Paul Beriff was only trying to get to grips with the essentials of photography when he started arranging opportunities to photograph the future legends and pioneers of rock music in Leeds and across Yorkshire.
The Headingley-born lad dropped out of school at 15 and was inspired to take up photography from looking through the pictures in Life Magazine and Picture Post while doing his round. He said: “I was very impressed with it and I wanted to be a photographer for Life Magazine.”
After getting a job in the copy room at the Yorkshire Evening Post, Mr Beriff bought a camera with his wages and started emulating the pictures he admired.
He said: “I used to follow police cars and fire engines around Leeds on my push bike. One day a car crashed through a glass window on the Headrow and I was the first there.”
Mr Berriff’s pictures were splashed on the front page and, with newfound encouragement, he decided to reach out to theatre managers across the region to take pictures of the up and coming stars of the time.
He said: “It was 1963 and the pop era had just started. So I thought I would use that to test out my camera.”
Over the next few years, while Mr Berriff was still just a teenager, he would visit the Odeon Theatre in Leeds and travel to Huddersfield, Hull and Doncaster to shoot the bands before they took to the stage.
Mr Berriff later went to work in television and, amazingly, it wasn’t until 10 years ago that he rediscovered the collection of photographs and shared them with the world.
A selection of the shots, some of which had never been publicised before, were displayed at Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds over the weekend as part of Photo North Festival, which celebrates the best Yorkshire photography.
Check out the gallery below for some of Mr Beriff’s pictures and the incredible stories behind them. To view more of Mr Berriff’s pictures or purchase the prints, visit his website.
7. The Beatles
The Beatles playing at trains backstage at the ABC Theatre in Manchester on October 14, 1964. Mr Berriff said that the image was suggested to him by John Lennon, who grabbed the chairs and arranged the rest of the band. | Paul Berriff
8. The Beatles
Mr Berriff took these striking pictures of Paul McCartney in Bradford. He said: "Paul always very straight. He always did what I asked him to do." | Paul Berriff
9. The Beatles
Ringo Starr in a pensive close up backstage at the Odeon Theatre in Leeds 22 October 1964. | Paul Berriff
10. The Beatles
John Lennon drinks a refreshing lemonade as Paul McCartney looks on in their dressing room at the Odeon Theatre in Leeds on 22 October 1964. | Paul Berriff
11. Marianne Faithful
Marianne Faithfull photographed in her dressing room at the Gaumont Theater in Doncaster in 1964 during her concert tour with the Rolling Stones. Mr Berriff said that he got on well with the hearthrob and that this was one of his favourite pictures. | Paul Berriff
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12. The Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger photographed in his dressing room at the Gaumont Theatre in Doncaster | Paul Berriff