HOLLYWOOD — Capitol Records will release the Beatles’ second single, “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “You Can’t Do That,” tentative Monday, March 16, claiming advance orders will exceed 1,700,000 copies. The Capitol label plans asking the RIAA to certify the disk as a million-seller on the same date for release.
Both tunes were written by band members Paul McCartney and John Lennon and the songs were recorded in London on February 27, upon returning from their triumphant U. S. visit here. Capitol Records has three outside pressing plants working on the disk, in addition to its own two facilities. The disk is also slated to be released in Europe tentative Friday, March 20. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; March 14, 1964)
Police Called On Special Duty; Beatle Antics Causes Headaches
HOLLYWOOD — The Beatles may be idols of teenage girls and the love of top 40 stations, but to California police, airport officials and hotel managers they spell trouble.
When the mop-topped British band arrived here last week for concerts at the San Francisco Cow Palace and Hollywood Bowl, they found their reservations at the Fairmont and Ambassador Hotel canceled because of management fears about what screaming hordes of teenagers would do to their property, stayed guests and jovial the quartet itself.
The group was scheduled to land at Lockheed Airport in Lockheed, California, for their concert Sunday (August 23) at the Bowl, but officials nixed the idea, stating they didn’t want teenagers ruining their facilities.
“Beatlemania” frenzy displayed in full force during the 1964 Beatles concert performance in San Francisco.
The quartet arrived with accustomed hysteria and confusion at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday, August 18, en route to San Francisco. Over 500 screaming girls flocked to the Pan American terminal when word was leaked that the Beatles was passing through L. A. Extra police were called in to supplement the regular airport security force. The Beatles touched down at 4:15 p.m. and were airborne at 5:45 p.m., appearing at a hastily arraigned press conference which accomplished nothing.
Forty-five minutes later, when they arrived in San Francisco, a howling mob of 5,000 hysterical teenage girls were there to greet them. More than 100 San Mateo County sheriffs and police officers fought back the hysterical youngsters.
The four were taken to the Hilton Hotel, one of the few places willing to rent them rooms.
To secure maximum protection for the Bowl concert, which Capitol planned recording, producers Bob Eubanks, Reb Foster (both of KRLA) and night club owners Michael Brown and Bill Uttley obtained the services of 149 Los Angeles policemen, with the city picking up the tab for the coverage because the Bowl is county property. When events are held in private facilities, police are often hired by the producers.
San Francisco producer Paul Catalana paid the salaries for 100 policemen, hired especially for the concert at the Cow Palace, but San Mateo County faced an estimated $4,000 tab for additional protection at the airport. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 29, 1964)
Police security in high-action during the Beatles performance at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. The date was August 19, 1964.Fast-forward: September 14, 1964. The Cleveland police were heavily present posing as a security barrier from screaming female fans during the Beatles concert in Cleveland, sponsored by Top 40 WHK.
Beatles Cartoon Ratings Success Saturday Mornings on ABC-TV
NEW YORK — King Features is reportedly planning another TV cartoon series based on a popular recording group. The company’s “The Beatles Series,”aired over Saturday morning over ABC-TV, has been running over a month, and, according to the Nielsen ratings, is reaching over 50 per cent of the audience with sets turned on in their time period. The series, produced in London by TV Cartoons, LTD., uses the English-accented animated-sounding voices of the Fab Four and the actual Beatles hit recordings in every episode as well.END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; October 30, 1965)
This copyrighted Beatles cartoon image was created by Kail Tescar. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
A MCRFB NOTE: The Beatles cartoon series premiered on the ABC Television Network, Saturday September 25, 1965. The last Beatles cartoon episode aired on April 20, 1969. Al Brodax and the King Features team created the cartoon series in New York.
A MCRFB ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: A special thank you goes out to Kail Tescar for allowing Motor City Radio Flashbacks to use his remarkably splendid Beatles cartoon image(s) above. For more on Kail Tescar‘s wonderfully created Beatles cartoon arts, you can visit his website here.
Copyrighted material. Used with permission by the artist. All rights reserved.
NEW YORK — In the six months prior to the peak of their American success, Beatles records grossed $17,500,000, according to EMI Managing Director John Wall.
This figure, which does not include the huge sales of Beatles records here in the United States, shows the staggering impact the group has had on the record industry around the world.
The Beatles performing in America, 1964(click on image for larger view)
Beatles records, whether “I Want To Hold Your Hand” or “I Saw her Standing There,” have risen to the top of the charts around the world on a grand scale. Besides England and the United States, the Beatles have topped charts globally whether in Australia, Eire, France, Holland, New Zealand, Norway and Hong Kong. Yet to be tapped by the hot British band are the Spanish speaking nations in Europe and South America, Germany and Japan.
The push is already on. In Spain, for instance, strong publicity is being done to further advance the pop group’s sensational rise. Also, the Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and other Beatles chart hits is gaining widespread popular airplay on the radio in Spain. A recent cover of the Spaniard fan magazine Discomania showered the Liverpool group with a large feature coverage. As planned, the strategy would be to further promote the “new Liverpool sound” which could potentially translate into a huge global market share there as well.
With the Beatles’ music popularity on the rise in Spain, it is anticipated it may become easier to introduce Beatle records through Central and South America, in the coming months ahead. It is commonly known that Spanish-speaking nations are tougher markets for English-speaking artists.
