Just like the interview with George I posted yesterday, this is an interview with disc jockey Gary Stevens and John Lennon from Datebook magazine, published in 1965. It occurred during the 1965 Beatles North American tour.
New York's Gary Stevens is one of the youngest DJs in the Empire City, entertaining one of the nation's largest teen audiences from 7 through 11 p.m. every night on WMCA, the home of the "Good Guys." Gary shares the spotlight with his friend enemy, the Wooley-burger, which he calls "the world's most ferocious animal." According to Gary, "Listeners can tell by its growl that this is no beast to fool around with," but they can count on this lively character to serve as the foil for Gary's lively pranks.
Before joining W.M.C.A., Gary DJ'd in Miami, St. Louis, and Detroit, where he also hosted a TV bandstand show.
He's a Beatlemaniac from way back, even having vacationed with them in London.
Following are excerpts from Gary Stevens' various exclusive interviews with the Fab Four.
Gary: Do you feel that your audience has changed any?
John: Over all, it's probably grown a bit.
Gary: Is your audience growing up?
John: No, I think getting younger. The average age is about 13.
Gary: Is it easier to play for a lot of people than for a small group?
John: Yes. Nobody is going to know what we're doing.
Gary: How is life for a Beatle in London? Are you always surrounded by fans?
John: We can go almost anywhere in the world as long as we go alone. If I leave the house, say, at 10 a.m. and go out to buy a pair of shoes - a few people will see me, but no big crowds with gather, and no press.
Gary: you have the reputation of being the "intellectual" of the gorup. how do you react to fans' worship of the Beatles?
John: It looks like worship from the outside, but we really don't meet any fanatics. You know that the fans like you, but you never know how they really feel.
Gary: It has been said that you fellows don't take yourselves seriously. Is that true?
John: No, we couldn't. If we did, we'd start thinking we were gods or something.
Gary: Do you get nervous when fans charge at you?
John: Not too. As you know, our security is pretty amazing.
Gary: If you could say one little thing to your fans, what would you say?
John: What I'm saying now. I don't think of them as a mass. If I were talking to one of them, I'd find out what she wanted to know. I wouldn't just say "Hi, thanks for buying my records." Maybe she likes us and doesn't buy our records.
Gary: Does acting come naturally to you? Do you have a dramatic coach?
John: No, we don't. They just give us lines, and they try to make it look like we're acting. Half the time, we don't look at the script. We do it on the spot, and it requires many takes. I didn't even know what our two films were about until I saw them.
Gary: Do you like to listen to your own singing?
John: I like to listen to our new records.
Gary: Are you a perfectionist?
John: No!
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