The time a fake Beatles group tricked South America

[ekauqodielak]

In 1964 a bar band called The Ardells grew moptops and renamed themselves The American Beetles. According to the BBC, an Argentinian impresario saw them play in a club in Miami and decided to book them on a South American tour. He conveniently forgot to tell everyone that they weren't the English Beatles. And when they arrived in Buenos Aires, they received the full Hard Day's Night treatment of hysterical fans who mistook them for the genuine article -- until they got a good look at their faces.

From Ed Prideaux's article in the BBC:

They were the main act booked on a programme called The Laughter Festival, and an excited assembly of wide-eyed teenagers filed neatly into the stands. The American Beetles waited behind the camera, guitars and sticks at the ready, as the host issued his opening proclamation. Carlos Santino’s cousin was, again, "going nuts". Then the camera turned towards the band. "When she saw it wasn’t Paul McCartney who was coming out from behind the curtain, she started to cry inconsolably" he said. Roberto Monfort, the Channel 9 employee who had been amazed at the first announcement, recalls that disillusionment set in fast. "When they went on air, yes – the people realised that they were not the real Beatles, but the fake Beatles."

When the band return to the United States, they had trouble getting airplay with the name the American Beetles, though they did make an appearance on American Bandstand:

They changed their name to The Razor's Edge and cut one single called "Let's Call It A Day Girl."

The band itself called it a day in 1966.

boingboing.net/2020/04/24/the-time-a-fake-beatles-group.html

[timmyb52]

May 9, 2020 14:58:22 GMT -5 ekauqodielak said:

In 1964 a bar band called The Ardells grew moptops and renamed themselves The American Beetles. According to the BBC, an Argentinian impresario saw them play in a club in Miami and decided to book them on a South American tour. He conveniently forgot to tell everyone that they weren't the English Beatles. And when they arrived in Buenos Aires, they received the full Hard Day's Night treatment of hysterical fans who mistook them for the genuine article -- until they got a good look at their faces.

From Ed Prideaux's article in the BBC:



When the band return to the United States, they had trouble getting airplay with the name the American Beetles, though they did make an appearance on American Bandstand:

They changed their name to The Razor's Edge and cut one single called "Let's Call It A Day Girl."

The band itself called it a day in 1966.

boingboing.net/2020/04/24/the-time-a-fake-beatles-group.html

Odd...this band called it quits in 66.

The lead guitarist and singer is named Bill.

Paul McCartney vanishes without a trace in 66...and Billy Boy comes out of nowhere to replace him.

Could it be?

[ekauqodielak]

May 12, 2020 23:41:05 GMT -5 timmyb52 said:

May 9, 2020 14:58:22 GMT -5 ekauqodielak said:

Odd...this band called it quits in 66.

The lead guitarist and singer is named Bill.

Paul McCartney vanishes without a trace in 66...and Billy Boy comes out of nowhere to replace him.

Could it be?

Honestly, necessary plastic surgeries aside, all of those guys look way more naturally rhythmic than the dunderhead who appeared in the 67 promo films. I, too, gave a grin at the '66 disbanding. That may be relevant for other reasons, though, including a change in who was running the real show, at that point, and the end of Brian's licensing the fuck out of their name/image.

[kvo]

May 12, 2020 23:41:05 GMT -5 timmyb52 said:

May 9, 2020 14:58:22 GMT -5 ekauqodielak said:

Odd...this band called it quits in 66.

The lead guitarist and singer is named Bill.

Paul McCartney vanishes without a trace in 66...and Billy Boy comes out of nowhere to replace him.

Could it be?

Don't think Billy came out of nowhere.  Looks to me as though he was there early on, masked up and made up into the doe-eyed Paul template when we see him during Beatlemania.  Looks like he appeared in all films, including the U.S. Visit Documentary, A Hard Days Night, and Help.  Pretty sure we see him during some of the live Beatlemania performances as well.  Not all of the live performances show our main Beatlemania Paul, who rocked his head from side to side, patted his left foot furiously, rarely glimpsed his fret board, and made sure he synched the start of songs with the percussion. After 1966, I believe the only time we see our Billy fully masked up into the doe-eyed template is in the 1968 interview with him and some "John" going on about Apple and LSD.  Mainly, after 1966, I think Billy showed mostly his true plastic surgery face but used some fake beards and moustaches along the way.