Negotiations, Beatle Style

In these times of international negotiations, we look back 60 years to when the Beatles faced a music business conundrum, one that they tackled in their own unique style.

Ensconced for most of April 1966 in EMI- Abbey Road studios creating the groundbreaking Revolver, the Beatles emerged to play the annual “NME Poll Winners Concert” on May 1. This was a prestigious event that the Beatles had played (and won) every year since 1963. Sponsored by the magazine New Musical Express, it showcased the UK’s top talent of the year, giving each selected act 15 minutes on stage, very much in the style of the old rock & roll package shows from the 1950s.

The big difference was that NME would give the top band the last performance of the night and award them for winning their readers’ poll. Held at the Empire Pool at Wembley, North London, 1966’s version would appear to be no different for the Beatles. Told they had already won the reader’s poll, the band would top the bill and close the evening concert that would include the Seekers, the Walker Brothers, the Yardbirds, the Small Faces, the Who, Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison, and the Rolling Stones.

As this was happening at the height of the Beatlemania years, the band was brought to the concert site through the service entrance door dressed as chefs in white aprons, toques, and holding trays of food. This fooled the surrounding fans and most of the staff, until Ringo slipped on the greasy kitchen floor, where the food went flying. Such deceptions were standard fare for the band at this period in their career.

Knowing they’d do a quick 1965 greatest hits set (“I Feel Fine,” “Nowhere Man,” “Day Tripper,” “If I Needed Someone,” and “I’m Down”), the Beatles anticipated there would be a minimal wait time before performing. Their expectation was to immediately get on stage, perform, and leave quickly in their escape vehicle. This is where things began to turn ugly.

Upon arrival, they were met with the Rolling Stones still in the middle of their set of “The Last Time,” “Play with Fire,” and “Satisfaction.” The Stones were rocking, and it was clear they had the crowd in their hands. That’s when NME publisher Maurice Kinn told John Lennon that the Beatles weren’t needed for at least another 20 minutes. Witnesses testified that John exploded, wanting to take the energy the Stones had created and dive right onto the stage, not giving the crowd a chance to die down.

“We’re not waiting!” He shouted, “We’re going on now!!” Kinn explained that he couldn’t renege on his agreement with Stones’ manager, Andrew Oldham, that the awards ceremony would happen after the Stones and before the Beatles’ performance.

Feeling out-played, John threatened that the Beatles wouldn’t play at all if they weren’t allowed to man the stage right after Mick and Keith.

Brian Epstein had been having problems keeping the Beatles in control since they returned from their US tour in the summer of 1965. They’d grown independent, sometimes making decisions without his voice in the room. Now Brian was clearly in between the proverbial rock and a hard place, as Kinn appealed to Epstein’s managerial senses while having a hot Lennon arguing beside him.

After voices were raised, Kinn put it to Epstein and Lennon bluntly. Either the Beatles played immediately after the awards ceremony (of which they had to participate as the winners), or they’d be forced to announce to the crowd of ten thousand that the Beatles would not be appearing. Any damage caused by the announcement would be on the backs of Epstein and the band for both financial and public reputation.

With John still screaming insults at Kinn (“Abuse like you have never heard in the whole of your life”), Epstein then made the decision to split the baby. He announced that they would participate in the ceremony, and the Beatles would perform right after they received their recognition.

But Brian wanted his pound of flesh and told Kinn in no uncertain terms that he refused to sign the release agreement to have the Beatles appear on ABC-TV, the company that was filming the event, thus taking a big chunk of revenue potential out of the mix for Kinn and ABC.  John closed the “negotiations,” telling Kinn, “You can’t do this to us; we will never appear on one of your shows ever again!”

The Beatles did make good on that proclamation. They went through the motions of accepting the awards on stage without incident, played their set, but then never played another NME show going forward. Although they didn’t know it at the time, it would be their very last paying gig played in the UK forever.

-Steven Valvano

Photo: Vern Barchard, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons