| In spring of 1962, garish red posters announced that the times of village music were over. Manfred Weissleder was to open the "Rock and Twist Parade 62" – that is what the poster said – on 13, April 1962 with his 'Star Club' on Grosse Freiheit 39 in Hamburg. This was to be achieved by a "clustering of the European elite" consisting of The Beatles, Roy Young, The Bachelors, and the South African 'Tex Roberg & The Graduates'. From May onward they were joined by 'The Tony Sheridan Quartet' and 'Gerry & The Pacemakers'. Says Tony Sheridan: "The idea of the Star Club, as that of the 'Top Ten Club', came from Horst Fascher. After his falling out with Eckhorn, he saw the 'Stern Kino' (the venue to become the Star Club) as his opportunity to do the same over again. To go back to the 'Freiheit' and at the same time to get back at Eckhorn and Koschmider, and once again to be the business manager in charge of everything. And that is exactly what happened." At the end of the fifties, Dortmund born Manfred Weissleder had started working in the Reeperbahn red light district as an in-house electrician, and had been able to speedily work his way up the St.Pauli hierarchy ladder. In 1962, he owned several establishments in Hamburgs notorious amusement district. When the local building authorities demanded an emergency exit for the 'Paradieshof ', Weissleder decided to take over the 'Stern Kino' in order to use it for that purpose. Being a keen businessman he immediately realised the merits of Horst Fascher's advice to turn the more than adequate premises into a music club in a style resembling the 'Top Ten Club'. However, Weissleder was not satisfied with having any cheap and obscure bands appear in his club. The name became the guiding principle of the new venue. In quick succession the Star Club presented everyone who had a name in rock music in those days: for instance Gene Vincent, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley, Joey Dee & The Starliters, and the legendary Ray Charles. The early days were highlighted by appearances of several local favourites – The Beatles and Roy Young, who had already gained some popularity in Britain and also established his reputation in Hamburg by playing the 'Top Ten Club'. Now, for his Star Club apprearances, he was backed by the Beatles. The Star Club turned out to be a giant success from its very beginning. The Beatles were triumphant playing a total of three engagements in Grosse Freiheit 39. 13, April – 31, May 1962
DM 500,00 per band member/per week
band accommodation at the Jankowiak lodging house It was during this engagement, on 9, May 1962, that the Beatles received that legendary telegram from their manager, Brian Epstein, with the news "Congratulations, boys, EMI requests recording session. Please, rehearse new material." 01, November – 14, November 1962
DM 600,00 per band member/per week
accommodation at the Hotel Germania Coinciding with this stay in Hamburg was a Star Club engagement by Little Richard. Paul McCartney who had always been able to sing in Little Richard's style grasped the opportunity to have his act polished by the master himself. At this time, Astrid Kirchherr took the Beatles' photos in Reinhardt Wolf's studio. 18, December – 31, December 1962
DM 700,00 per band member/per week
accommodation at the Hotel Pacific
On 20, December 1962, the Beatles' first single 'Love Me Do' would reach number 17 of the 'Music Week Top Twenty'. Liverpool band leader Edward 'King Size' Taylor instructed Adrian Barber (ex 'Big Three'), the Star Club's stage manager, to record most of the last night's program of that engagement, including the full Beatles' set. In 1976, former Polydor producer Paul Murphy took care of marketing these tapes without the Beatles' consent. By adding more star-studded engagements Manfred Weissleder stressed his club's reputation as a beat-mekka, soon to become the stepping stone to world fame for many Liverpool groups such as 'Gerry & The Pacemakers', 'The Searchers', and ' The Swingin' Blue Jeans'. Up to eight groups would appear at the Star Club per night, being booked mostly as house or resident bands. Apart from some German bands, such as 'The Rattles', 'The German Bonds', and 'The Rivets', as well as a few 'exotics', e.g. from Japan, predominantly British groups, most of them from Liverpool, appeared at the Star Club. Besides the 'regulars' such as Tony Sheridan, 'Ian and the Zodiacs', 'King Size Taylor & The Dominoes', 'The Remo Four', 'Lee Curtis & The All Stars', and the female 'Liverbirds' a string of internationally famous artists took the Star Club stage. Had it been mostly the US veterans of rock'n'roll in the early days, the advancing sixties saw an increasing number of British artists who would get their first taste of success in Hamburg. When, at the end of the sixties, the scene had changed to the effect that the super groups, having become a part of everyday life, would play large halls, or even stadiums, and had become far too expensive for club appearances, and when most clubs had already closed or been transformed into discoteques, there came the Star Club's final hour. After a concert by British artists 'Hardin & York' the night from New Year's Eve 1969 into 1970, the lights went out in the former cinema on Grosse Freiheit 39, which, for eight years, had been the beat-center of the world. |
