The Beatles:  Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 [1965-1966]

“I don’t see too much difference myself in ‘Rubber Soul’ and ‘Revolver'.

To me, they could both be like Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. 

They both were very pleasant and enjoyable records for me. 

They 'fit in' and they seem like a part of 'the thing'. 

It doesn’t seem like [however]

, you know, it’s [just] the[m] 'giving me my slot'.”

- George Harrison

Being strictly from a Beatles' consumer viewpoint I initially couldn't understand where George was coming from, but when one follows the historical context of the events The Beatles experienced towards the end of 1965 through to the beginning of their final World Tour in 1966 it does make sense.  

"The Beatles' Christmas Show" of 1963 kicked off on December 21st with two preview shows [in concert form only] which concluded on the 22nd and then re-commenced on the 24th as a complete stage production containing comedy sketches, pantomime & The Beatles' music which consisted of nine songs from their repertoire.  While the two 'previews' took place in other venues, this Brian Epstein production landed at the Astoria Cinema playing until 

January 11, 1964.

This would be followed by "Another Beatles' Christmas Show" at the end of 1964.  It was the same formula with The Beatles' musical input expanded to eleven songs and it ran from the 24th of December through to January 16, 1965 at the Odeon Cinema in London.

Once more, for Christmas 1965, The Beatles had a new LP freshly released and they would make live appearances around the UK during this holiday season for what I would call a mini-Tour.  [Just nine venues in eight cities all in the space of ten days.]

It is essential Beatles' history because it marked the final time they'd 'tour' the U.K. and yet it winds up a bit of a footnote because it's, to this day, difficult to get an in-depth narrative of these events, but I'll make fun of it trying to find what I can.

These two photos are more likely from a later date, possibly December 7 in Manchester.

What little of this 'Tour' is mentioned in "The Beatles Anthology" book comes from Ringo where he states:  "By the end of 1965 the touring started to hit everybody.  I remember we had a meeting during which we all talked about how the musicianship was going downhill, never mind the boredom of doing it; going away and hitting all those hotels.

"Bands go on the road nowadays and do a press conference one day and shows for the next four days.  But, for The Beatles, it was always the press and those sorts of people:  there was so much pressure.  From the minute we opened our eyes people were trying to get at us."

3 December 1965 - After a few photos The Beatles settled into their press conference.

Shown here with The Beatles is Katie Spence who was a DJ at the then new pirate station 'Radio Scotland'.

Paul and that tie!

The Beatles surround the daughter of Odeon Cinema's manager, George Chantry.

3 December 1965 - The day The Beatles' new LP "Rubber Soul" and their new double-A sided single "Day Tripper" b/w "We Can Work It Out" is released.  The LP [although in a truncated form] & single would come to America on the 6th.

Also, this day The Beatles open at the Odeon Cinema in Glasgow and they are 'back' to just an eleven song show which consisted of:

I Feel Fine

She's A Woman

If I Needed Someone

Act Naturally

Nowhere Man

Baby's In Black

Help!

We Can Work It Out

Yesterday

Day Tripper

I'm Down

Mark Lewisohn states that "Yesterday" was played by Paul accompanying himself on electric organ.

Try as I might, there seems to be the no available photo I can find of either of the two shows they played on that day, December 3, 1965 in Glasgow, Scotland at the Odeon Cinema.

When George was asked about how well they felt playing together after not being on stage for a while, he responded, "Certainly.  It's easy to get rusty when you don't play together for a long while, but we've been doing a heck of a lot of recording lately and it's helped to keep us in shape.  We've also put in a lot of rehearsals.

...and so it seems that there is a photographic record of The Beatles actually rehearsing for these up-coming 'Christmas-time' shows at the Donmar Theatre, London.  

All of these rehearsal photos were taken by Robert Whitaker on November 20th, 1965.

Being in a picture-taking mood, maybe, The Beatles sat with Robert Whitaker again on 

November 21, 1965 for some formal shots.

According to Mark Lewisohn, these following three photos were taken at Neil Aspinall & Mal Evan's flat.  Both Neil & Mal are shown here on the left with The Beatles.  Other sources say this occurred just before they left for their tour on December 1, 1965

December 2, 1965 - As mentioned above they began their little 'Christmas' tour in Scotland.  On this day they arrived with 'most' of their equipment on the England/Scotland border in Berick-on-Tweed.  The luggage belts had given away on their traveling van and George's 'Gretch Country Gentleman's' guitar was lost.  They only recovered pieces of it as it was run over by traffic.

