7, 1967- "All You Need Is Love/Baby You're A Rich Man" single, is released in the UK (July 17 in U.S.)
July 24, 1967- Calling for the legalization of marijuana, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Brian Epstein, sign their names on a petition that is published in The Times.
August 19, 1967- Ringo and Maureen have a second son, Jason.
August 24,1967- John, George and Paul become interested in transcendental meditation while attending a lecture by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at London's Hilton hotel with wives and friends.
August 25, 1967- The Beatles and their entourage attend a weekend seminar by the Maharishi while travelling to Bangor, North Wales.
August 27, 1967- Brian Epstein is found at his home dead in bed.
August 29, 1967- Brian Epstein's funeral is attended by family members only, held in Liverpool, and is not attended by the Beatles.
September 1, 1967- At Paul's house in St. John's Wood, the Beatles all meet to discuss the fate of their future.
September 11, 1967- Magical Mystery Tour begins shooting with a camera crew and 43 passengers in a coach with the Beatles.
October 17, 1967- At the New London Synagogue in Abbey Road, a memorial service is held for Brian Epstein.
October 18, 1967- The premeire of, "How I Won The War" was attended by all the Beatles at the London Pavillion.
November 24, 1967- "Hello Goodbye/I Am The Walrus" single, is released in the UK (November 27 in the U.S.)
December 3, 1967- Ringo flies off to Rome to begin filming "Candy".
December 5, 1967- John and George attend a party signifying the opening of- "The Beatles Apple Boutique", two days later.
December 8, 1967- The "Magical Mystery Tour" ep is released in the UK.
December 25, 1967- Paul and Jane(Asher) announce their engagement.
December 26, 1967- BBC1 transmit the opening of "Magical Mystery Tour".
December 27, 1967- On The David Frost Show, Paul appears live to defend- Magical Mystery Tour.