Pete Best Fired From The Beatles 50 Years Ago Today | The Huffington Post Pete Best Fired From The Beatles 50 Years Ago Today 08/16/2012 05:36 pm ET | Updated Aug 17, 2012 540 Cavan Sieczkowski Senior Editor, Content Strategy, The Huffington Post On Aug. 16, 1962, Pete Best was fired from the Beatles . The British rock band decided to fire their original drummer and replace him with Ringo Starr. The band went on to become one of the most successful and critically-renowned bands in history. So who is Pete Best and where is he today? Best joined the Beatles , who were then called the Silver Beatles, in 1960, according to a biography on Best's official website. The band knew Best from The Cashbah, a club they all frequented. Best left his former band, The Blackjacks, for the Beatles after getting a call from Paul McCartney and the band went on tour in Germany.

In 1962, after capturing success in Liverpool and Hamburg, the band secured a record contract with EMI and met met George Martin at Abbey Road Studios in June of that year for their first recording. That same year, Best was fired from the Beatles . Some speculated it was Best's mediocre drumming skills, but this never sat well with Best. "Unfortunately, in circumstances still clouded in mystery, Pete Best was dismissed from the group he had played with for over 2 years," reads his biography. "The real reason was never given to Pete. The rest is legend..." The firing took its toll on Best . In the mid-60s, he tried to commit suicide by gassing himself but was saved by his mother and brother. "They gave me the most sensible talking-to I've ever had in my life," he told the Daily Mail in 2007. "They asked me what the hell I thought I was doing, saying that committing suicide was what people would expect me to do because of what had happened." He vowed to never do such a thing again and accepted the cards life had dealt him. "Some people expect me to be bitter and twisted, but I'm not.

I feel very fortunate in my life," Best told the Daily Mail. "God knows what strains and stresses the Beatles must have been under. They became a public commodity. And John paid for that with his life." In 2009, Best gave an interview to Spinner and discussed his time with the Beatles as well as his firing . He revealed that he has not spoken to the band since 1962, even though they had seen each other while playing at the same venues. "There were things to be said but that wasn't the place to hear your differences, onstage, so there was no communication," Best told Spinner. "We'd pass like ships in the night. Some people say, 'Well, why the hell didn't you just pick up the phone?' and I've always said, 'Well, have you ever tried to phone a Beatle? It just doesn't happen.' You couldn't get to them." Best was featured on 10 tracks on the Beatles' 1995 Anthology collection, which offered some vindication. "Being on 'Anthology,' people had a bigger insight into what my drumming was about.

From that point of view, I've always held my head up high and said, 'Yes, it wasn't the drumming ability.' There have been conspiracy theories -- the hairstyle, jealousy, antisocial, didn't speak enough, Brian [Epstein, the Beatles' manager] may have felt threatened -- it goes on and on. I've long passed that." Today, Best is part of The Pete Best Band . On Aug. 25 he is scheduled to play a show Liverpool, according to the Liverpool Beat, covering Beatles' hits like "My Bonnie," "I Saw Her Standing There," and "Love Me Do." LOOK: Pete Best, original drummer for The Beatles, performs with The Pete Best Band at the Fest for Beatles Fans 2007 at the Mirage Hotel & Casino July 1, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pete Best, the Original Beatles Drummer Pete Best, the Original Beatles Drummer 1 Q: What Happened to Original Beatles Drummer Pete Best? | Blogcritics Home / Q: What Happened to Original Beatles Drummer Pete Best? Q: What Happened to Original Beatles Drummer Pete Best?

Posted by: Mental_Floss March 23, 2007 in Uncategorized 27 Comments Please Share... 0 0 A: Pete Best had been the original drummer for an upstart Liverpool group called the Silver Beetles when he was sacked in favor of another, more experienced drummer named Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Starr. As fate would have it, the Silver Beetles changed their name to the Beatles and went on to become the best-known group in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. It happened like this: Best’s mom, who ran the Casbah Club in Liverpool, was the Silver Beetles’ initial booking agent, and landed them a two-month gig in Hamburg. But while in Germany, the young group happened upon Ringo, and when they returned to London both Paul McCartney and George Harrison asked their new manager, Brian Epstein, to get rid of Best. So on August 23, 1962, poor Pete found out that he was no longer a Beatle; and although he later sued Ringo for libel, he received nothing for his early years with the band.

Today he tours with his own group (he even put out an album under the deceptive title Best of the Beatles) and, although he freely discusses his dismissal, he doesn’t accept the prevailing theories on why the decision was made (Ringo’s superior drumming, McCartney’s jealousy, his own unreliability, etc.). For the Beatles, there’s no arguing that things worked out for the best; but for Best himself, things could’ve been better. Blogcritics Does (Flash) Fiction: Soliciting Writers and Stories April 9, 2014 Pete best is on tour zingzing i’ve heard different reasons for best’s dismissal. like he was the one all the girls liked, and not in the way that all the girls liked ringo. so he got all the play. also, i think it was george martin that wanted them to get rid of best. he never really fit in with the rest anyway, being a little aloof (more so than george, i guess). the beatles knew and hung out with ringo before he was in the band. I understand Best does get a nice little windfall in royalties from the Beatles Anthology CDs, which include some of his drumming work.

Stu Sutcliffe Not completely accurate. They were called the BEATLES while Pete was still with them and the Beatles knew Ringo, and Rory Storm, prior to Hamburg. Rich To clarify – Mona best had nothing to do with the Beatles booking in Hamburg. it was arranged by their manager at the time, Alan Williams. The Beatles returned to Liverpool, not London, from Hamburg. They didn’t relocate to London until 1963 and finally, Pete was fired on August 16th and not on the 23rd. Anonymous First of all, Pete Best’s drumming was far superior to Ringos. Just take a listen to “Besame Mucho” on “Anthology 1”, The Beatles Polydor recordings featuring Tony Sheridan or any of the tracks from “The Pete Best Combo: Beyond the Beatles” CD for solid evidence of that fact. Before Ringo joined, Beatlemania was already in full bloom in Liverpool. Pete was THE most popular member at that time which helped them get noticed by Brian Epstein and subsequently signed to EMI. All Ringo did was join an enormously popular band and ride the gravy train to fame and fortune. The Beatles were already signed without any contribution from him.

Ringo Starr is one of the luckiest people in show business. I find it interesting that the prevailing attitude for so many hardcore Beatle fans is that Pete Best was a failure and unsuccessful. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was a member of arguably the biggest band of all time. He contributed to a number one album in 1995 (“The Beatles Anthology 1”) which sold millions and made him a millionaire. He has authored or co-authored several books (“Beatle! The Pete Best Story”,”The Beatles: The True Beginnings”, etc.) All of these books sold relatively well. His own production company produced an excellent documentary (“Pete Best of The Beatles.”) which aired on PBS and sold considerably well on DVD. His excellent sixties recordings are still in print (“The Pete Best Combo: Beyond The Beatles”) He also contributed to TWO Beatles hit singles,”Ain’t She Sweet/Nobody’s Child”(#19 July 18, 1964) and “My Bonnie/The Saints”(#26 February 8 1964.) And Bear Family Records released an amazing two disc set containing all of his Polydor recordings with the Beatles featuring Tony Sheridan. WOW!

