Interview for Associated Press • Monday, February 10, 1964

Interview

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Q: Your program was reviewed by a music critic…

Ringo Starr: Oh no! Not again!

Q: …and he said that you had ‘unresolved leading tones, a false modal frame ending up as a plain diatonic.’ What would you say to that?

John Lennon: He ought to see a doctor about that.

Paul McCartney: No, he’s just copying the fella in the London Times who did a review like that. The only difference is, I don’t know if that’s favourable or not. The London one was, you see.

Ringo: Why doesn’t he just say if it’s good or bad?

Q: What do you think of the reaction of Amer… What do you think of American girls in the first place, now that you’ve had your first contact with them?

Paul: Marvellous. They’re the same as British girls only they’ve got a different accent.

Q: Is it your ambition to continue what you’re doing, or what do you plan to do?

John: Yeah.

Paul: Well, as long as it lasts like this. As long as we keep enjoying it. Once we stop enjoying it, and people stop enjoying it, then er…

George Harrison: We’ll pack in.

Ringo: We’ll have to pack in if people don’t enjoy it.

George: That’s a British saying for ‘give up’.

Q: One of the big attractions is your haircut and your manner of dress. What prompted that? The haircuts, for instance.

Ringo: It just happened, you know.You just wake up one day and there you are.

Q: Who came up with the name Beatles, and what does it really mean?

Ringo Starr: John thought of the name Beatles, and he’ll tell you about it now.

John Lennon: It means Beatles, doesn’t it? But that’s just a name, you know, like shoe.

Paul McCartney: The Shoes, you see? We could have been called The Shoes for all you know.

Q: There have been huge crowds of teenage girls outside complaining that they don’t want to mob you, they just want to speak to you. What do you think about this? Do you want to talk to them?

Ringo: Well, have you ever tried talking to about 200 people at once?

John: We’d love to, you know. If we wave, somebody always says ‘Stop that waving! You’re inciting them!’

Q: How do you feel about your appearance at Carnegie Hall this week, the center of musical culture?

Ringo: Erm, well, a bit nervous, but not too much, you know. We just hope we go down, ’cause we’re on with a lot of Americans. So we hope they like us.

Q: What have you done in New York, and what do you hope to see while you’re here?

John: Well, we’ve been out to a couple of clubs. Rock clubs, mainly, ’cause we just like listening to rock when we’re not working, anyway. And we’re hoping some of our favorite artists will come up, but you know, they’re all out on the road or something. They’re not here.

Q: Who is your favorite American artist?

John: There’s a lot, you know. Marvin Gaye, Miracles, Mary Wells. Those people.

Q: When was the last time you had a haircut?

Paul: Er, quite a long time, actually. The last time was about 23 years ago, was the last time I had one.

Q: Have you met any interesting American girls?

George: Erm, not yet, but hoping.

Q: What do you think of the police protection you’ve been receiving here in this city?

Ringo: It’s marvelous. They’re doing a great job, you know, looking after us.

Q: Are the crowds as large as you expected?

John: No. We didn’t expect anything like this, you know.

Q: What is the most interesting offer you’ve ever received?

Paul: Ah, yes, erm… We’ve had a lot of interesting offers, actually. No comment!

Q: What do you think of the Christine Keeler/Profumo affair?

George Harrison: It’s great, yeah.

Paul: Good publicity!

George: Yeah.

John: They’re all happening.

Q: Have you heard any reviews of your appearance last night?

Paul: The papers this morning just sort of… we only read two of them, and they weren’t very favorable. I think one of the microphones was off, so that may…

John: The kids still liked it, you know.

Paul: Yeah. The audience was fantastic. Great reception.

Q: Thank you, gentlemen.

The Beatles: Thank you!

Last updated on February 16, 2022