By Chancellor of Soul (152.163.204.197) on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 04:47 pm:

I don't know how many of you SDer's remember the Beatles first
tv appearence here in America on the Ed Sullivan
Show, on Sunday night, February 9, 1964 at 8:00 pm
on CBS, ...........if you do, do
any of you remember viewing them on that particular
evening and how you felt after seeing them ????

Peace,
Mike Boone
(Chancellor of Soul)

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 06:03 pm:

Mke,
Right then and there I knew pop music was about to make a major transformation.

By john dixon (64.12.104.43) on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 07:29 pm:

I was just 10; I didn't know much about anything at all.I think my biggest passion or hero up till that time was....Zorro! I had bought a couple of Everly Brothers and Ricky Nelson 45s at that point but the Beatles were like a tidal wave.
After Ed Sullivan that night I felt a sense of clarity that I had never felt before. Like there was something out there now not just for me but for everyone my age: a wonderfully inclusive feeling. I've heard this said many times and, corny as it may sound to some, it DID feel like youth inherited the universe that night. I know that personally I didn't feel like a kid anymore after seeing them for the first time and hearing all the attendant screams. The fact that my Dad came in and made fun of their appearance made me want to look like them immediately! I certainly became focused on and obsessed with music from that point onward.

By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 09:25 pm:

Mike,
I was not on the planet earth at that time, but as an interesting side note...my dad was one of the few people in the states that knew a bit about them in the spring/summer of 1963. My father's friend was one of the few people who bought the US released flop VJ Label 45's before they broke in January/Feb of 1964. Judging by the discography, it must have been "Please, Please Me/Ask Me Why" & "From Me to You/Thank You girl".
-Steve

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 02:39 pm:

Mike:
While it's great to honor the Beatles' anniversary of their Ed Sullivan debut, we should also acknowledge the independent label & the label executive who was the first to even take a chance on releasing their records when Capitol Records USA initially passed - the Vee Jay label of Chicago and their label president at the time, the late Ewart Abner (who went on to Motown and became Gordy's President during the early-mid 1970s).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By SteveS (209.219.207.3) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 03:05 pm:

John Dixon - These music groups may come and go, but Zorro - now that's FOREVER! I still can't pass by a mantlepiece without inspecting it to see if it conceals a secret passageway leading to the underground hideout.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 03:44 pm:

Drayton Ave. Presbyterian Church youth group. They set up a TV in the meeting room and we all watched. Remember thinking how nice it must be having all those girls adore you.
Kevin...
....what was the story behind the Vee-Jay LP "Introducing The Beatles"? It was there, dissapeared, then about '70 showed up in mass quantities at every cut out bin known to man.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 04:06 pm:

Doug:
Maybe DVDMike can shine some light on the Vee Jay topic. From what I read EMI wanted to end their licensing deal with Vee Jay regarding the Beatles album. Vee Jay said no way and forced EMI to stick by their agreement. So, VJ went ahead and pressed thousands of copies to sell, thinking they would make a killing. Unfortunately, money management problems (to put it lightly) forced Vee Jay out of businsss, preventing them from selling their inventory. Vivian Carter & James Bracken (the owners "V" & "J") forfeited the company to the bankruptcy courts and the label went through years of litigation before things were settled & their inventory was finally released, explaining the sudden appearance of the Beatles' VJ album in the cut-out bin at your favorite record store.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Chancellor of Soul (63.78.189.114) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 04:18 pm:

Kev,
I agree. But I was just asking those who
remembered where they were, when this historical
pop event, took place. Vee Jay of course, played a
very very important role in a least bringing
the Beatles to the States, even if the records did
flop during their first releases. Vee Jay also
played a valued role in the careers of another
great group called " The Four Seasons", as well.

Peace,
Mike Boone
(Chancellor of Soul)

By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 04:52 pm:

Chancellor:

I remember sitting in the living room with my family watching that historic show. I distinctly remember how excited the "entire" family was. I am not sure whether it was because of the publicity build-up before the appearance or because we as a nation were looking for something new. Of course, I had heard their records before their appearance on Ed Sullivan but there was particular excitement about seeing them on that show. Very, very, interesting and I had not thought of it until now, but we were a Black family that was excitedly waiting for the appearance on television of a white, British, rock group. The doors were busting wide open. A year later I can remember my white friends anxiously awaiting the performance of The Supremes on Ed Sullivan.

It makes me wonder how far have we come. I believe that great strides were made in the 60's through early 80's in removing barriers and lifting the "ghettoizing" of performers and records. But my fear is we have made an about face in the last 10 years and there is more demarcation than ever before. In the 1960's I used to listen to WABC (with Cousin Brucie) and WMCA (with Scott Muni before he moved to WNEW). On the same radio station you could hear, The Supremes, Led Zeppelin, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, The Temptations, Louis Armstrong (Hello Dolly), Marvin Gaye, The Mamas and the Papas, The Cyrcle, Blood Sweat and Tears, Simon & Garfunkel, Otis Redding, Martha Reeves et al. Today, these performers would be separated and heard on different "formats." It is sad, because it is heard for a kid today to get a well-rounded musical "listening" experience.
Michael

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 05:33 pm:

Michael:
Amen to your posting. As a 36-year old I remember when radio formats were less restrictive (which was why I wanted to be a radio DJ), television variety shows booked EVERYONE regardless of genre (Can you sing - on key? Do you have a hit? Good, you're booked!) and everyone listened to the same tunes. That's why soon I'll be devoting more time to developing my record label - the world needs A.W.T. - Artists With Talent - and someone who is willing to put money where the mouth is to pay for it.

Michael:
Didn't mean to change the subject. I do rememeber seeing Ed Sullivan air a clip of the Beatles' performing their swan song - "Let It Be" (April 1970).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 05:41 pm:

KevGo:

Amen and good luck to you on your AWT venture.

Warm regards
Michael

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 05:52 pm:

Cleo/Michael:
Thanks! I may need someone of your expertise to help in "talent development" (a/k/a Maxine Powell, Harvey Fuqua, Cholly Atkins). Email me your particulars to kevingoins@juno.com and we'll talk!
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 09:31 pm:

Kevin....
....favorite record store? I found it at the Stop 'N' Go of all places.
Now, how did they end up on so many labels in the beginning. MGM I understand, but I have 45's from Swan, ATCO, and Vee Jay along with Capitol.

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Tuesday, February 11, 2003 - 12:04 pm:

YEAH CHANCELLOR,I REMEMBER SITTING IN FRONT OF THE T.V.WONDERING WHAT WAS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT,I WAS NOT A FAN OF THE PRE-1966 BEATLES.