I wish I could be as unsuccessful as Pete Best!!!! The Pete Best Band will be performing at Club 54 Nightclub in Burlington, Ontario, Canada on Wed., June 13. It’ll be a fabulous show! For details . Anonymous I always wondered why Pete didn’t take better advantage of his association with the Beatles during the 60s. You would think that someone big would have wanted to work with him. He only seemed to get fly by night record labels (Savage records for instance) to put his music out. It doesn’t seem like it would have taken a rocket scientist to have promoted him properly. How hard could it have been to get a hit record out of him. Don Kirshner did it for the Monkees and the Archies for cryin’ out loud!!!! Frankly, I’m surprised that even to this day nobody of any major influence in the music industry hasn’t asked him to record on a song. He could drum on an Oasis track or perhaps a producer like Rick Rubin would want to use him as a guest on someone’s album. Heck, he could have done the drumming for the “Backbeat” movie soundtrack. Yet, as far as I know nobody has ever approached him to do anything.

You would think that the publicity alone would motivate someone to want to use him. I’ve seen his band in concert and he’s great! I don’t understand the aversion to the guy. He was a bloody Beatle, how cool is that?!!!! Bill Capitol (yes, Capitol) released The Pete Best Combo, under the name Peter Best, doing a song called “Carousel of Love” in 1967. This was amazingly in tune with what was going on in music at the time, and considering it was not the Beatles, compared favorably to contemporary releases like Penny Lane or Strawberry Fields. It had two different flip sides which were both very good. But when even that excellent record didn’t catch on, the Pete Best Combo called it quits. At least it shows that he is capable of good work, especially linked with the right band members. John It looks like their may be some closure to everything soon.

Pete has extended an olive branch to McCartney.”After more than 40 years of silence between them, the forgotten Beatle, Pete Best, wants to bury the hatchet with Paul McCartney and chat about the old times.” Here’s the link to one of the many articles that were printed yesterday … Pete sounds very happy and has come to terms with the sacking after all these years. I hope that McCartney will take him up on his offer. One thing though. I wonder why it took Pete 40 years to try and contact one of The Beatles? I’ve often thought that if I had been in his situation, the first thing I would have done was call up one of the Beatles and ask,”What’s going on here?” He must have had all of their phone numbers. He knew where they lived. They presumably were all friends. Yet, he just moved on and didn’t even try to talk it out with any of them. I always found that strange.

John “It certainly wasn’t Best’s drumming (that got him sacked from The Beatles.) Kasim Sulton, Meat Loaf’s musical director and a former member of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, said this: “It is generally acknowledged among musicians that Pete was the best drummer on the Liverpool scene.” Wiliam What happened to Pete Best? Well, he and his group the Pete Best Combo went on to record some of the best garage rock in the sixties! It’s a shame that his band was not properly promoted. They had the potential to climb straight up to the top of the hit parade had they been given half a chance. “Why Can’t I Fall In Love With You,” “Let’s Stomp,” “Boys,” ” Castin’ My Spell On You” and “I’m Gonna Knock On Your Door”, recorded for Decca, are unknown pop gems. Instead, people hate the guy for no good reason. It is worth seeking out these rare tracks that are only available on obscure british rock compilations. They are a pleasure to discover along with many other unknown british bands.

Wayne Gibson & The Dynamic Sound, Jason Eddie, The Accent, Lee Curtis & The All-Stars, Brian Howard & The Silhouettes, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Peter & Gorden, The Drag Set, George Bean and The Pete Best Combo are all virtually unknown in this country. It’s too bad too. These groups are all a joy to listen to! richard bickford Though the great drummer he was thought to be for his moment in time he created 3 big problems for himself and the others : #1 near his end he was not showing up for gigs or otherwise showing up late which angered the others mates . #2 He refused to comb his hair down like the others . #3 he would not play the same drum lines consistantly whilst recording and when asked to play a certain passage on drums he would take it upon himself not to do so . JC Mosquito Greatgawda’mighty – here we go again. You can count me out. Just a Drummer Ever wonder if there was something about ol Petey hisself that made people stay clear of him? I mean if he was that good, then one would have thought he would have half a chance.

Maybe the bloke was just a pain in the arse. Besides whats he got to bitch about, seems as if he done really well for hisself off of the Beatles name and sweat. Wrote 3 books with BEATLE’S in the title……even a blind squirrel will buy that and he could make a few quid. Gimme a break, after all he’s just a drummer and not on a par with a Keith Moon I don’t think. Get over it mate. oliver Bill, you mention the Carousel Of Love single have two different flipsides. The only flipside I am aware of is WANT YOU on the US-single Capitol 2092. Can you tell me what the other flipside is, and does it have the same Capitol 2092 number ? Dave Grohl “First of all, Pete Best’s drumming was far superior to Ringos.” Just listen to Anthology 1 and then listen to all the records with Ringo on and you will see that Richard Starkey is a far superior drummer to Pete Best. One of the most influential drummers of all time. Pete Best hasn’t influenced anybody/ I’ll tell you who Pete Best influenced; Ringo Starr.

frank burns The Beatles’ Many Drummers | Blogcritics Home / Music / The Beatles’ Many Drummers The Beatles’ Many Drummers Posted by: Johnny Rhythm August 8, 2012 in Music 8 Comments Please Share... 0 0 Ringo Starr was undoubtedly the backbone of The Beatles, the biggest band in rock history. His heavy-hitting style and sublime subtlety blended together perfectly to enhance the group’s early dynamic. A less talented drummer may have failed to rally the group during important early sessions, while a more technically gifted drummer may have swamped their emerging style and sound. Finding Starr was never easy however and the group were plagued as a wandering collection of guitarists with no permanent drummer during their early days. “The rhythm is in the guitars” Lennon would allegedly quip when asked about their lack of a drummer. Even after they found Starr, he was replaced on Beatles recordings by a further four individuals on five occasions and once on a major tour.

On the approaching half-century anniversary of Ringo Starr replacing Pete Best as The Beatles’ drummer on August 18, 1962, we look at the various individuals who have occupied the drum stool during The Beatles’ (and its earlier formative line-ups) career. Colin Hanton The original drummer with Lennon’s group The Quarry Men, Hanton must hold the distinction of being the first drummer to back John, Paul and George on stage and in the recording studio. Two years older than Lennon, Hanton had already left school and was serving an apprenticeship when he joined the group. His main asset was that he was in possession of a brand new drum kit. His tenure as the group’s drummer witnessed the departure of several floating Quarry Men members and the arrival of the future Beatles core of Paul McCartney and George Harrison alongside the already present John Lennon. Hanton was playing with the group the day McCartney saw them perform at Woolton Village fete and he also played drums on the group’s first studio recording featuring Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” and the very first original Beatles recording; “In Spite of All the Danger”.

