The local programme, Granada Reports in the early days, was in a very small studio, Studio 4, which is now a store. Well last time I was in, it was a store room, electric cables, etc. We packed a lot into it. We would have the magazine programme and they would nightly, most nights I think, they’d have a rock band or a musician or some musical element.
So the Beatles came in on what I think was their first, almost, their first TV appearance and I can’t for the life of me remember what they sang. They were a nice, amicable gangling, cheerful “How did we get here? Hello mate.” I used to run into them from time to time and when I tried to get an interview with them after they’d been to see that shaman and they were out in Conway, North Wales, Maharishi something. They went to see for a de-focus weekend and they came out and I was with the other journalists outside trying to get an interview with them. They didn’t give me any but Ringo came past and saw me there and said “Hi Brian. Sorry mate.” That was all I got. I knew the Beatles!
But the Rolling Stones came in and they were late and they were scruffy. They were quite noisy, came in and they smelt a bit as well. Think they’d been in the van driven back from Germany or something and they smelt a bit. They made a fuss and messed up the dressing room and did a piece and after that Plowright said “Right! That’s it. A disgusting bunch. They’re not coming inside this building again.” Just wrote them off. Much to his chagrin … later.
