RAVER: Beatlemania!
In celebration of the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans (happening right now!) here’s a look back at Beatlemania’s early days here in the United States. It was hard to choose what to include, since, obviously, mags in 1964-65 were absolutely saturated with every regurgitated Beatles fact in existence.
So, instead of providing you with their favorite colors, actors and dream dates, I thought I’d let the unique and comprehensive photo spreads and “private albums” do the talking.
It’s no secret that teenagers couldn’t get enough of the Fab Four. They even penned poems, wrote letters, and drew pictures, all of which 16 published regularly. One thing they had a little difficulty with, however, was defining the hurricane-like movement that had swept them all away: Beatlemania. Bless Connie, whose tribute to her idols was published in the January 1965 issue of 16. She tried.
This post is extremely photo heavy. Be sure to click on each page to enlarge it and take a closer look at these “exclusive” photos. Of course, with 50 years between now and the publication of these magazines, most of these photos are old hat. Some of them, strangely, are new to me, and maybe new to you, too.
This “personal picture book” from 16‘s June 1964 issue could alternately be titled “The Beatles! They’re just like us!” Paul’s doing laundry, John’s pouring tea, Ringo’s driving a go-cart. The only thing that sets them apart as the superstars they were is the set of photos from their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and subsequent trip to Miami Beach for more Sullivan fun. Oh, and the fact that there are photos of them performing chores in a damn magazine.
Liverpool was obviously a subject of great curiosity. What was this exotic land that produced such strange creatures? The mags tried to accommodate this interest, and hey, it was a good excuse to print more “exclusive” baby pictures. Note the two of John on the bottom of the second page of this spread from the December 1964 issue of 16. I can’t remember ever seeing them before!
Finally, here’s the grand-daddy of photo spread, and actually lives up to its “!!!SENSATIONAL SCOOP!!!” headline. From 16‘s February 1965 issue, it includes over 70 photos that range from the Beatles’ early days at the Cavern to their appearances on Ready, Steady, Go! and Ed Sullivan, and beyond. Keep an eye out for mates like Billy J Kramer, the Searchers, Cilla Black and a singer named Davy Jones, who, like Bowie, probably also had to change his name once the Monkees hit in 1966.
Personally, though I’ve seen most of these photos before, I love being reminded that before Beatlemania, the Fabs were just four guys that played music, hung out with their friends, dated girls, drank a lot of beer and goofed off.
Hm, maybe they’re actually not so different from us after all…
