In the mid-sixties, John Lennon said to a friend (who also happened to be a reporter): "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first-rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me." Subsequently, all hell broke loose in the U.S.A, where the Beatles were about to embark on their second tour. There were death threats, radio stations banned Beatle records, and there were Beatle-record burning events. Below are links to a 25 minute, British, 1966, news report about the controversy and the Beatles' concerts in Memphis. The documentary includes an interview with the Klu Klux Klan Imperial Wizard [!], who calls the Beatles "mop heads," and says that he can't tell whether they're white or black. The documentary ends with an interview backstage with the Beatles in Memphis after their performances—they are c.r.a.n.k.y.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Here is the portion of the Beatles' Anthology—Director's Cut—that deals with this time period (featuring interviews with the three Beatles and George Martin, filmed around the turn of this century).
1966 Chicago Press Conference (raw footage)
To end this post on a positive note, here are two live performance clips from 1964. When people say that Ringo Starr invented Rock drumming, they have these sorts of performances in mind. Don't miss his playing on the guitar solo of the first track, and notice that his heel is not resting on the kick drum pedal.
