Earlier this year, the late Beatles manager Brian Epstein was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in this interview, John Lennon explains that early in the group's career, Epstein hooked the group up with opening slots for American rock 'n' roll legends Gene Vincent and Little Richard, who, by then, were past their commercial peak.

At the time of this interview, Lennon was plugging his latest album, Rock 'n' Roll, which saw him paying tribute to his early rock and roll influences, including a medley of Little Richard's "Rip It Up/Ready Teddy" and Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (which Paul McCartney would cover some years later on his 1991 Unplugged album).