The Beatles' Company Floundering Without Aspinall

Aspinall was at the helm of the group's business empire from 1968 until his retirement last year (07).

And now Apple Corps has reportedly failed to crack down on a string of illegal sales of the band's work, amid rumours the company is failing to cope without Aspinall's expertise.

A source tells British newspaper the Daily Express, "Neil Aspinall had a reputation for keeping his eye on the ball when it came to protecting the band's interests.

"But there's a worry Apple has really taken its eye off the ball of late, as there are a number of essentially bootlegged products using The Beatles' music and film footage being sold in the shops and on the internet.

"The feeling is Apple really needs to get its act together."