Early Beatles 33 Rare Photos Of The Fab Four On The Verge Of Fame

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1 of 34The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, second from right) perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. February 1961.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 2 of 34The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, left) pose in Hamburg, Germany during their residency at the Star-Club. May 1962.Horst Fascher/K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images 3 of 34The Beatles stand outside Paul McCartney’s Liverpool home. Circa 1960.Keystone/Getty Images 4 of 34The “Silver Beatles” (from left: bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, temporary drummer Johnny Hutch, and George Harrison) perform in Liverpool. 1960.Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images 5 of 34A publicity handout for The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, left) billing them as the “Silver Beatles,” the name by which they were briefly known in 1960 before becoming “The Beatles” that August.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 6 of 34John Lennon (center, singing) performs with his group The Quarrymen at St. Peter’s Church in Liverpool on July 6, 1957.

Paul McCartney was in attendance at this performance and was introduced to John Lennon by a mutual friend after the show. The pair hit it off, prompting Lennon to invite McCartney to join the group soon after. Thus, the transformation of The Quarrymen into The Beatles had truly begun.Wikimedia 7 of 34Paul McCartney (left), John Lennon (second from left), and Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia (right), at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. October 1962.SSPL/Getty Images 8 of 34The Beatles pose in a small backyard in London with their instruments. 1963.Terry O’Neill/Getty Images 9 of 34John Lennon poses for a portrait in Liverpool. Circa 1961.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 10 of 34Paul McCartney poses for a photo at an unspecified location. 1963.Fiona Adams/Redferns/Getty Images 11 of 34The Beatles and associates (from left: manager Allan Williams, his wife Beryl, his business partner Lord Woodbine, bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, drummer Pete Best) at the World War II memorial in Arnhem, the Netherlands during a trip to Hamburg, Germany. August 16, 1960.

The inscription behind them reads “Their Name Liveth For Evermore.” Keystone Features/Getty Images 12 of 34The Beatles perform at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. May 1962.K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images 13 of 34The Beatles, including their original drummer Pete Best, second from left, 1961.Hulton Archive/Getty Images 14 of 34George Harrison poses for a portrait at an unspecified location. April 1962.K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images 15 of 34Guest pianist Roy Young performs with The Beatles (from left: drummer Pete Best, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison) at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. May 1962.K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images 16 of 34Ringo Starr poses for a portrait as a member of Liverpool rock group Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, the band he played in just before joining The Beatles in August 1962. Circa 1959.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 17 of 34The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on August 22, 1962.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 18 of 34Paul McCartney on stage at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. Circa 1960.Keystone/Getty Images 19 of 34John Lennon (center, singing) performs with The Quarrymen in Liverpool on June 22, 1957.Wikimedia 20 of 34The Beatles pose for a portrait during a recording session at Abbey Road Studios in London on March 5, 1963.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 21 of 34The Beatles (from left: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and drummer Pete Best) perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. 1961.Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns/Getty Images 22 of 34John Lennon performs with The Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. December 1961.Evening Standard/Getty Images 23 of 34Paul McCartney poses for a portrait at an unspecified location. 1962.Keystone/Getty Images 24 of 34The Beatles, including George Harrison (left) and John Lennon (center), perform with English rocker Tony Sheridan during The Beatles’ first trip to Hamburg, Germany. 1960.Ellen Piel - K & K/Redferns/Getty Images 25 of 34The Beatles (from left: drummer Pete Best, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, bassist Stuart Sutcliffe) perform at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany. Circa 1960.Ellen Piel - K & K/Redferns/Getty Images 26 of 34Beatles drummer Pete Best at the Cavern Club. 1962.

Best served as the group’s drummer from August 1960 to August 1962, at which point he was fired for various reasons (including his playing, personality differences, and supposed jealousy of his popularity from the other Beatles) and promptly replaced by Ringo Starr just before the group took off.Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns/Getty Images 27 of 34Beatles bassist Stuart Sutcliffe poses for a portrait at an unspecified location. 1962.

Sutcliffe, a friend of John Lennon’s from art school, played with The Beatles in 1960 and 1961. He died the following year of an aneurysm believed to have been caused by head injuries that he suffered during a street fight just after a Beatles performance in Liverpool in January 1961.Collect/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images 28 of 34George Harrison performs with The Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. 1962.Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns/Getty Images 29 of 34John Lennon plays guitar at an unspecified location. 1960.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images 30 of 34Ringo Starr sits behind his drum kit not long before joining The Beatles. 1962.Unknown/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images 31 of 34John Lennon (left) and Paul McCartney (right) perform with The Beatles during their final residency at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. December 1962.Sammlung Horst Fascher - K & K/Redferns/Getty Images 32 of 34The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. 1963.© Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images 33 of 34The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, left) perform in Liverpool. 1962.Hulton Archive/Getty Images 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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ONE NIGHT IN 1962, a 21-year-old John Lennon was due onstage with The Beatles at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. But he was nowhere to be found.

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1 of 34The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, second from right) perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. February 1961.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

2 of 34The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, left) pose in Hamburg, Germany during their residency at the Star-Club. May 1962.Horst Fascher/K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images

3 of 34The Beatles stand outside Paul McCartney’s Liverpool home. Circa 1960.Keystone/Getty Images

4 of 34The “Silver Beatles” (from left: bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, temporary drummer Johnny Hutch, and George Harrison) perform in Liverpool. 1960.Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

5 of 34A publicity handout for The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, left) billing them as the “Silver Beatles,” the name by which they were briefly known in 1960 before becoming “The Beatles” that August.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

6 of 34John Lennon (center, singing) performs with his group The Quarrymen at St. Peter’s Church in Liverpool on July 6, 1957.

