On September 18th 1967, the Beatles visited Soho to film a scene for The Magical Mystery Tour.
It was the second week of filming for the Magical Mystery Tour television special. It began with a visit to the Raymond Revuebar strip club in London’s Soho.
The Beatles and other passengers from the coach trip were filmed watching Jan Carson’s topless strip. The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band were performing Death Cab For Cutie.
In the final edit, a ‘Censored’ sign was superimposed to obscure Carson’s bare breasts. The Beatles knew that, had they failed to do so, the BBC and other broadcasting companies would have cut the entire scene.
Jan Carson was a stripper who worked for Paul Raymond during the 1960s at his famous Revuebar in London.
On July, 28, 1968, during the recording of “The White Album,” the Beatles spent the day tearing around London to shoot some publicity photographs, in particular for the cover of “Life” magazine. That day became known as the “Mad Day Out.”
The Beatles attracted hoards of fans wherever they went, so the entourage had to keep moving on to new locations, leading to a frenetic shooting schedule. Paul McCartney had originally asked Don McCullin to shoot that day, but five other photographers also showed up. Rounding out the party was Yoko Ono, Francie Schwartz, and Gary Evans, Mal’s six-year-old son.
The “Mad Day Out” photo session appears to be all fun and frolics, but considered against the background of the Beatles’ lives and careers at the time, some of the images take on a whole new meaning. The band was in the middle of recording “The White Album” at Abbey Road Studios, a recording notoriously fraught with tension and dissent. They were also launching their new corporation, Apple Corps, which was a great source of stress for all concerned.
Previous recording sessions had been off-limits to outsiders, but “The White Album” sessions saw the attendance and influence of Yoko Ono, as well as the presence of McCartney’s girlfriend at the time, Francie Schwartz. The sessions became unfocused, with different band members recording in different studios. The tension culminated in Ringo Starr leaving the band on August 22nd, returning two weeks later after pleas from the others.
WEST HAMPSTEAD, 1965 AND SOME CRAZY PHOTOSHOOTS OCCURRED
Towards the end of 1965, in West Hampstead, London, the Beatles participated in a photo shoot. Photographer Robert Whitaker had prepared an elaborate set. It comprised of mirrors, silver foil, polythene sheets and polystyrene. Assisting Robert in the session were Stuart Brisley and theatre designer Carol Russell.
A photograph from the session served as the cover of the BritIsh EP Yesterday which was released on March 4th 1966. It was a very convenient location for The Beatles as it was in London near Abbey Road Studios.
Nine days prior to its world première, three of The Beatles attended a press screening of Yellow Submarine. It took place at the 102-seat Bowater House Cinema in Knightsbridge, London.
Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all attended the screening. John Lennon’s absence was compensated by a cardboard version of his cartoon incarnation. The rest of the group posed alongside for photographers.
It was the first time any of the group had seen the finished film. Afterwards they gave interviews and were photographed. Footage was broadcast by BBC and ITV news.
George Harrison told reporters that, following the critical drubbing that Magical Mystery Tour received. They would henceforth only appear in animations. He also dodged a question about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.Paul McCartney stepped in, calling the episode “a phase,” and saying “we don’t go out with him anymore”.
The world première of A Hard Day’s Night took place on6 July 1964. The Beatles’ first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night, had its première at the London Pavilion. The première was attended by The Beatles and their wives and girlfriends, and a host of important guests including Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon.
Nearby Piccadilly Circus was closed to traffic as 12,000 fans jostled for a glimpse of the group.
” I remember Piccadilly being completely filled. We thought we would just show up in our limo, but it couldn’t get through for all the people. It wasn’t frightening – we never seemed to get worried by crowds. It always appeared to be a friendly crowd; there never seemed to be a violent face. ” Paul McCartney Anthology
It was a charity event held in support of the Variety Club Heart Fund and the Docklands Settlements, and the most expensive tickets cost 15 guineas (£15.75).
After the screening The Beatles, the royal party and other guests including The Rolling Stones enjoyed a champagne supper party at the Dorchester Hotel, after which some of them adjourned to the Ad Lib Club until the early hours of the morning.