In a sign of things to come, the arrival of McCartney was not exactly met with joy by all group members, particularly Hanton, whose drumming skills were allegedly called into question by the group’s latest arrival on guitar. Hanton quit the group after a drunken performance in early 1959, apparently never seeing John, Paul or George again. In 1997, he joined the reformed Quarry Men. The inclusion of “In Spite of All the Danger” on Anthology 1 in 1995 guaranteed that Hanton was eventually featured playing drums on a Beatles album. With Hanton’s departure in January 1959, The Quarry Men/Johnny and the Moondogs entered the most inactive period of their musical career, playing only a handful of gigs between then and May 1960. However, after acquiring bassist Stuart Sutcliffe early in 1960, the group was ready to shed their skiffle skin and get serious as a rock and roll band by May of 1960. Hamburg: T-minus three months. Tommy Moore Tommy Moore was recruited into The Silver Beetles by their booking agent/manager Alan Williams in May 1960.

All reports indicate that Moore was a solid and capable drummer who owned his own kit and who suitably impressed Paul McCartney with his abilities to reproduce the tricky drumming on the Everly Brothers’ hit, “Cathy’s Clown”. Moore’s age at the time has been questioned with some sources claiming he was 28 and others 36. Nevertheless, Moore was significantly older than the rest of the group. A nervous and slight man, he was an easy target for John Lennon who seemed to delight in making his life a misery with his cruel tongue. Moore had joined the group just before their infamous and pivotal audition for London promoter Larry Parnes. Parnes was seeking a backing group for one of his major artistes; Billy Fury, and The Silver Beetles had squeezed into the audition. Legend has always maintained that Parnes was put off by Stuart Sutcliffe’s non-existent bass guitar skills. However, Parnes himself later claimed that it was the flustered and unprofessional late arrival of drummer Tommy Moore halfway through the group’s set which put him off.

Moore had been dashing to collect his kit from another venue and while he was en route, Johnny Hutchinson of Cass and the Casanovas was instructed by Alan Williams to sit behind the drums. Parnes booked the group to tour Scotland with another of his artistes: Johnny Gentle. That tour was a disaster from start to finish with Moore losing teeth and suffering a concussion in an automobile accident while remaining under the unrelenting lash of John Lennon’s acerbic verbal abuse. On his return to Liverpool, Moore had had enough and quit the group by failing to show up for a gig. When they arrived to inquire about his absence, his girlfriend allegedly leaned out of a window to instruct them to p*ss-off, before informing them that Moore had been taken back at his old job as a night-shift forklift driver in a bottle factory. Moore, it seems, had decided not to quit his day (or night) job. Interviewed on camera by the BBC at a Mersey Beat reunion in 1971, Moore by then cut a slightly worse-for-wear looking figure who admitted he was struggling and regretted his decision to quit the group. Within 10 years he would be dead.

Like his brief rhythm section bandmate Sutcliffe before him, Moore succumbed to a brain hemorrhage (in 1981), less than a year after the death of John Lennon. Johnny Hutchinson Also known as Johnny Hutch, Hutchinson was the drummer with Cass and the Casanovas when he stood in for Tommy Moore at the Larry Parnes audition. No fan of The Silver Beetles, Hutchinson – who cut an imposing figure and who allegedly terrified even John Lennon – was known to have remarked that they [Silver Beetles] “weren’t worth a carrot” and were a “bunch of posers”. Hutchinson also plugged the two-day gap between Pete Best’s dismissal on August 16 and Ringo Starr’s agreed arrival on August 18, 1962. Cliff Roberts Mersey Beat magazine editor and founder Bill Harry recalled how during a performance at Liverpool’s Lathom Hall in May 1960, the group’s (Silver Beetles) drummer – probably Tommy Moore – had failed to bring his kit. Upon arrival he asked the drummer of a rival band for the use of his drums.

However, Cliff Roberts – of Cliff Roberts and The Rockers – refused to allow Moore to sit behind his brand new Olympic kit. He at least did offer to sit in with the group, playing six songs with them. So we have one more fleeting addition to the long line of Beatles stick men. Norman Chapman Following the departure of regular drummer Tommy Moore, the group were sitting in the Jacaranda one night they heard the sounds of a practicing drummer drifting across the summer night air. Tracking down the source of the racket, they discovered Norman Chapman; a picture framer and part-time drummer. No sooner was Chapman invited to join the group – playing three gigs – when the British Army made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Chapman was conscripted for National Service in June of 1960 and thus missed his chance with rock’s hottest ticket. Towards the end of the summer of 1960, The Silver Beetles were offered a contract to play a stint in Hamburg, an unbelievable turn of fortune. But, the job spec required them to have a permanent drummer. Cue Pete Best. Pete Best Pete Best’s story is well documented.

The Beatles’ drummer from August 1960 until August 1962, he was unceremoniously dismissed from the group by Brian Epstein who informed him that the others simply wanted him out. To this day, debate still continues as to whether he was dumped because of his dire performance at the group’s EMI artist test in June 1962 or because the moody and quiet loner simply never fitted in. Lennon later admitted that they were cowards to fire him in the manner they did, but the fact remained that Best was cut from a different cloth than Lennon, McCartney & Harrison. He was apparently never particularly close to any member of the group and when George Martin – the EMI producer who held the keys to their professional careers – flagged Best’s drumming as sub-standard, his days were numbered. Best’s sacking was unpopular with the group’s fans, many of whom viewed Best as the ‘looker’ in the band, and some scuffles among fans in the Cavern resulted in George Harrison obtaining a black eye. Although Best formed another group after his dismissal from The Beatles, he was soon left behind.

He attempted to commit suicide during the height of Beatlemania and by the time his former bandmates were recording the White Album, Best was loading bread onto delivery trucks. Following a successful career as a civil servant, Best finally came out of retirement as a musician in 1988 and has pursued a successful career as a musician and Beatles celebrity ever since. Best’s version of “Love Me Do” and the German Polydor recordings were eventually released on 1995’s Anthology 1, giving Best a windfall of royalties while finally placing him on a Beatles album. Ringo Starr Ringo Starr stepped in as the Beatles drummer on August 18, 1962, however his initial tenure was not a particularly happy one. Turning up at EMI Studios on September 4 for a second attempt at recording a debut single (the previous session on June 6 had featured Best), Starr found himself partaking in a slightly shaky version of “Love Me Do” which failed to please producers George Martin and Ron Richards. When they returned for a third and final time a week later, Starr was sandbagged by Richards, who had hired trusty session musician Andy White to replace him.

Starr feared EMI was pulling a Pete Best on him, although curiously despite the version recorded with White on drums resulting in a tighter and more accomplished version, it was Starr’s recording which was originally released on the group’s debut disc in 1962. Starr’s incandescent performance on the “Please Please Me” single in November 1962 secured his status and EMI felt no further need for session drummers thereafter. Soon growing into the role, Starr’s steady timing in particular helped to facilitate much of the editing that went into the band’s early releases. As they grew more adventurous, Starr became critically important as the conducer who facilitated translating the songwriters’ increasingly left-field desires onto tape. In particular, his unorthodox style of leading drum fills with his left hand instead of his right – he was actually left-handed playing right-handed – resulted in Starr’s contributions to various Beatles songs becoming as sublime and important as the vocals, melody and various instrumental parts. The most notable songs include “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “A Day in the Life”. Additionally, Starr was instrumental – no pun intended – in introducing the drummer as an equal and integral part of the emerging format of the rock group.

