Post-France Pre-America, London (1964, February 5)
| This conversation with the Beatles finds them returning to London following a successful tour of France. This chat was just days before the unprecedented hysteria of their first American visit. Q: "What was the reaction like in France?" George: "The audiences were a bit funny, you see. There were more boys than girls, and we missed the good old screams. But you know, there were quite alot of shouts." Q: "You mean they actually listened to you? That's the difference, is it?" John and Paul: "Yeah." George: "Yeah." Q: "What's the French electrical supply like over there?" Paul: "It's good actually. Oh, the equipment's great. But on the first night, as you may know, we had a bit of trouble. Because we suddenly found there was a radio program just sort of plugging into everything, and it overloaded all the amps and everything. They just went, 'Boompf!'" Ringo: "Three times." Paul: "Boompf... Boompf." Q: "What's the sort of stuff they like over there on the Hit Parade?" Paul: "Umm, wilder stuff I think. We stuck in a wilder number to finish off with." John: (jokingly) "'Gone With The Wind.'" Paul: "Gone With The..." (laughs) Q: "They go for the Elvis Presley kind of stuff, there, do they? I mean, do they go for the older rock and roll stuff?" Paul: "I think so, yeah, a bit more. It depended really who was in." Q: (to Ringo) "I hear that you are going to give us some poetry recitals." Ringo: "Beethoven's poems." Q: "When's this? At the City of London Festival?" Ringo: "Yeah, yeah. (to the others) He knows, you see. It's a secret! Don't tell anybody!" (laughter) Q: "What poems?" Ringo: "Beethoven's. Remember him? Beethoven." (laughter) Q: "Looking forward to this American trip, have you had any reaction over there? Have you got any fan clubs going as we speak?" Ringo: "Well, there's one supposed to be started and they're getting quite a good response, you know. (jokingly) Twelve thousand letters a day!" (Beatles giggle) Q: "But the Beatle movement's going over there?" Ringo: "Yeah. (jokingly) So you needn't be a Beatle Booster, folks!" (laughter) Q: "I must tell you, by the way, that Detroit University have got a 'Stamp Out The Beatles' movement." George: "I know, yeah." John: "Yeah, we heard something about that." Paul: "We've got a 'Stamp Out Detroit!'" (laughter) Q: "They think your haircuts are un-American." John: "Well, it was very observant of them because we aren't American, actually." Paul: (laughs) "True, that." John: "True. True." Source: Video copy of the original film footage |