John Lennon and George Harrison took part in an interview with David Frost for The Frost Programme. It was recorded before a studio audience between 6pm and 7pm at Studio One at Wembley Studios in London.
Lennon: “Buddha was a groove, Jesus was all right.”
Harrison: “I believe in reincarnation. Life and death are still only relative to thought. I believe in rebirth. You keep coming back until you have got it straight. The ultimate thing is to manifest divinity, and become one with The Creator.”
The interview was shown on the ITV network from 10.30-11.15pm on September 29th. The programme also featured an interview with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which had been recorded earlier in the day at London Airport.
Lennon and Harrison gave a second interview to The Frost Programme on 4 October 1967, when once again they discussed Transcendental Meditation
WITH JANE ASHER AND PATTIE BOYD MEETING THE MAHARISHI 1967
31 August 1967 – UK, London – with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi after the Beatles returned earlier than planned from Bangor, Wales. After the sudden death of Brian Epstein, a special evening meditation was held London. It took place at the home of one of Maharishi’s followers for the Beatles’ party. He then met with the Beatles again to comfort them after their loss and continue their instruction in meditation. Philip Townsend was the only photographer allowed access on this occasion. Shown left to right in a living room somewhere in London: Paul McCartney, Jane Asher and Pattie Boyd, listening to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Photo by Philip Townsend
Sir James Paul McCartney CH MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and record and film producer who gained worldwide fame as co-lead vocalist and bassist for the Beatles. His songwriting partnership with John Lennon remains the most successful in history. After the group disbanded in 1970, he pursued a solo career and formed the band Wings with his first wife, Linda, and Denny Laine
Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney has had further success with Wings and as a solo artist, earning a knighthood in 1997 for services to music. His first wife Linda died of cancer, and his second marriage to Heather Mills ended in a bitter divorce. He married Nancy Shevell in 2011.
ON THIS DAY 1963 PICTURED AT BBC MAIDA VALE STUDIOS LONDON
The BBC Maida Vale Studios in London were hosts to the Beatles on 17th June 1963. Pictured above in the canteen, this was the Fab Fours first ever visit. They were recording an edition of ‘Pop Go The Beatles’ for the BBC Light Programme.
The Beatles arrived at 10.30am, and rehearsed and recorded six songs: I Saw Her Standing There, Anna (Go To Him), Boys, Chains, PS I Love You and Twist And Shout.
BBC MAIDA VALE STUDIOS TODAY
This half-hour fourth edition of Pop Go The Beatles was first broadcast on Tuesday 25 June 1963 from 5pm. The guests were The Batchelors.
Afterwards the group ate in the BBC staff restaurant, accompanied by photographer Dezo Hoffman, who had taken a number of pictures during the session. They all then went outside the studio to Delaware Road for a separate photo session, before The Beatles returned to Liverpool. The following day would be Paul McCartney’s twenty first birthday.
Why not check out more at www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/buildings/maida-vale
Working on ‘Fool on the Hill’, September 1967, EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
Paul McCartney had taped a demo of ‘The Fool On The Hill’ on 6 September 1967. During this evening’s recording session The Beatles began proper work on the song.The Beatles recorded it in Studio Two at EMI Studios in London.
Three takes of the backing track were recorded . By the close of the session The Fool On The Hill featured two pianos, drums, acoustic guitar, recorders and lead vocals.
A reduction mix numbered take four, was also made. The end of the session finally drew to a close at 3am.
Also present at the session were two Japanese journalists: reporter Rumiko Hoshika and photographer Koh Hasebe from the magazine Music Life. A number of photographs of The Beatles at work were subsequently published. Rehearsals of the song and interviews were also recorded.
Magical Mystery Tour was released in the UK on December 8th 1967 as a double EP. Six songs were on it and track listings were as follows:
Magical Mystery Tour
The Fool On The Hill
Flying
Blue Jay Way
Your Mother Should Know
I Am The Walrus
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