Following their Star

November 1-14, 1962

The Beatles, now with Ringo Starr on drums, return for a short two week engagement at the Star Club in Hamburg.  These last appearances on the Reeperbahn were arranged with Manfred Weissleder months ago.  It can certainly be surmised that they would have preferred to stay home while their record is working it's way slowly up the UK charts.  Still, a contract is a contract.  And this gig will allow them to rub shoulders again with Little Richard who's headlining on this trip.

They are getting more than £100 per Beatle and stay this time in four single rooms at the Hotel Germania on Detlev-Bremer-Strasse (a far cry from behind the movie screen at the Bambi Kino).  Hey, that's just across the way from Der Dom, where Astrid took those iconic photos of them in 1960.  They were a much different band then, waterfall hairstyles and black leather jackets and slacks.  I wonder if they look across and reflect on how far they've come in just those two years.

All of John's absences are wearing thin for newly wed Cynthia Lennon.  She has moved into a small bedroom in John's childhood home on Menlove Avenue.  Even Aunt Mimi's company is better than no one at all.  Her belly grows ever larger with the promise of new life.