50th Blog

Cafe-Restaurant Treslong, Vosselaan, Hillegom, The Netherlands

The Beatle's first duty in Holland following their 1:00 pm arrival and press conference at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, was to tape a performance for VARA-t, one of the group's best television appearances of all. For this they were driven south, to the town of Hillegom, near Haarlem, arriving around 4:00 pm at this restaurant with theatre facilities often hired by TV companies. Rehearsals began at 5:30 and recording at 8:00.

The program fell into two distinct sections. In the first part, members of the 150-person audience put some questions to Herman Stok, who was seated among them. Stok then fed the questions by microphone/headphone to Berend Boudewijn, seated in the theatre's bar area with the Beatles, Boudewijn translated them into English and the group responded.

The second part was a music performance - the Beatles miming to EMI recordings but adding new vocals on top if they felt like doing so because the microphones were left open. (Their guitars were also plugged in, but no amplifiers nor new sounds were evident). They began with "Twist And Shout" then followed with "All My Loving" and "Roll Over Beethoven". During the next number, "Long Tall Sally", dancing members of the audience began to encroach onto the stage, they got even closer during "She Loves You" and by the time John, Paul and George began "Can't Buy Me Love" they were completely engulfed. Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall and Derek Taylor came on to clear the area but, being unable to do so, Neil directed the three Beatles to leave the stage. Meanwhile, because they were miming, the music continued in their absence, only Jimm Nicol remaining behind, seemingly determined to fulfil his job as the Beatle's temporary drummer even though the others had left.

The Beatles Complete Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

KB Hallen, Peter Bangsvej, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark

Two shows (at 6:00 and 9:30 pm), each seen by 4400 people, kicked-off the Beatle's 27-day world tour, which spanned Denmark, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. For the first five dates, Copenhagen through to Adelaide, Jimmy Nicol replaced Ringo Starr.

For the two Copenhagen "houses", and the following ten dates until they reached Wellington, their repertoire comprised "I Saw Her Standing There", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "You Can't Do That", "All My Loving", "She Loves You", "Till There Was You", "All My Loving", "She Loves You", "Till There Was You", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Can't Buy Me Love", "This Boy", and "Long Tall Sally".

With the Beatles out of the country (except for Ringo, that is, who remained behind in a London hospital), George Martin and balance engineer Norman Smith were left with the task of completing the group's batch of recent recordings.

The Beatles Complete Chronicle- ML

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

The Beatle's work at EMI Studios on this date can be separated into two distinct sections: 3:00-4:00 pm rehearsing and 5:30-9:30 pm recording.

The afternoon rehearsal, which was not taped, replaced a pre-booked 2:30-5:30 recording session and was swiftly arranged by Brian Epstein to familarize session drummer Jimmy Nicol with the Beatles and their material. Just a few hours earlier, Nicol had been pottering around his home in Barnes, west London, when a telephone call came through from George Martin, on behalf of Epstein, inviting him to become a temporary Beatle. Ringo had been taken ill during a photo session that monring and since he was now in the hospital it was clear that he wouldn't be going out on tour with the Beatles the following morning. With some urgency, Nicol was recruited as his temporary replacement.

So, Nicol went to EMI where, instead of recording, the three remaining Beatles ran him through a half-dozen songs in their present stage routine - "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "She Loves You", "I saw her standing there", "This Boy", later, John, Paul, George and Jimmy were on stage in Copenhagen, giving their first concert.

When Nicol left the studio, John, Paul and George remained behind to do some recording (documentary evidence that this session took place, and it's details, only came to light in 1991). In Ringo's absence, each of the three took the opportunity to tape simple demo versions of recent compositions. The resulting tapes were taken away either by the composers or by their music publisher Dick James, for they were deposited in the Abbey Road tape library, not then nor any time since.

George began the 5:30 to 9:30 pm session, recording a demo of a song entitled, "You'll Know What To Do"? Paul followed, taping a demo of a revised arrangement of "It's For You", in order that he could give Cilla Black for her exclusive release. The third demo was made by John, of new composition "No Reply". This would be issued later in the year on the album Beatles For Sale. John made this demo because he donated first use of his song to fellow NEMS artist Tommy Quickly, for release by him as a single. Towards 9:30 pm, John, Paul and George returned to EMI four-track recording, taping overdubs onto "Any Time At All" and "Things We Said Today".

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

Two more sessions, each running 15 minutes over the booked times of 10:00 am-1:00 pm and 2:30-5:30 pm. Songs taped this time were John's "Any Time at All" and "When I Get Home" (11 takes each) and Paul's "Things We Said Today" (3 takes), all for the second side of the album, A Hard Day's Night.

The Beatles Complete Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

The film completed, and holidays taken, the Beatles returned to EMI Studios for three days to record the non-soundtrack side of the LP A Hard Day's Night, any surplus songs being set aside for an EP, Long Tall Sally, with that title song and "I Call Your Name" already in the can.

They worked this day fro 2:30 to 7:15 and 8:00-11:15 pm first recording five takes of "Matchbox" (released on the EP) and then tackling "I'll Cry Instead" (the LP), taped in two sections with six takes of the first and two of the second recorded for later editing, six takes  of "Slow Down" (for the EP) and 16 of "I'll Be Back" (LP)

Visiting the afternoon session, and watching the Beatles record a cover of "Matchbox", his original recording, was Carl Perkins, one of the biggest influences on the group, who was over from America on a promoted tour.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Prince of Wales Theatre, London

A return visit to the scene of their Royal Variety Show triumph the previous November 4th. This concert was the fifth in a series of seven consecutive "Pops Alive!" Sunday night pop shows at this theatre promoted by Brian Epstein. There were six support acts for each of the two "houses" this evening: Kenny Lynch, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, the Vernon Girls, the Lorne Gibson Trio, the Chants and the Harlems.

The Beatles repertoire comprised "Can't buy me love", "All my loving", "This boy", "Roll over Beethoven", "Till there was you", "Twist and Shout", and "Long tall Sally".

The Complete Beatles Chronicle, Mark Lewisohn

The Beatles finishing their last day of Holiday, meanwhile `Can't Buy Me Love', 9th and last week in the Top 30 (Billboard). `Love Me Do' number 1, 1st week (Billboard).

Brian buys 5 copies of `Ain't She Sweet' at a West End record store.

While the Beatles are on vacation, UK single releases: `Ain't She Sweet'/`If You Love Me Baby'. UK single releases: `Nobody I Know', with Peter and Gordon.

The Beatles enjoying their holiday abroad.

The Beatles on vacation and `With The Beatles',  on the 27th week in the Top 30 (UK New Musical Express chart).

Party thrown by Brian to celebrate Cilla Black's birthday, at his Knightsbridge apartment. His gift to her is an Austrian luggage set.