Paul McCartney's new book of photographs looks back at Beatlemania in 1964

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4.2 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2023

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

Between 1963 and 1964, The Beatles blew up to become one of the most internationally renowned bands in history. Though images of the screaming fans and the four musicians' swooping haircuts are part of pop culture, a new book shows that time period through Paul McCartney's perspective. 1964: Eyes of the Storm features photographs the guitarist took through many of those international performances. As McCartney tells NPR's Steve Inskeep, the band's first visit to the U.S. came amidst a period of charged political change.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi there, I'm Chloe Veltman, a correspondent on NPR's Culture Desk, and you're listening to Our Book of the Day podcast.
0:09.5	The Beatles' 1964 US tour is part of the country's collective cultural memory.
0:15.6	Most of the footage from the Fab Four's famous visit was focused on the British pop stars themselves or their screaming fans.
0:22.5	But now, Paul McCartney has released a book of photographs he took with his own camera while out on the road.
0:29.2	McCartney's striking images in 1964, Eyes of the Storm, depict scenes like police barricades
0:36.1	trying to contain fans at New York City's Plaza Hotel
0:39.1	and photographers photographing McCartney as he was in turn photographing them.
0:44.9	In this conversation with NPR's Steve Inskeep, McCartney shares his thoughts about what it was
0:49.9	like to visit the US as the country was going through unprecedented change.
0:55.1	Not long after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and right before Congress passed the Civil Rights
0:59.8	Act. Here's Steve Inskieb. In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
1:06.9	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.
1:11.5	On our new show, Sources and Methods, NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.
1:21.1	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:26.7	A famous moment in music history is now visible from an entirely different angle.
1:32.4	Photographs show The Beatles on a tour that concluded in the United States in 1964.
1:37.3	Ladies and gentlemen, the Beatles!
1:39.6	That was the first time they toured U.S. cities and appeared on American TV.
1:43.3	Close your eyes back out to see tomorrow. That was the first time they toured U.S. cities and appeared on American TV.
1:55.0	Millions of people were watching then, and millions have seen clips of video ever since. The Beatles remain among the best-selling acts in history, and that moment in 1964 is one of the most famous parts of their story.
2:03.2	What's new about these images is the point of view of the person who took them. Paul McCartney
2:08.9	had a camera in 1964. He came on the line to talk about his photos. Hi, Steve. Hi, Paul. It's good to talk
	...

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