photographs by Paul McCartney of Fab Four Fame
Toronto. Beatlemania hit North America in the 1960s. I knew a girl in Montreal who had every Beatles LP ever pressed. Of the Fab Four, it was Paul Mc Carney who also made a name for himself as a photographer.
My good friend, George Dunbar, wrote this review of McCartney’s 2023 book and shared it with us.
1964: Eyes of the Storm
photographs by Paul McCartney
review by George Dunbar
“Another amazing book of photography. This one with photographs by Paul McCartney, taken during the Beatles’ Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, Washington and Florida tours of 1963-64. I’ve just received a copy from the Toronto Public Library and am also ‘amazed’ by its weight – I hold it on my lap with great difficulty (10″x11″x1″, 335 pages, more than 275 images).
“Unlike my recent viewing of the fantastic photography by Gene Smith, these photos must be categorized as ‘family snapshots.’ That’s certainly not to dismiss them as boring or useless, but rather to welcome and enjoy the very candid and personal views of McCartney’s band of buddies, friends, associates, fans and photographers who followed them everywhere during these tours. We get a real feeling of the intimacy, joy and pleasure of the Beatles’ memorable road trips.
“The book is based on negatives and contact prints that were given to the National Portrait Gallery after the tour. Paul writes of the nostalgia he felt when viewing once again these old photos, unseen since the ’60s. We have his recollections of those marvellous, youthful days in the lives of the Beatles.
“The text by McCartney and other observers is enlightening and it’s a pleasure to read the revealing, behind-the-scenes activities of these unique young men. This was the America tour that included the famous Ed Sullivan TV appearances. Particularly of interest to me is a chapter on Paul’s working relationships with so many famous photographers, film makers and others who often spent days with the Fab Four.”
