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The afternoon Beatles concert on July 2nd
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The Beatles in concert in the evening of July 2nd
From what I can tell (and I know you all will correct me if I am wrong), the evening concert in Tokyo was the first time John Lennon wore glasses on stage during a concert. I have seen him in glasses during rehearsals for TV shows and he wore glasses during the NME awards in May of 1966, but that wasn't a full concert. It is easy to date these photos because you just have to look for the ones with John in the glasses.
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Sayōnara Japan!
The Beatles boarded their plane in Tokyo and waved goodbye. Of course all four the Beatles would return to Japan at one time or another after 1966, but it would be a long time before that return.
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Stop over in Hong Kong
The Beatles landed for a little over an hour in Hong Kong to refuel. They got out of the plane and conducted some interviews while they were there.
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The beginning of the Manila trip
As Beatle fans we know quite a bit about the Beatles terrible experience in Manila, but a lot of what exactly happened there is clouded in half-truths and mystery. I have been reading a lot of interviews and news stories to piece together what happened.
The Beatles arrived at the Manila International Airport on July 3, 1966. There were well over 1,000 fans waiting to great them, but they didn't get to see them because the Beatles' plane did not land close to the fans.
As soon as they stepped off the plane, they faced a problem in Manila. As you will notice in just about any photograph of the Beatles on the steps of an airplane, each guy has his own briefcase. Inside of that brief case was personal items as well as marijuana. The way things typically worked was that the Beatles exited the plane and get right into the waiting car that would take them to the hotel or venue. They would have those brief cases with them in the car while the entourage would go inside the airport and go through customs. No one would ever examine the cases. But things were different in Manila. As soon as they stepped onto the stairwell, Atty. Salvador Mascardo demanded that they hand over their bags.
Meanwhile disappointed fans were chasing after the Beatles' limo---some got close enough to kiss the car they were in.
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Manila Press Conference
Many people claim that the Beatles never gave a press conference in Manila. But they did. It was at the Philippine Navy headquarters and it sounds from what I have read that it wasn't too much different than any other Beatles press conference from 1966.
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When photographers were taking the Beatles photos before the press conference started, John tried to make them laugh by yelling out "Woof Woof." While Ringo danced around saying, "shall we dance?"
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| This small photo is the only one I can find from the photo shoot before the press conference that day. |
They were asked about being far away from the fans when they exited the plane and they claimed that they weren't hiding from the fans, but instead the fans were hiding from them. Some of the questions the Beatles were asked included: "Would you be as popular without your long hair? When did you last get a haircut? how much tax do you pay? How do you solve the Vietnam War?" For that question, George answered, "Give it back to whoever deserves it."
They were asked about the name of their latest song and one of them said, "Philippine Blues." One reporter asked John what he meant by the word 'Spaniard' in the title of his latest book. John asked her, "Have you read it?" And she responded no and John told her, "Then read it."
One newspaper stated that "John Lennon peered over his arrogant nose at the crowd." And someone else said that he liked Ringo the best because "He gave serious answers and was respectful. But his taste of clothes is atrocious. He wore a maroon jacket with white stripes, foulard shirt and pants and shoes that defy description."
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Beatles on a boat
Here is where the Manila story gets a bit confusing. After the press conference, the Beatles were taken to the Marima yacht on the Manila Bay , which was to be their hotel for the night. Supposedly rooms were booked at the Manila Hilton just to throw off fans and the Beatles were supposed to know all about the plans of spending the night on a boat.
Some reports state that the Beatles were taken there without Brian Epstein or anyone else in their entourage allowed on board. But that can't be true because he played a big part in this part of the story plus he is seen in at least one photo from the boat.
So the Beatles get on the boat and all goes pretty well at first. There were reporters on the dock that wanted to take photos of the Beatles through the windows of the boat, which made Brian made and he yelled at them "No photos!" So there are very few photos of them from this event.
