Press Conference in Los Angeles, California (1966, August 28)

Q: "What will the next movie project be for the Beatles?"

George: "Well, somebody has given us an idea, and he's working on the script. and if the script's nice then we may do it."

Q: "One question we'd like in Hollywood, we'd like to know how you compare movie working with to, say, the concert tour or recording sessions."

John: "We don't compare it much, you know."

Q: "Would you rather play the 'Hollywood Bowl' again than 'Dodger Stadium'?"

George: "We don't really mind."

Q: "One of your countrymen was here yesterday or the day before, and he said that he thought American women were out of style for not wearing mini-skirts, and that their legs were ugly. I'd like to ask you what you think about American women's legs."

Ringo: "If they don't wear mini-skirts, how does he know their legs are ugly?"

(laughter)

Q: "On the album cover that was banned here, the one with the dolls and meat- - Who's idea was it?"

John: "The photographer's who took it."

Q: "and what was it supposed to mean?"

John: "We never asked him, you know."

Q: "John, why did you decide to make (the movie), 'How I Won The War'?"

John: "Uhh, because he (Dick Lester) just asked me. and I just said, 'Yes.' and it was just like that."

Q: "Do you consider that now since you've been here in the United States for almost a week, that this religious issue is answered once and for all? Would you clarify and repeat the answer that you gave in Chicago?"

John: "I can't repeat it again because I don't know what I said, you know."

Q: "Well, would you clarify the remarks that were attributed to you?"

John: "You tell me what you think I meant, and I'll tell you whether I agree or not."

Q: "Well, some of the remarks attributed to you in some of the newspapers... the press here... concerning the remark that you made comparing the relative popularity of the Beatles with Jesus Christ... and that the Beatles were more popular. This created quite a controversy and a furor in this country, as you are obviously aware."

Paul: "Did you know that, John? You created a furor."

Q: "Now, would you clarify the remark?"

John: "Well, I've clarified it about 800 times, you know. I could have said TV or something else, you know... and that's as clear as it can be. I just used Beatles because I know about them a bit more than TV. But I could have said any number of things. (jokingly) It wouldn't have got as much publicity though."

Paul: (laughs)

Q: "My question is directed at all of you. Do you think this controversy has hurt your careers or has helped you professionally?"

Paul: "It hasn't helped or hindered it, I don't think. I think most sensible people took it for what it was... and it was only the biggots that took it up and thought it was, you know, on 'their' side... thinking, 'Aha! Here's something to get them for.' But when they read it, they saw that there was nothing wrong with it really. It's just that they thought that by John saying that we were more popular than Jesus - they thought, 'Ah, he's bound to be arrogant.' Did you see the fella on telly last night? He said it... on the Tonight Show."

Q: "John, who is your favorite group in the United States?"

John: "I've got a few, you know. Byrds, (Lovin) Spoonful, Mamas and Papas... I suppose... on that side of it."

Paul: "Beach Boys."

John: "and Miracles, etc., on the other side of it."

Q: "My question concerns money. I was wondering if you still have an arrangement with the US Internal Revenue Department to pay your taxes through England to them. Another part of the question is, how much have you grossed in your current US tour, and is it true that you lost..."

George: "We don't know about that."

Paul: "We don't know about all that. We don't do the money side of it, you know."

George: "and we don't particularly worry about it."

John: "They just tell us what we get in the end, you know."

Q: The tax thing..."

Paul: "We pay tax and things but we don't know how much, or how much we've made or anything, you know, because if we were gonna worry about that we'd be nervous wrecks by now."

Q: "I'd like to direct this question to messrs. Lennon and McCartney. In a recent article, 'Time' magazine put down Pop music. and they referred to 'Day Tripper' as being about a prostitute..."

Paul: (nodding jokingly) "Oh yeah."

Q: "...and 'Norwegian Wood' as being about a lesbian."

Paul: (nodding) "Oh yeah."

