When the Beatles were bad

The Beatles photograph by Astrid Kirchherr

Before Ringo, before the fame, before Love Me Do and any talk about wanting to hold hands. Before they were fab, the Beatles were bad.

Leather clad, pompadoured, badASS.

This 1960 photo taken by Astrid Kirchherr, who subsequently fell in love and stole Stuart Sutcliffe from the band, is one of her most famous pics of the yet to be discovered band. Unsigned and Ringoless, this isn’t the band the world fell in love with. It is a band learning how to play, getting better every beer-soaked show bar they gigged in. At the time, Germany’s port city Hamburg was well-known for sex, drugs and crime. The perfect breeding ground for rock ‘n’ roll.

John, Paul and George were only to get better. At pretty much every aspect of their art.

But still, ya gotta admit there is a strong argument that this is them at their garage band best.

Fun party discussions for all the Beatlemaniacs include: Could they look this badass if Ringo was in the photo? Is this pre-moptop or just a bad hair day? If Stuart Sutcliffe had lived could he have prevented Yoko?

You can bid for this signed and number copy at the Julien’s Auction Icons and Idols: Rock N Roll 2017. From the Beatles to Nirvana, you’ll also find loads of other rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia.