Video: 'The Beatles - "Jesus Apology" Press Conference - Restored Full - Aug 12, 1966' (click here for the transcript of press conference #1)

(Thursday, August 11, 1966, evening CDT) — The Beatles held two press conferences tonight at Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago, during which John Lennon apologized for his “more popular than Jesus” remark made in a magazine interview in March, saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I said it really. I didn’t mean it as a lousy, anti-religious thing. I was sort of deploring the attitude toward Christianity. I wasn’t saying The Beatles are better than God or Jesus.”

Video: 'The beatles - Live At The International Amphitheater, Chicago 1966' (The band's press conferences included in videos 6-9 in playlist)

The Beatles arrived in Chicago at 4:55 p.m. CDT to begin their third (and what would turn out to be the final) concert tour of North America the following day.

Video: 'The Beatles 2nd Chicago Press Conference [Audio Only] 11 August 1966' (click here for the transcript of press conference #2)