Man! I’m Beatle!
By Hal Roberts
The Houston Post
August 20, 1965
Hal Roberts is 18, a drummer, and a
senior at Lamar Consolidated High School.
Well, I saw the Beatles, but I only
heard them a little bit. Even without the screaming, I probably couldn't have
heard them much, but when I could hear them, you gotta admit those guys, they
are great. Everything tuned perfectly, and they sound better than on
television, on The Ed Sullivan Show.
When we got to the Sheraton-Lincoln, there
were a lot of people out front. We met Mr. Don Cork (manager of the Sheraton),
and he was looking like he was sweating it out and having a time at the press
conference.
There were a lot of press people
going around, testing the lights. Brian Epstein came in (Epstein, or Epstein's
organization, handles the Beatles). He is the nicest-looking one of the whole
bunch. He had on a pinstriped suit and a tie.
There were a lot of girls at the
press conference. I guess they were high school editors or something. Dick Dobbyn
of KILT came in and told the girls that if there was any sobbing or shrieking,
or any crying or anything like that, they would be run out the door by one of
the policemen.
When the Beatles came in, the girls
acted very nicely, well-behaved. I guess they were scared they might get thrown
out. Maybe they were just scared being so close to the Beatles.
I've seen them in movies and on TV, and they
looked exactly the same. They needed a haircut. I mean, even with long hair,
they needed a trim or something. They weren't dressed up. They looked pretty
gross, but they looked that way in all of their movies. So I guess that's the
way they're supposed to look.
One of the questions asked one of
the Beatles spokesman before they came in was sort of silly, but interesting.
It was about their hair. Some girl asked, “Do they do their own hair?” The
spokesman was kind of amazed and repeated the question. Then he said, “They
wash it and grow it themselves.”
I guess the press conference was okay, but I
don't think they care too much for the press. I didn't like their attitude too
much. I think they ought to have a little more respect for the press. It
doesn't matter how big a person gets; he should feel a little more respect for
the press and answer the questions. I guess I thought that Paul McCartney's
attitude was worse than any of the others. He acted like he didn't really care
much for newspapers. George Harrison, he kind of acted like it didn't make any
difference at all. I think he should have taken things a little more seriously.
I know they've gone through this 1000 times, but the people who write them up
are important to them. I thought John Lennon was the most adult of the group.
He answered the press Okay, I thought he said a whole lot. He was married
before the Beatles got big, and has written his own book, so I guess he's a
little more adult.
Someone asked him if he thought
they were good musicians. He said they didn't know music, but they do play it a
lot, but they didn't read music like a lot of musicians. But he said that a lot
of musicians can read notes, but they are not musicians. They are mechanical.
Someone asked Ringo Starr whether
he wanted a boy or a girl. He and his wife are expecting a baby, and he said he
didn't care, as long as it was one or the other. I heard a girl next to me say
that she read the same thing in a magazine. I think Ringo didn't have much to
say unless he already had an answer ready.
I'm just giving my impression of
the press conference. I'm really sold on the Beatles. I liked them before they
got here. You've got to admit they're just great.
Everyone sure did tell the girls how to act at
the Coliseum. Russ Knight and James Bond came on first. Both of them told the
girls that if they started jumping out of their seats or running up to the
stage, the show would be stopped.
Everybody stayed in their seats, but the
screaming was loud. I was sitting up high, and in the back, I was right under a
loudspeaker. Every now and then, I would hear the Beatles. What I heard sounded
great.
I watched a little girl across the aisle. She
was really turned on. I thought she was going to pop. Her lip was quivering all
the time the Beatles were on, but she didn't faint or anything. She behaved
pretty good, except that every now and then she would jump up on her chair. I
kept waiting for somebody to shout, “I love you, George or Paul”, but they
didn't. People make too much noise. I really don't think the Beatles should
perform. Maybe they should just make people pay to see them without performing.
I really don't know why somebody's lip would quiver like that, though.
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