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WITH THE BEATLES - KLAUS VOORMANN

By Jörg BUNDSCHUH

Documentary - Completed 2009

A journey into the incredible life of Klaus Voormann. An inside view into the history of Rock’n’Roll. A story of friendship, art and music.

- Year of production
- 2009
- Genres
- Documentary
- Countries
- GERMANY
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Budget
- 1 - 3 M$
- Duration
- 90 mn
- Director(s)
- Jörg BUNDSCHUH
- Producer(s)
- Jörg BUNDSCHUH
- Synopsis
- In 1960, art student Klaus Voormann meets the Beatles for the first time in Hamburg. They are still young and completely unknown. Voormann, who has just turned 22 and is a couple years older than them, quickly becomes friends with the lads. He even becomes a sort of role model as they notice his haircut and his fashion style. Three years later, when Klaus moves to London and lives with the four Beatles in their apartment, they have already become the embodiment of a new youth culture.
  Voormann first works as a graphic designer in London. In 1966, Voormann wins a Grammy for his cover design on the Beatles Revolver album. The same year, he becomes the bassist for the Manfred Mann Band and in1969 for John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band. After that, he followsa career as both musician and graphic designer, with more covers for the Bee Gees and the Beatles. He works with B.B. King, Harry Nilsson, Lou Reed, Carly Simon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ravi Shankar, Art Garfunkel, Keith Moon, Donovan, James Taylor, Randy Newman and loads of others. He is on nearly every solo record of John, George and Ringo. In 1971, Voormann is on stage for the Concert for Bangladesh with Bob Dylan and in 2002 with Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney at the Concert for George. In Germany, Klaus has some success as a producer in the 1980s, primarily with the band Trio. Since the 1990s he has been spending more of his time drawing and painting. Today, he lives with his family on Lake Starnberg outside of Munich.
  Klaus Voormann was on the frontlines of the pop era’s meteoric rise. His friendship with the Beatles has lasted ever since their joint Hamburg Days. This is his story.
  The film follows him to the most important places of his career in England, the US and to friends like Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Carly Simon, Van Dyke Parks, Joe Walsh, Randy Newman, Richard Perry, Jim Keltner, Trevor Lawrence, Twiggy, The Manfreds, Olivia Harrison. We meet stars like we've never seen them before and witness new and extraordinary music sessions.