|
PAUL AND JOHN 1965(on English and American artists)
PAUL: "In America the people who are big stars are not our age. There's nobody who's really a big star around our age. Possibly it may seem like a small point, but there's no conscription... no draft... here. In America, we used to hear about somebody like Elvis, who was a very big star and then suddenly he was off to the Army."
JOHN: "And the Everly Brothers."
PAUL: "Yes, the Everly Brothers as well went into the Army at the height of their fame. And the Army seems to do something to singers. It may make them want to change their style, and consequently they may not be as popular when they come out of the Army. It may also make people forget them, and consequently they may have a harder job getting back on top when they get out. But here, of course, we don't have that problem."
JOHN: "Except those who go to prison."
PAUL: "It's become so easy to form a group nowadays, and to make a record, that hundreds are doing it-- and making a good living at it. Whereas when we started, it took us a couple of years before record companies would even listen to us, never mind give us a contract. But now, you just walk in and if they think you're OK, you're on."
Q: "Do you think you had anything to do with bringing all this about?"
JOHN: "It's a damn fact."
GEORGE, PAUL AND JOHN 1965(on Beatle dolls, and Saturday morning Beatle cartoons)
Q: "Have you seen them (the Beatle dolls)?"
GEORGE: They're actually life size, you know."
Q: "The ones we've seen are only about five inches high."
PAUL: "Well, we're midgets, you see."
Q: "How does it make you feel to have millions of effigies of yourselves decorating bedsides all over the world? Don't you feel honored to have been immortalized in plastic? After all, there's no such thing as a Frank Sinatra doll, or an Elvis Presley doll."
GEORGE: "Who'd want an ugly old crap doll like that?"
Q: "Would you prefer a George doll, George?"
GEORGE: "No, but I've got a Ringo doll at home."
Q: "Did you know that you're probably the first public figures to have dolls made of them..."
PAUL: "...They're making us into a cartoon, too, in the states. It's a series."
JOHN: "The highest achievement you could ever get."
PAUL: "We feel proud and humble."
RINGO 1965
(on being a newlywed)
Q: "Ringo, what do you expect out of your new marriage?"
RINGO: "I don't expect anything. I just love being married, you know, and I love my wife. I just want her to be there all the time when I'm there, you know. Now there's no one that can say, 'She can't do this and she can't do that,' you know. If we want to go anywhere or do anything, I'm the boss-- we just do it. There's no one to tell us anything else now. It's marvelous, you know, 'cuz we both belong to each other, and you can share everything. It's a great thing being married. you know I enjoy it. Well, I mean, I shouldn't sort of-- I'm not an authority on it. (laughs) I've only been married a month. But umm, you know, I love it. It's something you can't explain, you know. It's only people who get married who know this thing."
JOHN, GEORGE, AND PAUL
1965(answering questions from the set of the movie 'Help!')
Q: "This second picture, John, how does it differ from the first one you made?"
JOHN: "Well, it's in color, for a start. And, I don't know, there's alot more happening in this. There's a story, you see. In the last one it was just sort of documentary, but this is a real film, almost."
Q: "Do you have any different problems in this one, George, other than in 'A Hard Day's Night'?"
GEORGE: "A couple of more problems. (laughs) A couple of more, yes. Because, for a start, we had a big idol... and lots of trick things, you see. Whereas we didn't have any trick things in the last film."
PAUL: "Yeah, the business about the idol was that, umm, it was supposed to rise from the water, you see, as a sort of trick..."
JOHN: "And it wouldn't."
PAUL: "...and it wouldn't 'cuz the water was always too rough for it. So we've had a bit of trouble with that."
PAUL 1965(on writing songs for the movie, 'Help!')
PAUL: "We just write songs, and they are fitted into the film. That's what we did last time. We're not like other songwriters who get suggestions from certain lines in a movie script. Often we write the tunes first, without having a title. We'll get that later."
GEORGE 1965(regarding 'Ticket To Ride' hitting number one on the charts)
GEORGE: "We are always worried with each record. With 'Ticket To Ride' we were even more worried. There's bound to be a time when we come in at 19. But this 'number one' business doesn't seem to stop-- great while it lasts. But now we have to start all over again, and people will start predicting funny things for the next one."
PAUL 1965(answering questions from the set of the movie, 'Help!')
Q: "Why did you all decide to change the title of your new movie to 'Help'?"
