Gather 'round boys

I think this photo of the Beatles around a piano is  from this date---

The Winners

According to the book, Beatlemania  by Martin Creasy, Jerry Stevens presented the Beatles with two Top Stars Special awards during the concert in Sheffield.   The got these awards for being voted the most popular group of the readers of the newspaper and for Help! being voted as the most popular song of the year.

Creasy says that Jerry Stevens remembers this about giving them the award:

The Sheffield Star said they were presenting the Beatles with an award and as I was a local guy on the show could I do it?  I said yeah, that would be great.   They published a picture and it is one of my proudest pictures -- there I am up on the stage surrounded by the four Beatles.   I remember John saying to me -- I'm not sure if it was that night-- that it's terrible playing your home town.  He didn't really enjoy playing Liverpool, he said, because so many people knew them.  A lot of people in showbiz felt like that, but I was quite surprised when he said that, though I knew exactly what he meant.

Not so silly backstage photos

Some great shots taken by Beatle Book Monthly photographer, Leslie Bryce

Paul acting silly backstage

When the Beatles were getting ready to perform in Shieffield on December 8, 1965, the photographer, Leslie Bryce, from Beatlefan magazine was on hand to take a few photos of the boys for the magazine.   We are actually very fortunate that he took the photos, because they are the best photos of the 1965 UK tour that we have.    He took a number of shots of Paul McCartyney doing goofy things backstage.  Again---we have a Beatle with props for photos.

Manchester Memories

From the book Beatlemania by Martin Creasy

We were all standing on the seat rests when the Beatles came on.  It was the only way you could see anything because everybody was doing the same.  I wore glasses and was sharing them--passing them down the line--with Angela and Anne.  I remember George playing his Epiphone Casino that night and the Vox Continental organ on the right hand side of the stage that Paul used to accompany himself on "Yesterday."   I don't remember the other Beatles joining him on that.  I know the screaming went quite for a bit during that song.   It also went quite when they started "Nowhere Man."  There was the E chord and then people must have thought they were going to make an announcement down the mikes.   Instead they started singing, "Nowhere Man" acapella style and you could clearly hear that before the screaming started again.  I recognized, "I Feel Fine"--that was a favorite of mine.  You could recognize songs because you could hear snatches while the screamers paused for breath.  That is what it was like"  --Martin

Interview in Manchester

Photo ops

Foggy photos

Oh the weird fog-mask photos were taken 50 years ago today---December 7, 1965 in Manchester.   It was so foggy in Manchester that the Beatles were given these fog masks to wear as a precaution against the fog.   Really I would guess that they were given to the Beatles to pose for photos with a prop--I mean honestly I don't think the Beatles were extremely concerned about the dangers of fog inside of the theater---I mean George is smoking through his!   And no one else in the photos are wearing masks.  

Here is what Alf had to say about the foggy day:

Just my luck!  Just when all was going well, fog!  I had no problem getting out of Liverpool and we had a good trip over to Manchester; but when we got there, the whole place was covered in a blanket of really bad fog.  We drove though Manchester at a crawl, which is very bad for the boys because of the fans, but no one could see us, because of the fog!  It must have taken us a good four hours, ridiculous slow.  When we arrived at the Ardwick, the boys should have already been on stage.  Still, they made it, which is better late than never.  It was a bit of a hurry up, though.   The boys had a visit from Mr. Shenson, the film producer, to talk about their next film.  Don't know what kind of a thing it's going to be, but they all seemed quite excited.

Surprise drummer

So far, no photos of the Beatles performing in Liverpool in 1965 have surfaced.    The closest thing we have this this photo of George and John tuning up guitars before the show.    The Liverpool evening show, the last one ever in Liverpool, must have been quite a concert.    During the Koobas set, Paul McCartney came out and played drums on their version of "Long Tall Sally."    Can you even imagine that?    Sitting there, trying to enjoy the opening acts, but finding it hard because you want to see the Beatles and then suddenly there is Paul behind the drums with a different band?   The crowd must have gone wild!    It is said that they allowed the fans to dance in the aisles during the show.


It is my hope that one day photos, video and/or audio from this concert will surface.   If nothing else, I hope a fan that was there will come forward and share her memories of that night with us.  

