June 4, 1964 | Beatles Interviewed in Copenhagen

June 4, 1964 - The Beatles flew into Copenhagen today to start their European tour and were greeted by thousands of screaming fans.
After their jet landed, John Lennon remarked to a reporter: “Just like England used to be — remember?”
He was smiling, but his words may be striking the truth. Only 90 minutes earlier — with drummer Jimmy Nicol, 24, who is standing in for sick Ringo Starr — they left London Airport. There were only a handful of fans there to wave them off. Is the Beatles’ era slipping away?
Not in Copenhagen.
There were 6,000 fans stamping and yelling at the airport.
New boy Jimmy Nicol seemed a bit bewildered by it all.
The lads were rushed into a car and driven to Copenhagen’s luxury Royal Hotel. There, another 2,000 fans battled outside with police. Several people were trampled underfoot when the crowd broke through the police cordon.
At that point, 10 burly British soldiers of the Royal Fusiliers, who are on a goodwill visit, stepped in and helped the police get the fans back under control.Back in London, Ringo, who is in University College Hospital with tonsillitis, was reported to be “getting better.”

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