Fewer than 150 copies remain worldwide.
Presenting the work of photographers Astrid Kirchherr and Max Scheler, Golden Dreams captures The Beatles during the filming of A Hard Day’s Night and documents the rise of Liverpool’s Merseybeat phenomenon.
In 1964, Kirchherr and Scheler travelled from Hamburg to photograph The Beatles. Astrid knew the band well from their early days in Hamburg, where they had honed their craft playing in the city’s nightclubs. Working on a freelance assignment for Stern magazine, the two photographers were granted exceptional access to The Beatles during the making of their first film.
They photographed the band on and off set and in their London homes before travelling to Liverpool, where they revisited The Beatles’ original haunts, documenting the Merseybeat groups following in their wake and the celebrated lunchtime sessions at the Cavern Club.
The result is an extraordinary archive, published for the first time in Golden Dreams. Limited to 2,500 numbered copies worldwide, each book is signed by both Astrid Kirchherr and Max Scheler and features a photographic print inset into its front cover.
'These photos were taken in the spring of 1964. It's a time that will always belong to The Beatles. No other journalists were allowed near them at that time. They were so busy that Brian Epstein had ruled that they should not be bothered by the press. So Max and I were very lucky: they were good to Max and they treated me as they always had, like an old friend.' – Astrid Kirchherr
When The Beatles first visited Hamburg in 1960, they met Astrid Kirchherr, a young photographer who became a close friend of the band. They remained in touch, and in 1964, as The Beatles achieved worldwide fame, Astrid travelled to Britain to photograph them on their home ground. Together with fellow photographer Max Scheler, she was granted exclusive access to the band during the making of their first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night.
Kirchherr and Scheler’s photographs provide a unique record of this pivotal period. The Beatles are captured at work with the film’s director, Richard Lester, alongside cast members including Pattie Boyd, and during private moments relaxing in their London homes. In Liverpool, the photographers documented the passion and poverty of the city and portrayed the Merseybeat musicians following in The Beatles’ wake. Golden Dreams is both a moving testament to the effect of The Beatles’ success on their hometown and a historic document of the band’s rise to superstardom.
Nearly 95% of the worldwide edition is now sold. Fewer than 150 copies remain.
Published in a limited edition of 2,500 numbered copies, each book is personally signed by Astrid Kirchherr and Max Scheler.
Master-printed in black and gold inks, the 122-page volume is hand-bound in black buckram and presented in a two-colour, silk-screened slipcase. An original photographic print is hand-pasted onto the front cover, with a choice of available portraits featuring John, Paul, George, Ringo or all four Beatles together.
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In order to make investing in one of our limited edition books or prints easier, we offer an interest-free option to spread the cost.
For purchases over £150, the payments are spread over three months. For example, for a purchase of £360, £122.40 would be paid today, followed by two instalments of £118.80.
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A photographic journey accompanying The Beatles during the filming of 'A Hard Day's Night' in 1964. Pictures of the band are set against the backdrop of Liverpool during the explosion of the Merseybeat phenomenon.
Since 1974 Genesis has created signed limited edition books on behalf of authors and artists ranging from the Beatles to Buckingham Palace.
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