One of the opening acts at this time was the early version of 'The Moody Blues' shown here with [L2R]:  Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, Denny Laine & Clint Warwick.  After their hit, "Go Now", topped the charts in the UK, Brian Epstein took them on as a client band.  Their recording success, however, was at that time short lived and the association lasted for only about 1 year ending in 1966 after Denny Laine and Clint Warwick left the band.

4 December 1965 - From what I can find, The Beatles were up early and on the road through sometimes challenging winter weather to get out of Glasgow and onto Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North-Eastern part of England.

There they played two shows at City Hall and it appears there only seems to be available a handful of photos taken of them from the audience, mostly not really worthy of a look, but here are two of them in order to have 'something' from this day.

George with singer Beryl Marsden [no relation to Gerry] who was one of the opening acts for this final Beatles UK Tour.

5 December 1965 - Once more The Beatles had to travel in rough weather conditions from Newcastle, this time to their hometown in Liverpool for their two shows at the Empire Theatre.  It's said because of this they arrived very shortly before showtime and opening act, The Moody Blues, almost didn't make it in time for their appearance.

Each show had the capacity to entertain 2550 attendees.  The venue received over 40,000 applications for tickets!  Amazingly, again out of all of that there does not appear to be any photos of The Beatles on stage.

5 December 1965 - This is reportedly outside The Empire Theatre showing fans waiting to get inside and see The Beatles.

Family members of The Beatles came to support them and here we see [from L2R]:  George's parents, Harold & Louise Harrison with George's fiancé in-between them, Pattie Boyd.

Paul with his Pop, James McCartney.

Before the show Paul is met with two fans, Josephine McQuade and Susan Hall, who came to him with news that the Cavern Club was in danger of being shut down due to a recent city ordinance that demanded a new drainage system be installed at a price the owner could not pay.

The only thing The Beatles could suggest is that the city consider it a tourist attraction and treat it accordingly.  In reality, the club suffered from financial problems yet remained in existence until 1973 when it was permanently shut down and filled in to make way for an underground railroad.  Years later a new Cavern Club was created near the original location and it remains open to this day as a tourist attraction.

This is a bit of a mystery photo that some sources say shows George and John preparing for the two shows in Liverpool on this day, December 5, 1965.

6 December 1965 - Even though The Beatles did not perform on this day it was a busy 'Beatles Day' for record sales.  Their LP "Rubber Soul" and double A-sided single "Day Tripper" b/w "We Can Work It Out" was released in America.  Even in its truncated form over there it would go to #1 [selling over 1 million copies] within nine days.  It was the first LP since "Meet The Beatles" that retained the basic cover art of the British release along [this time] with retaining its original name.  

In the UK an EP was released called "The Beatles Million Sellers" which also went to #1 on the UK EP charts for 4 weeks.  Not bad for previously released material.  

On this day The Beatles would mostly spend time with their immediate families while John stayed with Paul and his.  John had bought his Aunt Mimi a new home in 1965 and so she was too far away to visit while he was in Liverpool.  It's been said that John and Paul had time to take a ride on Paul's mopeds that day.

7 December 1965 - One more time The Beatles encountered weather problems while on the road to their next two shows in Manchester.  Although it wasn't snow this time, when they reached town they encountered a fog so thick it practically brought them to a standstill. This was not a good thing in protecting The Beatles from their rabid fans but because of the fog no one could really see them.

They played at the ABC Cinema in Ardwick, Manchester and, according to their driver Alf Bicknel [because of the fog and slow traffic] they were late this time getting on stage.  

Although I can't find a description of what The Beatles were 'up to' wearing what are described as 'smog masks', my theory is they were mocking the persistent challenging weather [this time, fog] they constantly had to battle in getting from one show venue to the next.

In a way it goes along with some of the increasingly strange photos and videos The Beatles were beginning to partake in.  George's cigarette completes the 'surreal' effect. 

