SI24.  A Swedish Press Release Autographed By The Beatles During Their October 1963 Visit To Sweden

On the afternoon of October 23, 1963, The Beatles arrived in Stockholm, Sweden after starting off the day with an early recording session for “I Wanna Be Your Man”, which was to be included on their upcoming second album release, entitled “With The Beatles”. This session was their last for the record, and in keeping up with their furious pace The Beatles were off on a tour the very same day they finished recording an album!

Shortly after their arrival at The Hotel Continental in Stockholm, it was there that The Beatles attended their first ever press conference for a foreign tour - as this was the band’s very first tour outside of the United Kingdom. The Beatles performed a series of concerts over a 5 day span in Sweden, returning to Great Britain on October 31st. “She Loves You”, which had been released one month before this trip, was sitting at the top of the British charts, and was in the top 10 and steadily climbing in the Swedish charts.

At the press conference, the journalists present were given a press release, which contained information about The Beatles and their accomplishments to date. Here is one of those which were handed out on that day, and this one has been autographed beautifully on the reverse by all in blue ballpoint pen, with Ringo Starr adding “The Beatles” at the top, above his signature. This is virtually a perfect set of Beatles autographs and it would have been hard for them to sign any better on that day, as each is an excellent and complete ‘textbook example’ from the period. The autographs were obtained by female Swedish music journalist Lisbet Notini, who was based in Stockholm. The page measures 8 ¼” x 11 ½”, and is in very good condition overall, with one fold across the center.

Additionally, this autographed Swedish Press Release comes with four original unpublished 10” x 8” photographs taken of The Beatles and a few journalists who were present at a small, intimate gathering at the Hotel Continental restaurant after the press conference. Autograph obtainer Lisbet Notini is pictured in each these photos – she is the blonde sitting to John Lennon’s left.

The front of this extremely rare (even unsigned) Swedish press release contains a full page of Swedish writing, which when translated reads:


THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THE BEATLES

"It is something to celebrate" The Beatles have had many reasons to exclaim since that day exactly one year ago when their manager Brian Epstein told that their first single sold 5,000 copies just days after the release. It was the beginning of a career that is unparalleled in the pop world.

Love Me Do was the name of the disc, and soon turned it up in the UK Top Twenty list. A well informed pop journalist claims it was the first time an instrumental group reached the charts already with their debut album. Love Me Do was not long-lasting in the Top Twenty, but when the next single Please Please Me emerged, it was so much more emphatically. In seven days it went from seventeenth to fifth place, a week later it was in the top. The avalanche had started rolling.

The first LP Please Please Me was recorded in a single day was shortly after this year's best-selling album in England. The huge interest in the LP followed up with an EP, Twist and Shout. Results: First place again in the Top Twenty and a silver disc, incidentally the first-ever awarded to an EP. Single No. 3 From Me To You stayed in the top of the list from mid-April to early June and was rewarded with new silver disc. Demand for concerts of the Beatles was increasing, and the gang that includes Gerry and the Pacemakers from their hometown of Liverpool toured around England. Radio - and Television offers came in, and The Beatles appeared in all the major show-programs.

It was not long before they had their own program on the BBC, "Pop Go The Beatles", which was intended as a short series, but due to its immense popularity become a permanent program. It was not long before they had their own program on the BBC, "Pop Go The Beatles", which was intended as a short series, but due to its immense popularity became a permanent program. While the LP Please Please Me passed the 250,000 mark, the other day their first gold plate was awarded to The Beatles for the recent success of She Loves You, which right now is marching into our Swedish lists.

Now it's time for a Sweden-tour for the Beatles, and the program looks like this: Wednesday, October 23: Arrival in Stockholm.

Thursday 24 radio interview with Klas Burling, broadcast November 11
Friday 25 two concerts in Karlstad
Saturday 26 concert in the Royal Hall in Stockholm
Sunday 27 two concerts at Cirkus in Goteborg
Monday 28 concert in the sports hall in Borås
Tuesday 29 concert in Eskilstuna
Wednesday 30 TV Record Drop In at Grona Lund, airing November 3

The Beatles visit to Sweden will be a feast for all their Swedish fans and for lovers of pop at all, there can be no doubt. Few can well be said to represent the genre better, both as fine artists and composers, and as the incarnation of the great dream of the career in show business.

THE BEATLES DISCOGRAPHY:
Singles: Please Please Me / Love Me Do Odeon SD 5937
From Me To You / P. S. I Love You Odeon SD 5944
Twist and Shout / Boys Odeon SD 5946
She Love You / I'll Get You Parlophone R 5055

EP: Twist and Shout / There's A Place / Do You Want To Know A
Secret / A Taste Of Honey Parlophone GEP 8882

LP: "Please Please Me" Parlophone PMC 1202 (PCS 3042)

With friendly greeting Skandinávská GRAMMOPHON PO Box 27053
27 Stockholm 15.10.1963

(Promoter of Beatles-turn "TELSTAR. Information: Hasse Wallman,
Tel: 6361 66)

A Beatles signed press release from any time period is exceedingly rare, and this Swedish press release is a tangible and desirable piece of their touring history, signed by the band on their very first venture to multiple destinations in another country, with their historic first U.S. visit coming barely 100 days after this press release was autographed by The Beatles.....$15,000

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