Photo shoot in the shower

A photo shoot was held for the Beatles backstage in Liverpool and the shower was in the background, although it was "airbrushed" out of many of the photos.     

The Liverpool fans

Fans que up in Liverpool to see the Beatles in concert.   Little did they know that the hometown heroes would never return to perform again. 

Family and Friends in Liverpool

A lot of the Beatles' family and friends came to see them in concert in Liverpool, which would be expected.    Audience members included Louise and Harold Harrison, Pattie Boyd, Elise and Harry Graves, Jim McCartney along with others in the Beatles family.    Special guests Jimmy Tarbuck (comedian) and MP Bessie Braddock were also among those that were there.

Good Ole Beryl

Liverpool's own Beryl Marden was one of the opening performers during this tour.  I believe this photo of her and George was taken during the stop in Liverpool.   Here is what Beryl recalls from the tour.

“I was a kid at the time, John Lennon used to call me Marsy,” she says. “The manic hysteria had kicked in and it wasn’t very pleasant. I would go on stage before The Beatles and the kids would listen to the music and I would get a good reception. The Beatles would be at the side of the stage watching me sing and they would always wish me well. They were a few years older than me and were like my big brothers really.

“After I had finished the curtain would come down and when it went up for The Beatles all you could hear was screaming.

“It was sad really, because of all the screaming the girls didn’t actually really get to hear one of the greatest live bands there has ever been. John had this box organ and once I watched him just play it with his elbow. I asked him what he was doing and he just said it didn’t matter what he played because nobody was really listening to him.

Saving the Cavern

Information comes from the book Beatlemania The Real Story of The Beatles UK tours 1963-1965 by Martin Creasy.

In December 1965, it was announced that the Cavern Club on Mathew Street in Liverpool was facing foreclosure.    The city council was telling Ray McFall, the owner, that the club needed new toilets and a drainage system and Ray just didn't have the money to make the required improvements to the club.    With the Beatles coming back home on December 5, two 15 year old fans, Josephine McQuaid and Susan Hall were wise enough to stand outside of the Empire doors and hand out "Save the Cavern" leaflets to fans going into the theater.    Paul spotted the fans with a ticket and came out to talk to them about the Cavern!

At a press conference held before the show, the Cavern was a hot topic.   Paul suggested that the Liverpool council should  treat the Cavern as a tourist attraction "rather than an old warehouse."  (Good idea Paul!).  John said, "We don't feel we owe the Cavern anything physical.  All we owe it is allegiance."   George is quoted as saying, "We don't want to commit ourselves too much."   And Ringo had the best words in saying, "I think the ball is in Ray McFall's court in a way.  I'll be sorry if the Cavern goes because for two years or more it was the greatest club in the whole of Britain."

Newcastle autographs

One lucky fan got to meet the lads backstage in Newcastle.   That poster that came inside of the Beatles' show program is what was autographed by them and it went up for auction a while back.  Below is what the seller had to say to authenticate the signatures:

“I confirm that on Saturday 4th December 1965 I had a ticket for the Beatles show at Newcastle City Hall. My dad’s uncle by marriage, Bob King, was at the time working for Arthur Howes. My grandma gave him my ticket number and he took me backstage to meet the Beatles. They signed the autographs in front of me while watching television.”

Newcastle memories

There isn't a whole lot available in terms of photos or stories about when the Beatles were in Newcastle on December 4, 1965.   Opening act Steve Aldo in the book Beatlemania says this about performing in Newcastle:  "  Newcastle was weird.  It was a big hall--like a big Masonic hall -- but with a huge, round stage and you would come up these steps and walk up to the stage in full view of the crowd.   It's not so unusual now, but it was the first time I'd seen anything like" that.

The most information about this date we have from a book called All Our Loving by Carolyn Mitchell (which I have only mentioned 1000 times before on this blog).   Carolyn's friend, Barbara, was at this show and shared her memories for the book.

