Interview with ITV • Wednesday, February 5, 1964

Interview

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Q: “What was the reaction like in France?”

GEORGE: “The audiences were a bit funny, you see. There were more boys than girls, and we missed the good old screams. But you know, there were quite alot of shouts.”

Q: “You mean they actually listened to you? That’s the difference, is it?”

JOHN AND PAUL: “Yeah.”

GEORGE: “Yeah.”

Q: “What’s the French electrical supply like over there?”

PAUL: “It’s good actually. Oh, the equipment’s great. But on the first night, as you may know, we had a bit of trouble. Because we suddenly found there was a radio program just sort of plugging into everything, and it overloaded all the amps and everything. They just went, ‘Boompf!'”

RINGO: “Three times.”

PAUL: “Boompf… Boompf.”

Q: “What’s the sort of stuff they like over there on the Hit Parade?”

PAUL: “Umm, wilder stuff I think. We stuck in a wilder number to finish off with.”

JOHN: (jokingly) “‘Gone With The Wind.'”

PAUL: “Gone With The…” (laughs)

Q: “They go for the Elvis Presley kind of stuff, there, do they? I mean, do they go for the older rock and roll stuff?”

PAUL: “I think so, yeah, a bit more. It depended really who was in.”

Q: (to Ringo) “I hear that you are going to give us some poetry recitals.”

RINGO: “Beethoven’s poems.”

Q: “When’s this? At the City of London Festival?”

RINGO: “Yeah, yeah. (to the others) He knows, you see. It’s a secret! Don’t tell anybody!”

(laughter)

Q: “What poems?”

RINGO: “Beethoven’s. Remember him? Beethoven.”

(laughter)

Q: “Looking forward to this American trip, have you had any reaction over there? Have you got any fan clubs going as we speak?”

RINGO: “Well, there’s one supposed to be started and they’re getting quite a good response, you know. (jokingly) Twelve thousand letters a day!”

(Beatles giggle)

Q: “But the Beatle movement’s going over there?”

RINGO: “Yeah. (jokingly) So you needn’t be a Beatle Booster, folks!”

(laughter)

Q: “I must tell you, by the way, that Detroit University have got a ‘Stamp Out The Beatles’ movement.”

GEORGE: “I know, yeah.”

JOHN: “Yeah, we heard something about that.”

PAUL: “We’ve got a ‘Stamp Out Detroit!'”

(laughter)

Q: “They think your haircuts are un-American.”

JOHN: “Well, it was very observant of them because we aren’t American, actually.”

PAUL: (laughs) “True, that.”

JOHN: “True. True.”