Books: Unseen Beatles Photos Unveiled After Four Decades

New book reveals over 200 never-published photos of the Beatles at work in the recording studio.

A new book reveals over 200 never-published photos of the Beatles in the recording studio. In February 1967, Life magazine photographer Henry Grossman spent an evening with the Beatles while they worked on their ground-breaking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album in London's famous Abbey Road recording studio. Though he took more than 250 photos that evening, only a handful of the images were ever published. The remainder have spent the last four decades safely tucked away in Mr. Grossman's archive. The entire collection has finally been published in a new limited-edition book, Kaleidoscope Eyes: A Day in the Life of Sgt. Pepper.

"In 1967, I'd known the Beatles for several years," says Mr. Grossman. "Every time I'd go to London I would be in touch with them and visit them. On this particular trip, Life magazine told me they were doing a story on the group, but they were having difficulty getting to them. So I arranged to bring the Life reporter to the studio with me so he could conduct an interview."

Over the course of the session (during which the Beatles recorded "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"), Mr. Grossman filled ten rolls of film, capturing the group hard at work. The resulting photos are remarkably candid; the Beatles themselves appear oblivious to the camera, seemingly unaware that they were being photographed at all. "I went to the recording session as a friend," explains Mr. Grossman, "so they were comfortable with me. I was not there as a typical photographer, where they felt they had to pose certain ways. And my approach as a photojournalist was to become a speck, a fly on the wall. I wouldn't draw any attention to myself."

Beatles historian and author, Kevin Ryan, explains the significance of the photos: "Not only is it rare to find so many unpublished photos of the Beatles - beautiful ones at that - but this collection shows the group at an important turning-point in their career. They had played their last ever concert just six months prior. They had given up public performing to spend more time in the recording studio, and these pictures capture them at the beginning of this new period of intense experimentation and creativity. The studio had become their sanctuary; few people were allowed inside those walls to actually watch them work, and that makes these images that much more intimate. There is an almost voyeuristic sense of actually being in the room. This is what you would have seen if you had been there."

One series of photos shows Paul McCartney and John Lennon, side by side at the piano, working out arrangement ideas for the song. A lyric sheet, written in John's hand, rests in front of them. Producer George Martin leans over the piano, listening intently, while band-mates George Harrison and Ringo Starr gather around to familiarize themselves with the new song taking shape. Eventually, the quartet move to their respective instruments and continue the search for the right sounds and approach, a trial-and-error process that lasts until almost 2:00 AM. The floor of the studio is strewn with vintage guitars and amplifiers.

Amidst the photos of the band at work, Mr. Grossman also captured moments of socializing and relaxation. Paul McCartney's father visited the session, and there are several photos of the elder McCartney chatting with his rock star son (the familial resemblance is evident and striking). John Lennon, wearing a long cape and his trademark spectacles, reads from a book of poetry, and, at one point, Paul takes a break to shave in the middle of the studio. Several of the Beatles' close friends visit to observe the session, while a group of young fans camp out near the studio door, hoping for a brief glimpse of their idols.

"The wonderful thing to me about this book," says Mr. Grossman, "is that the pictures are laid out chronologically. So you see the progression as the evening went on till past midnight. It's almost like leaning over their shoulders as they're creating this piece of work. You're right there in the recording room with the engineers, and you're leaning over the piano as Paul and John are trying out melodies and lines on the piano. I think that's marvelous."

The book, published by Curvebender Publishing, presents the entire collection of photos in a deluxe, limited-edition volume, with commentary by Mr. Grossman and others. Limited to 1,967 copies, each hand-numbered book is signed by the photographer and accompanied by four prints and a reproduction of an original contact sheet. The entire package is housed in a clamshell case.

Kaleidoscope Eyes: A Day in the Life of Sgt. Pepper is currently available only at Curvebender's website.

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