Presley Missing

June 22-24, 1963

On June 22, Paul, George and Ringo travel to the Town Hall of Abegavveny in Wales, but John Lennon has a prior engagement with "Juke Box Jury", a tv show in which panel members award current records either a "Hit" or a "Miss" based on their perceived quality,  John gave every record a "Miss" including the one by his former role model, Elvis Presley.  The song is "Devil in Disguise" and John pans it with the remark that Elvis has transformed himself into Bing Crosby.  How the mighty have fallen!  Meanwhile, John is flown via helicopter from  London to the Wales gig.

On the 23rd, the Beatles tape a television appearance on "Lucky Stars", this entire edition of which is dedicated to a new phenomenon in rock music history, the Mersey Beat.  (The show will be broadcast on the 29th ibid.)  The UK record charts are now dominated by bands from Liverpool.  It is unprecedented and is led by the Beatles above all.  They are piling up the brownie points that will one day be redeemed for their own MBEs.  The reason?  The tax rate in the UK on the highest earners is 99% and the queen needs a new set of crown jewels!

Then, on the 24th they tape an appearance on the radio program "Saturday Club."  Part of that program, when broadcast also on the 29th, will go out over the BBCs overseas service.