Press conference in Glasgow

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On this day, The Beatles arrived in Glasgow to perform the first two concerts of their final UK tour. The first show took place at 6:15 pm, followed by a second at 9 pm. Before the opening performance, at around 5:10 pm, they held a press conference.

Paul McCartney was seen wearing an oversized floral-patterned tie he had bought at Harrods a few days earlier, prompting humorous remarks from the other band members and resulting in several playful photographs.

The Beatles also recorded a message for Radio Scotland, a new pirate radio station scheduled to begin broadcasting on December 31, 1965. Present at the event were DJs Cathy Spence and Mike Berry, who briefly interviewed the group. Berry would later pursue a career in music publishing, joining Apple in January 1968, where he eventually became head of Apple Publishing.

Paul has just bought from Harrods an enormous floral-pattern tie about four times the average size. It must be at least ten or twelve inches wide.

Neil Aspinall – From Fabulous208 – June 4, 1966

[…] A big steak, a wash, and then the boys were whisked off to a press conference. It was set for 4:45 p.m., but they’d been told it would start at 4 p.m. The idea was that they’d be late for 4 o’clock – but on time for quarter to five! They actually arrived at the conference at 5:10 p.m. You know how these things are.

Sensation of the press conference? Paul’s massive floral Mod tie, bought at Harrods a few days ago! John clowned about for the photographers, wiping his nose on it and making cracks like “where did he get it? Leased it from Arthur English!“

Even one of the hotel’s chefs was taking pictures at that conference (actually in the theatre), but the boys managed to get away in the end.

At last – backstage – there was time for them to relax as they waited to go on stage. […]

From New Musical Express – December 10, 1965

[…] At a Press conference before the show George Harrison revealed that one of his 14 guitars had fallen from the boot of the Beatles’ car on the A1 between Berwick and Glasgow. He added: “We stopped the car and went back to look for it. It was in little pieces when we found it. I don’t know how much it was insured for. I don’t even know if it was insured — but it was one of my own guitars and I liked it very much.” […]

From Daily Record – December 4, 1965

George Harrison appeared at last night’s show with a hastily borrowed guitar after his own had been run over by a lorry when it fell from the boot of their car on the A1 near Berwick-on-Tweed.  

“My special favorite – -smashed to bits,” he bemoaned at a news conference before the show where the group faced a battery of 30 photographers and pressmen.  He added that when they found the remains of the guitar it, “looked as if it had been run over by about ten lorries.“

“It’s out of tune now,” quipped John Lennon.

From Glasgow Herald – December 4, 1965

I first met the Beatles at 8.30 on Friday, December 3 1965 at the Odeon, Glasgow when I tried to record an interview with them for the soon to open local pirate station Radio Scotland. There was just myself and the four Beatles and I was scared out of my wits to face John Lennon. When asked by George Harrison ‘What’s your first question?’ all I could think to say was, ‘is there any booze around?’ [It broke the ice and descended into Goon-type chaos.]

Mike Berry – Interview with Bill Harry – From Speaking Words of Wisdom – Mersey Beat

Paul’s tie is a ‘screamer’

Just about the loudest thing about the Beatles’ visit to Glasgow last night was Paul McCartney’s tie (above). It ALMOST out-screamed the fans at the Odeon Cinema. There were fantastic scenes and 50 girls had to be helped from the cinema.

• Hundreds Mob Beatles’ Hotel — Centre Pages.

From Daily Record – December 4, 1965