Press conference: Warwick Hotel, New York City

Q: Paul, I believe you have just recently purchased a farm in Scotland. Have you any intention of purchasing any further, being in the United States?

Paul McCartney: No. I just bought that farm because it was very cheap. And, uhh, I always wanted a farm. And it’s a nice place. But that’s as far as it goes.

Q: This is for John. There have been reports from Europe about too much reaction to your Christianity remark. They say it represents a possibility of immaturity in American society. Do you think so?

John Lennon: Er, who says so?

Q: It was said in overseas press.

Lennon: Well, I mean, it’s an opinion. That’s all, you know. I don’t… They’re entitled to their opinion.

McCartney: I think the thing about that is that, er, there are more people in America, so there are more bigots just by head of population. No, well, there are, you know.

Lennon: What about Scotland?

McCartney: Well, you know, but I mean, you hear more from American bigots than you do from Russian bigots. That doesn’t mean the whole country’s bigoted, you know. Does it?

Q: This question is to John and Paul. Is there any special significance in the use of the term ‘Yellow Submarine’?

McCartney: It’s a happy place, that’s all. You know, it was just, we were trying to write a children’s song. That was the basic idea. And there’s nothing more to be read into it than there is in the lyrics of any children’s song. Sparky, you know, it’s the same kind of thing.

Lennon: Sparky?

McCartney: Sparky. Correct.

Q: Two years ago I traveled with you as a group, and this time you seem to be much more quiet, much more restrained. Do you think you’re getting older, or are the tours getting to you?

Lennon: I think we’re probably getting older, you know, each year.

McCartney: I’ve got older.

Q: How do you think Prime Minister [Harold] Wilson’s austerity program is going to affect London as the capital of rock and roll, and what’s it going to do to you financially if the pounds devalue?

Lennon: We don’t know. You know, we don’t know what he’s done, yet, because we’ve been away. I mean, we’ve seen a bit of it, you know. If it affects us, that’s all right.

Q: I must say you’re a cute looking bunch.

McCartney: Gee, thanks, ma’am.

Q: I’d like to ask you sort of a personal question. Do you bring your own barber with you when you travel abroad?

All: No.

Q: Do you have your hair cut, then, wherever you are?

Ringo Starr: Erm, no. Well we usually have it cut at home, you know. Well, I do.

Q: How do you define glamour in a girl?

Starr: Glamour?

Lennon: Don’t like glamour.

McCartney: You can’t define glamour, really, you know. It’s just there or it isn’t.

Lennon and McCartney: Glamour.

Q: There was a rumour carried in the New York press and on radio this past week that you’re all wearing wigs because you were trying to join a London club which is very exclusive. Is it true or false? Are you wearing wigs?

George Harrison: No.

McCartney: Oh. Do you believe that? Do you? No.

Q: Your hair looks much more uniform than it did two years ago.

McCartney: Thanks, silly. No, that’s not true, you know. But thanks all the same.

Lennon: No comment.

Q: To George – Now that you’ve learnt to play the sitar, do you expect to learn any more instruments?

Harrison: I haven’t learnt to play the sitar. I mean, Ravi Shankar hasn’t learnt to play it and he’s been playing it 35 years.

McCartney: Woo!

Q: A question to John and Paul. Is there any theme to the Rubber Soul and Revolver albums?

McCartney: Theme?

Q: A general theme with variations on it?

McCartney: No, not really, you know. Is there a theme?

Lennon: No. The only theme is that you do them at the same period, so they have something in common when they get on the same LP. That’s all.

Q: A question to George. Do you feel that Indian music will be more influencial in the future of rock ‘n’ roll and pop music?

Harrison: Um, well, I don’t know. I personally hope it will become more – that there’ll be more Indian influences just generally in any music, because it’s worth it. It’s very good music. I’d just like to see it more popular, more people appreciating it.