Interview for Melody Maker

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Ray Coleman, a journalist for Melody Maker, attended the Beatles’ recording sessions on February 18, 1965, which saw the recording of “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away,” “If You’ve Got Trouble” and “Tell Me What You See.” He reported on the sessions in the issue of the magazine dated February 27.

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HERE WE GO AGAIN! ‘It’s just like doing your first film… only worse’

THE Beatles regard the success of their first film as a bit of a handicap. They know that with their second, the world will be watching, ready to judge them as acting failures who rode to success with “A Hard Day’s Night” mainly because of their personal magnetism.

They have set themselves such a high standard that it is difficult to match it.

This week, in the Bahamas, they will all approach the first shooting scenes of their second picture with concern.

Ringo, the star of the first Beatles film, summed it up like this:

“It’s just like doing your first one — only worse. People will be watching us and expecting better. We can only do our worst — I mean best.”

“It’s much worse this time,” said John. “Having something to live up to. I suppose if nobody likes it, that’s it.”

Up to last Thursday night, John, George and Ringo had read the script. Paul had not. This was because of his eleventh-hour return from holiday in Tunisia.

“I don’t know a lot about it,” said McCartney. And then, in a send-up with deadpan face: “I believe it’s provisionally titled ‘All Aboard for Fun’.”

As in “A Hard Day’s Night”, Ringo is virtually the focal star in this latest film.

The theme centres on a chase for Ringo’s ring, with the other three Beatles among the chasers.

“I hate the idea of being the central figure again this time,” said Ringo. “I didn’t want to be anything special in the last one, and nor in this one. But I didn’t have any say in it. I suppose if they’d been chasing a boot in the film’s story, it might have been one of the others who had this part.

“But it’s obvious if it’s rings, they choose Ringo. Drag, in a way.”

Wasn’t the drummer delighted at the acclaim he received for his first screen work?

“It didn’t do me any harm. When we made that, people got the idea we could act. But let’s get this sorted out before the new one comes: that one film doesn’t make us actors. We’ll do our best again, and if it works, it’s great. If it doesn’t — then goodbye, Beatle people!”

NOTHING DECIDED

The songs recorded last week — two by George Harrison, the rest by the old firm of Lennon and McCartney — are not necessarily all for the film.

“They haven’t been tailored to the film or anything,” said John. “They’re just songs. If they fit the story and the sequences, some of them will be in. It’s up to the film bosses. Not us. We’ve just concentrated this week on making records.

“There are a couple of obvious songs for the film, at least we think so, but nothing’s been decided. We haven’t written anything with the film in mind.

“If you do that, it restricts the story-line.”

There was a roar of laughter from all four when they were asked if they could remember their parts, or if they knew the complete story.

Ringo’s brief sentence was unprintable.

John, Paul and George looked at each other in disbelief before creasing into laughter.

They should have fun in the Bahamas.

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‘You’ve gone soft in the head’

THE Beatles had just finished a recording and George Harrison was passing round cigarettes. Ringo ran across the floor of Studio Two and leapt up the stairs to talk to recording manager George Martin.

The time was right for the other three to speak privately.

John: “Look, what ARE we going to get him as a bloody wedding present? Let’s get it sorted out right now.”

Paul: “I don’t know what you’re worried about. I’ve brought him back something from Tunisia.”

John: “What?”

Paul: “A silver apple — nice, Arabic thing. Very unusual.”

George: “What’re your game then? You’re sucking up to Ringo a bit, aren’t you?”

John: “What are you after, Paul — a job in Ringo’s group when we give him the push? I reckon somebody should go out tomorrow and buy him and Maureen a bloody big gold clock. The biggest gold clock there is. Didn’t you realise we waited for you to come back from holiday before deciding what to buy him from all of us? Listen, somebody, go out and spend a lot of money on this lovely gold clock. Then we’ll send him a note saying he’s out of the group!”

DISASTER

It was a fairly severe joke, but knife edged jokes are flying all the time at a Beatles recording session. Anyone taking them seriously would wrongly think the Beatles lived on the precipice of real disaster.

The truth is that they revel in that sort of humour. A snipe is meant as a joke. Their personalities are basically so similar that they have an uncanny understanding of each other’s apparent attacks.

By last Thursday night, the world’s biggest pop music phenomena had spent four days at EMI’s recording studios in St. John’s Wood, London.

Their days had begun there at about 2 pm and ended at about 11 pm. They had recorded six Lennon-McCartney songs and two new ones by George Harrison.

“We’re on the way out, John and me,” said Paul. “George is moving in. Him and Ray Davies are taking over. Folks, they are the new headmasters.“

Some of the songs are for the Beatles film which began shooting this week in the Bahamas. Others are for stock. They might have recorded their next single. They are not sure.

“We’ve just been getting plenty of stuff recorded and we’ll decide what to do with it later,” said John Lennon.

The atmosphere at a Beatles record session is unique. The four stars enjoy making records more than anything else. Their dedication is unswerving.

But the laughter flows. Studio Two with the Beatles locked inside is the most entertaining place in the world.

John is dressed in an open-necked pink shirt with navy trousers from his suit. George wears a shabby woollen pullover, even shabbier light blue jeans and a fawn suede jacket. Ringo is in a scarlet shirt and brown slacks. Paul, as immaculate as ever, is dressed almost as for dinner: black pin-striped suit, white shirt, black tie.

At 7 pm, the Beatles are working up to their time for a long-deserved break and food and drink. They are just completing a song which features Ringo singing.

