THE INSIDE WORD—The reason you haven’t heard too many new singing groups lately is that many record companies are holding back new talent until MONKEEMANIA has died down . . . They’ll probably have a long wait! . . . FANG is not leaving THE RAIDERS, after all, but it almost happened . . . But there will be a spectacular shake-up within THE RAIDERS very soon, maybe even before this issue gets to you! . . . Several members of top groups have been getting their draft notices but, other than GARY LEWIS, most of them have been able to get out of their service obligation (usually, for medical reasons) . . . As we were going to press, we learned that DAVY JONES has been called for his pre-induction draft physical but that he expects to get a deferment because he is the sole support of his father . . . We’ll get the final status of DAVY next issue, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason to worry . . . Speaking of The Army, THE YOUNG RASCALS are very anxious to visit Viet Nam and perform for our troops over there . . . Chances are good that they’ll join BOB HOPE on his next tour to that war-torn part of the world . . . NANCY SINATRA left the soldiers breathless on her visit . . . One final note: The only group which has been destroyed because of the pressures the Army has been putting on draft-age men is THE BEAU BRUMMELS, which broke up because half the group was drafted.
A SURPRISE!—didn’t think that anything was going to happen this far down the page! (See, it pays to read every word in FLIP!).
It’s a kinda small but nice surprise, DOUGIE MILLINGS, who is a regular contributor to FLIP as well as being THE BEATLES’ personal tailor, has just sent us a sketch of a particularly groovy suit he just made for RINGO. It’s a purple and white suit with velvet cuffs and a velvet collar. And Dougie was thoughtful enough to send along a piece of the material from which he cut the suit.
If you’d like this piece of RINGO’s suit, just send me a postcard telling me why you’d like to have it. The most original reason will win. It’s as casual as that. A kinda mini-contest! Just send your card to: Ringo, FLIP Magazine, 1010 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10021.
MRS. GENE PITNEY—Her name is Lynee [sic] Gayton, and she married GENE during the famous San Remo Festival in Italy . . . She’s been dating Gene since high school and is a pretty blue-eyed redhead . . . Her biggest surprise came during their honeymoon . . . Which lasted all of two hours on a yacht Gene had rented . . . Then, he had to go back to sing at The Festival . . . But Gene’s promised Lynne a REAL honeymoon . . . as soon as he’s made a movie, recorded an album and completed his tour!
POP PEOPLE IN PRIVATE PLACES—MIKE NESMITH was invited to THE BEATLES latest recording session . . . Other visitors to the session included MICK JAGGER and MARIANNE FAITHFUL . . . They’ve been a steady couple since Mick broke up with CHRISSIE SHRIMPTON and MARIANNE announced that she was getting a divorce . . . Marianne also shares Mick’s manager, ANDREW LOOG OLDHAM, who now is in complete charge of her brand new recording career . . . THE YOUNG RASCALS were flipped out when PETER TORK slipped into THE SCENE, a New York club where they were appearing, and happily enjoyed their swinging act . . . STEVE KAHN, Our Boss FLIP-er, didn’t expect to run into DAVY at THE DAISY, a very “in” private club in Beverly Hills . . Buty [sic] Davy was there, enjoying the TEDDY NEELY FIVE perform . . . And THE TURTLES were shocked to run into BOB DYLAN after a performance they gave in New York . . . It happened before Bob’s serious accident, but Turtle BOB KAYLAN just got around to telling us about it . . . He had just sung, “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” which Bob, of course, wrote, when Bob came backstage . . . “‘That song has a nice ring to it!’ Bob said—like he didn’t even write it!” Howard reports, still in a state of shock by the whole happening!
SOME PEOPLE WHO’D LIKE TO MEET YOU—NEIL DIAMOND, to thank you for everything . . . SAMANTHA JUSTE, to tell you that she and Micky Dolenz are just friends . . . BOBBY WILLIAMSON, to thank you for making “Hat On Tie” a big hit in the midwest for him and Dave Darlynn, his singing partner . . . THE ROBBS, to ask you if you like their new look . . . GARY LEWIS, to express appreciation for your many congratulatory letters on the news of his engagement . . . DON & THE GOODTIMES, who still can’t get over your love for them . . . And STEVE KAHN, who says he can’t explain the fact that “Where The Action Is” went off the air just four weeks after he appeared on it!
BEEN THINKING of a fabulous fact to leave you with before cutting out until the July issue of FLIP, which’ll be on sale May 11th . . . And here it is: Did you know that both DAVY JONES and THE BEATLES made their American television debuts on the same day on the same show? It’s true! It happened on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW of Sunday, February 9th, 1964—the day THE BEATLES made their incredible appearance which officially launched Beatlemania! All the attention was focused on JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE and RINGO that night and no one noticed the small British actor with the combed-back hair who also performed that night. And even he couldn’t have guessed that less than three years later, he’d be as fabulous and as famous as the group in whose shadow he was standing!
