In September 1966, the individual Beatles commenced to molding new individual identities and to exploring individual musical interests. In Spain, John Lennon would write “Strawberry Fields Forever,” one of his most imaginative songs and a reimagining of his childhood and personal identity.  George Harrison would return from India with improved sitar technique and the self-confidence to record without his band mates.  And Paul McCartney would have an epiphany on the plane back from Africa about how the Beatles could reimagine themselves as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, an imaginary group with none of the legal and social complications of reality.

The Beatles each doing something different today.

The Beatles were all doing their own thing.

It was a quiet day.....

Brian Epstein is hospitalized in London

The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein had been suffering from depression and anxiety for some time, a condition exacerbated by his use of drugs - both prescribed and illegal.

His anxiety had heightened following The Beatles decision to stop touring, which left Epstein with less involvement in their careers. Each member was undertaking individual projects in the late summer of 1966, and he had intended to join John Lennon in Spain on the set of How I Won The War.

On this day, however, Epstein was hospitalized in a London clinic. The official given reason was that it was a check-up, although it later transpired that he had overdosed on prescribed drugs. As a result, he was forced to cancel his visit to Spain in order to recuperate.

Although Epstein is known to have made later suicide attempts, it is believed that this overdose was accidental.

John's making a movie, George is in India. What are Paul and Ringo doing?

The Beatles doing their own thing....

George Harrison taking selfies in India

50 Years ago today

The Beatles just doing their own thing.....

BBC interview with George Harrison

The day after he held a press conference at the Taj Mahal hotel in Bombay (Mumbai), India, George Harrison granted an exclusive interview to the BBC.

Harrison was in India to study yoga and the sitar. He was interviewed by the BBC's radio correspondent in the country, Donald Milner. The pair discussed Harrison's spiritual beliefs and Eastern philosophy for around 10 minutes.

More than seven minutes from the interview were broadcast on the BBC Home Service in the UK on Sunday 11 December 1966, from 4-4.30pm, on The Lively Arts. An extract lasting 2'25" was also broadcast on Pick Of The Week on 16 December from 12.10pm.

George Harrison "Selfie"

Presentation of prizes of 'Melody Maker'. The Beatles have been voted British & International Sections in the 1966 Poll. Ringo and Paul attend.

John Lennon travels to Carboneras, Spain

Following the initial filming period in Celle, West Germany, John Lennon traveled to southern Spain on this day to continue work on Richard Lester's How I Won The War.

I was always waiting for a reason to get out of The Beatles from the day I made How I Won the War in 1966. I just didn't have the guts to do it, you see. Because I didn't know where to go. I remember why I made the movie. I did it because The Beatles had stopped touring and I didn't know what to do. Instead of going home and being with the family, I immediately went to Spain with Dick Lester because I couldn't deal with not being continually onstage. That was the first time I though, 'My God, what do you do if this isn't going on? What is there? There's no life without it.' And that's when the seed was planted that I had to somehow get out of this, without being thrown out by the others. But I could never step out of the palace because it was too frightening.

I was really too scared to walk away. I was thinking, 'Well, this is the end, really. There's no more touring. That means there's going to be a blank space in the future.' At some time or other that's when I started considering life without The Beatles - what would it be? And I spent that six weeks thinking about that: 'What am I going to do? Am I going to be doing Vegas? But cabaret?' I mean, where do you go? So that's when I started thinking about it. But I could not think what it would be, or how I could do it. I didn't even consider forming my own group or anything, because it didn't enter my mind. Just what would I do when it stopped?

Lennon had the part of Private Gripweed in the film, which was released in 1967. He remained in Spain for seven weeks, initially staying at a small seafront apartment but later moving to a villa, Santa Isabel, near Almería.

Santa Isabel was owned by producer Sam Spiegal. Lennon stayed there with his wife Cynthia, and The Beatles' assistant Neil Aspinall. Also staying in the house was actor Michael Crawford, the star of How I Won The War, and his family.

Lennon also took his Rolls-Royce with blacked out windows to Spain. The car had a microphone and mounted loudspeaker, and Lennon took delight in surprising passers-by.

When John went to make How I Won The War in Spain, he took the same car, which he virtually lived in. It had blacked-out windows and you could never see who was in it, so it was perfect. John didn't come out of it - he just used to talk to the people outside through the microphone: 'Get away from the car! Get away!' - Paul McCartney

 

Top Ten this week

1. You can't hurry Love - The Supremes

2. Yellow Submarine - The Beatles

3. Sunshine Superman - Donovan

4. 96 Tears - ? and the Mysterians

5. Bus Stop - The Hollies

6. Cherish - The Association

7. Reach Out I'll be there - The Four Tops

8. Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks

9. Turn-Down Day - The Cyrkle

10. Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

Here’s a happy picture of Ringo and Paul, together with Tom Jones and Dusty Springfield, the winners, ‘with their awards at the Melody Maker Pop Poll luncheon in the GPO Tower restaurant.’ Maybe we can see London behind, through the windows of the Post Office Tower? 

Beatles Car Crash announcement during Monkees premiere episode Sept 12 1966

There are now a few references on various Message Boards, including NIR, about an announcement during the Monkees premiere episode about a car crash involving one of the Beatles on Sept 12 1966. This announcement apparently took place in the NY/NJ/PA area only and then there was no follow up after the initial newsbreak.  Does anyone remember this?

"Paul is dead" is an urban legend and conspiracy theory alleging that Paul McCartney of the English rock band the Beatles died in 1966 and was secretly replaced by a look-alike.

On Revolver, the Beatles continued the musical evolution that would reach its apex on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Most consider Sgt. Pepper‘s to be the band’s masterpiece, but when asked about his favorite Beatles album, producer George Martin says, “Pepper’s is one of them, but not the favorite. I like Rubber Soul and I love Revolver.”

The Beatles taking a break.............

The Beatles were lounging around (except John) after the long US tour.

The Beatles were taking a break after the US Tour.

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John Lennon flies to Hanover, Germany

Having finished touring and enjoying a break from recording, The Beatles were free to explore solo projects for the first time.

John Lennon accepted an invitation from director Richard Lester to appear in his film How I Won The War and said: There were many reasons for doing it: a) it was Dick Lester and he asked me; b) it was anti-war; and c) I didn't know what to do because The Beatles had stopped touring and I thought if I stopped and thought about it I was going to have a big bum trip for nine months so I tried to avoid the depression of the change of life by leaping into the movie. The thing I remember is that Dick Lester had more fun than I did.

On this day he flew to Hanover, Germany, for the first part of filming. He stayed in the country until 15 September, filming at a NATO tank range in Celle, a town situated just outside Hanover.

The Beatles enjoying their break after the US Tour.

The Beatles taking a break after their long tour.

The Beatles taking a break after the US final tour.

The Beatles arrived back in London, ending their final tour of America. Although the group had gone their separate ways in January and February of that year for various trips with their spouses etc. they seemed anxious to begin new solo adventures immediately upon their return.