PAUL: "I don't know. I just don't think anybody will want to hear a song called, 'Eight Arms To Hold You.' So it was a crummy title I think. It was ok... we were getting a bit desperate for titles, and then Ringo said, Eight Arms To Hold You... and we all said, 'Great!' But then we suddenly realized a couple of days later that we were all sick of it and didn't like it. We thought it was a bit daft."
GEORGE, PAUL, AND JOHN 1965
(regarding the 'Help!' soundtrack album)
Q: "A couple of the tunes in 'Help!' sounded as if the sound might be changing just a little-- getting even more traditionally blues oriented, maybe this is just an opinion. Do you feel that there's any change?"
GEORGE: "Yeah."
PAUL: "We try and change every record. You know, we've tried to change from the first record we made."
GEORGE: "And if you progress musically then you naturally change."
JOHN: "If you play our early records and the late-- even though we haven't made all that many-- there's alot of difference."
PAUL: "We're not trying to do it consciously, you know, particularly."
JOHN: "Even recording technique. If you improve that slightly-- your sound changes, basically."
PAUL, RINGO, GEORGE, AND JOHN 1965
(on the difference between British and American 'Help!' albums)
Q: "Ringo, I understand that the record album, 'Help!' has different numbers in the English version than in the United States version. Is this true, and if so, why?"
PAUL: "Yeah. We're in Capitol (records) now."
RINGO: "The English album is 14 tracks, and they're all our numbers. And on the American one-- I don't know how many tracks are on it, but then you've got some..."
PAUL: "There's seven of ours."
GEORGE: "The thing is, Capitol issue all sort of mad stuff, you know. It's nothing to do with us. We take 14 tracks to be put out, but they keep a couple and put them out later."
PAUL: "But it's a drag, because the album-- We make an album to be like an album, and to be a complete thing."
JOHN: "We plan it, and they wreck it."
(laughter)
PAUL: "No offense, Capitol-- but we send it over here and they put the (movie score) soundtrack on. And, you know, if someone is gonna buy one of our records I think they want to hear us and not soundtrack."
GEORGE: "They even changed the photograph off the front and put something daft on."
PAUL: "Yeah. Either that or they should make it all soundtrack."
JOHN: "As for Capitol-- they'll come 'round after we settle it."
1965 PHOTO BANK
JOHN, GEORGE, RINGO AND PAUL
1965(looking ahead to the 1965 American tour, from the set of the movie, 'Help!)
Q: "When are you going to be at Shea Stadium in New York?"
JOHN: "I don't know."
GEORGE: "Fifteenth of August, isn't it?"
RINGO: "Mr. Shenson is just getting his piece of paper out. He'll tell us."
Q: "You still call Mr. Shenson 'Mr. Shenson'?"
JOHN: "Either that or 'Soft Wally.' Depends how we're feeling."
Q: (laughs)
GEORGE: "Fifteenth of August-- Shea Stadium."
RINGO: "And this picture opens the first week of August in New York."
PAUL: "Are you gonna go to it?"
Q: "Oh yeah. Are you gonna be there? For the premiere?"
PAUL: "For the film? I don't think so. But anyway, are you gonna go to it?"
Q: "Yes, of course."
PAUL: "I want a promise off ya that you're gonna be there."
Q: "I'll have a picture taken in front of the door."
PAUL: "The thing is, you see, if you'll be there-- well, we know there'll be riots at the premiere then. I've heard about your following, you know."
Q: (laughs)
GEORGE, PAUL AND JOHN 1965(sight-seeing New York by helicopter just before Shea Stadium)
GEORGE: "Even though we've really enjoyed having five days off, we're all looking forward to this show like mad. New York is one of the most amazing cities in the world. You just don't see so many big buildings all packed into one little space anywhere else in the world. I like it."
PAUL: "That's the main thing about New York. It's all so big, and eye-opening things. It's great. Nice looking city I think!"
JOHN: "London's old, and this is new. Well, it isn't modern, you know. There's no modern cities really, because by the time they've built them they're out of date... if you want to get into that. There's nowhere modern. But compared to London, it's more twentieth century and London isn't."
PAUL, JOHN, GEORGE AND RINGO
1965(following The Beatles
appearance at Shea Stadium)
PAUL:
"There was a fellow writing in the paper today saying that we should stop all these concerts... and he said this one wasn't fun. Well, I don't agree with him. I think it's the greatest thing, you know. If that wasn't teenagers enjoying themselves, what is?"