“I wrote it,” says John. “It’s the funniest thing I’ve ever done — listen to the words.“

Ringo was singing something like: “You’ve gone soft in the head,” and Lennon laughed. “I didn’t expect anybody to want to record it,” says Lennon.

Recording manager George Martin, remaining calm despite a frenzied career and a week of keeping the Beatles under control, speaks over the mike: “Right Ringo. That sounded okay. Let’s try it for taping properly now.“

Ringo sings. The song has a slight Bo Diddley beat. It is difficult to hear it properly in the studio. While the red light is on Ringo is singing, Lennon’s smile as he hears his words to the song is enough to harass any singer.

The song ends and the red light is off.

George Martin: “Okay. John and Paul played awfully but Ringo was very good.” He was joking. “Right. Have your food.“

A man appears with trays full of food. Paul eats pork and spinach. John grabs a pint of milk and gulps it quickly. George and Ringo eat chicken sandwiches and Ringo grumbles at road manager Neil Aspinall: “I can afford real chicken, y’know. This looks bloody horrible.“

Aspinall: “But you asked for chicken sandwiches.“

Ringo: “I know. But if this is the best sandwich there is, get me a whole chicken next time. I’ve never seen inflation chicken before tonight.”

He wanders back to his drums muttering and swearing.

George Harrison produces his own private recording of all the songs they have recorded the week. He switches it on. He and Ringo start to dance. Ringo nearly chokes with his chicken sandwich and his spluttered comments don’t bear thinking about.

BEST SOUND

Paul: “He’s never been the same since he got married. Still, I don’t think it will harm his career. It will mature him as a MAN!”

John: “Hey, listen. (Points to recording machine). Hear that play by Paul? He’s been doing quite a bit of lead guitar work this week. Gear. I reckon he’s moving.“

Lennon has also been featured on electric piano, as well as Paul.

“Listen,” says John. “On that one, George and Paul are playing the same break exactly, both playing but in different octaves.“

Paul said he thought that sound was one of the best they had got on record, instrumentally.

John said they were still searching for the ideal sound.

“I don’t know if we’ll ever find it. We still haven’t made the sort of sound we want to, and we don’t even know what we’re after.”

Lennon has made another record with a Bob Dylan influence. He wrote the song.

“Well, it’s not pure Dylan, really,” he says. “Just a folky song which I try to sing in the Dylan style. I don’t want to overdo it, but I like it. Out of the eight songs we’ve done so far, I’ve written three, Paul’s written three, and George has done two. What did I say? George has written TWO? He’ll have to go.”

John talks again of Dylan.

“It’s not easy to write songs like Bob’s. ‘Ere, who’s seen that bloke Donovan on TV?”

George: “I have. All that bit about ‘This Machine Kills’ on his guitar.”

John: “I think I’ll have ‘This Machine Smells’ on mine.”

George Martin reappears and the session restarts. The next two and half hours are productive. Martin is perched on a high chair and the four Beatles are around him, singing lightly and playing acoustic guitars. Martin sings a song with them.

INFLUENCE

It looks rather like a Christmas sing-along with Martin singing the leads. Eventually, they do another run-through. The group tapes the instrumental backing with George forsaking his guitar and getting a comb and paper effect with a drumstick and a piece of wood.

Ringo, who isn’t featured, climbs on the back of Malcolm Evans, their road manager, and they walk off to talk.

The music stops.

George Martin: “Let’s have one more go at the backing, then we’ll record your voices separately. This time, we’ll get it exactly right.”

Paul: “Why — what was exactly wrong?”

Martin: “The tuning sounded wrong. And you, George, should be coming in on the second beat every time instead of every fourth beat.”

Harrison: “Oh, I see.”

The music starts.

Martin: “Stop. Somebody played a wrong note.”

Ringo whistles and looks at Paul.

The red light goes on and this time the music — a lilting song by John — comes off with no hitch.

When it’s over, Lennon shouts to George: “Give us a ciggy QUICK.”

During a lull, they playback their private recording again. “Have you heard George Martin’s orchestral version of ‘I Feel Fine’?” asks John. He and Paul rave about it. “Gear”.

They record the vocal by Lennon and McCartney, and later, they over-record on to the original with Lennon, cigarette between lips, shaking a tambourine and Ringo playing maraccas. “We want the Mexican effect,” says Lennon.

And so the same song went on. they must have tried it half a dozen times before being finally satisfied. And not once did they tire of re-taping it completely or re-starting it halfway through.

At 10 pm, with Paul playing electric piano, John shouted across to road manager Evans:

“I like electric pianos, Mal. Buy me one tomorrow.”

Ringo was by now getting changed, preparing for the Daily Mirror Ball at London’s Albert Hall. He put on his mauve and white striped shirt and sharp black suit and looked splendid. A lady with a trayful of tea embarased him as he changed trousers, and he darted behind a screen. Later, he admitted he had tried to put on his trousers while still wearing boots.

John sang “I’m A Loser” to mark the event.

Paul said it had been an enjoyable night. George said he wanted to go back to Ringo’s flat to get changed for the Mirror Ball. John said he came in his chauffeur-driven Rolls. “Still scared of driving myself.”

George Martin said: “See you tomorrow.” Paul said yes, and could they have a go at a song he thought he’d finished writing a few hours earlier?

Harrison said America was a mad, mad country and he wondered what the scene would be like when they got there “with all the deejays going potty.”

John said he couldn’t care less.

The Beatles fled from Studio Two. A dozen fans outside who had waited since 7 pm, were rewarded with a glimpse.

Inside, on the floor of the studio, lay a torn yellow envelope which had contained a wedding congratulation cable from an American fan.

Ringo spoke of that cable as he left. “See — they still care…”

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