This conversation with the Beatles finds them returning to London following a successful tour of France. This chat was just days before the unprecedented hysteria of their first American visit.
Q: "What was the reaction like in France?"
George: "The audiences were a bit funny, you see. There were more boys than girls, and we missed the good old screams. But you know, there were quite alot of shouts."
Q: "You mean they actually listened to you? That's the difference, is it?"
John and Paul: "Yeah."
George: "Yeah."
Q: "What's the French electrical supply like over there?"
Paul: "It's good actually. Oh, the equipment's great. But on the first night, as you may know, we had a bit of trouble. Because we suddenly found there was a radio program just sort of plugging into everything, and it overloaded all the amps and everything. They just went, 'Boompf!'"
Ringo: "Three times."
Paul: "Boompf... Boompf."
Q: "What's the sort of stuff they like over there on the Hit Parade?"
Paul: "Umm, wilder stuff I think. We stuck in a wilder number to finish off with."
John: (jokingly) "'Gone With The Wind.'"
Paul: "Gone With The..." (laughs)
Q: "They go for the Elvis Presley kind of stuff, there, do they? I mean, do they go for the older rock and roll stuff?"
Paul: "I think so, yeah, a bit more. It depended really who was in."
Q: (to Ringo) "I hear that you are going to give us some poetry recitals."
Ringo: "Beethoven's poems."
Q: "When's this? At the City of London Festival?"
Ringo: "Yeah, yeah. (to the others) He knows, you see. It's a secret! Don't tell anybody!"
(laughter)
Q: "What poems?"
Ringo: "Beethoven's. Remember him? Beethoven."
(laughter)
Q: "Looking forward to this American trip, have you had any reaction over there? Have you got any fan clubs going as we speak?"
Ringo: "Well, there's one supposed to be started and they're getting quite a good response, you know. (jokingly) Twelve thousand letters a day!"
(Beatles giggle)
Q: "But the Beatle movement's going over there?"
Ringo: "Yeah. (jokingly) So you needn't be a Beatle Booster, folks!"
(laughter)
Q: "I must tell you, by the way, that Detroit University have got a 'Stamp Out The Beatles' movement."
George: "I know, yeah."
John: "Yeah, we heard something about that."
Paul: "We've got a 'Stamp Out Detroit!'"
(laughter)
Q: "They think your haircuts are un-American."
John: "Well, it was very observant of them because we aren't American, actually."
Paul: (laughs) "True, that."
John: "True. True."
Source: Video copy of the original film footage