The only people on the boat besides the crew were two children of don Manolo and a beauty queen. The newspapers reported that the Beatles relaxed and listened to Indian music on cassette tapes. They had a meal of fried chicken, filet mignon, mashed potatoes, carrots and sweet peas and there was plenty of Scotch and Coke to drink.
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But things became uncomfortable. It was unbearably hot and the mosquitoes were out and biting. Plus the Beatles were uncomfortable and a bit frightened by the police holding guns that were guarded them. There was also some report of at least one of the guys feeling sea-sickness.
It was reported that Brian Epstein was unhappy with the whole thing from the start and wanted to stay at the hotel. A group of 18 young people boarded the boat uninvited and stayed to talk to the Beatles. Reportedly, this didn't bother the four guys, but pushed Brian over the edge.
The Beatles soon figured out that they were expect to spend the night on the boat and stay there until one hour before the concert the next day. They said that they needed more than just an hour to prepare their stage clothing and instruments for the concert and could not stay on the yacht. Did the Beatles really need more than a hour? I wouldn't think so, but I am sure that they felt trapped on that boat and thought it was nice enough for an evening, but not all night and most of the next day.
Brian got on the ship-to-shore phone and spoke with Vic Lewis (promoter) and yelled at him "We're not staying one minute longer on this bloody boat! There's absolutely nothing to do and we do not want to spend anym more time on this ghastly little yacht!"
By the time the guys made it to the Manila Hilton Hotel, it was 4am.
Some reports state that the Beatles were taken there without Brian Epstein or anyone else in their entourage allowed on board. But that can't be true because he played a big part in this part of the story plus he is seen in at least one photo from the boat.
So the Beatles get on the boat and all goes pretty well at first. There were reporters on the dock that wanted to take photos of the Beatles through the windows of the boat, which made Brian made and he yelled at them "No photos!" So there are very few photos of them from this event.
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| Brian looks like he will start yelling at the camera man soon |
The only people on the boat besides the crew were two children of don Manolo and a beauty queen. The newspapers reported that the Beatles relaxed and listened to Indian music on cassette tapes. They had a meal of fried chicken, filet mignon, mashed potatoes, carrots and sweet peas and there was plenty of Scotch and Coke to drink.
But things became uncomfortable. It was unbearably hot and the mosquitoes were out and biting. Plus the Beatles were uncomfortable and a bit frightened by the police holding guns that were guarded them. There was also some report of at least one of the guys feeling sea-sickness.
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| does this look like a guy that is having a fun time on a boat? |
It was reported that Brian Epstein was unhappy with the whole thing from the start and wanted to stay at the hotel. A group of 18 young people boarded the boat uninvited and stayed to talk to the Beatles. Reportedly, this didn't bother the four guys, but pushed Brian over the edge.
The Beatles soon figured out that they were expect to spend the night on the boat and stay there until one hour before the concert the next day. They said that they needed more than just an hour to prepare their stage clothing and instruments for the concert and could not stay on the yacht. Did the Beatles really need more than a hour? I wouldn't think so, but I am sure that they felt trapped on that boat and thought it was nice enough for an evening, but not all night and most of the next day.
Brian got on the ship-to-shore phone and spoke with Vic Lewis (promoter) and yelled at him "We're not staying one minute longer on this bloody boat! There's absolutely nothing to do and we do not want to spend anym more time on this ghastly little yacht!"
By the time the guys made it to the Manila Hilton Hotel, it was 4am.
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The Thriller in Manila
When we left our four favorite guys, it was 4am and they were getting settled into their suits with six adjoining rooms at the Manila Hilton. Ringo, John and George went straight to sleep, but Paul and Neil got into a car and drove around the financial district of Manila. Paul recalls that on one side of the street it was like Wall Street and the other had squallers.
What the Beatles weren't aware of was that while they were in Japan, Ramon Ramos Jr., the promoter of the Manila concert had sent a telegram to Tony Barrow inviting them to a reception at the Palace with the Marcos family as well as various friends and family of the presidential family plus numerous children. It seems like no one wants to take the blame for the miscommunication, but what I believe is that Tony read it and ignored it, as the Beatles frequently get invitations to these sort of things.
