Letter to George Harrison Regarding "Love You To"

Dearest George,

After hearing "REVOLVER" a few times thanks to a tape recorder and a delinquent radio station (WMCA), all I can say is "WOW!". This album shows how you've matured, and it brings out the best in all of you.

There is one thing that bothers me. Your song, "LOVE YOU TO" has a tabla on it, n'est-ce-pas? Who is playing it? Is it Ringo, or a session man, or you? I realize that Ringo can adapt to many different types of percussion, but he isn't quite as familiar with the Indian sounds as you are.

Once again, all I can say is keep up the good work. The album certainly was worth waiting for, but absence makes the heart grow fonder, so they say. I disagree--it just causes needless anxiety.

Loev and faithfulness and more,
(Miss) Leslie Samuels
New York, NY

George replies:--
In answer to your question--OUI. How's that for a touch of the parlez-vous Francais? A guy named Anil Bhagwat played tabla on "Love You To"--Ringo and I aren't clever enough.

Letter to Paul McCartney Regarding Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine

Dear Beatles (especially Paul) Mal, Neil, etc.,

I just had to write to congratulate you on your latest disc. Lesser informed Beatle People may be wondering why Mal and Neil are included. If I am correct, Mal, Neil, George Martin and various recording technicians and staff are included on the last chorus of "Yellow Submarine" with you.

Back to the disc. It's really fantastic. "Yellow Submarine" is so different and really great. Also, it's a change to hear Ringo on a single! (no offence John and Paul), "Eleanor Rigby" is really gorgeous. I really love it and Paul, you sing it so beautifully. It's so sad and appealing. I get the feeling that there is a meaning behind the lyrics. Is this so? I can't quite figure it out but I really love it!

Love and kisses to
P J G R Mal Neil
XXX XX XX XX X X

Diane Schofield,
Near Warrington, Lancs.

Paul replies:--
You're quite correct about Neil, Mal, George Martin and Uncle Tom Cobbley and ALL, Diane. We had a whale of a time making it, and we've always wanted Ringo to do a single. When you ask if there's a meaning behind the lyrics, I guess I'm just trying to say that too many people are neglected in this world--and look at the outcome of it. Anyway glad you like them BOTH.

October 4, 1963 - Ready, Steady, Go!

Taped: Friday 4 October 1963
Aired: Friday 4 October 1963

The Beatles appeared at Associated-Rediffusion's studios at Television House, London, to record their first appearance on Ready, Steady, Go! They mimed 'Twist And Shout', 'I'll Get You' and 'She Loves You' live and were interviewed by Keith Fordyce and Dusty Springfield.

Deported

by Iain Hines

So the boys' first trip to Hamburg ended, sadly, with a deportation order slapped on them. Ridiculous, especially remembering their recent fan-worshipping trip to Germany when they played the conquering heroes role so well.

It wasn't until March, 1961, after much haggling and rowing with the Hamburg Police Chief, Herr Knoop, that the Beatles were allowed to return to the Top Ten. Peter Eckhorn still has a letter from Paul saying "Peter, please speak with Knoop as we can't return unless it's made O.K. with him." Paul added that he had a new amplifier "almost as big as me".

Back, then, came the Beatles for their return stint at the Top Ten. They appeared with Tony Sheridan who, meanwhile, had married a German girl, Rosie. They all lived together in a tiny garret flat, over the Club. Six Army-type beds made up the main furniture and there was always a party going on. Three washing lines, always weighed down by shirts freshly washed by various Frauleins. I guess it was best described as an off-beat Chinese laundry.

Then, one evening, top bandleader Bert Kaempfert arrived at the Club. He said he'd heard about Tony Sheridan and wanted to sign him for Polydor. So with the Beatles as backing group Tony recorded "My Bonnie" and "The Saints". Funny thing is that Brian Epstein wouldn't have met the Beatles but for fans asking in his store for this particular record.

Bert liked the boys, too. He gave them a recording date--they did "Cry For A Shadow", an instrumental, and John sang on "Ain't She Sweet".

On, then, to 1962, when I next met the Beatles I was with the Echoes, Dusty Springfield's backing group, and we were doing a week in variety at Chester. With Gerry Marsden, we ended up at the Cavern later, doing a show for old times sake. A young Indian singer named Roley Daniels had been on, crossed his hands over his chest and bowed when taking applause. At the Cavern, Paul did the same thing--and Roley didn't much like it. I had to step in and break up quite a row. . . .

By Christmas, 1962, we were all back in Hamburg. I was with a new band, the Carl Fenn Combo, but the Beatles were the opposition at the Star. Still the same ravers, but that little bit subdued. They gave me the impression that they were on the brink of something big. Anyway, there was a dispute with the management and John went on stage, wearing a toilet seat round his head. His way of registering a protest. There were plenty of other stunts, but I honestly don't care to write about them!

Ringo was with the boys by now. And that was the last time I saw the Beatles and the last time they played the club scene in Hamburg. But the local kids still think of them as "their own Pilzenkopfs". If they boys did go back to those still-swinging clubs in Hamburg, they'd be greeted as long-lost friends!

Their First Visit to Hamburg

by Iain Hines

It was a dodgy, difficult day for the Jets, our own group, when bass player Colin Milander and I went to the Fleurs Schanke Club to try to land us another job. It was about ten in the evening when I got back to the Top Ten and the Beatles were already in full swing.

Tony Sheridan and I joined them on stage and we had a ridiculous rave-up, ad-lib style, with the five of them. Perhaps the most memorable session ever, ending with a seventy-minute version of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say". If I'd only remembered to tape it, I'd probably make a fortune out of it right now!

More drama for the Beatles the next day. Colin and I had decided to return home to London so we went up to the main station for our tickets. Outside the Club was a Hamburg Peter wagon--that's the German equivalent of a Black Maria. We were paying the taxi-driver and suddenly noticed the Beatles being ushered into the police van.

Off we went to the Top Ten, to manager Peter Eckhorn, and were told the Jets' contract was being renewed for two months as somebody had somehow "framed" the Beatles. It appears that he was jealous of them signing a contract with the Top Ten, and accused them of trying to burn down a Club and got them DEPORTED . . . via BEA.

I can assure you that the story was completely false. Truth was that the boys were so cold in their accommodation that they'd burned newspapers in the grate in an effort to keep warm. But the police or "Nasties" as John called them believed the lies. The boys had to leave all their gear in Hamburg, but Peter later sent it on to Liverpool. . . .

November 20, 1963 - The Beatles Come To Town

Taped: Wednesday 20 November 1963
Released: Sunday 22 December 1963

Backstage at the ABC Cinema in Manchester were news crews from Pathe News, Granada TV and BBC Radio. Pathe filmed part of the concert to be screened in British cinemas as The Beatles Come To Town during Pathe News. The Granada TV crew filmed the group at the same time and interviewed them about their forthcoming tour of the US.

Sell Out

by Billy Shepherd and Johnny Dean

The tour? Let's deal with that with the obvious statement that it was a complete sell-out from the opening date at Glasgow to the last at Cardiff. With the Moody Blues and Beryl Marsden also on the show, the Beatles barnstormed the country. As ever, if you wanted to hear much of the music you had to sit in the dress circle. The stalls, everywhere they visited, was an absolute bedlam of noise and the bouncers and police had a terrible job trying to prevent audiences from getting too boisterous. One journalist told us there had been three hundred cases of fainting in the audience at the two London dates alone. No wonder the Beatles invited some of the St. John Ambulance folk in for a back-stage chat. . . .

Of course there were last-minute hitches--they're unavoidable on a hectic tour like this. But what impressed us all over again was the incredible team-work that went on with the Beatles. Thelimousine driver, the road-managers, everybody kicked in to prevent real trouble. Like at Birmingham where the boys ran into a pea-souper fog and arrived at the theatre some ten minutes after they were due on stage.

This could have been disastrous with a packed audience yelling for the Beatles. So the compere strung out his introduction, the Moody Blues made their act longer and the theatre management arranged to have two intervals instead of one. When the boys finally made it, there was their stage gear, including boots, neatly laid out on the side of the stage by the other equipment.

And so on to Christmas, when the boys managed to get a bit of a break. It was their first non-working Christmas in five years and Ringo specially was looking forward to the break with his baby Zak and Maureen. He stocked up with presents early--but the others left it to the last-minute. Incidentally John told us that he'd made anti-carol singer fortifications round his house. He said with a grin: "I used to go carolling myself, believe it or not. But I was a proper little robber and I've gone off the scene now."

George spent part of the time in Liverpool and part in London on the hectic round of parties. Paul also went to most of the big parties.

Another year of triumph came to an end. People were already wondering what 1966 could possibly bring for the boys. Come to that, the boys themselves were wondering.