Q: "I just wanted to know what your intent was when you wrote it, and what your feeling is about the 'Time' magazine criticizm of the music that is being written today."

Paul: "We were just trying to write songs about prostitutes and lesbians, that's all."

(room erupts with laughter and applause)

John: "...quipped Ringo."

Paul: (chuckles) "Cut!!"

John: "You can't use it on the air, that."

Q: "Will you be working seperately in the future?"

Paul: "All together, probably."

Q: "Yeah, but aren't... John Lennon, aren't you doing a picture alone?"

John: "Yeah, but I mean, that'll only be on the holiday bit - in between Beatle..."

Q: "Fred Paul from KAXK. First of all I'd like to say Hi to you all again, it's really good to see you. I'd like to ask a question that you've never been asked before."

John: "Oh no."

Q: "What are you going to do when the bubble bursts?"

Beatles: (laugh)

John: "That's a personal in-joke. He used to ask it at every press conference we entered, to keep the party going."

Q: "Do you think we'll have another tour again next year?"

John: "Ask Brian. Could be."

Paul: "Could be, Fred. Brian does all that."

John: "OK, Fred."

Q: "Outside of Hollywood tonight you had to arrive in an armored truck, and the truck was swarmed by adoring fans. What is the situation wherever you go? Do you have an opportunity to walk out in the street without being recognized, or can you walk into a theatre to see a movie by yourselves?"

John: "If you go in when the lights are down you can go in."

Paul: "We can do that in England. It's easier in England than it is here. and it's mainly because we know England better."

Ringo: "It would also be easier to do it if we weren't on our, you know. Because we're on tour, people know where we are. That's why we have a crowd."

Paul: (joking amazement to Ringo) "Oooo Oooo!"

Ringo: "Yes! Yes! I worked that out!"

(laughter)

Q: "Paul, many of the top artists and musicians in the Pop field today have said the Beatles have been a major influence in their music. Are there any other artists who have an important influence on you and the music you have created?"

Paul: "Oh yes. Nearly everyone, you know. We pinch as much from other people as they pinch from us."

M.C: "Is it possible to raise the level on both of the roving microphones please?"

Ringo: "The boys are a little deaf.

Paul: (laughs)

Q: "Ringo, do you carry wallet pictures of your baby with you?"

Ringo: "No."

Q: "No? Why?"

Ringo: "I don't carry photos of anything, you know."

John: "He can remember."

Q: "May I ask about the song 'Eleanor Rigby?' What was the motivation or inspiration for that?"

John: "Two queers."

(room erupts with laughter)

John: "Two barrow boys."

Paul: "Oh, it's getting disgusting, this press conference..."

Q: "John, did you ever meet Cass of the Mamas and Papas?"

John: "Yes, and she's great, and I'm seeing her tonight."

Q: "Good."

John: "Yeah, she's good."

Q: "Have you ever used or trained Beatle doubles as decoys on a..."

Ringo: "No."

John: "No."

Paul: "We tried to get Brian Epstein to do it... he wouldn't do it."

(laughter)

Q: "Ringo, one question - How much did you contribute to 'What Goes On' and are you contributing to any other Lennon/McCartney compositions?"

Ringo: "Umm, about five words to 'What Goes On.' and I haven't done a thing since." (laughs)

(laughter)

Q: "I'd like to address this to John and Paul. You write alot of stuff that other people steal from you, and also purchase from you. and different arrangement - Ella Fitzgerald and Boston Pops, and stuff like that. When you listen to this on the radio or records and stuff, how do you feel about them using your pieces and changing them around to suit their styles?"

Paul: "The thing is, they don't steal it."

Q: "No. I know that."

Paul: "Well, you just said they did!"

(laughter)

Paul: "Really I mean, you know, it's... Once we've done a song and it's published anyone can do it. So, you know, whether we like it or not depends on whether they've done it to our taste."

