Paul McCartney and Mal Evans flies from Denver to Los Angeles

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Although the recording of the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album was unfinished, Paul decided to take a ten-day break in the United States to surprise his girlfriend Jane Asher on her 21st birthday. At the time, Jane was touring the US with the Old Vic Company and performing Romeo And Juliet.

On April 3, 1967, Paul and Mal Evans departed London and spent the following day in San Francisco. On April 5, they travelled to Denver to meet Jane and celebrate her birthday. Paul, Jane, and Mal spent the next few days vacationing in the Denver area.

On April 9, the Old Vic Company flew out of Denver, where they had been based for a few days. Paul and Mal said goodbye to Jane and visited the city’s Red Rocks Amphitheater, where The Beatles had performed on August 26, 1964, before flying to Los Angeles, where they met Derek Taylor, who served as the press officer for the Beatles’ first concert tour of the US in the summer of 1964.

In January 1967, Derek Taylor had been approached to become the publicist for the upcoming Monterey International Pop Festival, organized by John Phillips, of The Mamas & The Papas, and Lou Adler, manager of the band.

As reported in the book “A Perfect Haze: The Illustrated History of the Monterey International Pop Festival” by Harvey and Kenneth Kubernik, on his arrival in Los Angeles on April 9, Paul was invited to the home of John and Michelle Phillips, from The Mamas & The Papas, and was asked to join the board for the Festival. This invitation was not mentioned by Mal Evans in his diary published in The Beatles Monthly Book, July 1967. Instead, Mal explained the two of them visited John and Michelle Phillips the day after – April 10.

Paul and Mal spent the next two days, April 10 and 11, in Los Angeles.

SUNDAY APRIL 9:

Today Jane left to continue her tour. When I ordered taxi to take me from my Motel to the airport the manageress got suspicious and thought I was an unscrupulous fly-by-night type who wasn’t going to pay my bill. Most distrusting even when I explained about seeing Jane off! Lots of Goodbyes from all to all as the Old Vic party prepared to fly out. Rather sad really. This afternoon Paul and I went out to Red Rocks Stadium, scene for nostalgia because this was where The Beatles played their Denver concert date nearly three years ago on the first big American tour. Paul signed a lot of autographs and really enjoyed it. There was this fabulous policeman at the Stadium. I heard him say to one of the owners, “l know him and he knows me but he can’t let on.” Then Bert took us out to the Airport — this time WE were leaving. Had to wait a bit because the Lear Jet — Frank Sinatra’s — was late arriving. Flew from Denver to Los Angeles. Met at the airport by our old buddy Derek Taylor and his wife Joan who took us to their home.

Mal Evans – From The Beatles Monthly Book, July 1967

Last updated on February 20, 2024