So while the Beatles were sleeping, people were gathering at the Palace, expecting to have a meal with the Beatles at 11am. Reportedly, the first Brian Epstein knew about this was when he was having coffee with Peter Brown (really--he was there???) at the hotel coffee shop and Vic Lewis (who involved in the tour) asked Brian what time the Beatles were going to leave for the palace. Brian didn't know anything about it and said that the Beatles weren't going to attend because they needed to sleep and they don't do those sort of functions.
The Ambassador to the Philippines then called Brian at his hotel room and advised him that it was in the Beatles best interest to attend the luncheon and he best not insult the royal family as they were the ones that provided the police security for the lads. But Brian didn't change his mind and told him, no.
The guys must have woke up around 10:55a.m. because when they turned on the television in the suit, they saw news reports about how they hadn't arrived to the luncheon and they sat there and watched themselves not arrive. The camera zoomed in on the empty plates and sad faces of the children. All the while, police were banging on the door of the suit yelling for the Beatles to come out. They were most likely scared and stayed in their rooms, or perhaps Brian had called them and said that he had taken care of it and not to be concerned. Paul was under the impression at that point that Brian would apologize on their behalf and all would be fine.
So as they left the hotel to do two of the largest concerts they ever did, they had no idea that at the palace kids were saying things such as, "I'd like to pounce on the Beatles and cut off their hair! Don't anybody dare me to do anything because I'll do it!" And "there is only one song I like for the Beatles, and it's Run for your life."
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What the Beatles weren't aware of was that while they were in Japan, Ramon Ramos Jr., the promoter of the Manila concert had sent a telegram to Tony Barrow inviting them to a reception at the Palace with the Marcos family as well as various friends and family of the presidential family plus numerous children. It seems like no one wants to take the blame for the miscommunication, but what I believe is that Tony read it and ignored it, as the Beatles frequently get invitations to these sort of things.
So while the Beatles were sleeping, people were gathering at the Palace, expecting to have a meal with the Beatles at 11am. Reportedly, the first Brian Epstein knew about this was when he was having coffee with Peter Brown (really--he was there???) at the hotel coffee shop and Vic Lewis (who involved in the tour) asked Brian what time the Beatles were going to leave for the palace. Brian didn't know anything about it and said that the Beatles weren't going to attend because they needed to sleep and they don't do those sort of functions.
The Ambassador to the Philippines then called Brian at his hotel room and advised him that it was in the Beatles best interest to attend the luncheon and he best not insult the royal family as they were the ones that provided the police security for the lads. But Brian didn't change his mind and told him, no.
The guys must have woke up around 10:55a.m. because when they turned on the television in the suit, they saw news reports about how they hadn't arrived to the luncheon and they sat there and watched themselves not arrive. The camera zoomed in on the empty plates and sad faces of the children. All the while, police were banging on the door of the suit yelling for the Beatles to come out. They were most likely scared and stayed in their rooms, or perhaps Brian had called them and said that he had taken care of it and not to be concerned. Paul was under the impression at that point that Brian would apologize on their behalf and all would be fine.
So as they left the hotel to do two of the largest concerts they ever did, they had no idea that at the palace kids were saying things such as, "I'd like to pounce on the Beatles and cut off their hair! Don't anybody dare me to do anything because I'll do it!" And "there is only one song I like for the Beatles, and it's Run for your life."
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The 4pm concert in Manila
The Beatles made it to the Rizal Stadium by 4pm for the first of two performances on July 4, 1966. 35,000 fans were waiting outside, including Danee Samonte who recalled in 2011,
As many as 50,000 fans were inside the stadium that afternoon and of course they had to make it through the opening acts and there were seven of them! Reports show that the Beatles also weren't interested in these acts, as they turned off the sound on the backstage speakers. One of the groups, The Reycards, was a comedy act and Paul asked someone why the audience was laughing. He was told that they did comedy and song like music hall entertainment and Paul was not too impressed.
