Early Beatles pictures from Mike McCartney’s new book
Three Beatles outside the Cavern Club in Mathew Street, 1962. Photo by Mike McCartney from his new book.
Some lesser quality and never-before-seen early photos of members of The Beatles have been published by Genesis Publications. Mike McCartney’s new book, “Mike McCartney’s Early Liverpool” has finally arrived after having had some interruptions in the process of making it. According to the publisher, the book brings together all of McCartney’s finest work including a wealth of previously unseen photographs and treasured drawings. McCartney takes us from his very first photograph, taken with the family Kodak Brownie box camera, to experimenting with his Rollei Magic camera and finding a love in surrealism, through to capturing the Merseybeat scene in Liverpool. The venues that were at the heart of the city are all featured, including the Casbah Club, the Jacaranda Club, Hope Hall, the Tower Ballroom and the legendary Cavern Club.
The photo at the top of this blog post was taken outside the Cavern Club in 1962. The dark figure is most likely George Harrison. They are standing next to a car, and behind them in the background is what is now Roag Best’s Liverpool Beatles Museum, as he proudly tweeted. At the top of the photo is The Grapes pub, there then, there now. John is carrying a bag from the NEMS record store, owned by their manager, Brian Epstein. Paul looks to be studying a record or a record cover. Pete Best on Twitter: “Our leather box jackets. I’ve still got mine.” To which Mike replied: “Read about what happened to our kids jacket in my Genesis book Pete! PS you feature nicely in it too👌”
From the book: George Harrison. Photo: Mike McCartney. Printed reversed in the book.
Here another photo in the book, this time inside the Cavern Club with John and Paul on stage and Pete Best in the front.
Page spread from Mike McCartney’s Early Liverpool. Photo: Mike McCartney
Link: Genesis Publications: Mike McCartney’s Early Liverpool
Something else that most of us can’t afford to purchase. Just like tickets to Paul’s concert
I hear you. I haven’t seen Paul in many years. With his age and my age, I thought I’d look into seeing him probably for the last time. Cheapest seat, $250. I’ll see him on youtube.
looka good
What has Mike McCartney actually done since the 1980s?
written this book
Tony Littman – Mike McCartney has written one or two other books. Asked astronomical prices for both of them as they were also signed. Good laugh, I wouldn’t spend that kind of money on him.
Mike McCartney has at least released six books – all normal publishers and prices – until this effort from Genesis Publications. He was a photographer at Live 8 (2005) and at the London Olympics (2012).
The eighties saw the release of his autobiography “Thank U Very Much” and his photographic book and exhibition “Mike Mac’s White and Black’s”, was staged at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool and the prestigious Photographers Gallery, London, before touring Britain, Japan and America, plus guest appearance in New York on the notorious Howard Stern’s ‘K-Rock’ show, extended to one and a half hours!
In the nineties his sixties group The Scaffold reformed for Chris Tarrants ‘Telethon’ TV and EMI released CD’s entitled ‘The Best of Scaffold EMI Years’ plus ‘Scaffold at Abbey Road’, Rykodisc records (USA) re- released Mike’s 1974 ‘McGear’ album, with UK release on ‘See For Miles’, and the children’s book he’d worked on for six years, “Sonny Joe and the Ringdom Rhymes” was published by Collins Books.
Mike was involved in the planning and restoration of his and his brother’s childhood 20 Forthlin Road home in Liverpool and supplied photos, and 1998 saw the transmission of ‘Abbey Road, 65 Years Celebration’ TV show, with Mike alongside Elgar, Pink Floyd, Glen Miller, Beatles, Fred Astaire!, etc.
In 2000, Q Magazine commissioned Mike’s photographs for their ‘Greatest Rock and Roll Photographs of All Time’, and his images were shown on the worldwide MTV ‘Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Pop Songs’ TV programme.
To experiment with his photography Mike started their Silk Screen printing at Liverpool Art College, then to Guadalajara, Mexico and finished the art in New York, where he exhibited at the exclusive Friars Club (president Frank Sinatra) He was then asked by Curwen Press, associated with the Royal Academy, to print images of Little Richard and Gene Vincent Live in Liverpool, for their new Lithographic process, which ended up as a signed, limited edition.
Mike had the honour of having eleven of his photographs bought for the nation and exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery London and his ‘Mike McCartney’s Liverpool Life’ exhibition (and MMLL book) was seen in Liverpool, Canada and for a year at the world famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, where it was seen by over two and a half million visitors!
In 2004 Liverpool JMU University awarded Mike an Honorary Fellowship at Liverpool Cathedral, and the Bishop of Birkenhead appointed Mike the ‘Cultural Ambassador for Wirral’ (where his now lives)
In 2005 his brother invited him to “Live8” in Hyde Park, which resulted, one year later, in ‘Mike McCartney’s Live8 Coolpix’ hard back which he and his publisher have donated the first thousand book profits to the Band Aid Trust. Both covers of Live8 and MMLL were designed by eldest son Josh.
Mike was a strong supporter of Liverpool as European Capital of Culture 2008 and worked on a Liverpool photographic book with Willy Russell.
Jan. 27th 2009 saw the launch of ‘Mike McCartney’s North Highlands’ exhibition at Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, followed by a book with forwards by Prince Charles, Billy Connolly, and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Mike and son Sonny fly to Dublin’s Leinster Gallery in February to open the Irish exhibition and Genesis book by Lew Allen (and him!) entitled…’ Elvis & the Birth of Rock’ featuring the King, Buddy Holly, Everly Brothers,etc.
In 2010 Mike was asked for photographs by Martin Scorsese for a film about George Harrison he was working on. In June he dined at the Library of Congress in Washington DC with Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello,etc..and next day in the White House had the honour of chatting with President Obama and family at his brothers Gershwin Prize presentation. In October that year he reformed Scaffold for a World Expo Concert in Shanghai, China.
2011 saw his exhibition with E. Chambre Hardman at Liverpool Cathedral and in July his ‘Mike McCartney’s LIVERPOOL’ exhibition opened at the new £72 million Museum of Liverpool. October saw the London B.F.I. premier of Martin Scorsese’s film ‘Living In The Material World’ which contained many of Mikes images, and on October 9th was witness at his brothers world covered wedding at Marylebone Registry Office. In December 2011 he also had the pleasure of showing the Queen of England his exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool.
In March 2012 the Wall Street Journal flew from New York to Liverpool to interview Mike about his photography and the re-release of his McGough McGear album, plus he attended the opening of his ‘Mike McCartney’s North Highlands’ exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio. Mike featured in Alan Cumming’s ‘Urban Secrets’ TV series,chatted to President Hollande at brother’s ‘Legion d’Honneur’ award in the Elysee Palace.
2013 February, Mike proudly attended the unveiling of the Hillsborough number 1 single on Mathew Streets ‘Wall of Fame’, then met with London Publishers to plan his coffee table hardback for 2014. Work started on an iBook of Mike’s Twitter photographs with son Josh in New York, and photographing Harry Hill filming in Blackpool he ends up IN ‘Harry Hill the Movie’ !
In 2014 Mike did a 1 Man Show round Britain, the ‘Mike McGear McCartney..SEX, DRUGS, ROCK n ROLL..i wish!” tour. Mike is 78 and busies himself with hobby projects.
The book is a ridiculous price. The prints are too. The prints are about £2,000, the book around £300. Why?
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
This is a sample of the many spam comments we get, and they are always containing links to fraudulent websites. We have received this exact wording as a comment a thousand times, and have to wade through them to find the genuine comments from our real readers.