His influence outside of the Beatles was also massive with Phil Collins (Genesis), Dave Grohl (Nirvana) and Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band) among many others citing him as a major influence. Often flippantly referred to as the luckiest man in music, you might argue that while he undoubtedly received the ultimate winning lottery ticket, The Beatles and rock music itself were equally lucky to land him. No Ringo. No Beatles. He may have been small, he may not have been handsome, and he may have been the convenient figure of fun in Beatles movies and press conferences, but underestimate his importance and role at your peril. Starr was a giant in his field and was also an equal partner and contributor to the unrepeatable phenomenon that was The Beatles. Andy White Glaswegian drummer Andy White was booked to drum on the third attempt to record “Love Me Do” in September 1962. He played on both the A-side and the single’s flip-side, “P.S. I Love You”. He appeared uncredited on The Beatles’ debut LP, Please Please Me.

Jimmy Nicol Struck down with Tonsillitis on the eve of The Beatles’ European and Australasian tour in June 1964, Ringo Starr was ruled out of travelling with the group. Faced with the enormous headache of cancelling sections of such a huge tour, Epstein made the somewhat unpopular decision of calling in a replacement. George Martin suggested a session drummer he was familiar with: Jimmy Nicol. Nicol was familiar with the group’s recordings and so just over 24 hours after he was called in for an audition he found himself on stage in Denmark before thousands of screaming Beatles fans. From obscure nobody to celebrated Beatle, Nicol was automatically returned to obscurity after 10 days following Starr’s return to the group. Although he earned a substantial amount of money and supported Andy Warhol’s 15 minutes of fame theory, Nicol’s sudden propulsion into the international limelight and his subsequent hard-breaking return to normality left him with adjustment problems. He later remarked that “[s]tanding in for Ringo was the worst thing that ever happened to me. Until then I was quite happy earning thirty or forty pounds a week.

After the headlines died, I began dying too.” (Mojo Special Limited Edition, 2002). If Nicol had been altered by 10 days exposure to the incomprehensible madness of Beatlemania, what did eight years exposure do to the other four? Paul McCartney Never shy to bump Harrison out of the way for a lead guitar solo, McCartney had initially served sporadic terms as the group’s drummer during their Quarry Men days and again at various periods in Hamburg and Liverpool, particularly during Pete Best’s absence or solo singing spots. When Ringo Starr quit the group and walked out of the recording sessions for the White Album (ironically over an argument with McCartney about his drum part) McCartney took over. He taped a particularly credible – if slightly wooden – perfromance on “Back in the USSR”, “Dear Prudence” and later on “The Ballad of John and Yoko”. John Lennon & George Harrison During the same session for “Back in the USSR” in which Starr walked out, Harrison and Lennon also overdubbed drum tracks to augment McCartney’s. Allegedly on the stereo mix McCartney’s drum track can be heard in the left speaker, with Harrison’s and Lennon’s blended on the right.

Incredibly, “Back in the USSR” is unique in that it features all three Beatles minus Starr on drums, with his colleagues taking over his part after his playing fell under criticism. This was no easy band to be in, for sure! Photo credit: Brian Farrell 12 days ago Britt While Richard Starkey/Ringo Starr may not choose to mark this 50th anniversary, there are countless of his grateful fans who will! Much has and will continue to be written about the guy who became the heart(beat) and soul of the greatest band ever, so I won’t try to say it all here — except to add this one thing: Ringo was and is the best looking member of The Beatles. Handsome beyond words –absolutely striking, elegant, and masculine, so I chafe a little when I read that he wasn’t. The other three were fine looking, too, but a little delicate, to be frank. Ritchie was and is the man. Take a good look, world — you’ll see.

And I’d bet good money that it was his easy-going, conciliatory nature — coupled with his well-documented unique and egoless drumming — that kept the other three comfortable, and John and Paul in particular from becoming overly jealous of him, thereby preserving the Fab Four for almost 10 years. Peace & Love, Ringo! Johnny Rhythm Fair point Britt. What I meant was that he wasn’t handsome in a conventional way. Whatever that really means. But you’re right he was the bee’s knee’s. Ringo forever. edvado No creditable source for that John Lennon quote about Ringo not being the best drummer in the Beatles exists. Johnny Rhythm Granted, edvado. Allegedly replied. Thanks for the comment Liz I realize it’s pick on McCartney these days in Ireland and the UK. But the fact is: Paul’s drumming is terrific on Dear Prudence. And his drumming on both Back in the USSR and Ballad of John and Yoko fit rough-rock sensibility of both tunes.

Plus, let’s face it, there are plenty of examples where Ringo’s drumming was “slightly wooden.” Just listen to the drumming Paul did on Band on the Run to get a feel for how good he was. And George Martin himself said Paul was “an excellent drummer.” Paul worked with Ringo throughout the Beatles’ recording, and the drumming arrangements were usually Paul’s ideas. Ringo was versatile enough to be able to do what Paul wanted. A moratorium on knee-jerk slams at Paul would be nice. Johnny Rhythm Liz, relax, no one is knee-jerk slamming Paul McCartney, at least I’m not. And nobody is attacking his drumming on the three songs mentioned. Paul’s drumming on all three song’s is top notch, but a tad forced. I said a little wooden because as a trained drummer with over 30 years experience I (think I) have a good ear for the difference between the groove of someone who is natural at it (Ringo) and someone who has to work at it a little (Paul). Paul and the others certainly gave direction to Ringo, and other band members. But Ringo played the drums.

It’s no secret at all that Paul was the pushiest of the group in the studio, he’s admitted it himself. And from memoirs to Let It Be film scenes the evidence is out there. Have a look around. He pushed the others a little harder. So, I’m not attacking Paul at all, I’m merely stating fact. He argued with Ringo about his drum parts (evidence shows he was doing it as far back as Love Me Do in September 1962) and Ringo walked out. You can also catch he and George doing the same thing in a heated exchange in Let It Be. Paul was a perfectionist. You could argue that had it’s pro’s (Sgt Pepper for one) and its con’s (contributing factor in the groups demise.) Either way, I’m expressing an opinion based on available evidence and aural analysis. I invite you to disagree with my opinion. That’s what the great debate is all about, and what makes listening to these records so glorious. Thanks and have a good weekend Johnny Johnny Rhythm By the way, Liz. In my opinion. Paul’s drumming on Band On The Run is great and does the job, but is slightly stiff and wooden.

Just my opinion you understand. james knaggs with out a good drummer like ringo you have no rythem every band needs a good drummer and by god they had it thanks johnny for a great article all the best james knaggs native roses ps moses bogarde has rythem Search “No Complaints”: An Interview with Pete Best, the Original Drummer of the Beatles | PopMatters An Interview with Pete Best, the Original Drummer of the Beatles Despite missing out on being one of the Fab Four, Pete Best is as happy as ever: "I have no complaints, I’ve enjoyed life. Wouldn’t change anything." Randolph Peter Best cuts an unassuming figure onstage. Wearing a white moustache, a frizzled taft of white hair, a boyish grin and drooping eyes, today he looks more like a retired auto mechanic than a former Beatle. Still, watching him perform at a tiny music club in a suburb of Santiago, Chile, one couldn’t help being moved by his affection for live music, the apparent zeal with which he plays the drums, and his almost-embarrassed response to the crowd’s adulation.

