Graham Hutchins - Eight Days a Week: The Beatles Tour of New Zealand, 1964

When George Harrison of the Beatles passed away in 2001, it was an untimely reminder that despite their godlike status, the Beatles would not last for ever. Their songs might, but the creators of the most memorable music in rock history had suddenly been reduced by half. It was tragic when John Lennon was gunned down in 1980, but with Georges passing the time had come to honour the Beatles and their contribution to music and youth culture and salute the way many of us Kiwi baby boomers viewed our very existence.

The Beatles took over the world. Even New Zealand was not immune. At the height of their powers in 1964, during the initial Beatle explosion, the British band toured New Zealand and for eight frenetic days turned the country on its ear. Those of us who were there and followed their royal progress now look back with wistful pleasure to those heady days when the Beatles burst on to the scene and left no stone unturned in redefining rock music and youthful aspirations.

It wasnt all beer and skittles. There was a certain amount of upheaval as New Zealand strengthened its conservative ramparts and reactionary forces came out of the woodwork. It was a bit like an invasion, but the Beatles came in peace and enriched many young lives. Along the way, they endeared themselves to older generations, worried parents and baffled noise-sensitive octogenarians. Even city and town fathers came to the party with civic receptions and unctuous announcements of changing times.

Then, and even to this day, the Beatles acquired adherents from younger generational groups. The music could not be denied. Beatle music has that peculiar magic of always being in fashion. The strength of the songs has passed the test of time. Indeed, John Lennon once said of I am the walrus that it would always be ahead of its time. Not for the first time, he was right.

In 1964, with the Beatles at the helm, nothing seemed impossible. The passage of forty years has reminded us that life imposes its own restrictions. When the Beatles broke up, John Lennon announced in song that the dream is over. Back then, this was true in the sense that the Beatles supernova reign had reached the end of the long and winding road. However, no one could deny the ongoing influence of the Beatles music and the very value system the Beatles had inspired. Dont dream its over, New Zealander Neil Finn implored in song several years later. It could have been a direct rebuttal of Lennons sentiments, or simply a fine Beatlesque ballad that reminded Kiwis and the world just how pervasive the Beatle hubris continued to be.

Rutherfords splitting of the atom, Hillarys ascent of Everest, the All Blacks beating the Springboks in 1956: such momentous events are part of Kiwi folklore. The 1951 waterfront strike and the 1981 Springbok tour are blips we wish could be expunged from our past. However, another tour, that famous eight days a week in 1964 when the Beatles included us in their global blitzkrieg, needs to be honoured as a special time that will never happen again in quite the same way.

For the past ten years, I have felt the time was right to celebrate the Beatles tour of New Zealand. The passing of George Harrison in 2001 added an urgent dimension. Now, in the year 2004, it is twice times twenty years ago today, as Paul McCartney so memorably put it in Sergeant Pepper.