When Linda and I got into the City Hall we could literally feel the incredible electricity that was in the air.  It was as thought we were in the middle of a silent thunder storm.  We found our seats in the second row frmo the back and tried to settle ourselves down.  We were nervous, excited adn happy.  we felt like we'd had a drink too many.   The compere, Jerry Stevens, introduced the supporting acts which included the Moody Blues.  They and the other acts were good, but the last band before The Beatles, called the Marionettes Act 1, seemed to go on and on.  We thought they'd never end, but that's because we knew The Beatles were on next and everyone was getting impatient.   Comperes can be very aggravating and Jerry Stevens was no exception as he happily teased the audience.   Behind him they were setting up the equipment, and Mal Evans was putting up the drum kit.   As he turned the bass drum it displayed the words, "the Beatles" and Jerry Stevens just couldn't make himself heard any more because of the noise that went up.  I didn't scream because I'd already decided that I wouldn't scream at all but I gave a pretty big sigh anyway.   I mean, it really was like a dream for me as I'd never seen the Beatles live before and I was sure I'd wake up.    Then I saw Mal Evans carry on Paul's Hofner.  I said to Linda, "It's Paul's guitar," like Mal had just brought on Paul himself.  Then I knew I wasn't dreaming.  You've got to realize I was just 14 at the time and seeing Paul's guitar in itself was just fantastic!   So, like I said, Linda and I decided we wouldn't scream because we figured only kids scream.  Then we saw John's guitar brought on and some of George's equipment and we sat there pinching each other like mad and giggling.   But when the four of them actually came on it was just the greatest feeling I'd ever had.  I knew it sounds daft now but at that time The Beatles were so much a part of my life--it was like seeing, I don't know, four long lost brothers, I suppose.  But they seemed so distant with all those spotlights and all those hundreds of screaming girls.  It made The Beatles even more untouchable and unreachable but, oh, they were lovable!   Linda was saying to me, "I dare you to scream.  Go on, I dare you."  "Never," I said, and then suddenly I was screaming along with the others.  It was like I had to get rid of all the anxiety that was inside me, building up all the time.  I didn't know how else to express myself.  So I screamed.

Beatles' fans sent to hospital

Beatles' Fans 'sent' to hospital
From Glasgow Herald
December 4, 1965

Ambulance workers last night treated 125 causalities -- mostly teenage girls-- during the Beatles' opening concert for their British tour in the Odeon Cinema, Glasgow.  Any suggestions that the group's popularity may be dwindling were shattered by a wildly enthusiastic reception from capacity audiences.

Sighing, sobbing, screaming or simply "sent" the crowd inside the theatre yielding such a steady stream of casualness that the foyer at times resembled a battleground.

During the first house there were 65 cases, five of whom were sent to Glasgow royal Infirmary and in the second house there were 60, one of whom was sent to hospital. 

An official of St. Andrews Ambulance Association said 37 of those treated were fainting cases and 88 were suffering from hysteria.

There were two arrests.

One ambulance worker complained, "Give me a Ranger-Celtic game any day.  This is just too much."

Stretchers, smelling salts and sponges were overworked by more than 100 ambulance workers throughout both performances.  But the cinema manager, Mr. George Chantry said the Beatles show were "must quieter" than their last visit.

Last night's performance opened an 18 concert British tour and each night was old out on the first day booking opened.  For the Glasgow shows, more than  £800 in postal orders had to be returned to intending patrons for the 3000 seats. 

George Harrison appeared at last night's show with a hastily borrowed guitar after his own had been run over by a lorry when it fell from the boot of their car on the A1 near Berwick-on-Tweed.  

"My special favorite - -smashed to bits," he bemoaned at a news conference before the show where the group faced a battery of 30 photographers and pressmen.  He added that when they found the remains of the guitar it, "looked as if it had been run over by about ten lorries."

"It's out of tune now," quipped John Lennon.

Two solid lines of policemen were on both sides of the road at the Renfield Street-west Regent Street junction to control the crowds after the performance, but six mounted police drafted from Hampden Park earlier were not needed.  Radio "walkie-talkie" equipment was used however. 

The Beatles are due to leave Glasgow this morning by car to appear in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 

Paul's big funny tie

The one thing that stands out to me from the press conference in Glasgow is that Paul McCartney wears this ridiculously huge tie.   I would wonder what the deal was with that goofy tie.   Was it a joke?  Did a fan give it to him?  What I learned was that Paul had purchased the tie from Harrods a few days before the tour started.   When Paul was asked where he got the tie, John Lennon said, "He leased it from Arthur English" (who apparently was a comedian at the time that was know for wearing funny ties).