Astrid’s link to the local area

HUGHELY influential photographer Astrid Kirchherr played a huge part in the development of the look of the Beatles in particular.

She first saw them at the clubs in Hamburg with Klauss Voorman who developed into a very successful bass player but also a designer and he was responsible for the cover of the Revolver album.

Astrid took a series of iconic photos but moved further on and gave them the defining Beatle haircuts and also had black leather trousers and jackets made for them.

The shaded black and white photos in particular are thought to be amongst the best ever taken.

Astrid was engaged to the fifth Beatle, Stuart Sutcliffe, who sadly died of a brain injury and who was a very talented artist in his own right.

She went on to marry Gibson Kemp who was one of my best friends at Waterloo Grammar School and he took Ringo Starr’s place in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes but quickly moved on to being the driving force behind Ted King Size Taylor and the Dominos.

Many people in Southport will remember Ted who is now living down South but who had a butchers shop opposite the Crown in Birkdale.

For those interested in some of his best recordings should obtain a copy of a CD produced by Mastersound whose studio is in Alma Road in Birkdale.

I had the pleasure of meeting Astrid by invitation when Genesis Publications brought out what is truly a luxury high quality book of her photos including all the well known photos of the Beatles but others from the same era.

Cllr Sir Ron Watson