Radio interview in Chicago

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Throughout their 1966 US tour, some journalists had the opportunity to travel with The Beatles and hold in-depth “taping sessions” in their hotels or dressing rooms. These sessions allowed the journalists to interview each Beatle more deeply than was possible at press conferences.

Among the journalists who had this privilege were Judith Sims and Bess Coleman of TeenSet US magazine, Jim Stagg of WCFL Chicago radio station, Kenny Everett of Radio London, and Jerry Leighton of Radio Caroline.

Between the two Chicago performances, there was a “taping session” in the boys’ room (Throughout the tour they were referred to collectively as “the boys”). This was my first person-to-person contact, except for the timid elevator episode; so, I’m sure that I’ll be forgiven if I didn’t get the most accurate notes in the world. There were no formal introductions — most of the press party had been on last year’s tour, so they just picked up where they had left off, and everyone sort of wandered around from Beatle to Beatle, tape recorders whirring away. Ringo was sitting cross-legged on a couch in front of a coffee table piled high with gifts from fans (Gifts were everywhere.). George was stretched out on another couch; John was seated behind a desk; and Paul was on a chair near the desk. They were surrounded by tape recorders, and the whole thing was most informal. The rule followed for taping sessions was, grab the closest Beatle and talk into the microphone, except that several people usually converged on one Beatle at a time. It made for some very interesting tapes!

Judith Sims – From TeenSet Magazine – Quoted in “Ticket To ride – The Extraordinary Diary of The Beatles’ Last Tour” by Barry Tashian

On this day, August 12, The Beatles played the two first concerts of their US tour, in Chicago. The first one took place at 3 pm, and the second one at 7:30 pm.

Audio recordings of this “taping session” with The Beatles that day have survived, thanks to journalists Ken Douglas and Bess Coleman / Jim Stagg.

From “That Magic Feeling: The Beatles’ Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966-1970” by John C. Winn:

Ken Douglas, a British DJ then working in Louisville, Kentucky, covered the first half of the tour and was able to chat with all four Beatles this first day. Paul explains that he and John have no formula about who writes which component of their songs, and says he hopes the Jesus controversy is behind them now that John has had a chance to explain himself at great length. Douglas asks about the Indian sounds on Revolver, and Paul says they all like the drone, but that George is mainly responsible for those influences. Another reporter inquires about the “weird effects” on “Tomorrow Never Knows,” and Paul recounts bringing “a bag full of six tape loops” to the session. Kenny Everett, there to cover the tour for Radio London, wonders if they feel pressure to be less experimental in their music, but Paul thinks they are striking a good balance by progressing slowly on each album and bringing the audience with them. He also claims to have sung “Eleanor Rigby” “very bad” (more of his Revolver paranoia). Douglas then talks to Ringo, who pokes fun at him for reading from a list of prepared questions: “ ‘How many songs have you and John written?’ That’s not really for me, is it?” Ringo says their next movie will start filming in January “with any luck,” and that although he misses Maureen while on tour, they both understood before marrying that he would have to be on the road from time to time.

John talks about his role in How I Won the War, but doesn’t seem to know much about the plot beyond his character’s name. He lists “Here, There and Everywhere” and “Yellow Submarine” as his listening favorites from the new LP, and seems resigned to an American concert tour every August. Whether he was sincere or not, that attitude would be nonexistent by the end of the month. Finally, George discusses the Beatles’ constant drive to improve their music, hopes that his use of sitar will inspire fans to take an interest in Indian music, and stresses the importance of their apprenticeship in Hamburg’s nightclubs.

From “That Magic Feeling: The Beatles’ Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966-1970” by John C. Winn

This audio recording with Ken Douglas was released on the charity LP “Beatle-Views” released in 1966.

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