Q; "Well then, let's ask it this way. Who do you think does it the best... the Beatles' songs?"

John: "Us."

(laughter)

Q: "Who?"

John: "Us."

Q: "For those of us who have followed your career from the early days of Liverpool and Hamburg, and the pride in you being awarded the M.B.E., and the dismay of the unwarranted adverse publicity of late - the question is - individually what has been your most memorable occasions, and what has been the most disappointing?"

Paul: "Whew!"

John: "No idea."

Ringo: You know, there's so many."

George: "I think Manila has been the most disappointing."

John: "and the most exciting is yet to come."

Ringo: "...maybe the most disappointing."

Q: "Gentlemen, there was quite a laugh when you went on the stock market with your stock. How is your stock doing?"

John: "Fine, thanks."

Ringo: "Well, it went down, but it's coming up again."

George: "It's gone down."

Ringo: "Same as any other stock, you know, up and down."

John: "It goes down everytime the LPs drop out. They all think they're buying bits of records."

Q: "Leonard Bernstein likes your music. How do you like Leonard Bernstein?"

Paul: "Very good. He's, you know, great."

John: "One of the greats."

Q: "I'd like to direct this question to George Harrison if I may."

John: (jokingly to George) "What's your new address?"

(laughter)

Q: "George, before you left England you made a statement that you were going out to America to be beaten up by Americans. Do you mean to say in so many words that you feel the American fan is more a hostile fan than Britain..."

George: "No! Not at all."

Q: "...or more enthusiastic?"

George: "Actually I said that when we arrived back from Manilla. They said, 'What are you gonna do next?' and I said, 'We're gonna rest up before we go and get beaten up over there. Merely... Beaten up is... Really we just got sort of shoved around."

John: "Jostled."

George: "Jostled around in cars and in planes, so you know, that's all they did."

Q: Well, do think think that's more an enthusiatic fan than a hostile fan?"

George: "Uhh, there's definitely more enthusiastic fans. We've, I think..."

Paul: "But if anyone beat us up, it's not the fans, you know."

George: "Yeah. The fan thing... I think they proved it themselves after this. We found out that there are alot of the fans that are great. and all the ones we lost, I think, we don't really mind anyway. Because if they can't make up their minds... who needs 'em."

Q: "I wanted to ask about your image. The image scrimmage. and I'll direct this to anybody. How has your image changed since '63? Is it a little more... uhh... Is it the same, or...?"

George: "An image is how 'you' see us, so you know, you can only answer that."

John: "You're the only one that knows."

Q: "Who's that?"

John: "It's you."

Q: "Oh, well. No, I want to get your opinion. Is it a little tarnished now? Is it more realistic, or what would you say it is? I know I have my opinion."

John: "We're attacked for our opinions."

Paul: "We can't tell you our image, you know. We can only... Our image is what we read in the newspapers. We know our real image, which is nothing like our.... image... (looks confused by his own words, then laughs)

(laughter)

Paul: (laughing) "Forget it."

(laughter)

Q: "Who is the young man with the lengthy haircut to your right rear?"

John: "That's good old Dave, isn't it?"

Paul: "Where is he?"

(a young David Crosby, who had been standing with Brian Epstein, suddenly disappears behind a curtain to avoid attention)

John: "That's Dave from the Byrds. A mate of ours. Ahoy maties."

Paul: "Shy. He's shy."

Q: "Do you ever plan to record in the United States?"

Paul: "We tried actually, but it was a financial matter. Hmmm! hmmm! A bit of trouble over that one. No, we tried but uhh... it didn't come off."

George: "It entailed politics."

Paul: "Hush hush."

John: "No comment."

Q: "Mr. Lennon, is it true that you're planning to give up music for a career in the field of comparative religions?"

John: (laughs) "No."

(laughter)

John: "Is that another of the jokes going 'round?"

Q: "I'm sure you've all heard of the many Beatle burnings and Beatle bonfires..."

