At Kinfauns with George

 April 5, 1969

Where to look?

 

Hello George

Photo by Henry Grossman

 

In London Town

Photos by Harry Grossman

 

London Town photo shoot -- January 1978 

George's birthday party

Photos taken by Henry Grossman 

 

February 25, 1967 

Inside Kinfauns

Henry Grossman 

 

The Psychedelic year

I can't help but think this photo would have been amazing if Grossman shot it in color.

Brothers

Happy Birthday George! (Day 1)

Since no one can seem to agree if George's birthday is February 24 or February 25, I am going to do the best thing:  celebrate George's birthday on both days!

These Henry Grossman photos were taken on George's birthday party held at his house, Kinfauns on February 25, 1967.

The Beatles Backs

Austrian Press Conference

Remember how I had said that little was known about the press conference the Beatles and Eleanor Bron held when they first got to Austria while making help, but I was going to look into it?   Well---I found the transcript of the press conference in a teenage magazine.   The page is falling out, but I was able to save it enough to read it and type it up!

photo by Henry Grossman

Austrian Press Conference
By Nels Kridjen

Salzburg, Austria, the old world center of musical culture, the birthplace of Mozart, was rocked to its castle top rafters by the arrival of the foursome.

Crowds gathered on all four sides of the Oesterreicher Hof Hotel while the famed quartet held a conference with more 100 representatives of the international press.  West German television, representing 22 million viewers covered the arrival and the conference.   Hundreds of Salzburg police were assigned to control the crowds at the airport and the hotel.  In some instances the Beatles answered the questions in German which they picked up during their engagement in Hamburg before world fame swept them off.  Here ae some highlights from the conference.

Q:  Do you ever go to a hairdresser?

John:  No.  They always come to us.

Q:  Did you know that Salzburg is the home of Mozart?

Ringo:  Oh, is he here too?

Q:  How much income tax do you pay?

George:  Too much.

Q:  Whom did you vote for the last general election?

Paul:  Adenauer.

Q:  Are the Beatles a threat to public safety?

Beatles:  Rubbish!  Rubbish!  Rubbish!

Q:  What is the difference between the Beatles reception in America and the reception in other countries.

Beatles:  America is wilder because there are more people there.

Q:  Now that you're successful will you cut your hair?

Paul:  We had it like this before we became successful.

Q:  How do you like girls to dress Ringo?  And don't' say ha...ha...ha....

Ringo:  Oh, I dunno--in dresses.  I don't like 'em in pants.

Q:  Do the Beatles like Austrian beer?

Beatles:  No.  We never do commercials.

Paul:  We're good friends.

John:  Anybody from the press here?

Q: Did John write the script of the new ;movie?

John:  No.

Q:  Out of all the myths and rumors surrounding the Beatles in the fan magazines, which ones annoy you the most?

John:  The ones about my wife having more children than I can account for.

Q:  What do the Beatles think of topless bathing suits?

Paul:  We've been wearing them for years.

Q:  Do you think you can sway political power?

Beatles:  Most of our fans are too young to vote.

Q:  Why don't you wave to your fans outside the hotel?

Beatles:  We were told not to appear at or look out of the windows.

Q:  Which of the Beatles is married?

(Everybody in the room under 20 went  "Jooooohn and Ringooooo as the two Beatles raised their hands.)

Q:  Which ones of the Beatles are not married?

(Paul and George raised their hands.  Some people in the room mostly the young girls, seemed to have doubts about Paul.)

Paul:  I'm not married as Mr. Winchell says.

Q:  What are your plans for the future?

Ringo:  No plans.  We'll just see what happens.

Q:  Last night the police were concerned about some over sized  roughnecks who tired to infiltrate the crowd...

Beatles:  That was us!

Q:  (From girl under ten)  What does George think about marriage?

George:   Yeah, well, if you propose it to me.  It's a good thing if you like it.

Q:   What do you plan to do with your leisure time in Austria?

Beatles:  What leisure time?

Q:  Was "Eight Arms to Hold you" improvised?

John:  Some of the scenes started out spontaneous but by the time you do take Eleven it's not improvised any longer.

Q:  A psychiatrist who saw one of your concerts said it was unhealthy and had an erotic effect on the audience.

Beatles:  He was unhealthy.

Following the conference the Beatles took the snow-covered roads to Obertauern, one of the highest peaks in the Austrian Alps, where key scenes were filmed.  During the two and one half hours drive, the lads passed through numerous small towns and were greeted by hordes of screaming and waving fans, who had been waiting in the village streets for hours.

Beatles Love Bahamas, but Feeling far from mutual

I thought this newspaper article from 50 years ago today was quite interesting!

Photo by Henry Grossman

photo by Henry Grossman

 

Beatles Love Bahamas, but Feeling far from mutual

Tuesday March 9, 1965

Ocala Star-Banner

Back home in England the Beatles may be great, but since their arrival here they’ve done little to endear themselves to the press or public.  

