Sydney Press Conference June 1964
The Beatles
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ABOUT THIS PRESS CONFERENCE:
Ringo Starr collapsed and was
hospitalized on June 3rd 1964 with tonsillitis.
While Ringo rested in the hospital,
Jimmy Nicol was temporarily hired as a fill-in drummer so
that the 1964 Australasian Tour could continue as planned.
Beatlemania had fully reached the
land down under before the Beatles did.
In the days leading up to their arrival,
Aussie radio and newspapers were preoccupied with reports of
Ringo's health and the excitement
stirred by the group's upcoming concerts.
On June 11th 1964, the three Beatles and Jimmy Nicol traveled
overnight from Hong Kong to Sydney,
arriving down under at around 7:30am.
Despite the heavy rain and winds,
the Beatles agreed to be paraded on a flatbed truck so that
their fans waiting at the airport would not be disappointed.
The Beatles waved at the huge crowd in the
early morning storm, becoming literally soaked.
As the Beatles would later learn, caused by the downpour,
the caped coats which they had purchased in Hong
Kong unfortunately stained their bodies a pale blue.
Luckily this discoloration hid
underneath their clothing while in public.
Dick Lean, managing director of Stadiums Limited,
would later remember about the Sydney press conference: "
They were just brilliant, under any circumstance.
They handled the press with a sharp reparte that we'd just never
seen before.
" The Beatles had once again charmed the all-important press.
An editorial in Sydney's Sun newspaper proclaimed: "
Their press conference showed that teenagers are
not necessarily fools when it comes to picking winners.
One cannot 'ready' a press conference.
Questions are asked and answered off the cuff very quickly...
they showed considerable insight
into the secret of their own success."
The following press conference was held at the Sheraton Hotel in
Sydney, marking their June 11th arrival down under, with Jimmy Nicol