BEATLES MAGAZINE

Monday, 11 August 2025

THE BEATLES PRESS CONFERENCE IN MINNEAPOLIS, 1965

During their 1965 North American tour, The Beatles made their sixth stop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August 21st. The band was scheduled to perform at Metropolitan Stadium.

Q: "Who among you is the best actor?"

GEORGE: "I think Ringo is! Ringo!"

JOHN: (gestures to Ringo, singing cheesy showbiz theme music) "Da-da-da-dah, Da-da-da-da DAH!"

RINGO: (to John) "I think YOU are."

JOHN: "Oh no, I think YOU are."

RINGO: "YOU are!"

JOHN: (hugging Ringo) "No, it's YOU!" (laughter)

Q: (asks a question about taxes)

RINGO "We don't see it, really."

PAUL & RINGO: "We pay a lot of taxes."

Q: "You're in a high income bracket."

RINGO: "Yeah, that's why we pay a lot of taxes." (laughter)

Q: "Ringo, do you have any time off in this tour, and if you do, what do you plan to do

during the time off?

RINGO "We have about five days off in L.A. starting monday, and we're just gonna sit

'round, you know."

Q: "How is your stock going? Up or down?"

RINGO "It's going up, I beleive."

JOHN: (jokingly to Ringo)"Yours is? You never told me you've got stock."

RINGO: "I've got your stock."

JOHN: "Oh, Northern Songs."

Q: "Would you ever start your own label, and if so, where is it going to be?"

JOHN: "We'd never start our own label. It's too much trouble, you know."

Q: "Are you going to invest heavily in some other company as the Beatles?"

JOHN: "I don't know. That'll be all up to (Beatles manager) Mister Epstein, you know."

Q: "How long before your contract does terminate with Capitol (records)?"

JOHN: "I don't know. I don't even remember signing it!" (laughter)

GEORGE: "It'll last another year."

JOHN: "Oh."

Q: "Once you've written a song, how do you decide which of you will sing it?"

JOHN: (jokingly) "I think whoever knows most of the words by the time we get to recording it."

(laugher)

Q: "I'd like to ask you all a personal question about your hair. How can you sleep at

night with it that long?"

JOHN: "Well, when you're asleep you don't notice."

(laughter)

PAUL: "True, true. Ha! That told him."

GEORGE: "How do you sleep with your arms and your legs still attached? It's the same."

RINGO: "You get used to it."

GEORGE: "Maybe that's why we've been up every night."

PAUL: "Yeah, maybe THAT'S why we have parties. That's it. We can't sleep with this long

hair." (chuckles from reporters)

PAUL: "Great!"

JOHN: "People have only had short hair since the world war. So they've been sleeping for

all those thousands of years with long hair."

PAUL: "It's not a problem, I tell ya. It's just as much a problem as having short hair,

which to you seems like normal."

JOHN: "It's more of a problem having short hair, having to keep it short."

Q: "It seems whenever you come to perform in this country, it's always in the form of a

grand tour..."

JOHN: "It's not worth coming over for one or two performances. We may as well go to as many

places as we can when we come, you know."

Q: "You expect it to be annually."

RINGO & JOHN: "Yeah, I think so."

RINGO: "We don't really know, as our manager does everything."

Q: "Also, your stage costumes that you use, or apparel that you wear... Let me ask you,

who does your tailoring for you?"

JOHN: "A man called Douglas Millings."

PAUL: "Millings of London."

JOHN: "He makes them to what we order, you know. We tell him how to do it, and he makes

them."

Q: (to Paul) "Do you have plans for getting married?"

PAUL: "No, not particularly."

BOY: "Ringo?"

RINGO: "Yes?"

BOY: "I got my start playing drums from you. Ever since I listened to you, I started

playing them."

RINGO: (jokingly) "Ahh, you'll never get anywhere if you listen to me!" (laughter)

RINGO: "Yeah, go on."

BOY: "I was wondering how long you've been playing your drums?"

GEORGE: (jokingly) "Thirty years, isn't it?" (chuckles)

RINGO: "No, it's about seven years now."

PAUL: "How old are you?"

BOY: "I'm fourteen."

PAUL: "You're the same age as us. Great!"

JOHN: (jokingly, to the others) "By the time he learns it, they'll have a machine do it."

