Yes. It wasn't enough that I was printing his 'Beatcomber' columns, he was thirsty for more of his humour in print. Classifieds cost 4d a word and when he'd come into the office he'd dig into his pockets to see how much money he had

Hi Bill. Hope you don't mind all these questions. What are your thoughts on Pete Best? Did his personality really set him apart from the others?  

I always liked Pete, but he was a man of few words. I remember when we used to sit around in the Jacaranda and I tried to interview him and found it initially difficult because he didn't seem to have much to say. But to me that was his personality - taciturn. Actor Gary Cooper was the same way - a few words, but the personality was there. Perhaps that is why Bob Wooler referred to him as 'mean,moody and magnificence' (I know that came from the film 'The Outlaw'). but he was always a nice and friendly guy. The girls went mad because he hardly said anything. It gave him a sort of mysterious air. There is no doubt that he was definately the most popular member of the Beatles with the Liverpool girls during 1961 and 1962. As you know, girls used to sleep in his garden just to be near him. Bob Wooler, reckoning Pete's popularity, did the most unusual thing. He had Pete moved to the front of the stage with his drums, with the other three behind him. It was unprecedented, but the girls rushed forward and pulled him off the stage. It hadn't happened before with any of the others. They couldn't repeat the experience.

Quoted from Bill Harry

I always liked Pete, but he was a man of few words. I remember when we used to sit around in the Jacaranda and I tried to interview him and found it initially difficult because he didn't seem to have much to say. But to me that was his personality - taciturn. Actor Gary Cooper was the same way - a few words, but the personality was there. Perhaps that is why Bob Wooler referred to him as 'mean,moody and magnificence' (I know that came from the film 'The Outlaw'). but he was always a nice and friendly guy. The girls went mad because he hardly said anything. It gave him a sort of mysterious air. There is no doubt that he was definately the most popular member of the Beatles with the Liverpool girls during 1961 and 1962. As you know, girls used to sleep in his garden just to be near him. Bob Wooler, reckoning Pete's popularity, did the most unusual thing. He had Pete moved to the front of the stage with his drums, with the other three behind him. It was unprecedented, but the girls rushed forward and pulled him off the stage. It hadn't happened before with any of the others. They couldn't repeat the experience.

Welcome and thank you Bill for your implication on this forum.

Quoted from Bill Harry

I always liked Pete, but he was a man of few words. I remember when we used to sit around in the Jacaranda and I tried to interview him and found it initially difficult because he didn't seem to have much to say. But to me that was his personality - taciturn. Actor Gary Cooper was the same way - a few words, but the personality was there. Perhaps that is why Bob Wooler referred to him as 'mean,moody and magnificence' (I know that came from the film 'The Outlaw'). but he was always a nice and friendly guy. The girls went mad because he hardly said anything. It gave him a sort of mysterious air. There is no doubt that he was definately the most popular member of the Beatles with the Liverpool girls during 1961 and 1962. As you know, girls used to sleep in his garden just to be near him. Bob Wooler, reckoning Pete's popularity, did the most unusual thing. He had Pete moved to the front of the stage with his drums, with the other three behind him. It was unprecedented, but the girls rushed forward and pulled him off the stage. It hadn't happened before with any of the others. They couldn't repeat the experience.

Wow, tha5's incredible. I wonder how much of his departure was because of his drumming, vs. jealousy on the part of Paul and John ...

hello manon...how are you .....i hope you and yours are fine...maybe you can go meet bill when you move to london for 6 weeks...don't worry bill she is shyer than you are..lol

To Alexis: Paul McCartney finally admitted in his 'Wingspan' documentary some years ago that the sacking had nothing to do with Pete's ability as a drummer. After all, it was Pete who developed 'the atom beat' which was copied by all the Liverpool drummers. And Paul McCartney, Ron Richards and George Martin didn't like Ringo's drumming when the Beatles went to Abbey Road after sacking Pete, which is why they hired Andy White. He was hired because they had no confidence in Ringo. Yet, both Ringo's and Andy's version of the recordings were issued, one on the single, one on the album. John Lennon had got on well with Pete and was embarrassed by it all, he was to say they were cowards when they sacked Pete. George was the main one responsible for getting rid of Pete. Brian Epstein actually wanted the replacement to be Johnny Hutchinson of the Big Three.

Thank you for these fascinating insights, Bill! Ah, Pete Best: the original Mr. Spock.

Do you recall George's reason for wanting to get rid of Pete? Thanks.

