Williams, a 29-year-old Liverpool businessman and promoter, had sent his leading group, Derry and the Seniors (later known as Howie Casey and the Seniors) to Hamburg, where they were enjoying success, and wanted to send an additional group. In contrast to an economically depressed post-war Liverpool, Hamburg was a wealthy city. By 1960, when they arrived, the Hamburg that had grown up from the ruins of WWII had established a reputation throughout Europe as a city of vice and criminal activity. Hamburg had once been Germany's main seaport, the fourth largest in the world, but during World War II in 1943 virtually the entire city was reduced to rubble by bombing raids. In April 1962, less than a year after leaving the group, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and died as a result. During their period in Hamburg, Sutcliffe decided to leave the group to continue his studies. The Beatles first met Astrid Kirchherr in Hamburg, who was instrumental in their adoption of the mop topped Beatle haircut. After breaking their contract by playing at another club, Harrison was deported for being underaged, and McCartney and Best were arrested and deported for attempted arson. Having no permanent drummer at the time, they recruited Best a few days before their departure.

The Beatles' booking agent, Allan Williams, decided to send the group to Hamburg when another group he managed, Derry and the Seniors, proved successful there. The original lineup of the Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best regularly performed at different clubs in Hamburg, West Germany, during the period from August 1960 to December 1962 a chapter in the group's history which honed their performance skills, widened their reputation, and led to their first recording, which brought them to the attention of Brian Epstein.

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