Finally the Beatles came out and performed in the heat for 30 minutes for fans that were excited to see them appear.
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I was there but outside the stadium grounds because I couldn’t afford the P20 entrance to the concert. I contented myself with the faint inaudible sound of The Beatles drowned by hysterical screams of the fans.
As many as 50,000 fans were inside the stadium that afternoon and of course they had to make it through the opening acts and there were seven of them! Reports show that the Beatles also weren't interested in these acts, as they turned off the sound on the backstage speakers. One of the groups, The Reycards, was a comedy act and Paul asked someone why the audience was laughing. He was told that they did comedy and song like music hall entertainment and Paul was not too impressed.
Finally the Beatles came out and performed in the heat for 30 minutes for fans that were excited to see them appear.
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The blip
After that first concert, Tony Barrow felt like he had seen enough. He witnessed uniformed police with wooden batons beating fans who were standing behind a fence to see the Beatles. They weren't hurting anything, just standing there watching and Tony could not stand to see these kids knuckles get hit so he decided to go back to the Manila Hotel instead of staying for the 2nd show.
He got to his room and turned on the TV and it was then that he realized that the Beatles not going to that luncheon at the palace was a big deal. Imelda Marcos was on the television saying all sorts of terrible things about the Beatles not showing up that afternoon. Trying to fix things, Barrow contacted the television station that was going to show a half-hour show about the Beatles concerts later that week and asked if they would broadcast an official statement from the Beatles. They agreed and so he wrote a statement for Brian Epstein to read on the air.
Mysteriously, when Brian got to the station and read the statement, there was a "blip"in the sound and the Filipino community did not get to hear what the Beatles' manager had to say.
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He got to his room and turned on the TV and it was then that he realized that the Beatles not going to that luncheon at the palace was a big deal. Imelda Marcos was on the television saying all sorts of terrible things about the Beatles not showing up that afternoon. Trying to fix things, Barrow contacted the television station that was going to show a half-hour show about the Beatles concerts later that week and asked if they would broadcast an official statement from the Beatles. They agreed and so he wrote a statement for Brian Epstein to read on the air.
Mysteriously, when Brian got to the station and read the statement, there was a "blip"in the sound and the Filipino community did not get to hear what the Beatles' manager had to say.
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The Fans in Manila
As you would expect, the Beatle fans in Manila were just as excited about seeing the Beatles in concert as any other Beatle fans around the globe. The fact that the Beatles didn't show up for some lunch at the palace didn't mean much to them, as they were just anxious to see the Fab 4 in person. In Manila before the Beatles came, Help! was being shown at the local movie theater. And you can see the excitement on their faces and the pure Beatlemania in these photos.
One fan, Marra Lanot wrote this about seeing the Beatles during the afternoon show:
What was it like hearing The Beatles in person? Hearing? You couldn’t hear a word or a note, what with all the screaming and clapping and “I love you” thrown at John, Paul, George, and Ringo!
What was clear was that John especially was intently listening to the sound system and shouted with concern to the audience: “Could you hear me back there?!” Of course, the audience’s reply was unclear, whether it was a Yes or a No.
But who cared? What was important was The Beatles were there IN PERSON! They wore striped light-gray suits, they were singing, talking, looking at us. They were human, not just some cardboard representations of the world icons that they still are. And they were in Manila!
Being an avid fan of the Beatles, I had bought two tickets maybe just two weeks or so before their performance. The tickets were naturally quite expensive, and so I got seats somewhere in the middle.
The concert was at 4 pm, July 4, 1966, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium. Days later, I found out my best friend was seated in the front row, and she told me how she wanted to run to the stage but didn’t because she was with her Maryknoll friends who sat prim and proper. How I envied her. Had she known I was there, she said, she would have dragged me to the front row and pulled me to the stage. As if that was an easy thing to do. So, there I was like all the others, standing on my chair, watching The Beatles as well as the audience who listened and not listened at the same time.
