Another Huge Day in the History of Rock

August 18, 1965

Hope everything is going well for all you Beatle fans.  I promised to end this blog when the Beatles played Ed Sullivan in the states, but I just had to make a post for this seminal event.

50 years ago today, the Beatles played for the first time on a stage with a wonderful new innovation - stage monitors, so they could actually hear what they were doing.  Here's a recording of that concert.  At about 7:20 Paul even remarks "Ooo.  It's loud, isn't it!"  And at about 10:00, John says, "It's great! You can hear it!"  And the field of musical stagecraft makes a giant leap forward.

Beatles, Atlanta 1965

It's interesting to reflect that for all this time since February, they were playing without being able to hear each other or even themselves. Until the Beatles came along, it just wasn't an issue.

The description with this Youtube post describe all of the new things that Baker Audio brought to the the concert.  The Beatles wanted to bring Baker along for the rest of their tour, but the offer was declined.

The recording was made by a local radio station, WQXI, and likely represents one of the tightest live stage performances of this period.

The Amazin' Shea

August 15, 1965

Some might call it the high water mark of classic Beatlemania.  The Beatles make their way to Shea Stadium today and absolutely kill it.  Not bad for a four lads from Liverpool.

Beatles at Shea

Exclamation point

February 22, 1964

It has been a lot of fun for me to write this blog over the last three years and get a sense of all the events and people who came together to make the Beatles possible.  It's impossible to overestimate the impact they have had on popular culture and so I'd like to finish by publicly thanking John, Paul George and Ringo for bringing so much joy and meaning into so many lives.

I know I promised to end this blog when the Beatles appear on the Sullivan show, but here's one more post on the day they return to jolly old England and their first days of undying worldwide fame.  And so they played a few gigs in the USA, including Carnegie Hall (practice, practice, practice!) on February 12th, and a return engagement with Ed Sullivan on the 14th.  Then, a few glorious days of rest in the Florida sun.  I wonder if they, in a quiet moment, reflect on what a long and winding road it had been.  From basement clubs and little pubs, to Liverpool dance halls and Hamburg, Germany and British package tours. And now this!

And the rest, as they say, is history.

No More Talk, Just Listen

Sunday - February 9, 1964

It's been a long journey but, the big day has finally arrived. Sunday night. Clustered around the eerie glow from the big, bulky, black and white TV. If you were there, relive it. If not, imagine you were.

Follow this link.

Signing off now.  Happy listening to you all.

Bringing Coals to Newcastle

February 7, 1964

They are here (in the US!)  Their Pan Am flight from London Heathrow touches down at NYC's recently renamed JFK airport at 1:30 pm.  The Beatles stage a short chaotic press conference.  "Can you sing something?"  John: "We need money first!"  "Are you going to get a haircut while you are here?"  George: "I had one yesterday."

They move on, in four Cadillac limousines, to the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. Thus starts a whirlwind of shows, press conferences, interviews, and phone calls back home.  It's all very well documented in the Maysles Brothers documentary "The Beatles, the First US Visit".  Here is some footage that was shot exactly 50 years ago today, outtakes from "The Making of...".




George Harrison is suffering with a fever of 102, but the show must go on.  The three lads from Liverpool, who've stuck together through thick and thin and a friendly drummer are about to overwhelm the new world.  You can make bringing coals to Newcastle work!

Recording in Paris

January 29, 1964

The Beatles record at Pathe Marconi Studios in Paris, the one and only time they record as a group outside the confines of England.  To facilitate their growing popularity on the continent, they use previously recorded instrument tracks and sing two hits in German, finishing "Sie Leibt Dich" and "Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand".  Their exposure to the German language during their long residencies in Hamburg as a developing band helped with proper conversational pronunciation,  I'm sure.

They lay down tracks for a brand new record "Can't Buy Me Love".  Writing and recording world beating songs has become second nature to them now.

Also, Paul makes a demo of "One and One is Two" in their Paris Hotel Room.  See Beatles Rarity - One and One is Two

A Tune Up

January 16 - February 4, 1964

The Beatles, via Brian Epstein, are actively looking for new audiences to conquer.  With that in mind, they do a three week residency at the Olympic Theatre in Paris France.  At first, audiences are reserved and sit quietly and listen, but by the end, they are screaming and carrying on like their English counterparts.

While the first Paris show was a disappointment with polite audience and equipment breakdowns, the mood improved later because of a telegram from America.  According to Cashbox Magazine, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is going to be number one in the USA!

The Paris shows bundle the Beatles with American Latin sensation, Trini Lopez and local rocker girl Sylvie Vartan.  Below is some footage I stole from a Beatles documentary "Rare and Unseen" which is worth watching just for the reminiscences of many of the characters who appear earlier in this blog and who were instrumental in the development of the band over the last four years, or so.

It's also a tune up for their foray into the huge US market, which will take place immediately following and now with a number one record on their resume'.

Here's the shorter clip from "Rare and Unseen".