His humility makes it clear that he is no rock star, which is a big reason why Pete Best is so easy to like. Best has experienced both incredible highs, and devastating lows over his 72 years on this planet, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it by speaking with him today. Offstage he is soft spoken, friendly and just a little bit guarded; he describes himself, above all else, as a simple “family man”. When he opened his mouth to answer my questions, revealing an unmistakeable Liverpool accent, I couldn’t help but think: “He really sounds like a Beatle.” But at the same time Pete Best is obviously not a Beatle – lacking the swagger, ego, and commanding presence common to each of his famous former bandmates. Between 1960 and 1962 Pete was the drummer of a well-travelled, but so far mostly unsuccessful British rock and roll act called variously Johnny and the Moondogs, The Silver Beetles, and, finally, The Beatles . For over two years he held the beat for John Lennon , Paul McCartney , and George Harrison in dank clubs in the red light district of Hamburg, Germany, playing marathon sets to audiences consisting mostly of strippers and sailors.

After honing their craft in Germany, the band returned home to Liverpool where they soon became the city’s top-drawing act, acquiring a ravenous local fan base in the process. And then, one August afternoon, on the cusp of ￼the band’s ascendancy to national stardom, John, Paul, and George instructed Beatles manager Brian Epstein to fire Pete and replace him with a different Liverpool drummer named Ringo Starr . And just like that, Pete was no longer a Beatle, in the process becoming forever confined to the footnotes of rock ‘n’ roll history. The reasons for the Beatles’ dismissal of Best have always been unclear. Some suggest that Pete had fallen out of favour with the rest of the band on account of his introversion; others claim that Ringo was simply a better drummer; some even claim that John and Paul were insecure about Pete’s good looks and popularity with the fans outshining their own. Whatever the reason, on the eve of Beatlemania, Best suddenly found himself to be out of work, missing out on perhaps the greatest party of all time in the process.

In the months and years that followed, John, Paul, George, and Ringo would ascend to previously-unimagined levels of global fame, wealth, and commercial and critical success. Shortly after they sacked Pete, the Beatles achieved the impossible: they became even bigger than Elvis , an insane pipe-dream for the youngsters while sweating it out in Hamburg just a couple of years before. Following his dismissal from the Beatles, Best tried to make a name for himself in music, but found limited success. Eventually, he returned to Liverpool and settled into a career as a civil servant; he wasn’t playing on the Ed Sullivan Show or rubbing shoulders with the Queen, but at least he could pay the bills. And then, after shying away from the spotlight for 20 years, in the late 1980s Pete began to play various Beatles-related engagements. Rediscovering his passion for live performance in the process, the drummer soon founded his own Pete Best Band, and has toured all over the world for the past three decades. Backstage in Santiago, I was curious to get to know Pete the human being, as opposed to Pete the ex-Beatle. How does a man cope with such unimaginable disappointment?

How does a musician come to terms with losing one of the most coveted gigs of all time? How does someone deal with what I assumed to be a lifetime of incredulous “What if’s?” ￼I found many of the answers I’d been looking for when I sat down with Pete following his performance. As songs from his old friend Lennon emanated from nearby speakers—“(Just Like) Starting Over,” “Imagine” and others—I discovered a man not defeated by bitterness and disappointment, but hopeful about the future, and genuinely content with a life devoted to family, and the music he loves. * * * Some of the songs you played tonight you played in Germany with the Beatles over 50 years ago. What’s it like playing those songs again? You still get a buzz from them, because at the end of the day they were great rock ‘n’ roll songs. Some of them I haven’t played for 50 years; you get a buzz off it simply because of the fact that it’s part of your heritage. People expect it from you. And you enjoy playing it… Chuck Berry , Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Ray Charles ... I could go on and on.

They were our heroes, so to keep them still alive even though it’s under the pseudonym of “The Beatles,” it’s still the old rockers from way back. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here. So [those old songs] still feel fresh? Oh, very much so. It’s a little bit like the audience makes it fresh. You may have played the song 50 times, but you still enjoy playing it when the enjoyment comes from the audience, and the adrenaline keeps flowing. It’s a good night… very simple. You didn’t play very much for a while in the ‘60s and ‘70s. What made you want to start playing for people again? I’d been asked for many years to get up and play so people could see what I could do, and see who this guy was… “This mysterious guy who used to play with the Beatles.” [laughs] And I kept turning them down.

Then, in 1988, I got asked by the people running a Beatles convention in Liverpool, and I couldn’t get out of it… So I said “OK, let’s get it over and done with.” I picked some friends from the old days, and my younger brother [to play with], and said “Let’s have some fun. It’s going to be a one-off [performance]. Let’s just go out and show ‘em what we could do.” And we did, and the audience went wild. Absolutely wild. ￼My mother was there that particular night because it was the first time that she’d seen her younger son and her elder son playing onstage at the same time. And when I finished she turned around and said “Pete, you don’t know it but you’re going to be going back into show business.” To which I laughed, and said “No, it’s only a one-off.” And here I am, 30 years afterward! [laughs] So she was right. Yeah, she was right. When I was watching you play tonight, you looked like you were having a lot of fun. I found it inspiring. If you can’t have fun, then don’t go back on the stage.

It’s as simple as that. Simple rule in music: people feel what you’re presenting onstage. And if you’re not enjoying yourself, it comes out in the music. No matter [if] you try to disguise it. At the end of the day you wouldn’t be where you are without that audience, and you have to thank them for it. The only way you can thank them is [by] making sure your performance is 100%. Simple rules. What do you see your future looking like? Do you have plans? When you reach my age… [laughs] you still have plans, but they’re not long-term. I still want to continue playing music, and bringing enjoyment to crowds. I have no ambitions to get a record in the charts or anything like that. My mission is to bring enjoyment to fans, and I enjoy playing music to them, and I’ll continue doing that. Away from the public, I’m a great family man. And as much as I tour, I love going back home again. I have a wife who I idolize, been married to her for 50 years. I have grandchildren who I idolize as well, two beautiful daughters.

It’s nice for me to go back home, and spend time with them. Have you let go of any disappointment you had about the original disagreement with [the Beatles] in 1962? Is there any lingering bitterness there? There never was any [bitterness]. Bitterness is a word the media picked up. There was anger and there was resentment because of what happened and the way it happened, because of the way I contributed to the band, but bitterness, no. It’s like anything else, if you carry it with you, you’re going to end up a bitter and twisted old git. And there’s no need for that. I’ve enjoyed life. There came a time when I was like “Fine. It’s not about thinking about what happened yesterday, it’s about today and tomorrow.” And I think once you come to terms about yourself, then you realize that there’s so much more that your future holds for you, as opposed to your past, that you’re striving for. My life since then had ups and downs; it hasn’t been a perfect life. But when I look back on it now, I wouldn’t change it. I’m happy, I’m healthy, I have a great band which tours the world.

