Difference between revisions of "Paul McCartney in Audience Watching The Quarrymen"

Revision as of 17:22, 2 September 2011

NEW! The Earliest Photograph of Paul McCartney & John Lennon Together

John Lennon performing with the Quarrymen 22 Jun 1957, as Paul checks out the scene...

In this photo of the Quarrymen's 22 June 1957 gig we see John Lennon singing and what appears to be Paul McCartney in the audience looking on, in either glasses or shades.

This photo of the Quarrymen (aka Quarry Men) has been around for ages. Amongst numerous other Beatles books, it is included in Mark Lewisohn's 1992 book The Complete Beatles Chronicle and the companion book to the Beatles Anthology documentary, The Beatles Anthology, published in 2000.

Which is to say, it's not a fake or in any way doctored.

The photo is not as common as the one taken at the Quarrymen's 6 July 1957 gig at St. Peter's Church garden féte in Woolton (View it) where McCartney says he was introduced to Lennon, and where Lennon is looking straight at the camera.

In the detail at left, compare Paul in the Quarrymen photo (at 15) and (inset) Paul at 19 or 20. The chin, the nose, the mouth, the ear, the whole thing. If it's not Paul, it's his doppelganger!

And you can vote on whether or not you think that guy is Paul on the PaulMcCartney Forum. (You'll have to register on the site to vote, but that's easy.)

Here are some various Quarrymen photos after Paul joined, around the same time. Folks have said he was "chubbier" at that time, but I think he's pretty much like the guy in the photo.

Yes, But Did Paul McCartney Wear Glasses?

A bespectacled Paul McCartney is clearly present at the Quarrymen's June 22, 1957 gig on Rosebery Street.

Many Beatles fans and experts aren't aware that Paul wore glasses and this perhaps is why Paul's obvious presence in the audience has been overlooked for 50 years.

This Daily Mail article includes the following, accompanied by this Frank Herrmann photo during the Sgt. Pepper recording-session meeting:

The Beatles in a meeting with George Martin during the Sgt. Pepper sessions, 30 Mar 1967 - Photo: Frank Herrmann

Friends of the singer say McCartney rarely wore glasses because it was part of his friend John's image.

"He was always conscious that John was famous for his glasses," said one friend. "He felt that it was important to maintain their image and John's glasses were part of that.

"His eyesight is also pretty good, so he didn't need to wear them much."

Who knows whether or not Paul needed to wear glasses. Maybe it was just something cool to do, a la Buddy Holly (Lennon and McCartney were both huge fans and hugely influenced by Holly), or looking older (he'd turned 15 just 4 days before the above photo), or perhaps more intellectual and mature so as to appeal to the girls.

Anyway, there's a reason why this is a hot topic....

More Photos of Paul McCartney Wearing Glasses

Buddy Holly