 

The Beatles being interviewed by Kathy Fleet from America.  If The Beatles were late for their first show it is my belief these photos and interview would have taken place in-between their two shows that evening.  Note:  John's mask is hanging on.

More photos for 'the press' and then two photos that are allegedly from one of the two shows that day, December 7, 1965.  Although they are not great and don't really 'compliment' John & Paul, that's all that seems to be found for this event.

8 December 1965 - Two cool photos of The Beatles gear with the claim they were taken on this date.  Ringo's tambourine 'set-up' is said to have been created by Mal Evans for a certain percussion effect when playing "Day Tripper".

8 December 1965 - Two more shows planned for presentation at the Gaumont Cinema, Barker's Pool, Sheffield, Yorkshire and it appears The Beatles didn't have the same type of difficulty this time arriving on time.

Shown here with the concert host Jerry Stevens who was recruited by the local newspaper "Sheffield Star" to present the group with gifted award.  [Anything for a photo!]

A photo of 'just' The Beatles.

These oddities of 'just' Paul show up around the internet as being taken on this day, December 8, 1965, but there's no additional information as to what they are all about.  The most of which describes them is that they appear in several early 1966 issues of "The Beatles Monthly" magazine.  I looked through those and what is published offers even less information.

I came to the conclusion that I'd just copy the ones [as there were quite a few taken] that I could not find in any issue.

There were a few of John & Ringo as well.

8 December 1965 - From those two shows at the Gaumont Cinema, Barker's Pool, Sheffield, Yorkshire.

While maybe a bit dark, these do offer a nice contrast to the outdoor stadiums of America.

Paul giving a rendition of "Yesterday" with just himself on electric organ.

I get a little suspicious when I see one or two of these of John without his hat but who am I to say this photo is in the wrong place?  Who's to say John didn't take it off for maybe one of the two shows?

John wraps up his portion of the show back on electric organ for "I'm Down".

An after-show, squeezed-in dinner with The Moody Blues.

Direct from "The Beatles Monthly" book.

Neil Aspinall explains this silliness:  Tonight [December 8, 1965] we are staying some miles out of Sheffield at a quiet little country club situated in the village of Spinkhill.  With us are The Moody Blues and, together, our two parties seem to have taken over the place!

As I write, it is nearly three in the morning and everyone has just gone off to bed.  I have just watched -- and taken part in -- the craziest game of billiards in the world.  I'm not clear on who actually started the game, but in no time at all four Beatles and five Moody Blues were involved.

Two teams were formed and four people at each end of the table.  One white billiard ball was put in the centre of the table.  The billiard cues were turned round and, using the flat end of the cues, the ball was belted up and down the table at high speed.  The object was to shoot the ball past the opposing team so that it hit the end of the table.  This counted as a goal!

The game became fast and furious with the ball hurtling up and down the table at a wild speed, eight cues knocking it to and fro as hard as possible.

The boys made up extra rules for their new and unplanned game as they went along.  Each game was concluded when one or the other team scored twenty-one goals.  Then the teams switched ends and changed one or two players while exhausted Beatles or Moodies dropped into chairs to watch the next bout.

"This is gear," commented John.  "We must always stay in country clubs, Neil!  You can't do this sort of thing in hotels!"

I have seldom seen The Beatles get so much pleasure out of a game around a billiard table.  I'm sure the boys will remember tonight for a long time. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  Incidentally, this version of billiards turned out to be rougher than the regular one.  Most of us skinned our knuckles in the fervour of the game and everyone went off to bed nursing at least one bloody hand!

9 December 1965 - Nothing seems to have surfaced photographically regarding the two shows The Beatles performed at the Odeon Cinema in Birmingham.

Even the narrative of their journey there is confusing, depending on who is telling the story.  It's recorded by their driver Alf Bicknell that the bad weather returned with heavy rain and fog.

Alan Smith from the New Musical Express reported that this caused The Beatles to be late for their appearance on stage.

Neil Aspinall says they were early for an intended rendezvous with the Birmingham police escort and had to find ways to amuse themselves while they sat in their vehicle.

Some photos have seemed to have turned up via newspaper articles but they aren't worth looking at they are so dark and unclear.  The only one shown above is allegedly from that day of the four of them watching television before performing one of the concerts.

Coming up next would be two nights at two different locations, two shows each, in London.