Press conference with The Beatles • Jun 26, 1966

Timeline More from year 1966

Interview

You expect, sort of, nice answers to all the questions, you know, but if the questions aren’t nice questions, they don’t have to have nice answers. And, if we don’t give nice answers, it doesn’t mean we’re snobby. It just means that we’re natural.
Paul McCartney

On this day, The Beatles travelled from Essen to Hamburg, by night and by train, arriving shortly after 6 am. They hadn’t been to Hamburg since January 1, 1963, following their third and final residency at the Star-Club. They performed two concerts at the Ernst Merck Halle, the first one at 3 pm, and the second one at 7 pm, and held a press conference between the sets.

Question: How many girls have you had here in Hamburg?

Paul: One or two, you know. How many have you had?

John: What do mean ‘had’?

Question: John, do you like Henry Miller?

John: He’s all right. I wouldn’t go to bed with him.

George: He’s not as good as Henry Mancini.

Question: Paul, what do you think about the anti-baby pill?

Paul: Er … it’s very good, obviously.

John: I wish they’d had it a few years ago!

Paul: It’s normal, isn’t it? Everyone should use it if they need to.

John: We want the pill!

Question: John, somebody says that you have stolen parts of your book.

Paul: Is this true?

Question: From James Joyce?

John: No, not him. Well, I have. It’s true! Why not (it’s from) some Old Italian Translation book or something. I thought it was dead and buried, but they found out.

Question: Ringo, what do you put on your face? We enjoy your complexion.

John: God almighty!

Question: Use a spoonful of spinach, it’ll improve your complexion.

Ringo: No, thank you. I don’t think so.

Question: Will Zak, your son, be following you to Tokyo?

John: (getting most annoyed) What kind of questions are these?

Ringo: No, no, no, he won’t be going.

John: (now very annoyed) Come on, are there any members of the press here? George (looking around the room) There’s one, there’s Chris Hutchins (NME).

Question: Ringo, what do you think about coming back to Hamburg?

Ringo: It’s OK, what else do you want?

Question: Do you want to see the Star Club?

Paul: We’d like too, if we get a chance too, it depends.

Question: Your lyrics in your book. Is it able that Paul makes the music for it?

John: Well, I’ll make it myself if anyone’s gonna do it!

Question: What do you dream of when you sleep?

Paul: The same as what everyone else dreams of. Standing in their underpants …

George: (interrupting) Purple dragons …

John: (interrupting) What do you think we are? What do you dream of? Fuckin’ ‘ell!

Ringo: I just dream of everything, like you do, we’re all the same.

John: We’re only the same as you, man, only we’re rich!

Question: Why are you all so horrid and snobby?

Paul: We’re not horrid and snobby.

Question: Yes you are!

Paul: No, we seem like it.

John: That’s your version.

George: It’s only in your mind we are.

John: Is it because we’re not flattering you?

Paul: You expect, sort of, nice answers to all the questions, you know, but if the questions aren’t nice questions, they don’t have to have nice answers. And, if we don’t give nice answers, it doesn’t mean we’re snobby. It just means that we’re natural.

Question: Paul, do you think your new LP, which you’ve just finished in London, will be a new turning point for The Beatles?

Paul: I don’t know, really.

George: It’s a little turning point, like every LP, but it’s not going to change the whole musical world, is it?

Question: What do you think about your music?

Paul: I like it. It’s not the best, but it’s OK.

Question: John, what did you think about this photo on the last single disc in England with the meat on your shoulder?

John: It wasn’t on the last single. They don’t have photos on singles in England. It was a photograph on an LP in America. It was only an advertisement (in England). It’s just us with some meat. It’s all it is. Look at it again. It’s a picture of us with some meat. It’s a lousy picture!

Question: To Brian Epstein …

John: With love!

Question: Are you with The Beatles when they are doing their recordings with George Martin?

Brian Epstein: Well, it’s up to them. They influence themselves.

Question: Do you wear long pants in the winter time?

George: No, hipsters.

Question: Do you polish your MBE medal?

Ringo: Every week, without fail, we don’t!

Question: How rich are you?

George: Not as rich as Harold Wilson.

Question: Would you be a Beatles fan if you weren’t a Beatle?

John: No!