Interview for Melody Maker

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On May 13, 1965, The Beatles travelled from London to Salzburg, Austria, to film sequences for their second feature film, “Help!“ Music journalist Ray Coleman accompanied them on the flight and interviewed the group during the journey.

WHEN the Beatles flew across America last year someone prophesied that their plane would crash. No similar predictions have been made since. But the Beatles remember it well.

As their charter plane flew from London to Saltzburg last Saturday Paul McCartney talked about it.

“We were very worried,” he said. “I remember we didn’t talk too much during the flight and we all wore St. Christopher medals. We took it very seriously because everybody was talking about it and frightening us. There is only one thing to do—we had some drinks and forgot it.”

The Beatles don’t enjoy flying, but tolerate it. Only George really hates it and that is mainly when the flight is first thing in the morning. “My stomach somersaults,” he said. Last Saturday the huge fan scenes at London airport were a boost to Beatle morale. “Misery until you come home,” said a fans banner.

Ringo says as the plane flew out:

“It’s marvellous. We never expected this sort of thing all the time but when it does happen it’s a knock-out. It shows the fans are still with us.”

The Beatles sit in their cabin at the rear of the plane. John sits next to Cynthia, Ringo beside Maureen. Paul and George sing. They eat, drink and smoke heavily. Lennon drinks brandy.

“They’ve run out of wine on this bloody aeroplane” he says. “And somebody told me to just drink wine because it keeps the weight down. So wine is my drink now.”

Said a hostess: “We had wine here Mr Lennon, but you drunk it all.” John: “That’s a lie (Irish accent) a dirty rotten.” He moves to Paul’s table an they talk music.

“There’s a new record out,” says McCartney “by an American girl called Little Esther Phillips. It’s ‘And I Love Him’. Best version of anything of ours I have ever heard.”

John says:

” ‘Ere, do you remember when you used to sing this in the old days, Paul?”

He launches into a shattering falsetto vocal of “He’s In Town”. Paul nods. Lennon is wearing a shabby suede jacket and brown jeans.

“What do you mean it’s a weird jacket? It’s me ‘Please Please Me’ celebration coat. Bought it to celebrate our first hit.”

Paul and John are singing “Blue Moon” like the Marcels used to. Ringo’s face cringes. The pilot comes over the intercom and Ringo says “This is your captain bailing out.” An Irish hostess tells Paul she thinks “She’s A Woman” is the best record ever made. The Beatle tells her: “You have taste.“

John, Ringo and Paul spend a lot of the two-hour flight talking about their new single.

“The worst thing about flying” says Paul “is taking off and landing.”

As he says it was time to fasten seat belts for the Saltzburg arrival. “Hey, all that snow and mountains,” says Ringo. “Do people live here?” Plane lands. “Marvellous landing,” says Paul. “No such thing,” says George. The crowds are at the airport to cheer them off the plane. Cameras, journalists, autograph hunters, V.I.P. cars. They are whisked away to a press conference in the city before the long drive to the mountains.

“Why are the press so soft on the continent,” asks Ringo. “They push and shove and argue and in the end nobody gets anywhere.”

Another flight and big reception is over. Beatlemania remains international.