The Beatles in Hamburg

The most influential pop muscians of the twentieth century? We all have our opinions on that one, but up there amongst the top few must be the Beatles, and, indeed, all the different combinations they featured in both before and after The Beatles. Those who know their history well will not be surprised to see them clad in hot black leather outfits in their early incarnations, especially when playing in Hamburg in the early 1960s. I suppose it really goes back to The Quarrymen, John Lennon being a founding member of the group in 1956; but by 1958 Paul McCartney and George Harrison were there as well amongst a group of usually five musicians. But the three of them also performed as Johnny and the Moondogs in late 1958, and by 1960 The Quarrymen had been joined by Stuart Sutcliffe. At about this time they also started appearing as The Beatles, and sometimes as Long John and the Silver Beatles or also John Gentle and his Group. The John, Paul, George and Ringo combination so familiar was by no means set in stone in the early days, and made its appearance around 1962. My particular interest in these early pics in their black leather outfits. This sexy attire didn't fit in with the new, clean image The Beatles were going to present and so they abandoned it. Would they have attained their fame and status if they had kept to the old image of rebels without a cause? Probably not, the world of pop music and celebrity being as fickle as it is. But I for one am glad they had a leather phase, if for nothing other than the great historic pics we see below! (At the end there's a clip of them playing in The Cavern in 1960. No leather in sight, sadly.