JOHN: "It was pretty wild. Shea was great. It
was great because of it's size, and because it was
organized well. I'm sorry for the people who didn't
get to see it. Some shows you haven't missed anything because you wouldn't have heard us, but other times I think you might have enjoyed it."
GEORGE: "Any concert where there's so many people, it's always amazing. Last year was like that at The Hollywood Bowl. At the time it was the biggest show we'd done. But this one topped that. For all the ones who came to see us, I hope you enjoyed the show and thanks for coming. For all the ones who couldn't go, we'll be back next year and you can go then. And for all the ones who didn't want to go and don't like us, ...well, ...hello!"
RINGO: "I'd just like to say thanks to all the fans, because it's the fans that make you. Without them you're nothing, you know, and we love the fans as much as they love us. I saw one columnist saying that all the kids at Shea Stadium weren't having a good time. But if that's not having a healthy laugh... shouting and running 'round... what is, you know. I mean, what does he know about it, just because he's about ninety."
JOHN 1965(following the release of his
second book, 'A Spaniard in the
Works')
Q: "Have you been
writing lately?"
JOHN: "I write all the
time. I don't actually put it on paper so much these
days, it goes on tape. I've got lots of tape...
which, if I put down on paper it would be a book.
Thoughts come, and end up in songs or films. It's just a matter of... do I want to make those tapes into paper, or make those tapes into records."
Q: "John, do you find your second book is doing as well as your first?"
JOHN: "I haven't asked anybody, you know. It did as well initially. It wont sell as many, but it's a better book so I don't care."
Q: "Do you plan another book in the near future?"
JOHN: "I don't really plan them, you know. They just sort of happen. The publisher plans them, and I just sort of scribble."
JOHN, RINGO AND PAUL 1965(on
rudeness)
Q: "A recent article said that you are rude at times."
JOHN: "Uhh, the article is right. We've been quoted as being rude to people. We're always rude BACK, you know. And we're no more cynical than we ever were, it's just that..."
RINGO: "There's people writing about it now."
JOHN: "...you know, people notice us being cynical because we're public figures, but we've always had the same attitude. We always disliked the same kind of people as we did years ago."
PAUL: "But if someone comes up to us and is rude to us, then we'd be idiots to sort of stand there and smile as they were being rude to us, you know. I mean, nobody is gonna take that. And it doesn't matter if they're a public figure or anything."
PAUL AND JOHN 1965(American press conference excerpt)
Q: "Are you in any danger during your concerts?"
PAUL: "I was got once by a cigarette lighter. Got me right in the eye and closed my eye for the stay. In Chicago a purple and yellow stuffed animal, a red rubber ball, and a skipping rope were plopped up on stage. I had to kick a carton of Winstons out of the way when I played. And I saw a cigarette lighter go flying past me in Olympia Stadium."
Q: "Don't you worry about all that?"
PAUL: "It's okay, as long as they throw the light stuff."
Q: "Did you really use four-letter words on the tourists in the Bahamas?"
JOHN: "What we actually said was, 'Gosh!'"
PAUL: "We may have also said,'Heavens!'"
JOHN: "Couldn't have said that, Paul. More than four letters."
JOHN AND GEORGE 1965(on girls and wives)
Q: "What kind of girls do you prefer?"
JOHN: "My wife."
(laughter)
Q: "What kind of girl is she?"
JOHN: "She's a nice girl."
Q: "What kind of girls do you like, George?"
GEORGE: "John's wife!"
JOHN: (jokingly) "Nobody likes a smart aleck."
(laughter)
RINGO 1965(taking a question from a
young boy attending their Minneapolis press
conference)
Q: "Ringo, uhh, I
got my start playing the drums from you. Ever since I heard you, I started playing them."
RINGO: "Ahhh, you'll never get anywhere if you listen to
me!"
(laughter)
Q: "I was wondering how long you've been playing the drums."
GEORGE: (jokingly) "...About thirty years, isn't it?"
RINGO: "No, about seven years now. How old are you?"
Q: "I'm fourteen."
PAUL: "The same age as we were.. Great."
JOHN: (aside, to Paul) "But by the time he learns it, they'll have a machine do it."
GEORGE, JOHN, PAUL AND RINGO 1965(on
choosing locations for their world tours)
Q: "Have you ever been to Russia or South America for a tour?"
GEORGE: "No."
