Beatles Booster Ages Reporter (1966)

 

Beatles Booster Ages Reporter

By Vern Richey

The Decatur Daily Review (Illinois)

August 14, 1966

    This tired and aging reporter (age 29), who dreams of setting off to tramp bamboo forests in quest of ancient and absolutely silent civilizations, met the ultimate enemy Saturday night-a Beatles fan. She appeared in the newspaper office, looking rational enough, and indeed, if one did not listen to what she was saying, 20-year-old Sara Mickel of 625 Bell Street would appear to be just another student of medical photography at Decatur and Macon County Hospital. 

    She uses words I never heard of: pop rock, Beatle boots, fake Mod. It's not worth going into the definition she gave. Sara was still bouncing her knee up and down as she turned in some film she had shot and recalled her feelings of Friday night's Beatles concert. That is the word, isn't it? In Chicago. 

    She had paid $5.75 for the privilege of watching the mop-haired quartet from Britain work their way through 11 songs. "They had on soft gray-green suits and red shirts," she explained to a gray Brooks Brothers-clad reporter. "When they had brought on Ringo's drums, that really turned the kids on. When they came on stage, it lit up. I didn't really want to scream," She said. "I wanted to dance as I listened to them."

     Before you put Sara down as a culturally deprived young lady. It must be noted that when she isn't listening to the Beatles, she has all their records, but three. She listens to Tchaikovsky or Bach. Her father is Doctor Jere C Mickel, chairman of the speech department at Millikin University.

     Feeling older by the minute, I ask "Why the Beatles? What makes them so special?"

     "They're original. I like the idea they can think for themselves. I feel like I would want them for friends," She answered.

     Sara explained that when Beatle John Lennon made his celebrated remark about the group being more popular than Christ, he was misunderstood. "He was talking about the 'Sunday Christians' who go to church one day of the week and forget about it the rest," she said. "John has been studying religion a lot lately, and he's very serious about it."

     Sara feels that the popular reaction given the Beatles in Chicago is an indication that their teenage, subteen, and overteen friends understand them, and that they will never fade, as some have been predicting. Now, there's a comforting thought for you.