The Beatles world tour sadly got off to a bad start when Ringo collapsed during a photo shoot the day before they left for Denmark and was diagnosed with tonsillitis and pharyngitis, requiring rest and quiet. On George Martin's recommendation the group hired 24 year old session drummer Jimmy Nicol as a temporary replacement, although George Harrison at first refused to play without Ringo. Jimmy Nicol: "I was having a bit of a lie-down after lunch when the phone rang. It was EMI asking if I could come down to the studio to rehearse with The Beatles. Two hours after I got home I was told to pack my bags for Denmark".
Temporary drummer Jimmy Nicol played his first concert with The Beatles the day after joining them in Copenhagen. In Holland the following day, a TV appearance ended up in chaos after fans engulfed the stage and the band had to calm their nerves in Amsterdam's red-light district. In Hong Kong they failed to sell our two shows, mainly because the promoter was charging the average weekly wage for a ticket. In Adelaide, Australia, an estimated 200,000 people lined the route from the airport to the City Hall where the mayor presented The Beatles with many toy koala bears.
In Melbourne, where Ringo finally caught up with the tour, a civil reception ended up chaos when dignitaries and fans scrambled to touch the band. It was cold and pouring rain in Sydney but they there still paraded around the streets in an open top bus. In Brisbane, a group of Beatles-haters pelted the group with eggs during their open-too ride and again at their concert.
In Melbourne, where Ringo finally caught up with the tour, a civil reception ended up chaos when dignitaries and fans scrambled to touch the band. It was cold and pouring rain in Sydney but they there still paraded around the streets in an open top bus. In Brisbane, a group of Beatles-haters pelted the group with eggs during their open-too ride and again at their concert.
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