JOHN: "The Russians don't like us."
PAUL: "They burn us there."
GEORGE: "And South America... I don't think they've even heard of us down there."
PAUL: "Yes they have, George. We may head that way next time because Mr. Epstein wants to see Mexico."
(laughter)
JOHN: "We tour the places our manager wants to see. He takes his camera. So, we'll be going there pretty soon... eh, Brian?"
(laughter)
Q: "What's your schedule like for the next few months?"
GEORGE: "It depends on what Mr. Epstein wants to see."
(laughter)
RINGO: "We've got a month off as soon as we get back, so it'll be just T.V. and records and..."
PAUL: "T.V. and bullrings... and things like that. He likes that sort of stuff."
JOHN, RINGO AND PAUL 1965(press conference excerpt: Toronto 8/17/65)
Q: "Question for John Lennon. Do you plan to continue writing, and if so do you have a medium mind?"
JOHN: "Yes, 'cuz I think I'm under contract now... but I've got nothing in mind. It'll be the same stuff only backwards."
RINGO: "Nothing in his mind... did you get that?"
JOHN: "Thank you, Ringo."
Q: "Individually, how do you like being the Beatles?"
RINGO: "It's wonderful. Wonderful."
JOHN: "It's simply wonderful to be here."
PAUL: "Simply wonderful."
JOHN: "We like it... or we'd be the Rolling Stones."
(laughter)
RINGO 1965(American press conference excerpt)Q: "Would you boys ever like to do a tour with completely English acts?"
RINGO: "We usually do in Britain. There's quite a lot of them over there."
RINGO 1965(on receiving MBEs from the
Queen)
Q: "Ringo, how do you feel
about going to the Palace in the morning suits and
all that."
RINGO: "I don't mind. It's
alright... When I buy one."
Q: "You don't
have a morning suit."
RINGO: "No, not yet.
I've got an evening suit if that will
do."
Q: "I don't think it
will."
RINGO: "I'll just go in my pajamas,
then."
JOHN, RINGO AND PAUL 1965(before receiving MBEs from the Queen)
Q: "How are you going to deck-out to go to the palace? There is certain protocol to be observed. Are you going in morning dress?"
JOHN: "Yes. Well, I think you've got to."
Q: "Ringo, what about the haircuts?"
RINGO: "Well, we're not going to get it all cut off. Someone suggested we could carry the hats. So, that would be easier."
PAUL: "I think Her Majesty may understand, you know."
Q: "Two of you have gotten married, and you all now live in good domestic splendor. Has this affected your writing Paul and John?"
PAUL: "No."
JOHN: (jokingly) "...no, it's easier to write on cushions."
(laughter)
JOHN: "Remember, we were on hard benches before we made it big, in a little unknown cellar in Liverpool, and it's much easier... on a nice cushion."
JOHN AND GEORGE 1965(on the controversy of their MBE awards)
JOHN: "We're proud and honored. The people who were sending their MBEs back because of us were fools. Most of them sent military MBEs back, which is for killing people... and ours are civil, which is for making people happy."
GEORGE: "There's an article in the paper in Britain about an Australian fellow, and he had everything... MBE, OBE, DSO, the lot. And all these other people just got one thing for shooting somebody. But the fella who had the works, he agreed with us getting ours."
JOHN: "He was a good Cobber!"
JOHN AND PAUL
1965(joking between mistakes and
takes of 'Think For Yourself' during the 'Rubber Soul' sessions)
JOHN: (following a vocal mistake) "You'll
have to bear with me or have me shot. I'm sorry."
PAUL: "Yea... well..."
JOHN: (jokingly) "Sometimes I feel less than useless at these sessions. I really do. Of
course... Cynthia understands. I often talk to her
about it when we get home. I say, 'Sometimes Cynthia, I just can't get the note.'"
PAUL: (joking about John's mistake, in an
overly dramatic voice) "Look, Terrence... If you
want to resign from the amature dramatics... DO!"
JOHN: (whining, playing along with Paul's
joke) "It's just that I put alot of money and
thought into the whole thing."
PAUL: (jokingly) "Yes, but let's face
it!! You're crap!!"
JOHN: (laughs) "...Well, alright
alright!! Who's father was it that got the hall in
the first place!!"
PAUL: (continuing to joke) "You were
only doing walk-ons, and you were farting those
up!!"
JOHN: "Oh, give us a kiss!! Ha!!"
|
