I can not open Apple Remote 1st Generation

Feel quite stupid.

I have two Apple Remotes of the first generation, with the battery compartment located at the bottom. I want to change the batteries.

"Press the battery compartment release button and slide out the tray." I read that. Simple instruction you'd think.

Neither tray will slide out, however. It must be me since it is not reasonable that both would be broke in the same way. I did not change batteries so far. Both remotes still function.

In the end, I tried pushing the button while using a knife to help pull out the tray, that won't work.

Any deconstruction specialists around? Greatly appreciated.

Marius