Farewell M'Lady

Astrid Kirchherr, who died this week, was more than a talented photographer. She was a Renaissance woman. Fashion, music, sculpture, philosophy ... she had her own unique take on it all. And in time the world became aware of her taste because of her influence on The Beatles. 

She met The Lads in Hamburg in 1960, before Ringo joined the band and four years before they conquered America and the world. She loved their music and their energy and photographed them extensively. They loved her visual sense and her intellect. She's credited not only with cutting their hair into bangs like her own, but with encouraging them to explore Sartre and Kierkegaard. These poor boys from the Liverpool docks had never before met a woman like Astrid. 

Her passionate, tragic love affair with bandmate Stu Sutcliffe had an impact on the band, as well. I've always suspected that John and Paul saw Astrid in the strong, artistic women they eventually married.

I feel bad for Paul McCartney. There are fewer and fewer people left who knew him "before." Ringo, Pete Best, Klaus Voormann, his brother Mike ... it must be lonely to watch your past evaporate. His twitter feed has been silent since Astrid died. Perhaps this one cuts too close to the bone for 280 characters to do it justice.