He had a special rapport with Ringo. He even went to Ringo's house to ask if he'd join, but Ringo's mum told him he was at Butlin's with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes. I printed that in Mersey Beat, but I don't know if that's the reason why Bruno gave him that black eye. On the Mersey Beat cover where they are gathered at Speke airport to fly down to London and record, you can see George's shiner!

Yes, poor George! Or "bad Bruno". I do love that airport picture.

In your opinion, did the band seem to click better after Ringo joined? George has said so (naturally), and George Martin said so (at least eventually), but was it noticeable at the time? I think one of the things that was most appealing about the Beatles when we Americans finally saw them was their "all for one and one for all" kind of camaraderie.


As an aside, I fell into your site awhile back and didn't come out for two days. It sounds like you're still adding to it. I guess I'd better get back over there.

Thanks for participating in this forum! I feel like I'm visiting the oracle. Would you prefer sheep or goats for your offering? Cheers!

If you like the Mersey Beat site you'll like my other site. It's http://www.rockandpopshop.com If you go to the home page, see 'Editorial' at the top and click that, you'll see several editorial features. 'Mersey Artists' has detailed profiles of around 80 Mersey artists. 'Bill Harry's Mersey Beat' ifeatures issue by issue  of the original paper with my comments and anecdotes on the original stories. there is also the full story of the Mersey Beat paper.

Thanks for the link, Bill! I can see I'll have to fall into the archives for a while.  

Hi Bill, This isn't really Beatle related although it sorta is since it has to do with Paul but at the moment I am researching information for a biography that I'm writing on former Wings guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and I was wondering if you could offer any advice or stories if you saw Wings or Jimmy or anything?

Thanks and welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay  

Here is a piece I wrote about him in my 'Paul McCartney Encyclopedia.'
McCulloch, Jimmy.
A young guitarist who had a brief, but glorious spell with Wings.
     Jimmy was born in Glasgow on June 4 1953. At the age of 13 he joined a band called One In A Million. He was sixteen when he performed on a No. 1 record, ‘Something In The Air’ by Thundercap Newman. For a short time he was a guitarist in John Mayall’s band, following in the footsteps of such musicians as Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. After the tragic electrocution on stage of Les Harvey (also a Glaswegian). Jimmy replaced him in Stone The Crows. In 1973 he joined the band Blue, managed by Robert Stigwood.
     Jimmy had originally met Paul when he first played with Paul, Linda, Denny Laine and Davy Lutton in Paris in 1972, backing Linda on the record ‘Seaside Woman’. He next met Paul in 1974 when he was hired to play on Mike McCartney’s album ‘McGear’, which Paul was producing. Paul then asked him to join in on some recording sessions with Wings in Nashville in June 1974, and Jimmy became a member of wings.
     He recorded on ‘Venus And Mars’, ‘Wings At The Speed Of Sound’, ‘Wings Over America’, ‘London Town’ and on the single ‘Junior’s Farm’. He also appeared on tour with the band.
     Following his appearances on the British gigs, Linda McCartney commented: “Jimmy is great and I think he’ll improve a lot, he’ll get better and better and really get his own style.” He went on the 1975/76 world tour and also on the 1977 tour of America. The American tour had originally been set to begin in either May or June 1976, but Jimmy dislocated his left hand after a concert in Paris and the US trip was postponed.
     Two numbers which Jimmy co-wrote with Colin Allen, a former member of Stone the Crows, were included in Wings’ repertoire. ‘Medicine Jar’ appears on ‘Venus and Mars’ and ‘Wings Over America’. Jimmy provided lead vocals for the number and performed it on the world tour. ‘Wino Junkie’, said to be a nickname for himself, and like ‘Medicine Jar’ about drugs, was included on the 1976 album ‘Wings At The Speed Of Sound’.
     Jimmy drank a lot and was often abrasive and argumentative with people. He argued frequently with Geoff Britton, until the latter left the band. There were even rumours of arguments between him and Paul. Jimmy finally left Wings on September 8 1977, joining the Small Faces for a short time, until he formed his own band, the Dukes.
     When he hadn’t turned up for rehearsals on two consecutive days, his brother Jack visited Jimmy’s Maida Vale flat and found his body on the floor. An open verdict was recorded on his death, although the pathologist reported that he had traced cannabis, alcohol and morphine in his body. Yet there were some mysterious circumstances. The flat contained no evidence of drink or drugs, there was no money to be found and a security chain on the door had been broken.
     Jack was to comment, “I’m sure someone was in the flat after my brother died and Id like to find out who he was.”
     The mystery has never been solved.

thanks for that