I’m a great family man, I love meeting people, I love laughing and joking with them. I’m still in show business, which I didn’t expect to be. But maybe my karma; it’s a word we use, being born out east [Author’s note: Best was born in British India, and lived there until the age of 5]. Karma’s a word we use an awful lot. Maybe my karma turned ‘round and said “Your time will come some time in the future.” I have no complaints, I’ve enjoyed life. Wouldn’t change anything. ZACHARY STOCKILL is an award-winning Canadian researcher, writer, and educator. His writing on culture, politics, and personal development has appeared in publications such as the Huffington Post, Mic, PopMatters, rabble.ca, and many others. His most recent book is Everyday Joy, which has been a number one bestseller in several Amazon categories. You can follow Zachary on twitter @zfstockill , or visit his personal website .

Share via The Beatles' Many Drummers - seattlepi.com The Beatles' Many Drummers By Johnny Rhythm, BLOGCRITICS.ORG Published 4:46 pm, Thursday, August 9, 2012 "Is Ringo Starr the best drummer in the world?" John Lennon was once asked this by a journalist. "He's not even the best drummer in The Beatles " was Lennon's predictably quick and witty response. On the serious side of course, Starr was undoubtedly the backbone of the biggest band in rock history, with his heavy hitting style and sublime subtlety blending together to perfectly enhance the group's dynamic. A less talented drummer may have failed to rally the group during important early sessions, while a more technically gifted drummer may have swamped their emerging style and sound. Finding Starr was never easy however and the group were plagued as a wandering collection of guitarists with no permanent drummer during their early days. "The rhythm is in the guitars" Lennon would allegedly quip when asked about their lack of a drummer. Politics Even after they found Starr, he was replaced on Beatles recordings by a further four individuals on five occasions and once on a major tour.

On the approaching half-century anniversary of Ringo Starr replacing Pete Best as The Beatles' drummer on August 18, 1962, we look at the various individuals who have occupied the drum stool during The Beatles' (and its earlier formative line-ups) career. Colin Hanton The original drummer with Lennon's group The Quarry Men , Hanton must hold the distinction of being the first drummer to back John, Paul and George on stage and in the recording studio. Two years older than Lennon, Hanton had already left school and was serving an apprenticeship when he joined the group. His main asset was that he was in possession of a brand new drum kit. His tenure as the group's drummer witnessed the departure of several floating Quarry Men members and the arrival of the future Beatles core of Paul McCartney and George Harrison alongside the already present John Lennon. Hanton was playing with the group the day McCartney saw them perform at Woolton Village fete and he also played drums on the group's first studio recording featuring Buddy Holly 's "That'll Be the Day" and the very first original Beatles recording; "In Spite of All the Danger".

In a sign of things to come, the arrival of McCartney was not exactly met with joy by all group members, particularly Hanton, whose drumming skills were allegedly called into question by the group's latest arrival on guitar. Hanton quit the group after a drunken performance in early 1959, apparently never seeing John, Paul or George again. In 1997, he joined the reformed Quarry Men. The inclusion of "In Spite of All the Danger" on Anthology 1 in 1995 guaranteed that Hanton was eventually featured playing drums on a Beatles album. With Hanton's departure in January 1959, The Quarry Men/Johnny and the Moondogs entered the most inactive period of their musical career, playing only a handful of gigs between then and May 1960. However, after acquiring bassist Stuart Sutcliffe early in 1960, the group was ready to shed their skiffle skin and get serious as a rock and roll band by May of 1960. Hamburg: T-minus three months. Tommy Moore Tommy Moore was recruited into The Silver Beetles by their booking agent/manager Alan Williams in May 1960.

All reports indicate that Moore was a solid and capable drummer who owned his own kit and who suitably impressed Paul McCartney with his abilities to reproduce the tricky drumming on the Everly Brothers ' hit, "Cathy's Clown". Moore's age at the time has been questioned with some sources claiming he was 28 and others 36. Nevertheless, Moore was significantly older than the rest of the group. A nervous and slight man, he was an easy target for John Lennon who seemed to delight in making his life a misery with his cruel tongue. Moore had joined the group just before their infamous and pivotal audition for London promoter Larry Parnes . Parnes was seeking a backing group for one of his major artistes; Billy Fury , and The Silver Beetles had squeezed into the audition. Legend has always maintained that Parnes was put off by Stuart Sutcliffe's non-existent bass guitar skills. However, Parnes himself later claimed that it was the flustered and unprofessional late arrival of drummer Tommy Moore halfway through the group's set which put him off.

Moore had been dashing to collect his kit from another venue and while he was en route, Johnny Hutchinson of Cass and the Casanovas was instructed by Alan Williams to sit behind the drums. Parnes booked the group to tour Scotland with another of his artistes: Johnny Gentle. That tour was a disaster from start to finish with Moore losing teeth and suffering a concussion in an automobile accident while remaining under the unrelenting lash of John Lennon's acerbic verbal abuse. On his return to Liverpool, Moore had had enough and quit the group by failing to show up for a gig. When they arrived to inquire about his absence, his girlfriend allegedly leaned out of a window to instruct them to p*ss-off, before informing them that Moore had been taken back at his old job as a night-shift forklift driver in a bottle factory. Moore, it seems, had decided not to quit his day (or night) job. Interviewed on camera by the BBC at a Mersey Beat reunion in 1971, Moore by then cut a slightly worse-for-wear looking figure who admitted he was struggling and regretted his decision to quit the group. Within 10 years he would be dead.

Like his brief rhythm section bandmate Sutcliffe before him, Moore succumbed to a brain hemorrhage (in 1981), less than a year after the death of John Lennon. Johnny Hutchinson Also known as Johnny Hutch, Hutchinson was the drummer with Cass and the Casanovas when he stood in for Tommy Moore at the Larry Parnes audition. No fan of The Silver Beetles, Hutchinson - who cut an imposing figure and who allegedly terrified even John Lennon - was known to have remarked that they [Silver Beetles] "weren't worth a carrot" and were a "bunch of posers". Hutchinson also plugged the two-day gap between Pete Best's dismissal on August 16 and Ringo Starr's agreed arrival on August 18, 1962. Cliff Roberts Mersey Beat magazine editor and founder Bill Harry recalled how during a performance at Liverpool's Lathom Hall in May 1960, the group's (Silver Beetles) drummer - probably Tommy Moore - had failed to bring his kit. Upon arrival he asked the drummer of a rival band for the use of his drums.

However, Cliff Roberts - of Cliff Roberts and The Rockers - refused to allow Moore to sit behind his brand new Olympic kit. He at least did offer to sit in with the group, playing six songs with them. So we have one more fleeting addition to the long line of Beatles stick men. Norman Chapman Following the departure of regular drummer Tommy Moore, the group were sitting in the Jacaranda one night they heard the sounds of a practicing drummer drifting across the summer night air. Tracking down the source of the racket, they discovered Norman Chapman; a picture framer and part-time drummer. No sooner was Chapman invited to join the group - playing three gigs - when the British Army made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Chapman was conscripted for National Service in June of 1960 and thus missed his chance with rock's hottest ticket. Towards the end of the summer of 1960, The Silver Beetles were offered a contract to play a stint in Hamburg, an unbelievable turn of fortune. But, the job spec required them to have a permanent drummer. Cue Pete Best. Pete Best Pete Best's story is well documented.

