BEATLES CONFESS: 'WE WEREN'T NERVOUS ON TELLY - BUT RADIO TERRIFIES US!
Exclusive interview with Liverpool's rising stars reveals surprising stage fright
Three key revelations:
The Fab Four admit radio performances frighten them more than television
New drummer Ringo counting his Beatles tenure in weeks, not months
Band has written over 100 songs but scrapped half of them
There's something wonderfully peculiar about interviewing The Beatles in the rather unglamorous setting of Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight. The venue, decidedly more church fĂȘte than rock 'n' roll, seems to perfectly capture this moment of transition for Liverpool's most promising export since the Mersey itself.
The lads slouch comfortably in their chairs, trading quips and inside jokes with the easy rapport of seasoned performers, despite being barely out of their teens. John Lennon, the group's de facto leader (though he seems to wear the mantle lightly), fiddles with his rhythm guitar as we speak. He's got that peculiar Scouse wit about him - sharp as a razor but delivered with a casual shrug that suggests he's not terribly impressed with himself or anyone else.
Their new single 'Love Me Do' is making waves, though not necessarily tsunamis just yet. But there's something brewing here that feels significant. Paul McCartney, bassist and co-songwriter with Lennon, speaks with surprising candour about their creative process. "We've written over about a hundred songs," he reveals, "but we don't use half of them." This kind of quality control from such a young band is remarkable - most groups their age would be grateful for three decent originals to pad out their cover-heavy sets.
The newest addition, drummer Ringo Starr, has been keeping exact count of his tenure - "nine weeks now," he announces with almost endearing precision. He's clearly still finding his feet, but there's an easy chemistry between him and his bandmates that suggests this lineup might have legs.
The most fascinating revelation comes when discussing their recent television debut. While most young bands quake at the thought of two million viewers judging their every move, The Beatles display a remarkably different kind of performance anxiety. "It was much easier doing the television than it was doing the radio," McCartney admits, explaining that live radio broadcasts, with their intimate audience, provoke more nerves than the abstract concept of countless viewers behind a camera lens.
Their German adventures come up frequently in conversation. The band has been regularly commuting to Hamburg, where they've already built a significant following. Lead guitarist George Harrison, the quietest of the quartet, perks up when discussing their international exploits. Their single 'My Bonnie', recorded with Tony Sheridan, hit number five in the German charts - though they're quick to dismiss its quality with typical Liverpudlian self-deprecation.
What's striking is how unformed everything still feels. These aren't the polished, media-trained personalities that would later charm America. Instead, they're four sharp-witted Scouse lads, trading geographical one-upmanship about relatives in Rock Ferry and mates in Birkenhead. The interview frequently dissolves into fits of laughter, with Starr and Harrison particularly keen to out-joke each other about their far-flung acquaintances.
When discussing their songwriting, Lennon and McCartney display an unusually mature business sense. "It's equal shares," Lennon interjects when Paul starts explaining their contractual arrangement. This equal partnership in composition credits speaks to a savvy that belies their years.
There's an unreleased song lurking in their back pocket too, though Lennon is characteristically cagey about its details, merely noting that it "wasn't finished enough" for their recent recording session. Given their prolific writing partnership, one suspects there's plenty more where that came from.
The interview takes an interesting turn when discussing their local connections. McCartney bristles slightly at the mention of fame, questioning what it even means to be "famous" at this point. It's a fair query - they're successful enough to have appeared on television and released a single, but they're still playing venues like Hulme Hall, still counting their achievements in small increments rather than gold records.
Perhaps the most telling moment comes when discussing their earliest Hamburg recordings. "It didn't do a thing over here," McCartney says of 'My Bonnie', before adding, "It wasn't a very good record, but the Germans must've liked it a bit." This casual dismissal of their early work suggests a band already developing a critical ear for their own output. Lennon punctuates this with a theatrical "Ach tung!" - a reminder that beneath the serious musical ambitions, there's still a profound sense of playfulness.
Their connection to other Liverpool musicians comes up, including an interesting link to Billy Fury (née Ron Wycherley), though there's some good-natured squabbling about which school he attended. "It wasn't Dingle Vale like you said in the Musical Express," Ringo corrects, displaying an early awareness of press accuracy - or lack thereof.
Harrison, despite being the youngest, shows flashes of musical ambition beyond his years. When asked if his role as lead guitarist makes him the group's leader, he's quick to explain the technical distinction between lead and rhythm guitar, complete with a charming "Ching, ching, ching" demonstration. McCartney jumps in to clarify that Lennon is the actual leader, though watching them interact, it's clear the hierarchy is more fluid than fixed.
The most remarkable aspect of this encounter is how unremarkable it all seems. Yes, there are glimpses of the wit and chemistry that would later captivate the world, but at this moment, they're still very much a local band made good rather than cultural revolutionaries in waiting. They're concerned with practical matters - upcoming gigs in Hamburg, new recordings, getting their name out there.
When Lennon announces their single's catalogue number - "Parlophone R4949" - with mock gravitas, it captures perfectly where The Beatles are at this moment: serious about their music but refusing to take themselves too seriously. They're professional enough to know their product details but irreverent enough to make a joke of such trainspotting precision.
As our time winds down, one can't help but feel that something significant is brewing here. Whether 'Love Me Do' proves to be their breakthrough or just another stepping stone remains to be seen, but there's an undeniable sense of potential energy in the room. These four young men from Liverpool, with their quick wit and quicker tongues, seem poised for something bigger than Hulme Hall and hospital radio broadcasts.
The question is: are they ready for it? Based on their remarkably level-headed approach to fame thus far, one suspects they just might be. Though perhaps someone should warn them about those terrifying radio appearances.
The interview, conducted on October 28th, 1962, is historically significant as it's considered the Beatles' first-ever radio interview, according to Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn. It was recorded at Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight, Wirral, for Radio Clatterbridge - a closed-circuit radio station serving Cleaver and Clatterbridge Hospitals.
The interviewer was Monty Lister, who hosted two shows on the station: 'Music With Monty' and 'Sunday Spin'. He was joined by two other interviewers: Malcolm Threadgill (a 16-year-old disc jockey) and Peter Smethurst. The audience would have been primarily hospital patients and staff, as Radio Clatterbridge was a closed-circuit station.
The timing is particularly noteworthy: the interview took place just after the release of their first single 'Love Me Do', but before 'Please Please Me' was finalised. Ringo Starr had only been with the band for nine weeks at this point, and the group was still making regular trips to Hamburg, Germany. They had not yet achieved a number one hit.
Key revelations from the interview include:
Their previous recording success in Germany with 'My Bonnie' (with Tony Sheridan)
Lennon and McCartney's songwriting partnership and their claim to have written over 100 songs
Their experience with television versus radio performance
Local connections to the Wirral area
Their imminent return to Hamburg for another two-week engagement
Their contract with Parlophone (with John knowing their catalogue number by heart: R4949)
The interview captures the Beatles at a crucial transition point, just before their massive breakthrough. Their responses show them as professional but still relatively unpolished, with plenty of joking and local Liverpool humour throughout. It's particularly valuable as it presents the band before their more media-trained personas emerged during the height of Beatlemania.