7 of 34Paul McCartney (left), John Lennon (second from left), and Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia (right), at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. October 1962.SSPL/Getty Images

8 of 34The Beatles pose in a small backyard in London with their instruments. 1963.Terry O’Neill/Getty Images

9 of 34John Lennon poses for a portrait in Liverpool. Circa 1961.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

10 of 34Paul McCartney poses for a photo at an unspecified location. 1963.Fiona Adams/Redferns/Getty Images

11 of 34The Beatles and associates (from left: manager Allan Williams, his wife Beryl, his business partner Lord Woodbine, bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, drummer Pete Best) at the World War II memorial in Arnhem, the Netherlands during a trip to Hamburg, Germany. August 16, 1960.

The inscription behind them reads “Their Name Liveth For Evermore.” Keystone Features/Getty Images

12 of 34The Beatles perform at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. May 1962.K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images

13 of 34The Beatles, including their original drummer Pete Best, second from left, 1961.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

14 of 34George Harrison poses for a portrait at an unspecified location. April 1962.K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images

15 of 34Guest pianist Roy Young performs with The Beatles (from left: drummer Pete Best, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison) at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. May 1962.K & K Ulf Kruger OHG/Redferns/Getty Images

16 of 34Ringo Starr poses for a portrait as a member of Liverpool rock group Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, the band he played in just before joining The Beatles in August 1962. Circa 1959.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

17 of 34The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on August 22, 1962.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

18 of 34Paul McCartney on stage at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. Circa 1960.Keystone/Getty Images

19 of 34John Lennon (center, singing) performs with The Quarrymen in Liverpool on June 22, 1957.Wikimedia

20 of 34The Beatles pose for a portrait during a recording session at Abbey Road Studios in London on March 5, 1963.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

21 of 34The Beatles (from left: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and drummer Pete Best) perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. 1961.Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns/Getty Images

22 of 34John Lennon performs with The Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. December 1961.Evening Standard/Getty Images

23 of 34Paul McCartney poses for a portrait at an unspecified location. 1962.Keystone/Getty Images

24 of 34The Beatles, including George Harrison (left) and John Lennon (center), perform with English rocker Tony Sheridan during The Beatles’ first trip to Hamburg, Germany. 1960.Ellen Piel - K & K/Redferns/Getty Images

25 of 34The Beatles (from left: drummer Pete Best, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, bassist Stuart Sutcliffe) perform at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany. Circa 1960.Ellen Piel - K & K/Redferns/Getty Images

26 of 34Beatles drummer Pete Best at the Cavern Club. 1962.

27 of 34Beatles bassist Stuart Sutcliffe poses for a portrait at an unspecified location. 1962.

28 of 34George Harrison performs with The Beatles at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. 1962.Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns/Getty Images

29 of 34John Lennon plays guitar at an unspecified location. 1960.Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

30 of 34Ringo Starr sits behind his drum kit not long before joining The Beatles. 1962.Unknown/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images

31 of 34John Lennon (left) and Paul McCartney (right) perform with The Beatles during their final residency at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany. December 1962.Sammlung Horst Fascher - K & K/Redferns/Getty Images

32 of 34The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. 1963.© Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

33 of 34The Beatles (including drummer Pete Best, left) perform in Liverpool. 1962.Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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Meet The Beatles Before ‘The Edges Were Knocked Off’ View Gallery

Meet The Beatles Before ‘The Edges Were Knocked Off’

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Club operator Horst Fascher went looking for Lennon, ultimately finding him in the bathroom with a young woman. Fascher quickly threw cold water on the pair and ordered Lennon to the stage.

When Lennon countered that he wasn’t about to perform dripping wet, Fascher replied, “I don’t give a shit, you’re going onstage and I don’t care if you do it naked.”

And that’s precisely what Lennon did, save for the underpants he’d kept on and the toilet seat that he was now wearing around his neck.

Now, what’s remarkable about this night is how unremarkable it was for the early Beatles’ time in Hamburg.

There, between August 1960 and December 1962, the young group honed their craft and sowed their wild oats in the city’s red-light district, participating in plenty of escapades just as salacious as the one involving Lennon and the toilet seat.

In Hamburg, The Beatles popped pep pills to stay awake all night so that they could play seven-hour sets to drunken sailors and brawlers as well as the red-light district’s ever-present “population of whores, pimps, bouncers, strippers and transvestites,” in the words of Beatles biographer Philip Norman.

Lennon himself would frequently open his shows with a sarcastic “Heil Hitler!” or urinate out the second-story window of his lodgings above the music clubs.

“We used to jump around and do all the things they’re doing now, like going on stage with toilet seats and shitting and pissing,” Lennon told Rolling Stone in 1970. “That’s what we were doing in Hamburg and smashing things up…It is something that you do when you play six or seven hours. There is nothing else to do: you smash the place up, and you insult everybody.”

But when The Beatles shot to fame in 1963, these were precisely the kinds of stories that Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein and the band members themselves tried, very often successfully, to bury. This shift both defined who The Beatles would become and wiped out who they might have been.

As Lennon told Rolling Stone:

That, of course, was far from the end of it. In fact, for all but the most studious Beatles fans, the moment that they put on the suits in order to conquer Britain and then the world was actually the beginning of it.

Indeed, the common retelling of The Beatles’ story starts in late 1962 and glosses over Hamburg and the rest of their wild youth with but a quick glance. However, the early Beatles photos above provide a seldom-seen look at the band’s beginnings in Hamburg and Liverpool, when rock’s most revered band had yet to have its edges knocked off.

After this photographic look at the early Beatles, learn the surprising stories behind five of the most beloved Beatles songs. Then, have a look at some shocking John Lennon facts and quotes that might leave you rethinking your love for him.