Toronto 1966

As I continue to dig deeper into the Beatles 1966 North American Tour, I pulled out my copy of Ticket To Ride by Barry Tashian. If you are interested in the 1966 Tour, I highly recommend this book. In it I found a few interesting stories. The first one comes from someone who called herself Sharon M. Sharon had an amazing experience in Toronto!

I went to see The Beatles in Maple Leaf Gardens in 1966. I enjoyed the show and went to the King Edward Hotel afterwards because I knew The Beatles were staying there. I milled about in the lobby for awhile until a tall man with blonde hair and glasses approached me and asked me if I wanted to meet The Beatles. I said I did, so he took me upstairs, right past the guards and into the Beatles’ suite, which was on the 7th or 8th floor. I was nervous and almost fainted when I entered the living room of the suite and there were Ringo, John and George watching television with some friends. Everyone was so friendly and normal; it was like sitting around with a group of friends at home. Ringo was funny—he kept making funny remarks about the movie on the telly.
I had a drink and talked with the man who brought me upstairs. His name was Mal and he was very kind to me. He took me over to one of the windows and we looked outside at all the people down in the street below. What a sight!
George had some relatives visiting him…an aunt and uncle, I believe. His uncle was a jolly man who liked to tip a few drinks of whatever George wasn’t drinking. John seemed to enjoy himself but was kind of quiet. I guess he was a little weary from touring so much and having to explain about that Jesus quote everyone kept nagging him about! Poor John…When I think back now, it must have taken a lot of courage for him to face the whole of America, knowing the rage of the religious fanatics were in!
John went to bed, and after awhile I went into another room with Mal and we talked until 2 a.m. IT was time for bed, so I left The Beatles’ suite and took a taxi home. My parents were not happy with me getting home so late. I was still a teenager then. They couldn’t believe that I had been sitting around with The Beatles all evening –and my friends my friends at school couldn’t, either. I had a special photo of them that Mal gave me to prove that I had been there! I’ll never forget it…and the memory of what good people the Beatles really seemed to be!
--Sharon M.

Then there is this story from Barry Tashian's (who was in the opening act, the Remains) journal from Toronto:

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div>Later, Ed, Vern, and I went up to The Beatles' suite. We watched TV for awhile with Ringo, John, and a few other people. The Beatles' suite looks like it's Christmas morning. Gifts everywhere, brightly wrapped with ribbons and bows--packages, stacks of letters and telegrams, big dolls, trays of food, rubber balls, a scooter, stuffed animals, and a Mickey Mouse tricycle, pretty amazing scene!

Eventually everyone went home or went to bed except George's uncle. George asked us to hang out for a bit, so we waited until his uncle had gone home. Then we gathered in George's little bedroom, had a smoke and grooved for about an hour. George burned perfumed incense papers that came in a little red box from Italy. They were called "Carta D'Armenia."

We played some guitar and listened to Ravi Shankar sitar tapes on a cassette tape player. I've never seen this kind of a tape machine. It must be a new invention. It's a Phillips tape machine, and plays the smallest tapes I've ever seen.

We went into the living room, talked and played a Tim Hardin 45rpm record that I brought along. Meanwhile, two of the roadies kept bringing these girls up to the suite, suggesting that George perhaps sleep with one of them. He wasn't interested and shook his head no.

So this makes me wonder if our dear fan, Sharon M. was one of the girls that was brought up to the suit with the intentions to sleep with George? We all know that these sort of things went on during the Beatles tours, but no one has came out and really talked about it happening to them. It just seems odd that she was hanging around and Mal picks her up to "meet the Beatles." I am glad that George said no and our friend, Sharon M. had a nice, innocent memory of her time hanging out with the guys.