Pilita Corrales was front act, and much as I admired Pilita as a singer, I was so impatient for The Beatles to appear. When they finally did, my jaw dropped and for a moment I was so still, as I usually am when initially stunned or flummoxed. Then, they sang songs from their then-new album Rubber Soul, which I had memorized
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Another concert that night
As is typical of Beatles concert, not much was written about the evening Beatles concert in Manila. We know that another 50,000 fans were there---maybe more. Meaning that in one day the Beatles performed for 100,000 people! That is pretty amazing!
They sang the same songs as they did during the afternoon performance. It must have been extremely hot and humid that evening because in the few existing photographs the Beatles (well John and Paul) were sweating more than usual.
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After the concert they must have realized something strange was going on. The limo was there, but gone were the police escorts and the gate to get out was locked. Tons of people jumped on top of the car with the Beatles inside and pressed against the windows and rocked the car back and forth. They could not understand what the people were yelling, but they could tell that it wasn't the normal "We love you Beatles" that they were used to. They somehow made it back to the hotel in one piece and called it a night.
However, the police did make an appearance---at the door of Vic Lewis, the guy that worked with NEMS and Brian and helped with the tour. The police took him down to the station and interrogated him. All the while Vic explained that it was a misunderstanding and he laid the blame on Brian Epstein, saying that Brian was upset and angry the entire time and he was the one that didn't allow the Beatles to attend the luncheon, not him. Vic was interrogated until the sun came up--and by the time he was allowed to go back to the hotel, he had serious concerns about the safety of the Beatles.
They sang the same songs as they did during the afternoon performance. It must have been extremely hot and humid that evening because in the few existing photographs the Beatles (well John and Paul) were sweating more than usual.
After the concert they must have realized something strange was going on. The limo was there, but gone were the police escorts and the gate to get out was locked. Tons of people jumped on top of the car with the Beatles inside and pressed against the windows and rocked the car back and forth. They could not understand what the people were yelling, but they could tell that it wasn't the normal "We love you Beatles" that they were used to. They somehow made it back to the hotel in one piece and called it a night.
However, the police did make an appearance---at the door of Vic Lewis, the guy that worked with NEMS and Brian and helped with the tour. The police took him down to the station and interrogated him. All the while Vic explained that it was a misunderstanding and he laid the blame on Brian Epstein, saying that Brian was upset and angry the entire time and he was the one that didn't allow the Beatles to attend the luncheon, not him. Vic was interrogated until the sun came up--and by the time he was allowed to go back to the hotel, he had serious concerns about the safety of the Beatles.
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Manila: The Hard Days Fright
When the Fab 4 woke up on the morning of July 5, 1966, they knew something was going on in Manila, but they weren't totally sure what. They tried to order some breakfast, but did not get any response from the hotel management. So they asked Mal Evans to go down to the desk and see what was going on. When Mal got to the lobby, he found the hotel to be totally empty and then he saw a newspaper and realized why. The variety of headlines said everything from "Imedla Stood Up" to "Beatles held for taxes."
At 8 am, the Internal Revenue bureau was knocking on Brian Epstein's door with a bill for $80,000. Vic Lewis, who had made the arrangements with the promoters, explained to the officials that it was the promoter that was responsible for paying the tax on the concerts and not the Beatles managers. Brian also had not received any money at that point from the promoters for the concerts and didn't want to leave without the money they made.
Meanwhile, George and Paul were being interviewed in the suit by a reporter for the Manila Times, who had planned all along to do a multi-part series about the Beatles for the paper. Paul told him, "We don't want to offend anyone, especially since we're visiting this country. We just want to sing." However George simply said, "We didn't even want to come here."