Before the concert, at press conference, George Harrison received a surprise gift: a Rickenbacker 360 electric 12-string guitar from a local music store called B-Sharp Music.

This was the second Rickenbacker 360 12-string model Harrison owned, and he used it to play during their show that night.

In a letter dated September 7, 1965, George expressed his appreciation in a letter to Butwin:

"I cannot tell you how much I appreciated your generosity in giving me such an expensive guitar when we were in Minneapolis. As you know, I did have the older model, but I'll definitely be using the new one in the future, both for recording sessions and stage appearances".

The Rickenbacker can be heard on "If I Needed Someone" .

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Sunday, 10 August 2025

THE BEATLES' LEGACY HONORED IN GREAT YARMOUTH

A free Beatles heritage show is set to arrive on the Norfolk coast.

This event will be hosted at the St George's Theatre in Great Yarmouth on September 16, starting at 7 p.m.

The program includes a live talk and a presentation of rare photos, delving into the band's rich history.

Titled "The Beatles: Yare! Yare! Yare!," the talk will highlight the group's ties to Great Yarmouth, including their sold-out performances at the ABC Theatre in 1963. The event will also explore Peter Jay's connections with the Beatles and touch upon the film Yesterday, which was filmed in Gorleston.

Saturday, 9 August 2025

THE ENDURING LEGACY OF "COME TOGETHER"

In the vast and multifaceted discography of The Beatles, "Come Together" stands out as a timeless anthem, a masterpiece of sonic experimentation that encapsulates the essence of an era. More than just a song, it is a testament to creativity at its peak and a reflection of the tensions and spirit of the 1960s.

Its story, from conception to transcendence, is a fascinating journey through the genius of the greatest band of all time.

The genesis of "Come Together" is as intriguing as the song itself. It all started with a request from Timothy Leary, the guru of psychedelia, who asked John Lennon to write a jingle for his 1970 California gubernatorial campaign.

Leary's slogan was "Come together, join the party." Lennon, true to his rebellious and creative spirit, appropriated the phrase and transformed it into something completely different. Although Leary's campaign faded, Lennon's "jingle" became the starting point for one of the band's most iconic songs.

The creation of "Come Together" was a collaborative process, although John Lennon's vision dominated the direction. The recording took place at Abbey Road Studios in July 1969, at a time when the band's internal tensions were at their peak. However, in the studio, the magic still flowed. Paul McCartney's iconic, dark, and pulsating bass line is the song's skeleton.

It was a simple yet hypnotic riff that provided the perfect foundation for Lennon's vocals and the other instruments. Ringo Starr, with his unmistakable rhythm, added the perfect percussion, with an emphasis on the toms that gave the song a tribal and primal feel. George Harrison contributed a rhythm guitar that intertwined perfectly with the mix. The result was a minimalist yet powerful production, where each instrument had a defined and essential role.

The place "Come Together" held on the charts is a reflection of its success and acceptance. In the United States, the song reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a testament to its immense popularity.

In the United Kingdom, the song was released as the B-side to George Harrison's single "Something." Despite this, it became one of the most recognized songs from the "Abbey Road" album. This unusual distribution did not prevent "Come Together" from becoming an instant classic.

Public acceptance was immediate and overwhelming. John Lennon's lyrics, cryptic and surreal, generated all kinds of interpretations. Was it a critique of politics? An ode to unity? A simple sequence of nonsensical phrases? The ambiguity was part of its charm. Lennon's low, sensual voice was a force of nature, while the backing vocals and the overall vibe of the song created an atmosphere of mystery and seduction. "Come Together" was not an anthem to be sung out loud, but a song to be listened to carefully, to immerse oneself in its sonic world.

The transcendence of "Come Together" in music history is undeniable. It is one of The Beatles' last great songs and proof that, despite their differences, the band still had the ability to create masterpieces. The song's success solidified it as one of The Beatles' most recognized and covered tracks. Its influence can be found in countless artists who have explored the fusion of rock, blues, and a touch of psychedelia. "Come Together" is more than a song; it is a bridge between 1950s rock and roll, 1960s psychedelia, and the alternative rock of the following decades. It is a cry for unity, a call to action, and a reminder that, even in the darkest moments, music has the power to bring people together. Its legacy endures, and its message, though cryptic, continues to resonate powerfully.