John: "We miss them."

Q: "...and I was wondering if you think American girls are fickle."

Ringo: "All girls are fickle."

(laughter)

John: "Well, the photos we saw were of them were, sort of, middle-aged DJs and 12 year-olds burning a pile of LP covers."

Q: "This question is directed to Paul and John. You have written quite a few numbers for Peter and Gordon, and I understand they don't like it because they think that it's you writing the song that makes it popular. Do you plan to write anymore songs for them?"

Paul: "They, you know... if we write songs for... They ask us to write songs for them if we do it. I mean, they don't mind it. They like it. But it's... People come up and say, 'Ah, we see your just getting in on the Lennon/McCartney bandwagon. That's why they did that one with our names not on it - 'Woman' - because everyone sort of thinks that's the reason that they get hits. It's not true really."

Q: "Gentlemen, what do you think would happen to you four if you came to an appearance without the armored truck and without police?"

Ringo: "We'd get in alot easier."

(laughter)

John: "We couldn't do it."

Paul: "It depends, you know. Sometimes we could have easily made it much better without the armored truck. But today, probably we wouldn't have."

Q: "Do you think you'd be physically harmed?"

Paul: "Oh... yeah. Probably"

John: "What do you think?"

Q: "Yes, I think so."

Paul: "Could be."

Q: "The 'New York Times' magazine of Sunday July 3 carried an article by Maureen Cleave in which she quotes the Beatles, not by name, as saying: 'Show business is an extention of the Jewish religion.'"

Paul: "Did she say that?"

Q: "Would you mind amplifying that?"

John: "Uhh, I said that to her as well. No comment."

Paul: "Ahhhhh... Come on, John. Tell 'em what you meant."

John: "I mean, you can read into it what you like, you know. It's just a little ol' statement. It's not very serious."

Q: "Paul, are you getting married? and if so, to who?"

Paul: "Ummm, I'm probably getting married, yes. But I mean, I don't know when. I've got no plans and things."

M.C: "Want to make these the last three questions."

Q: "I was wondering, under what condition did you write 'In His Own Write.' That, sort of, wild... those kicky words... I mean, how did you piece them together?"

John: "I don't know. I can't answer that. You know, it's just the way it happened. I didn't think, 'Now, how can I do this?'"

Q: "I mean, did you sit down as an author and uhhh..."

John: "Just like an author."

(laughter)

Q: "Any more books coming?"

John: "I hope so, you know."

Q: "John, I understand there's a suit pending against the Beatles by Peter Best who claims to be a former member of the Beatles. Is that true?"

John: "I think he's had a few... but we don't bother with those."

Q: "Is this the last question? Are all of your news conferences like this?"

John: "No."

Paul: (laughs) "That's not the last question."

Q: "Well, I'm talking about all of the Reporters... or would-be Reporters and semi-Reporters that show up. Are you besieged by these kind of people throughout the tours that you travel here in the United States?"

John: "You can't always tell the would-be's from the real thing."

(laughter)

Q: "Is it this way when you travel in Europe?"

John: "Yes."

Paul: "But what's wrong with them? What's wrong with the crowd?"

Q: "Nothing. I'm just wondering if you have this many Reporters everywhere you go."

Paul: "No."

Ringo: "Not always."

George: "Some of them are just on-lookers."

M.C: "This is the last question."

Q: "'Tomorrow Never COMES' is the last song on the second side, right?"

Paul: "'Tomorrow Never Knows.'"

Q: "'Tomorrow Never Knows.' Thank you. Could you give me a vague idea of some of the tape manipulation you used when your voice drops into the track, John. Is that sung backwards by any chance, and recorded forwards?"

Paul: "No, it's not sung backwards. It's just, umm, recorded pretty straight. There's tape loops on it, which are a bit different. The words are from the 'Tibetian Book of the Dead,' so there. Well, nearly."

(Source: Original raw audio recordings of the press conference)