Paul McCartney announced he was leaving the Beatles on April 10, 1970, officially ending one of the most successful groups in rock history.There had been significant tension within the band since at least 1968 and, while they continued to put out well-received music, including the "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" albums, the Fab Four had been in the midst of breaking up through the recording of those efforts. While Paul's announcement was the first many people had heard of the breakup, in many ways he was the last Beatle to admit the end. George Harrison and Ringo Starr had both previously quit the group, only to be coaxed back in. And John Lennon, McCartney's songwriting partner, had revealed to the rest of the band in September that he planned to leave the group. He had kept the decision private, however, and was irked when Paul publicly announced his departure seven months later.With the release of his first solo album coming soon, McCartney put out a statement in the form of a questionnaire, with the now former Beatle answering questions written by staffer Peter Brown. In it, he refused to say whether the break was temporary or permanent and blamed the split on "personal differences, business differences, but most of all because I have a better time with my family."