The Beatles in Hamburg

Paying tribute to the city that helped cast the spotlight on a legendary band, this rock biography travels back in time to the summer of 1960, when the Beatles left Liverpool for Hamburg. The account follows their evolution from little more than enthusiastic amateurs to the seasoned professionals they became after playing the German metropolis, landing their first recording contract, and attracting Brian Epstein’s interest with their single, “My Bonnie.” Documenting how the St. Pauli area molded the Fab Four’s musicianship and stage act, this recollection also reveals how Hamburg lent a hand in fashioning their image, illustrating how their trademark collarless jackets and mop-top haircuts were cultivated in the late-night clubs of the infamous, neon-lit district. The atmosphere of the remarkable German city is evoked, capturing the nascent cultural revolution that was to explode into the “Swinging Sixties.” Containing exclusive interviews with musicians, club managers, and audience members as well as fans, friends, and family, this definitive account also features rare photographs and archive memorabilia, reflecting on the crucial early years of the world’s most influential rock ’n’ roll band—and of the city that catapulted them into international stardom.