The entertainers got off to a bad start last December when Beatles George Harrison arrived with his girlfriend, Patti Boyd for a hush-hush week’s stay with Dr. W.T. Strach, the Beatles’ business manager.

Efforts by local officials then to keep reporters and fans away led to a near-riot at the airport.

When the four mop-tops arrived Feb. 22 to film a movie, they gave local fans the slip by being whisked from their plane in an automobile, not allowing even a glimpse of them.

Charges of “ignoring their fans” were denied by Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ personal manager, who claimed this was an arrangement by local authorities.

But the Beatles’ behavior here is generally resented.  They’ve refused to pose for any photographers and fans have been unable to get autographs as the entertainers rush back and forth in fast cars and dodge autograph seekers. 

Photographers have been subjected to foul language and the public generally has come in for similar treatment. 

Tony Howard, their publicity manager, today denied reports that Ringo had burned the hand of Pete Gardner, manager of a restaurant, with a lighted cigarette.

“When I told Ringo about it, he went into a fit of laughter, saying he couldn’t understand how anyone would think he could do such a thing,” Howard said.   “The whole thing was just a joke.”

Howard admitted that Ringo did gesture toward Gardner’s hand with a cigarette but he said he had no intentions of burning him.

In spite of the bad press they have received here, Howard said the Beatles loved the Bahamas and plan to return for a holiday as soon as their schedule permits.

Commenting on adverse publicity, Howard said, “I think they’ve come to expect this kind of thing.  It probably happened because the people were getting a bit bored with all the nice things which have been said about the Beatles and the newspapers were just looking for a new angle.   The boys feel that recent statements about them in print are quite wrong or vastly exaggerated and as far as they are concerned, they’ve clear consciences and nothing to regret.”

Filming of the movie, so far unnamed, has proceeded on schedule and the Beatles are due to leave Wednesday.  Full preparations are being made to allow fans a good view of the Beatles on their departure.  They will arrive at the airport an hour before scheduled takeoff

During the weekend the Beatles broke their daily “work and bed’ routine and dined with Sir Harold and Lady Christie on Friday and tourist minister Sir Stafford Sands on Saturday when they met the governor of the British Crown Colony, Sir Ralph and Lady Grey.

I can't hide....

Photo by Henry Grossman

This is a photo of Bob Dylan outside of the Delmonico Hotel on his way into the hotel to see the Beatles for the first time.   Is that That is Neil Aspinall in the photo?!

50 years ago Bob Dylan showed the Beatles how enjoyable it is to smoke pot.   It wasn't the first time the Fab 4 smoked the drug.   The first time was in 1960 when they were in Hamburg.   I think people get confused and think that the Beatles had NEVER smoked it until they met Bob Dylan because Brian Epstein said "We have never smoked it before."    But Brian, who wasn't with the Beatles in Hamburg, spoke for the entire group when he really was just speaking for himself.    The Beatles had smoked marijuana a few times and George says in the Anthology that they tried it and didn't feel any effects. 

But Bob Dylan did turn the Beatles onto the effects of the drug that night in the New York hotel room and it really changed the Beatles lives.    Once pot was introduced and became part of the Beatles lives,  their music began to change.   John, George and Paul all were arrested at some point in their lives for having marijuana.    It truly was a game changer for the Fab 4.

I am not a pot person.  I don't smoke it.   I don't enjoy being around people who are smoking it.   But everyone is free to make their own choices and what someone does on his or her own time is none of my business.

I do think it is funny some of the stuff that happened that night.

• Ringo wouldn't pass the joint around (because he didn't know the  proper rules)
• Brian kept saying that he was "so high I'm on the ceiling."
• Paul having Mal follow him around with a pencil and paper so that he could write down everything he said
• Ringo started to giggle and everyone was laughing at his giggling.

If you want to read a great re-telling of what happened by someone who was there.  Check out this page!

Oh Henry

I love it when photographers pose with the Beatles.   I think it shows that they are truly fans of the guys just as much as anyone else but they had the lucky job of photographing them.   This is a sweet photo of wonderful photographer, Henry Grossman posing with the fellows in 1967.

Skater Boi

All photos by the amazing and talented photographer  Henry Grossman

you really got a hold on me

Photo by Henry Grossman

photo taken by Denise Wernek on Feb 14, 1967

I find this to be just so awesome!   Notice the girls sitting at EMI waiting for the Beatles.   Lizzie Bravo is the girl in the glasses with the beautiful smile.   Next to her is who I believe to be her friend, Denise who took this great photo of Paul where he looks sort of like a spy during the recording of the Sgt. Pepper album.   In the Grossman photo she is holding up the Paul photo that she took and here is a copy of the actual photo.  I just think this is so cool and I hope it doesn't anger anyone that I posted it.

Thanks to Lewis for sending me the H. Grossman photo and to Bruno for the Paul photo.

children stop and stare...

Photo by Henry Grossman