The Beatles' drummer from August 1960 until August 1962, he was unceremoniously dismissed from the group by Brian Epstein who informed him that the others simply wanted him out. To this day, debate still continues as to whether he was dumped because of his dire performance at the group's EMI artist test in June 1962 or because the moody and quiet loner simply never fitted in. Lennon later admitted that they were cowards to fire him in the manner they did, but the fact remained that Best was cut from a different cloth than Lennon, McCartney & Harrison. He was apparently never particularly close to any member of the group and when George Martin - the EMI producer who held the keys to their professional careers - flagged Best's drumming as sub-standard, his days were numbered. Best's sacking was unpopular with the group's fans, many of whom viewed Best as the 'looker' in the band, and some scuffles among fans in the Cavern resulted in George Harrison obtaining a black eye. Although Best formed another group after his dismissal from The Beatles, he was soon left behind.

He attempted to commit suicide during the height of Beatlemania and by the time his former bandmates were recording the White Album, Best was loading bread onto delivery trucks. Following a successful career as a civil servant, Best finally came out of retirement as a musician in 1988 and has pursued a successful career as a musician and Beatles celebrity ever since. Best's version of "Love Me Do" and the German Polydor recordings were eventually released on 1995's Anthology 1, giving Best a windfall of royalties while finally placing him on a Beatles album. Ringo Starr Ringo Starr stepped in as the Beatles drummer on August 18, 1962, however his initial tenure was not a particularly happy one. Turning up at EMI Studios on September 4 for a second attempt at recording a debut single (the previous session on June 6 had featured Best), Starr found himself partaking in a slightly shaky version of "Love Me Do" which failed to please producers George Martin and Ron Richards . When they returned for a third and final time a week later, Starr was sandbagged by Richards, who had hired trusty session musician Andy White to replace him.

Starr feared EMI was pulling a Pete Best on him, although curiously despite the version recorded with White on drums resulting in a tighter and more accomplished version, it was Starr's recording which was originally released on the group's debut disc in 1962. Starr's incandescent performance on the "Please Please Me" single in November 1962 secured his status and EMI felt no further need for session drummers thereafter. Soon growing into the role, Starr's steady timing in particular helped to facilitate much of the editing that went into the band's early releases. As they grew more adventurous, Starr became critically important as the conducer who facilitated translating the songwriters' increasingly left-field desires onto tape. In particular, his unorthodox style of leading drum fills with his left hand instead of his right - he was actually left-handed playing right-handed - resulted in Starr's contributions to various Beatles songs becoming as sublime and important as the vocals, melody and various instrumental parts. The most notable songs include "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day in the Life". Additionally, Starr was instrumental - no pun intended - in introducing the drummer as an equal and integral part of the emerging format of the rock group.

His influence outside of the Beatles was also massive with Phil Collins (Genesis), Dave Grohl (Nirvana) and Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band) among many others citing him as a major influence. Often flippantly referred to as the luckiest man in music, you might argue that while he undoubtedly received the ultimate winning lottery ticket, The Beatles and rock music itself were equally lucky to land him. No Ringo. No Beatles. He may have been small, he may not have been handsome, and he may have been the convenient figure of fun in Beatles movies and press conferences, but underestimate his importance and role at your peril. Starr was a giant in his field and was also an equal partner and contributor to the unrepeatable phenomenon that was The Beatles. Andy White Glaswegian drummer Andy White was booked to drum on the third attempt to record "Love Me Do" in September 1962. He played on both the A-side and the single's flip-side, " P.S. I Love You". He appeared uncredited on The Beatles' debut LP, Please Please Me.

Jimmy Nicol Struck down with Tonsillitis on the eve of The Beatles' European and Australasian tour in June 1964, Ringo Starr was ruled out of travelling with the group. Faced with the enormous headache of cancelling sections of such a huge tour, Epstein made the somewhat unpopular decision of calling in a replacement. George Martin suggested a session drummer he was familiar with: Jimmy Nicol. Nicol was familiar with the group's recordings and so just over 24 hours after he was called in for an audition he found himself on stage in Denmark before thousands of screaming Beatles fans. From obscure nobody to celebrated Beatle, Nicol was automatically returned to obscurity after 10 days following Starr's return to the group. Although he earned a substantial amount of money and supported Andy Warhol's 15 minutes of fame theory, Nicol's sudden propulsion into the international limelight and his subsequent hard-breaking return to normality left him with adjustment problems. He later remarked that "[s]tanding in for Ringo was the worst thing that ever happened to me. Until then I was quite happy earning thirty or forty pounds a week.

After the headlines died, I began dying too." (Mojo Special Limited Edition, 2002). If Nicol had been altered by 10 days exposure to the incomprehensible madness of Beatlemania, what did eight years exposure do to the other four? Paul McCartney Never shy to bump Harrison out of the way for a lead guitar solo, McCartney had initially served sporadic terms as the group's drummer during their Quarry Men days and again at various periods in Hamburg and Liverpool, particularly during Pete Best's absence or solo singing spots. When Ringo Starr quit the group and walked out of the recording sessions for the White Album (ironically over an argument with McCartney about his drum part) McCartney took over. He taped a particularly credible - if slightly wooden - perfromance on "Back in the USSR", "Dear Prudence" and later on "The Ballad of John and Yoko". John Lennon & George Harrison During the same session for "Back in the USSR" in which Starr walked out, Harrison and Lennon also overdubbed drum tracks to augment McCartney's. Allegedly on the stereo mix McCartney's drum track can be heard in the left speaker, with Harrison's and Lennon's blended on the right.

Incredibly, "Back in the USSR" is unique in that it features all three Beatles minus Starr on drums, with his colleagues taking over his part after his playing fell under criticism. This was no easy band to be in, for sure! The Day the Beatles Fired Pete Best The Day the Beatles Fired Pete Best By Dave Lifton August 16, 2015 11:36 AM REDDIT Hulton Archive, Getty Images Arguably the most ignominious firing in rock history happened on Aug. 16, 1962. Shortly before recording their debut single, the Beatles dismissed drummer Pete Best. Two months earlier, the group passed an audition for Parlophone Records. But while producer George Martin liked what he heard, he was dissatisfied with Best. He told the Beatles that, while they could use Best onstage, he was going to bring in a session drummer for the recordings. The other Beatles, along with manager Brian Epstein, discussed the situation and decided that it was in their best interests to sack the drummer entirely. On Aug. 16, Epstein called Best into his office and told him the news that he was out.

Known around Liverpool as “mean, moody and magnificent,” Best had joined the Beatles almost exactly two years earlier when they needed a drummer for their upcoming residency in Hamburg, Germany. His audition was only a few days before they made the trip. But his sullen personality never fit in well with the wisecracking Beatles, even refusing to adopt the soon-to-be-famous “Beatles haircut.” Best was the most popular Beatle with their female fan base and long maintained that he was fired because they were jealous of his looks. But when five songs from the Beatles’ Decca audition were officially released on the 1995 Anthology set, it proved that Best’s drumming — both in terms of his timekeeping and inventiveness — was inferior to his replacement’s. Ringo Starr , a friend of theirs who had been in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, was immediately hired as his replacement and made his debut with the group two days later. Beatles Albums Ranked Worst to Best Image of P If you’re not a mega Beatles fan, or particularly well-versed in early Beatles history, that handsome chap on the drums there in a line up of teenage Greasers, might not look so familiar.

