“The Beatles are arguably the best composers of the last century,” Harry Benson states, during a conversation about his time spent photographing the band, photographs which have been collected into in a compendium. The Beatles: In the Road 1964–1966 (Taschen), was originally released as a limited edition. This spring, the trade edition becomes available.
As Benson reflects, “They came to American in 1964. It was just a couple of months after JFK was murdered. They helped take America out of the doldrums. They were respectful of the music. The loved the Everly Brothers. Chuck Berry. They were tough kids., clever. When it hit, they were prepared for the reception. You really got to meet them at the press conferences. They were educated. People were in awe of them. This was Beatlemania.”
The book chronicles the Beatles over the course of fifteen months. The book begins as the Beatles arrive in Paris and then New York, capturing the full impact of New York hysteria and their appearance on The Ed Sullivan show. Benson also traveled to Florida, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Washington, D.C. He was also on the set of A Hard Day’s Night, made his way to Barbados for George Harrison’s honeymoon, and came along for with their notorious US tour, under the shadow cast by Lennon’s comment that the Beatles “bigger than Jesus Christ.”
Benson photographed the Beatles as they were and had become: the biggest news story of the time, an international sensation. The British had arrived. Music would never be the same. Here were four young men who had captivated a nation like no one before. And Benson was on assignment, creating remarkable work. On the night the Beatles hit number one on the American charts, he was there in the hotel room when a pillow fight broke out. The innocence, energy, and madcap joie de vivre of the scene is resplendent. It’s so free and full of life that it is remarkable in its very existence. “It was not a photo opp. It was natural. I knew them well enough. That wouldn’t happen now due to publicists” Benson observes, drawing a distinction
At the same time, Benson was on the job, photographing the Beatles as one of his many assignments at the time. He had read Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay were in Miami, training for the heavyweight title fight. I got the idea for the Beatles to see Clay and everyone agreed except John who said, ‘He’s a big mouth and Liston is going to beat him.’ So I went to see Liston, who wouldn’t even look at me. ‘I don’t want to see those bums.’ I went back to the Beatles but I didn’t tell them he said that. Instead I took them to see Cassius Clay and he was completely in charge. John was mad. ‘Harry, he made us look stupid,’ but I didn’t care. I was going to photograph Ian Fleming in Jamaica for Dr. No.”
That’s how it’s always been. Benson stays moving from assignment to assignment, creating images that have become part of our landscape. His images close the space between subject and audience, as Benson brings us inside. The book features a facsimile of a news story for his photographs of a hotel jam session first published on January 21, 1964, and it is here that we see the natural grace, the comfort the Beatles had with themselves. The photographs appear under a story titled, “As a Beatles Hit Is Born,” which was sure to be broadly received, as the story makes a point to note that as of that date, “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” had each sold 1.7 million copies in the UK alone.
Benson observes the chemistry as it played out in the band, which he had been witnessing first hand as he covered them over the span of fifteen months. It was here before his camera that history was being born. “When it came to press conferences, Lennon very much came across as the leader, he was direct and quick-witted. But if you wanted something done, then you would know to ask Paul, he was the most in control. Yet when they wrote songs together, they were equal. One of the highlights for me was watching Paul and John compose, they had such great chemistry. It seemed like they were just messing about with their instruments, but after what felt like a matter of minutes, they had written ‘I Feel Fine’.
“It was a major phenomenon. The music was incredible, just one hit after another,” Benson recalls. “They were young, good looking, very serious and ambitious. I photographed them over fifteen months and that was the end of it. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were talking about how it doesn’t last. Why should it last?” Ars longa, vita brevis, as the Romans knew well. It is the music of the Beatles that has stood the test of time, much like Benson’s photographs.
Miss Rosen
On Thursday, May 16 from 7-9pm, Harry Benson will be signing copies of The Beatles at Taschen
Oriiginal Farmer’s Market
6333 Wesr 3 Street, Los Angeles.
RSVP: 323.931.1168