But Paul then made what could have been another mistake for the Beatles---he started to question the reporter about the poor people he had seen in the streets of Manila the early morning when he explored. He stated how there was social inequality in the country because the extremely wealthy were bragging of their wealth with the fancy yachts and all the while there were people living on the streets nearby. The reporter didn't seem to want to discuss any of that and told Paul that the Beatles could have solved the problem and make people happy if they had only agreed to move the meeting at the palace to later in the day. Paul was quoted as saying, "We weren't supposed to be there in the first place. What were we going to do? Show up and say, 'We're here! Sorry we're late!' Why should we apologize for something that's not our fault? We didn't ask for the appointment." The reporter simply explained that an invitation from the First Lady "amounted to an invitation from one who represented all the people." John walked in at this point and sad something, "We got a few things to learn about the Philippines, first of all is how to get out of here."
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At 8 am, the Internal Revenue bureau was knocking on Brian Epstein's door with a bill for $80,000. Vic Lewis, who had made the arrangements with the promoters, explained to the officials that it was the promoter that was responsible for paying the tax on the concerts and not the Beatles managers. Brian also had not received any money at that point from the promoters for the concerts and didn't want to leave without the money they made.
Meanwhile, George and Paul were being interviewed in the suit by a reporter for the Manila Times, who had planned all along to do a multi-part series about the Beatles for the paper. Paul told him, "We don't want to offend anyone, especially since we're visiting this country. We just want to sing." However George simply said, "We didn't even want to come here."
But Paul then made what could have been another mistake for the Beatles---he started to question the reporter about the poor people he had seen in the streets of Manila the early morning when he explored. He stated how there was social inequality in the country because the extremely wealthy were bragging of their wealth with the fancy yachts and all the while there were people living on the streets nearby. The reporter didn't seem to want to discuss any of that and told Paul that the Beatles could have solved the problem and make people happy if they had only agreed to move the meeting at the palace to later in the day. Paul was quoted as saying, "We weren't supposed to be there in the first place. What were we going to do? Show up and say, 'We're here! Sorry we're late!' Why should we apologize for something that's not our fault? We didn't ask for the appointment." The reporter simply explained that an invitation from the First Lady "amounted to an invitation from one who represented all the people." John walked in at this point and sad something, "We got a few things to learn about the Philippines, first of all is how to get out of here."
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Hard Day's Fright (part 2)
The Beatles had 60 pieces of luggage/instruments/gear to load into the cars without any assistance or security. The were lucky that their drive hadn't abandoned them at this point.
John Lennon recalled that on the ride from the hotel to the airport, there were still fans screaming and joyful along with groups of people booing them. Some of them were holding these signs:
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When they finally made it to the airport they found out that the airport's general manager had announced that the Beatles would get no help or security. He told one reporter, "They will get what they deserve." The escalators had been turned off so everyone in the Beatles entourage had to work at lugging the luggage and gear up the escalators (which magically started to work again once the Beatles were finished with this hard task). They had to go through all of the check points that all passengers go through. All the while (as you see in these photos) there were fans wanting autographs and to talk to the guys. It had to have been a lot of mixed emotions---one group adores you and the other is trying to hurt you. They all were corralled into a lounge to wait to board the plane.
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In there were men wearing the same clothes and held guns that were spitting and pushing the Beatles. Paul stated that they were "pushed from one corner of the lounge to another." Ringo and John decided to hide behind some nuns and George behind a monk, figuring that they would not harm these religious leaders.
Brian Epstein, Tony Barrow, Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans, Peter Brown, Alf Bicknell and Vic Lewis all banded together to make sure that the Beatles themselves were not harmed and took the most of the abuse. Someone kicked Brian and he fell and sprained his ankle and was punched in the face. Mal Evens was kicked many times in the ribs and was punched to the point where he was bleeding. Ringo was almost punched at one point, but ducked and one of the Beatles crew took the punch instead. Neil explained later that it could have been much worse if any of the Beatles crew decided to fight back, but because none of them chose to punch or kick those that were hurting them, the injuries were less than what they could have been.
Finally the Beatles are told that they could board the plane. They moved quickly on the tarmac, praying that no one with a gun takes a shot at them.