That’s Pete Best, the original drummer for the iconic band, who was sacked under the direction of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison in 1962 after two years. Before the Beatles were The Beatles, Pete Best was living in Liverpool with his mother, who owned The Casbah Coffee Club in the basement of their home. The band played some of their first concerts at the club and with no permanent drummer, Paul McCartney was looking for someone to fill the position and play for some gigs they had lined up in Hamburg. Best had been drumming at the Casbah with his own group, The Black Jacks, and had a small following of female fans who knew him as being “mean, moody, and magnificent”. McCartney thought he was good enough for the job and convinced Pete to leave the Black Jacks and accompany the Beatles to Hamburg in 1960 where they would each earn £15 per week for the season in a seedy tourist’s club. Pete was a powerful drummer and was also asked to sing for the group occasionally while McCartney played drums. Despite his obvious popularity with the fans, Pete felt uncomfortable being at the front of the stage.

Off-stage, it’s been well documented by sources close to the band that Best was the outsider of the group, while John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison often spent time together socialising, writing music and sharing inside jokes. Considered to be the band’s best-looking member (and it’s not hard to see why), it’s thought that Best’s popularity with the female fans was a source of friction and jealousy amongst the band members. While the other boys walked on stage to a tame applause, girls screamed when Best walked on. After the show, fans surrounded him at the stage door while the other were often quickly ignored after signing a few autographs. Take note of the death stares being exchanged below… It’s ironic that the only member who could actually pull off this look was the Beatle that got fired… Lennon later called the accusations of jealousy a “myth”, saying, “We were always going to dump him when we found a decent drummer”. These photographs by Albert Marrion, taken for a shoot in Liverpool in 1961, shows the group adopting the 1950s Greaser look.

During their trip to Hamburg, they had found their stage suits impractical while playing all night for hours on stage, so they began wearing leather jackets, jeans and cowboy boots. Beatles manager Brian Epstein reportedly became frustrated with Best because he refused to adopt the band’s signature mop-top haircut in favour of his quiffed style or dress to match the sartorial style of the group. Pictured far right rehearsing with The Beatles, Pete preferred to play in lighter shirts on stage rather than leather jackets. (Also pictured above is Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bassist who left the band in 1961 to become an artist but died suddenly a year later of an aneurysm). These photographs were used for the Beatles first autograph cards and also as a cover sleeve for a bootleg album called The Decca Tapes, recorded as an audition for Decca Records in 1962. The record company turned them down. Five months later, The Beatles had another audition at EMI studios (Abbey Road Studios today), for producer George Martin.

Impressed by the recording, Martin wanted to sign the group on one condition: that an experienced session drummer be used in Best’s place, as was “common practice at the time for recording”. In The Beatles Anthology DVD, Martin remembers the decision with regret: “I decided that the drums, which are really the backbone of a good rock group, didn’t give the boys enough support. They needed a good solid beat, and I said to Brian, ‘Look, it doesn’t matter what you do with the boys, but on record, nobody need know. I’m gonna use a hot drummer.’ Brian [Epstein] said, ‘Okay, fine.’ I felt guilty because I felt maybe I was the catalyst that had changed his [Best’s] life”. The other Beatles members have given different versions of events, claiming Martin asked them to get rid of the drummer and that they agonised over the decision of betraying their bandmate. Manager Brian Epstein has also said he agonised over the decision, but it was Lennon, McCartney and Harrison who considered the situation an opportunity to permanently sack Best from the group, and even asked the boys to leave the group as it was at a time when they were already developing as personalities.

In the end, Epstein summoned Best to his office on 16 August 1962, and fired the original Beatles drummer who had been with the group for two years and four days. Ringo Starr replaced him shortly after. “I never suggested that Pete Best must go,” record producer and engineer George Martin later explained. “All I said was that for the purposes of the Beatles’ first record I would rather use a session man. I never thought that Brian Epstein would let him go. He seemed to be the most saleable commodity as far as looks went … The drums were important to me for a record, but they didn’t matter much otherwise. Fans don’t pay particular attention to the quality of the drumming” At the height of “Beatlemania”, Pete Best attempted to commit suicide, but was talked out of it by his mother. After a number of failed attempts trying to start a new band, Best left the music industry and did shift work loading bread into the back of delivery vans, earning £8 a week.

The most educated member of the original Beatles, (he had the chance to go to a teacher-training college before McCartney had convinced him to go with them to Hamburg), Pete later became a civil servant for 20 years before returning to music with The Pete Best band at a Beatles convention in 1988. He now regularly tours the world as a drummed and released an album for the band in 2008. In 2011, the Liverpool announced they were naming two city streets after him. In the authorised Beatles biography published in 1968, British journalist Hunter Davis wrote: “The sacking of Pete Best is one of the few murky incidents in the Beatles’ history. There was something sneaky about the way it was done.” Beatles drummer Pete Best on David Letterman (Part 1) - YouTube Beatles drummer Pete Best on David Letterman (Part 1) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Dec 27, 2007 An interview with Pete Best from "Late Night with David Letterman" on July 14th, 1982. He was replaced by Ringo just before the Beatles made it big. This is Part 1. Use keywords: 'Pete Best Letterman' to find Part 2. Category Pete Best, the Beatles' original drummer, still doesn't know why he was fired / Boing Boing Twitter / Facebook / RSS In 1960 a Liverpool band called the Silver Beatles asked Pete Best to join them as drummer. Best was already in a band called the Blackjacks, but he took the gig and for the next two years he played with the band (which eventually dropped "Silver" from its name). When the band auditioned with Decca, Best played drums on the first recording of "Love Me Do." Things went downhill quickly from there, writes Maggie Malach of Mental Floss : report this ad But in August 1962, the morning after another well-received gig at the famous Cavern Club, manager Brian Epstein called Pete into his office and gave him the bad news.

“I walked into Brian’s office … and he was quite agitated, fidgety,” Best explained in the 2006 documentary Pete Best of the Beatles: The Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Story Never Told. "‘Pete,’ he said. ‘I really don’t know how to tell you this, but I will.’ And he said, ‘In short, the boys want you out and it’s already been arranged that Ringo [Starr] will join the band on Saturday.’ And that was the bombshell. I couldn’t believe what was happening. Am I in a dream? Am I in a nightmare? I want to wake up, someone pinch me.” Best, who was just 20 years old at the time, went home and cried. He never spoke to any of the other Beatles again. People have asked Best why he doesn't call Paul or Ringo now and get an explanation as to why he was unceremoniously sacked. In 2009 he told Spinner: "Well, have you ever tried to phone a Beatle? It just doesn't happen. You couldn't get to them."

Question: In the original Beatles line-up who was the drummer?
Answer: PETE BEST