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the beatles and the beatlemania: some crazy stories from the world's first big fandom ㅡ a thread.
all credits to: https://groovyhistory.com/beatlemania-52-true-stories-about-the-craziest-fans-that-ever-lived
beatlemania is considered one of the biggest landmarks of pop culture, even by some the first official fanbase. the beatles fever was something that today is repeated with younger stars but certainly, we should thank our grandmothers/mothers for showing the power that fans have!
for starters, beatlemania was so much like a cult that some people forced themselves too scream:
"i didn't understand why you had to scream and i didn't have an impulse to scream but it was what you did. it was mandatory. there was this cult-like element to it" said a 60s fan
"i didn't understand why you had to scream and i didn't have an impulse to scream but it was what you did. it was mandatory. there was this cult-like element to it" said a 60s fan
a fan crawled through actual sewage for the beatles:
a fan said that she not only rode her bike 20 miles to the airport to see them arrive in england but that she literally crawled through the sewers under the stuido so she could hear the band while they recorded rubber soul!
a fan said that she not only rode her bike 20 miles to the airport to see them arrive in england but that she literally crawled through the sewers under the stuido so she could hear the band while they recorded rubber soul!
the fans were literally louder than a jet:
cynthia lennon, john lennon's first wife, once said "we could hear this screaming. we thought it was the engines, but the screaming was that of the fans"
cynthia lennon, john lennon's first wife, once said "we could hear this screaming. we thought it was the engines, but the screaming was that of the fans"
that time a fan broke into paul mccartney's house and stole his trousers:
one fan staked out paul's house and when he left a window open, popped in and stole a pair of trousers. paul was furious but the incident inspired him to write "she came in through the bathroom window"
one fan staked out paul's house and when he left a window open, popped in and stole a pair of trousers. paul was furious but the incident inspired him to write "she came in through the bathroom window"
fans just showed up to the beatles offices:
the beatles secretary freda once said: "there were a few crazy fans that would hitch up to the fanclub office from different parts of the country". freda was responsible for finding the safest bus or train for them to return home
the beatles secretary freda once said: "there were a few crazy fans that would hitch up to the fanclub office from different parts of the country". freda was responsible for finding the safest bus or train for them to return home
some fans tried to slip through airport security:
in 1964, a group of fans tried to get to the boys from liverpool by sneaking through the baggage conveyer belt at the London (now heathrow) airport. it was an intelligent plan but they didn't get to meet the boys...
in 1964, a group of fans tried to get to the boys from liverpool by sneaking through the baggage conveyer belt at the London (now heathrow) airport. it was an intelligent plan but they didn't get to meet the boys...
david lynch saw someone rip out a chunk of beatle hair:
"when they left the stage they went up this steep stairway lined with police" lynch said "but i saw a guy leap over the police and come back up with a chunk of hair from one of the beatles. it's a frenzy they created"
"when they left the stage they went up this steep stairway lined with police" lynch said "but i saw a guy leap over the police and come back up with a chunk of hair from one of the beatles. it's a frenzy they created"
one fan collected blank pieces of discarded paper from the band:
one fan collected scraps of blank paper that rained down upon crowds outside the beatles hotel in ny city. she told the guardian "if they would touched it, we wanted it"
one fan collected scraps of blank paper that rained down upon crowds outside the beatles hotel in ny city. she told the guardian "if they would touched it, we wanted it"
ringo's fans bought him his favorite jewelry:
according to ringo, at the height of beatlemania, he regularly received cufflinks from his admirers. in 1964, he cheekily said that he preferred gold cufflinks and that he sends the silver pairs back (it was a joke lol)
according to ringo, at the height of beatlemania, he regularly received cufflinks from his admirers. in 1964, he cheekily said that he preferred gold cufflinks and that he sends the silver pairs back (it was a joke lol)
fans destroyed an ambulance:
in a show in 66, the band had to sneak out of the venue in an ambulance because someone let the air out of the tires of their armored vehicle. the fans surrounded the ambulance and the beatles were lucky that they were taken to a new armored car!
in a show in 66, the band had to sneak out of the venue in an ambulance because someone let the air out of the tires of their armored vehicle. the fans surrounded the ambulance and the beatles were lucky that they were taken to a new armored car!
a fan robber ringo in ny:
in an interview with buzzfeed, ringo brought up his experiencee: "in ny somebody jumped on me and took the necklace i had on. i went on a radio station and said "if you give my necklace back i will give you a kiss" and they brought the necklace back!"
in an interview with buzzfeed, ringo brought up his experiencee: "in ny somebody jumped on me and took the necklace i had on. i went on a radio station and said "if you give my necklace back i will give you a kiss" and they brought the necklace back!"
many beatles fans were always trying to hide somewhere:
they were enthusiastic hiders but they tended to get caught. during a show in 64, a bunch of fans were found hiding under the stage and in the venue's bathrooms, unwilling to leave after a bomb threat had been called in
they were enthusiastic hiders but they tended to get caught. during a show in 64, a bunch of fans were found hiding under the stage and in the venue's bathrooms, unwilling to leave after a bomb threat had been called in
one fan pretended to be a reporter to get close to the band:
a fan in america pretended to be a journalist in order to see them. not only did she get some of that keen beatles insight but she managed to snag a doodle that john lennon drew while he sat through the interview
a fan in america pretended to be a journalist in order to see them. not only did she get some of that keen beatles insight but she managed to snag a doodle that john lennon drew while he sat through the interview
in russia, where the beatles were banned, fans etched their music onto x-ray film to hear it:
their music was not allowed in russia... however, a group of fans etched beatles music onto discarded x-ray film that could be played through a modified record player!
their music was not allowed in russia... however, a group of fans etched beatles music onto discarded x-ray film that could be played through a modified record player!
a group of girls bought george harrison a cake to remind him where he was:
when george expressed his doubts about whether or not he was playing in pittsburgh during a radio interview, a group of fans ordered a cake for goerge that read "george, this is pittsburgh" in icing
when george expressed his doubts about whether or not he was playing in pittsburgh during a radio interview, a group of fans ordered a cake for goerge that read "george, this is pittsburgh" in icing
fans once feverishly looked for the beatles at their hotel by knocking on every door:
in miami, regular guests were none too thrilled by the beatles fans running through the hotel, knocking on doors and ringing doorbells in their attempt to find the beatles in their rooms......
in miami, regular guests were none too thrilled by the beatles fans running through the hotel, knocking on doors and ringing doorbells in their attempt to find the beatles in their rooms......
one new york cop experienced the raw of power of beatlemania after touching a beatle:
a cop suffered the wrath of beatlemania after 500 fans rushed him, screaming, "he touched a beatle!". the fans hopped on the cop just to feel the essence of their favorite group (lol)
a cop suffered the wrath of beatlemania after 500 fans rushed him, screaming, "he touched a beatle!". the fans hopped on the cop just to feel the essence of their favorite group (lol)
fans once shut down an elevator:
george martin has spoken about being in elevators with the boys while people piled in just to be near them, causing the lifts to be stuck between floors...
george martin has spoken about being in elevators with the boys while people piled in just to be near them, causing the lifts to be stuck between floors...
beatlemania was wild, yall