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Once they get on the plane, the Beatles began to kiss the seats. They finally felt safe. However, the nightmare wasn't over quite yet. Through a loudspeaker they heard, "Mr. Tony Barrow and Mr. Malcolm Evans must return to the departure building." Tony and Mal had to go back into that mess and Mal though it would be the end of him as get told the Beatles, "Tell Lil I love her." However, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. It turns out that in all of the insanity, those two men didn't get their passports stamped through customs.
While they were waiting for Mal and Tony to return (and hoping that they would return), Brian was being cared for. His ankle was sprained and he was bloody from a punch. Vic Lewis decided at that moment to ask Brian if he had gotten the money from the promoters for the concerts. Brian couldn't believe it and started yelling at Vic. The two had a physical altercation that ended with Vic yelling at Brian "I'll fucking kill you" while chocking his neck. Someone had to pry him off of Brian and the two didn't speak to each other for a year.
At 4:45pm Tony and Mal were back on board and the plane took off to a round of applause. The Beatles and their entourage had never been so happy to leave a country and the Beatles began to have some serious conversations about ending touring forever.
Source for these articles:
"Beat the Beatles" By Oliver X.A. Reyes for the July 2015 issue of Esquire Philippines (with much thanks to Joanne)
http://adenu1980.blogspot.com/2012/01/hard-days-and-fright-1966-beatles.html
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-beatles-in-the-philippines
I also want to point out that over the years the stories of those in Manila have changed. Imelda Marcos said long after the fact that she was always a Beatles fan and was never upset that they did not make the luncheon because there was miscommunication. Ramon Ramos said in 2003 that the Beatles had to leave the yacht because it was overtaken by fans and that he believed that the Beatles did not appear at the palace because they were under the impression that they were going to have to perform there for free.
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| The Beatles things that had to get on the plane in Manila |
John Lennon recalled that on the ride from the hotel to the airport, there were still fans screaming and joyful along with groups of people booing them. Some of them were holding these signs:
When they finally made it to the airport they found out that the airport's general manager had announced that the Beatles would get no help or security. He told one reporter, "They will get what they deserve." The escalators had been turned off so everyone in the Beatles entourage had to work at lugging the luggage and gear up the escalators (which magically started to work again once the Beatles were finished with this hard task). They had to go through all of the check points that all passengers go through. All the while (as you see in these photos) there were fans wanting autographs and to talk to the guys. It had to have been a lot of mixed emotions---one group adores you and the other is trying to hurt you. They all were corralled into a lounge to wait to board the plane.
In there were men wearing the same clothes and held guns that were spitting and pushing the Beatles. Paul stated that they were "pushed from one corner of the lounge to another." Ringo and John decided to hide behind some nuns and George behind a monk, figuring that they would not harm these religious leaders.
Brian Epstein, Tony Barrow, Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans, Peter Brown, Alf Bicknell and Vic Lewis all banded together to make sure that the Beatles themselves were not harmed and took the most of the abuse. Someone kicked Brian and he fell and sprained his ankle and was punched in the face. Mal Evens was kicked many times in the ribs and was punched to the point where he was bleeding. Ringo was almost punched at one point, but ducked and one of the Beatles crew took the punch instead. Neil explained later that it could have been much worse if any of the Beatles crew decided to fight back, but because none of them chose to punch or kick those that were hurting them, the injuries were less than what they could have been.
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| Here we see Alf Bicknell has gone down--are those men help or hurting him? |
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| Neil Aspinall seems to be avoiding a punch and we see the back of Mal Evans while John looks on in shock |
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| Mal checks on the luggage |
Finally the Beatles are told that they could board the plane. They moved quickly on the tarmac, praying that no one with a gun takes a shot at them.
