Gay Beatles Slash Fanfiction Has Existed Since Beatlemania, Unsurprisingly. So Here's Some Stuff On That

Rare photos

May 23, 1957. The Liverpool band Eric Clayton's Skiffle Band performs. This is the first shot of Ringo playing the drums (far left).

The photo on July 6, 1957 (the day John met Paul), where Lennon sings standing on an open truck, has become a textbook and is found in many books and websites. And this picture, taken a little later in the day, is not well known to many people.

The bassist and an important member of the early line-up of the band was Stuart Sutcliffe, who unfortunately passed away early. In all his short life, only one color shot of him was taken, this one, where he is captured with singer Tony Sheridan. Stewart is on the right.

Most likely, you don't know who it is. Meanwhile, this man turned the history of world music around. This is Kurt Raymond Jones, the same customer who came into the store and asked for the Beatles record My Bonnie, which is why Brian Epstein first heard about the band, began looking for them and eventually turned into a manager. For a long time it was believed that there was no Raymond Jones. Like, it's just a character invented for the convenience of telling a story. However, here he is!

The only shot where you can see drummer Pete Best, who will later be fired, and Ringo Starr, who will take his place, together.

The Beatles are on the verge of fame performing in Liverpool. As you can see, they have someone else's drum kit, left on stage after the previous band.

Have you ever seen John's mother-in-law? Here she is, the mother of his first wife, Cynthia, next to him.

The only picture where Brian Epstein holds a musical instrument in his hands and seems to extract sounds from it.

This is a giant shoe from the movie "Help!", which was needed to shoot a scene where the Floor shrank in size. As the photo shows, this piece of props later became a decoration in the garden near Lennon's house.

The Beatles in a hippie look ride in an ordinary subway car, and no one recognizes them? How can this be? This is 1967, the picture was taken in Greece, where a harsh political regime reigned at that time and the group was not so well known.

On the cover of Tan magazine, September 1965. (Featuring a photo of The Beatles with Mary Wells in October 1964.)

“I’d never really heard Marvin Gaye, The Miracles and all that until George played me the records up in their flat [on London’s Green Street] and they absolutely blew me away. I then went on a sort of crusade for Motown!” - Tony Hall, The Beatles: The BBC Archives

Cathy McGowan: “What records do you like, other than your own?” George Harrison: “All the Motown Tamla records, Mary Wells, Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Impressions, all that crowd.” - Ready, Steady, Go!, March 20, 1964

“[The music] that we play at home — like Mary Wells, Miracles and not to mention Marvin Gaye.” - George Harrison, BBC’s Public Ear, January 12, 1964

“Tamla Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles, The Impressions, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, The Exciters.” - George Harrison, The Beatles’ Detroit press conference, September 6, 1964

“That boy George — he’s very quiet, but he’s cute.” - Mary Wells, Melody Maker, November 7, 1964

“Labeling the various members of the Beatles, Mary [Wells] recalled that Paul McCartney is the ‘real life of any party; Ringo Starr is a complete clown; George Harrison is kind of on the quiet side; and John Lennon is more of a businessman than the other three and he’s the toughest one to get to know.’” - Tan, September 1965

“The Beatles — who were always among Mary’s very early fans — are now her own favorites. She thinks they are very adorable and feels dreadfully sorry for them. ‘You have no idea how surrounded they are. There’s always someone wanting them. Their lives are certainly not their own. You know sometimes Paul or George will come into my dressing room and play a couple of records and then leave again.’” - Disc, October 31, 1964 (x)

You know, these people like Eastman and Dick James and people like that, think that I’m an idiot. They really can’t see me; they think I’m some kind of guy who got struck lucky, a pal of Paul’s or something…

(John Lennon, December 1970, interview with Jann Wenner for Rolling Stone)

Don't want your love anymore Don't want your kiss, that's for sure I die each time I hear your name Here she comes, Cathy's clown

JAY LENO: Who was the best cuddler?

RINGO: Ohhh. Georgie loved a hug.

“We’d walk down Lilly Lane which was like a lovers’ lane and kiss and cuddle.” - Iris Caldwell 

“He was just standing there. Little George, all lost. I gave him a big bag of sweets and some apples. He threw his arms around me and Stu, which was the sort of demonstrative thing they never did.’" - Astrid Kirchherr

“George giving me a bear hugggg. My first time in London and…what a welcome!!! ‘It’s Klaus!’ George Harrison called, setting his guitar aside and walking toward me to give me a firm hug.” - Klaus Voormann

“I was surprised to see how affectionate he was with Olivia, holding hands, heads touching as they talked, snuggling up next to her at every opportunity…” - Chris O’Dell

“Olivia was in the room and asked Madeleine her name. The next thing [Madeleine] knew, George was walking across the room directly to her, and as if they were old friends, put his arms around her! She was so overwhelmed and she automatically put her arms around him and hugged him back.” - A fan

“Even hugging George was a psychedelic experience, what a gem of a man. Love him forever.” - Dave Stewart

“George was the kind of guy who wasn’t going to leave until he hugged you for five minutes and told you how much he loved you.” - Tom Petty

“Just a few months after his death, I was in Bungalow 8, a New York club that Paul Shaffer dragged me to, when I noticed a skinny fellow who was the spitting image of George - only young George - coming right toward me. Before I could say anything this young man embraced me in a tender hug and then pulled back to explain himself. ‘I’m Dhani Harrison,’ he said. ‘One of the last things my father told me was that if I ever come across people who were important to him, I should give them a hug.’” - Martin Short

“I could draw naked ladies. I could do them on folded paper so that when it was closed up the lady had her clothes on and then when you opened it up…wey-hey! The only trouble was before she did the washing my mum used to go through my pockets for school dinner tickets and, of course, one day she found one of my naked ladies. I came home and my dad said, I want a word with you. Did you do this? It was like death. Anguish. Tears.”

— Paul McCartney on his claim to fame in school, from The Paul McCartney World Tour concert program, 1989 (via theoldpaulband)

Do with this what you will. I’ve been busy lately and went on a trip so a large majority of this was done while waiting in airport/museum bathrooms. It was very entertaining to read about these stories though.

Just Ringo✨️

word association with paul (1990)

successfully drew enough for a photoset *pumps fist*….  i love mcharrison ;__;

I’ve been deep deeeeep in reading quotes about how they were adorable bros back in grade school….i needed to doodle…

the ones with dialogue were coloured by @miss-shydeer UoU!!