Pop group from Liverpool visiting Sweden
Yesterday, Staffan Olander presented a radio program at the Swedish P4 all about the Beatles’ tour of Sweden in October 1963.
Mostly in Swedish, some of the participants reminisc about the tour.
Non-Swedish speakers will enjoy some of the interview soundbites, the Beatles’ concert from Karlaplan Studio and Ringo phones in. Unexpectedly, Ringo reveals that he had a hand in writing some lyrics for “Eleanor Rigby”!
Also included is a bit from Staffan’s first meeting with Ringo back in 1976.
Staffan recalls that the original recording of the Beatles’ radio concert was buryed in the Swedish radio archives for a long time, because it was filed under the rather anonymous program name of “Popgrupp från Liverpool på besök i Stockholm” (“Pop group from Liverpool visiting Stockholm”). Searching for “The Beatles” or for “1963” proved fruitless, until Staffan discovered the real title of the show when leafing through an old radio program listing. He was then able to find the show, brought with him the recording to London in 1982 and played it back to George Martin and Paul McCartney. The two were making “Pipes of Peace” at the time, and Paul cried when listening back to the show. George Martin told them that this was the best recording of the Beatles from outside the recording studios, and several songs were released many years later officially as tracks on “Anthology 1”.
Unable to use their Vox amplifiers during the radio concert, because these had yet to arrive at the studio, the Beatles played through the Fender amps of a Swedish instrumental group who were the other guests at the show. Being a radio show, no one outside could see the amps, important because of the Beatles having a contractual obligation with Vox to only use their amplifiers. “Doesn’t matter,” John quipped, “the Fender amps are better, anyway!”
Klas Burling and Kjersti Adams Ray are also interviewed (in Swedish).
The show is available for thirty days from the link below.
Recent Comments