Beatle-bits

Beatle-bits

Ringo continually bites his lips, drums his fingers; Paul takes great pride in his Beatle-cut is forever combing his hair; Long John Lennon has waist-line worries, often pats his stomach to see if it's getting smaller; George is an inveterate guitar plucker, strums, picks and tunes his instrument every spare minute.

Roland Kirk is one of Beatles' favourite artistes. Roland - a blind, American modern jazzman - plays three instruments at one time. Beatles saw him last September at a London jazz club which they frequent...

In the beginning when the Beatles practised at John's house, John's aunt made them do their rehearsing standing outside on the porch.

John once bought a £40 leather jacket and proceeded to bash it about in order to get it creased and worn looking so that it would be more "with it."

All four Beatles smoke king-size filter-tip ciggies - Ringo at 20 a day the heaviest smoker. In common with most Liverpool pop-toppers, they drink an occasional whiskey and coke - Hamburg's favourite drink.

The Beatles often refer to road-manager Neil Aspinal as Nell.

John very seldom eats a proper meal. "I consider eating just a waste of time," he says. "So is sleeping. To my mind, the ideal scene would be to have pills to satisfy your hunger and pills to keep you fresh."

The Beatles played at George's brother's wedding five years ago.

Ringo's dad is a painter with Liverpool Corporation. His mum used to be a barmaid, but doesn't have to work now.

Some Beatles' fan has taken the iron foot scraper from John's old home in Menlove Avenue. Some souvenir!

Even when Ringo was working as an apprentice fitter he used to make rings from nuts and scrap metal - but his work-mates called him "Ritchie" - "Ringo" was to come later.