Episode 10 – Beatles ’66 pt4

The Beatles may have been riding high on the critical and commercial success of Revolver, but a tour of the tumultuous United States was in full swing, and danger loomed large around every corner. Manager Brian Epstein's attempt to quell the outrage from the American public over remarks from John Lennon that the group was more popular than Jesus Christ proved futile, as Bible Belt radio stations torched albums, staged boycotts and stoked the frenzy to a fever pitch. Beatlemania, once an outlet for youthful energy and positivity, now brought a different kind of enthusiasm from the likes of the Ku Klux Klan, religious zealots and troublemakers looking for an excuse to take the fab four down a peg. When one such concert-goer hurled an explosive on stage, it was finally decided that enough was enough. On August 29th, 1966 the band would play their last concert in San Fransisco's Candlestick Park, and the trajectory of John, Paul, George and Ringo would never be the same. As 1966 drew to a close, each Beatle took time for themselves before reuniting for what would become the ultimate musical statement of the 1960's: Sgt. Pepper...