Once they get on the plane, the Beatles began to kiss the seats. They finally felt safe. However, the nightmare wasn't over quite yet. Through a loudspeaker they heard, "Mr. Tony Barrow and Mr. Malcolm Evans must return to the departure building." Tony and Mal had to go back into that mess and Mal though it would be the end of him as get told the Beatles, "Tell Lil I love her." However, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. It turns out that in all of the insanity, those two men didn't get their passports stamped through customs.
While they were waiting for Mal and Tony to return (and hoping that they would return), Brian was being cared for. His ankle was sprained and he was bloody from a punch. Vic Lewis decided at that moment to ask Brian if he had gotten the money from the promoters for the concerts. Brian couldn't believe it and started yelling at Vic. The two had a physical altercation that ended with Vic yelling at Brian "I'll fucking kill you" while chocking his neck. Someone had to pry him off of Brian and the two didn't speak to each other for a year.
At 4:45pm Tony and Mal were back on board and the plane took off to a round of applause. The Beatles and their entourage had never been so happy to leave a country and the Beatles began to have some serious conversations about ending touring forever.
Source for these articles:
"Beat the Beatles" By Oliver X.A. Reyes for the July 2015 issue of Esquire Philippines (with much thanks to Joanne)
http://adenu1980.blogspot.com/2012/01/hard-days-and-fright-1966-beatles.html
http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/the-beatles-in-the-philippines
I also want to point out that over the years the stories of those in Manila have changed. Imelda Marcos said long after the fact that she was always a Beatles fan and was never upset that they did not make the luncheon because there was miscommunication. Ramon Ramos said in 2003 that the Beatles had to leave the yacht because it was overtaken by fans and that he believed that the Beatles did not appear at the palace because they were under the impression that they were going to have to perform there for free.
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Trying to act normal again
These two photos show Paul and Brian on the plane to New Dheli after departing Manila. Neither one of them look too happy, but are trying to get back to the normal routine, although I am not sure what exactly Brian is doing---playing a game of some sort?
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Peace in New Dheli
The guys arrived in New Dheli, as they had originally planned, late at night on July 5, 1966. They thought it would be a chance to escape their fame for a few days before heading back to London, because they figured that no one in India had heard of them. Boy were they wrong! In the middle of the dark, as they left the airport, they heard the screams and shouts of "Beatles! Beatles!" However annoyed they must have felt by that, it also must have been a relief from how they were treated just hours earlier.
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Ringo's birthday in India
The Beatles spent Ringo's birthday sightseeing in India. Beatlemania was in full force, but it must have been mild enough for them to get out and look around, as the photos that they took show.
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The Beatles go to Rikhi Ram
The Beatles had been listening to Indian music during the 1966 world tour quite often. People that were around them recall hearing Indian music being played in the hotel rooms and on the yacht in Manila. The Beatles newest album that hadn't been released but had been recorded had an Indian song on it. And so it wasn't shocking that the Beatles, especially George Harrison, wanted to go to to the premiere Indian music store in India, Rikhi Ram. All four Beatles went to the store (including Ringo, who some people claim wasn't there) and tested out the instruments. George had a sitar lesson while he was there. A lot of photographs of the Beatles at the Rikhi Ram store were taken, including some nice ones of the guys with people at the store.
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Returning home
On July 8, 1966 the Beatles returned to London from their tour of Germany and the Far East. They were mobbed by their adoring British fans, which was most likely both annoying and refreshing.
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"Ordinary Passengers"
Once they were inside of the London airport, the Beatles gave a press conference to talk about what had happened in Manila, because by July 8th news had been reported to the press. The guys tried to explain how they were treated and how they and their entourage were pushed around. John makes the funny comment about how they kept saying that he was an "ordinary passenger" while pushing him along.
I honestly don't think when the Beatles gave this press conference that the public really comprehended just how terrifying the experience was. The Beatles were always known for saying funny things at press conferences and quick to joke. I don't think the full experience was understood until much later.
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I honestly don't think when the Beatles gave this press conference that the public really comprehended just how terrifying the experience was. The Beatles were always known for saying funny things at press conferences and quick to joke. I don't think the full experience was understood until much later.
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