From December 1963 through February 1964, Paul McCartney, then about 21 years old, took his 35 mm Pentax camera with him on the Beatles’ first international tour. The resulting photos lay dormant until a few years ago when McCartney rediscovered them while he was organizing an exhibition of his late wife’s photos (photographer Linda Eastman, 1941–1998). From the stash of about 1000 images he found, “Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm” was created.
It’s a time capsule of the young Beatles (Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr) and their entourage as they first toured and played in six cities ― Liverpool, London, Paris, New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami ― while their celebrity grew into a whirlwind of fame and fans.
Arranged in chronological and geographical order, this large and attractively displayed exhibit at San Francisco’s de Young Museum captures the “Fab Four’s” fun-loving innocence during their transition from youthful naïveté to international idols.
There are 275 images on exhibit. McCartney shot most of them, while the few others were taken by professional photographers who were along on the tour. Most are of the four singers and their roadies and managers, while the remainder are tourist snaps and McCartney’s pretty good efforts at documentary photography featuring workers and common folk.
The pictures were shot in black and white until the band reached Miami when McCartney switched to color. Some are still on contact sheets, with McCartney’s red marks indicating his favorites. Many of the photos are actually very good. All are reproduced and organized expertly. The most interesting ones are the intimate behind-the-scenes close-ups of the band’s members.
Clearly, if these weren’t McCartney’s snaps of the Beatles, they wouldn’t be displayed at a museum. But they are — and that’s the fun part. But, in addition to the fun and nostalgia, the photos offer new insight into the relationship among the band’s members and their fans, all seen through the eyes of Paul McCartney. It’s a “must-see” for Beatle fans.
“Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm” is a sentimental romp through a happier time in America before the Vietnam War, when the Beatles’ US tour brought joy and excitement to American teenagers and the Beatles were still experiencing their first rush of fame and fortune.
