I am trying to find some more stuff about the disastrous stay in the Philippines in July 1966. The story is widely told and there's a couple of pictures, but as so many people visited the concerts, I find it hard to believe that there is no film or more pictures of the Beatles in the Philippines available.
It was posted without any explanation (other than place and date), but the Beatles party does appear to be getting jostled. But that could just be the mania, which was going on all during the visit.
I'm sure the link won't work; you have to register. But once you do, you can see a lot of Beatles pictures arranged by date. Very handy.
As far as accounts, Peter Brown gives a fairly detailed (and slightly different) account from the one you posted. While Brown likes to wildly make up stories about events he hasn't seen, he does give (in some cases rather too much) detail about the things he actually knows about, like the inner workings of NEMS. Since he was at Manila, I'm inclined to believe his impression of the account. It will be limited by what he's seen, but still...
Ringo was knocked hard enough to stumble and drop his back, but Brown attributes it to a shove on the back and makes no mention of a sprained ankle. We know by their own accounts that John and Paul were hiding behind nuns and George was hiding behind a Buddhist monk--indicative of his future path, perhaps? Paul gives one of his funniest quotes ever about this in Anthology (paraphrasing): "Yeah, to get to us, you'll have to get past them, mate. You'll have to get past them!"
Mal and Alf were both beaten, and Brian was punched several times. Brian was responsible for getting the plane to wait for them--he kept the pilot idling as long as fuel would permit, and then kept talking to him after Mal and Tony had to disembark for this bogus passport check until they could return.
Well, you've probably seen all these accounts. But it's a spooky episode. Cheers.
EDIT: Oops, I should mention Peter Brown's account is in The Love You Make. I picked mine up used for a penny; I didn't want to give Brown any royalties. He gives a good account of the logistics and the money that changed hands.
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
Thanks for the input Marie. I know that picture. But what strikes me most is that almost everything The Beatles did those days was filmed (hence the Japan recordings) or largely photographed. I have never ever seen footage from their concerts in the Philippines, let alone other pictures than the few known ones. Maybe it doesn't exist, but I strongly doubt that.
Some footage definitely exists, because there's a brief clip of the concert on Anthology. Just the guys onstage and then a pan over this big crowd.
But Manila was a weird scene. At the airport, they were whisked away by goons and thought they were being busted. And on the way out, they were literally running for their lives. So I can see why the usual mug shots aren't too abundant. Clearly Marcos was playing some game, because the "apology" came out after the Beatles took off, so the rulers could get the maximum outrage and humiliation out of the people. If Britain complained later, the Marcoses could just play dumb and say, "But we broadcast Epstein's apology, not our fault it was blanked out. We published a retraction, not our fault it was just too late!" Creeps.
It was like (I believe) Ringo said, "All the rules had changed" and they were in this weird zone.
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
If Britain complained later, the Marcoses could just play dumb and say, "But we broadcast Epstein's apology, not our fault it was blanked out. We published a retraction, not our fault it was just too late!" Creeps.
We had our revenge. When the Manilla Philharmonic Orchestra Toured in 1972 we pulled all the tags off their luggage when they were leaving Heathrow. One mans bassoon ended up in Madrid! They, like the Germans before them and the Argentinians after, learnt not to mess with old John Bull.
Hee! Why am I so happy to hear this? Thanks for sharing that, Kevin.
All you've got to do is choose love. That's how I live it now. I learned a long time ago, I can feed the birds in my garden. I can't feed them all. -- Ringo Starr, Rolling Stone magazine, May 2007
For all I know, Ringo might be a yogi disguised as a drummer! - George Harrison
Fact is that when I was travelling through South East Asia, I was very hesistant of visiting the Philippines, with the story of the Beatles in mind. And I didn't visit the country after all.
I remember seeing the clip from the Anthology, and I think I might have seen a clip of an interview with Brian about Manila. He was talking about the royal family, at any rate, but I'm not sure if it was just a comment based on personal feelings or an actual account of their visit. I also have a picture of Mal and Brian getting off the plane and being escorted away that somebody took in the crowd somewhere - will look around for it, I'm not sure if I saved it...I think it was taken by someone in the crowd.
I remember seeing the clip from the Anthology, and I think I might have seen a clip of an interview with Brian about Manila. He was talking about the royal family, at any rate, but I'm not sure if it was just a comment based on personal feelings or an actual account of their visit. I also have a picture of Mal and Brian getting off the plane and being escorted away that somebody took in the crowd somewhere - will look around for it, I'm not sure if I saved it...I think it was taken by someone in the crowd.
That would be great. It's the kind of thing I'm looking for. Thanks in advance.
Fact is that when I was travelling through South East Asia, I was very hesistant of visiting the Philippines, with the story of the Beatles in mind. And I didn't visit the country after all.
The Philippines is awesome.
Its just so happens that when the Beatles were big, Marcos was in full control of the Philippines and I think already declared marshall law when they got here.
My aunt told me that when they got here they thought they were gonna play for the locals but when they got here Marcos had them brought to their palace and forced them to play for them. they declined and it pissed Marcos off badly.
I remember reading somewhere that Epstein said something like "We almost died"
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