Author: Michael

On April 5th 1964 at Marylebone Station, the opening scenes of A Hard Day’s Night were being filmed. With Paul wearing a disguise on a bench with his “grandfather”, actor Wilfrid Brambell.

Meanwhile John, George and Ringo tried hiding around the station.

The remaining three Beatles were being chased by frenzied fans, with some of the them being paid £7.50 as extras. Many more went unpaid and swelled the numbers considerably.

Check out our Day Tripper Tour https://www.beatlestourslondon.com/beatles-tours/day-tripper-beatles-tour-london/

Filming for A Hard Day’s Night began in March 1964. Many sequences were filmed in and around London. Interior ones being filmed at the wonderful Twickenham Studios. The entire film was shot in black and white, capturing the period perfectly.

There were some crazy scenes involving police chases, the picture above shows some of the cast having a break. The cast included Wilfred Brambell, Victor Spinetti, Norman Rossington and John Junkin amongst others.

George Harrison met Pattie Boyd on the set of A Hard Day’s Night.

1. ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ by The Beatles epitomises how they were living in 1964, reflecting the constant non-stop work ethic they had at the height of Beatlemania. Whilst the track is an eye-opening ditty about the stresses that came with their sharp rise to stardom, it’s the ear-piercing opening chord from George Harrison that gives ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ it’s poetic voluptuousness.

1. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-beatles-hard–days–night-george

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OPEN FOR WALKING TOURS FROM MARCH 29th

We are back open for walking tours from March 29th. At the moment due to restrictions only a maximum of 5 people per tour are allowed. It would be great to see you. Why not visit www.beatlestourslondon.com and book your tour now?

Beatles Tours London offer 3 different tours and gift vouchers at https://www.beatlestourslondon.com/product-category/beatles-tour-details/

Walk the walk with us. You know it makes sense. look forward to seeing you on a tour soon.

Stay safe.

Michael Purvis at your service

George Harrison marries Pattie Boyd, January 21 1966

On this day in 1966, George Harrison married Pattie Boyd at Epsom Registry Office. They had first met while both were filming A Hard Day’s Night in 1964.

As Pattie stated in her book

­’ I bought a Mary Quant pinky-red shot-silk dress, which came to just above the knee, and I wore it with creamy stockings and pointy red shoes. On top, because it was January and cold, I wore a red fox-fur coat, also by Mary Quant, that George gave me. She made George a beautiful black Mongolian lamb coat.

The ceremony took place early in the morning at Epsom register office, in Surrey, not the most glamorous place, and the room was very hot and stuffy. Brian Epstein was there and Paul McCartney, who was George’s best man. Otherwise it was family – my mother, with her cousin Penny Evans, who had been around a lot while I was growing up. Colin, Jenny, Paula, David and Boo, George’s parents and brothers. Uncle John, my mother’s twin brother, gave me away’

Pattie Boyd
Wonderful Tonight

We would like to wish everyone A Happy New Year, 2020 has been very challenging for everyone. The death of Gerry Marsden aged 78, who died yesterday was very sad news.

Much of Gerry and the Pacemakers material was recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Even their very first session in 1963.

Along with The Beatles and many other bands, they were managed by Brian Epstein.

Photoshoot 1963 with other bands under Brian Epstein’s management showing The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers plus Billy J.Kramer and the Dakotas

We hope 2021 is better for everybody. Wishing all Beatles fans A Happy, Healthy and Safe 2021

John Lennon pleads guilty to cannabis possession

Following his arrest the previous month for possession of cannabis, John Lennon appeared at Marylebone Magistrates’ Court, London.

Lennon pleaded guilty, taking sole responsibility in order to protect Yoko Ono whom had recently suffered a miscarriage. He was additionally fearful that if they both fought the charges and lost, Ono may have been deported from the United Kingdom.

During the hearing Lennon’s solicitor, Martin Polden, told the court that Ono had recently lost their baby, which had been a terrible blow to the couple.

The magistrate quashed the charge of obstruction to justice, and fined Lennon £150 plus court costs of 20 guineas. Lennon was also warned that if he was found guilty again of a similar offence he risked a custodial sentence.

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR LAUNCH PARTY LONDON 1967

A very special party was held on the 21st December 1967 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. It was to celebrate the imminent screening of the Magical Mystery Tour on BBC TV.

Fancy dress was the theme. As you can see from above, a plethora of costumes were worn.

It’s no secret that John Lennon was a huge fan of Elvis Presley when he was a teenager. Lennon formed his first band, The Quarrymen, which would later become The Beatles, as a result of his love for Elvis Presley and rock and roll.

“Without Elvis, there would be no Beatles,” John Lennon stated matter-of-factly in a 1980 interview.

OCTOBER 6th 1964 EMI STUDIOS ABBEY ROAD

Recording: Eight Days A Week­

Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith

The Beatles spent the day working on ‘Eight Days A Week’. The song appeared on the UK album Beatles For Sale. At this early stage, however, the group was considering releasing it as their next single.

There were two scheduled recording sessions, from 3-6.45pm and 7-10pm. During the first one they recorded six takes of Eight Days A Week. In this early stage the arrangement was subject to a number of experiments.

By the sixth take The Beatles had an arrangement they were satisfied with. Onto this basic track they added a number of overdubs including double-tracked vocals. They continued work on the song in the second recording session whilst adding new elements in takes numbered 7-13.

Session tapes show that in between takes of the song, John Lennon played around with the guitar riff from ‘I Feel Fine’.

Eight Days A Week is believed to be the first pop song to feature a faded-in introduction. This was added during a mixing session at a later date.

After the recording sessions were over, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr went to London’s Ad Lib club. They spent time with Cilla Black, Mick Jagger and The Ronettes.

Why not walk the walk with us at Abbey Road ?

https://www.abbeyroad.com/

FILM PREMIERE HELP! JULY 29 1965 LONDON PAVILION

July 29th 1965 the Beatles second film Help! had it’s world premiere at the London Pavilion at Piccadilly Circus. The movie poked fun at the British spy film genre made famous by the James Bond films.

Above we can see George signing a fan’s leg plaster at the event.

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Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden even delayed their holiday so the could attend the Premiere. Join us at Beatles Tours London and discover more interesting locations on one of our tours. Why not check out:https://ultimateclassicrock.com/beatles-help-premiere/

BEATLES FOR SALE PHOTO SHOOT HYDE PARK LONDON 1964

The downbeat mood of Beatles for Sale was reflected in the album cover. It shows the unsmiling, weary-looking Beatles^] in an autumn scene in London’s Hyde Par. The cover photograph was taken by Robert Freeman, who recalled that the concept was briefly discussed with Brian Epstein and the Beatles beforehand. He had to produce a colour image of the group shot at “an outside location towards sunset” Music journalist Lois Wilson describes the result as “the very antithesis of the early-’60s pop star.The cover carried no band logo or artist credit, and the album title was rendered in minuscule type compared with standard LP artwork of the time.

Beatles for Sale was the Beatles’ fourth album release in the space of 21 months. Neil Aspinall, the band’s road manager, later reflected: “No band today would come off a long US tour at the end of September, go into the studio and start a new album, still writing songs, and then go on a UK tour, finish the album in five weeks, still touring, and have the album out in time for Christmas. But that’s what the Beatles did at the end of 1964. A lot of it was down to naiveté, thinking that this was the way things were done. If the record company needs another album, you go and make one.” Noting the subdued and melancholy tone of much of the album, producer George Martin recalled: “They were rather war weary during Beatles for Sale. One must remember that they’d been battered like mad throughout 1964, and much of 1963. Success is a wonderful thing but it is very, very tiring”.