For the powerful German market, the Beatles have cut records in that country’s native language. This country has become a tough market for English-speaking artists in recent years as well. The German Beatles disks were cut in France during the group’s recent tour there prior to coming to America. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; February 29, 1964).
1962: Legendary deejay Murray The K threatens to leave New York’s WINS-AM after the station considers changing from their TOP 40 rock and roll format to adult easy-listening.
A recent photograph of the (thanks to the Beatles) world-famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. (Click on image for larger view).
1963: John Lennon and Paul McCartney compose the Beatles’ next hit, “From Me To You,” while on a bus tour from York to Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England, while on tour with Helen Shapiro.
1966: Over 10,000 pounds in debt, the owners of Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club — where the Beatles got their start — decided to close the rock institution. 100 fans barricade themselves in the club, but to no avail. The venue would later become a subway station, although the Cavern would re-open in a different location.
1976: At tonight’s Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Paul Simon picks up Best Pop Vocal and Best Album awards for Still Crazy After All These Years. In his acceptance speech he remarked, “I’d like to thank Stevie Wonder for not releasing an album this year.”
The Beatles‘ on VeeJay Records in 1964. (Click on image for larger view)
NEW YORK — Vee Jay Records filed a motion in New York’s Supreme Court against both Capitol Records and Swan Records here Friday seeking an injunction restraining the companies from manufacturing, distributing, advertising or otherwise disposing of recordings by the Beatles.
The motion was brought before Judge Mullen in Supreme Court, who reserved decision on the case.
The case is but one of many suits and counter-suits being bandied about the courts over the sensational young singing groupfrom Liverpool.END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; January 25, 1964)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
Beatles Heat Flare In Court
CHICAGO — The Beatles, the nation’s hottest recording property today, are becoming the object of the nation’s hottest lawsuits, at least as far as the recording industry is concerned.
The rock-and-rolling English group has a series of singles and LP’s out on three labels–Capitol, Vee Jay and Swan. Each of the offering is bounding up the national charts like Topsy.
And each is becoming involved in a series of suits and counter-suits between the various companies involved.
The Beatles‘ “She Loves You” on Swan Records in 1964.
Most confused are the nation’s dealers and one-stops, many of whom have received telegrams from one or more of the parties, noting that appropriate legal action will be taken if they persisted in selling the others’ products.
The matter is far from settled, but as of Billboard press time, Capitol was granted an injunction in Cook County Circuit Court restraining Vee Jay from manufacturing, distributing, advertising or otherwise disposing of the Beatles’ recordings.
The Capitol injunction is good for thirty days and Vee Jay is slated to file an answer next Wednesday.
Vee Jay, meanwhile, has filed a suit seeking a similar injunction against Capitol and Swan, with a hearing slated for New York’s Supreme Court before Judge Saul Streit, last Friday.
Under the Capitol injunction, “Vee Jay, it’s agents, attorneys and servants” are prevented from selling or advertising Beatles’ products.
Presumably, and according to Vee Jay sources, the injunction does not apply against dealers, one-stops, rack jobbers and even distributors who might already have the records in stock.
According to Jay Lasker, Vee Jay executive vice-president, “we shipped an awful lot of records, more than Capitol.”
Capitol attorney, Sidney Zatz, however, has indicated that “steps could be taken” against dealers who persisted in selling the Vee Jay product, though he did not specify what this would entail.
The product causing all the fuss is:
Capitol, “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” a single, is at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 this week, and “Meet The Beatles,” an L.P.
Vee Jay, “Please Please Me,” a single, and two LP’s, “Introducing The Beatles,” already distributed, and “The Beatles and Frank Ifield,” were not yet shipped but ready to go.
Swan, “She Loves You,” a single, is breaking into Billboard’s Hot 100 in position 69.
Neither Vee Jay nor Capitol is seeking damages as of this date, though a Capitol spokesman did not rule out the possibility of this taking place at a later date.
In its motion for injunction, Capitol claimed exclusive U.S. distribution rights to all recording by the Beatles. The label accused Vee Jay of manufacturing and selling albums introducing the Beatles in violation of Capitol’s exclusive right.
Capitol contended in its suit that Vee Jay’s rights were canceled last August.
The suit notes that initially Vee Jay was licensed by Trans Global, a New York firm licensed to distribute EMI products. EMI has the original Beatles’ contract.
Capitol claims that Trans Global canceled its contract with Vee Jay August 8 because of non-payment of royalties. Trans Global allegedly relinquished its rights to EMI with the latter than returning them over to Capitol.
Vee Jay, meanwhile, contends that it has a five-year contract with the Beatles and that it is definitely not in default for failure to pay royalties.
Capitol’s suit notes that the label has spent $50,000 in extensive nationwide promotions of the Beatles recordings. END
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(Information and new source: Billboard; January 25, 1964)
A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1964
HOLLYWOOD — Capitol Records will release the Beatles’ second single, “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “You Can’t Do That,” tentative Monday, March 16, claiming advance orders will exceed 1,700,000 copies. The Capitol label plans asking the RIAA to certify the disk as a million-seller on the same date for release.
A MCRFB NEWS brief: 1965
