“They were the first white group that I’d ever heard in my life who said ‘yeah we grew up listening to black music”: Smokey Robinson and others describe huge cultural impact of the Beatles' first visit to America

The trailer for Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Beatles documentary, Beatles ‘64, has dropped and it looks like a must-see for anyone with even a passing interest in the group (which includes most of us, you’d think).

BEATLES ’64 - watch the new trailer. - YouTube

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The film uses footage originally shot by David and Albert Maysles, who joined the group on their epoch-making first trip to the US in February 1964. It also features new interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, archive material from Lennon and Harrison and a number of talking heads who can attest to the seismic impact the Beatles made on America in that year.

These include A-listers such as Berry Gordy, the late Ronnie Spector and Smokey Robinson who says: “They were the first white group that I’d ever heard in my life who said ‘yeah we grew up listening to black music.”

Whilst Scorsese on this occasion is the doc’s producer, the director is David Tedeschi, who also worked with him on the George Harrison documentary Living In The Material World. In an interview with NME, Tedeschi has talked about how the Maysles managed to get such incredible footage: “They weren’t well-known,” he reveals. “We don’t really know how they got hired – there’s no real record – but they were remarkable. It’s one thing for them to be with the Beatles – who are of course tremendously charismatic – day after day, so the band get used to them and they have a very nice rapport.”

“But what’s remarkable is all the young fans on the street, who are able to project themselves on film. I believe there was something about the Maysles’ energy that allowed people to be themselves with real emotional intensity.”

The Beatles ‘64 is available exclusively (at the moment) on Disney + from November 29. A week earlier the accompanying Beatles reissues land. As you might already be aware, these are the seven US albums that the Fabs put out during those incredible twelve months for the band.

They are Meet The Beatles!, The Beatles' Second Album, the original soundtrack for A Hard Day's Night, Something New, The Beatles' Story, Beatles '65 and The Early Beatles. They’re currently available to pre-order, either individually or in a new box set, entitled The Beatles: The 1964 US Albums in Mono.