John Devlin says his personal photo with The Beatles is his life's "reward". (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
It may have been six decades ago, but John Devlin still remembers in vivid detail the moment he was selected to open for The Beatles' only tour of Australia and New Zealand.
The rock'n'roller, known as Johnny Devlin, had already made a name from himself as the Elvis Presley of his homeland of New Zealand, and was representing up-and-coming artists at his Sydney-based talent agency.
"It was a fluke," Devlin said.
One of his clients, Paul Wayne, stormed into his office shouting, "The Beatles are coming! Could you get me on their show?"
The now 86-year-old, who lives in the New South Wales Illawarra region, admits he had no idea who the band was.
But he phoned an industry connection, Don Black, to inquire on behalf of Wayne.
"A couple of days later, [Mr Black] rang me back and said, 'Well how would you like to do the show?'" Devlin said.
"I got the shock of my life."
He was apprehensive about the offer at first, given the sheer popularity of The Beatles and the thousands of adoring teenagers who crowded their every movement.
"It [became] the highlight of my career," Devlin said.
John Devlin still enjoys playing his guitar. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
Opening over hordes of screaming fans
This week is the 60th anniversary of the historic tour which gave rise to the socio-cultural phenomenon of Beatlemania.
The Daily Telegraph reported at the time, "[The Beatles] were the high priests of pop culture … girls wept, screamed, grimaced, fainted, fell over, threw things, stamped, jumped, and shouted".
The band touched down in a wet and cold Sydney before performing 32 concerts across eight cities in both Australia and New Zealand.
It was Devlin's job to open each show with his own rock'n'roll flare, and then introduce The Beatles to the roar of thousands of loud and unruly fans.
"You didn't know what was going to happen next — if The Beatles were as so much to blow their nose, it would make the media. It would make the headlines," he said.
Devlin said the biggest fan fuss occurred at the first Wellington concert on June 22, 1964, which almost cut the three-week tour short.
"[John Lennon] threw [his guitar] down on the floor … he said, 'We can't hear ourselves sing'," he said.
Devlin said he later persuaded sound engineers to boost the on-stage speakers by confirming the band would compensate any damage.
"And it just so happens that in the audience were there were three guys from the New Zealand Airforce with a decibel meter. [They] measured the sound in the Town Hall that night as equivalent to a Boeing 737 flying at 60 feet.," he said.
When asked what he wanted in return for improving the band's audio quality, Devlin said, "a photo with The Beatles", and the group obliged.
"They dressed up … paid a photographer … in Auckland. I actually own the photograph."
John Devlin (front) scored a personal photo with The Beatles after solving audio quality issues for the band's NZ performance. (Supplied: John Devlin)
Band members 'confided in me'
Reflecting from the comfort of his home in Corrimal, Devlin said another fond memory of touring with The Beatles was his choice of outfit.
"It was a black leather suit and white skivvy … I thought, 'Well I'll be the first pop star in Australia to wear a leather suit on stage'," he said.
"Somebody asked Paul [McCartney], 'I believe leather is all the go overseas!' And he said, 'No, it's out.'
John Devlin said he led a rock'n'roll music career inspired by Elvis Presley. (ABC Illawarra: Brooke Chandler)
"So, I looked a bit stupid there … [Plus] every time I did a show, it didn't breathe so there was a lot of sweat."
However, Devlin said he formed a strong bond with each band member.
"They showed me Hard Day's Night … even before it was released," he said.
"I've thought about it over the years, and that's my favourite Beatles song."
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