The Beatles in Hamburg: Photographs 1961

by Jurgen Vollmer

Magically drawn by a sound they had never heard before, art student Jurgen Vollmer and his friends stepped into a dingy juke joint in the famous Hamburg red light area St. Pauli in 1960. A teenage band form Liverpool called The Beatles, in black leather jackets, pointed shoes and Elvis quiff, played rock 'n' roll. Very young, completely unknown and still five of them, without Ringo: cool John; Paul, the charmer; Stuart Sutcliffe; Pete Best; and George, a 17 year old minor who had to leave the club at 10 p.m. Fascinated, Vollmer and his friends came back every night of the two-month gig. And when The Beatles returned to Hamburg in 1961, Vollmer brought a camera to take--and partly stage--the pictures published in this nostalgic dream book. In his introductory note, Vollmer recollects his memorable encounter forty years ago.