i bet you were wonder how long this would take me....read and see for yourself he is mildly bitter
BEST OF THE BEATLES

Pete Best talks about his time with the Beatles in a q/a session in the UK.

By Gary Howman

(Thanks very much, Gary, for this great report.)

I was thrilled to note from a local paper that Pete Best was appearing at the King Lynn Arts Centre on 15 October 1999. This was not to be the Pete Best band in concert but the former Beatle alone on stage talking about his time with the Beatles with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. I hurried to book a ticket at the reasonable price of £7.00 and turned up bright and early at the historic yet cosy venue. The audience was a cross section of ages and styles – young rockabilly types rubbing shoulders with original Beatles fans and thirty something professionals.

The night began with an introduction from Pete’s brother Roag, a song from a local band Pete had chosen, and then Pete took the stage to warm applause. He looked very healthy and young, slim with longish grey hair (swept back of course!) and a moustache.

The first half of the show was a well-prepared lecture backed up with slides (many previously unseen) and music extracts (all familiar to me) covering Pete’s two year stint with the Beatles. Throughout this session Pete was witty and upbeat although I suspect he was a bit nervous. He began by describing the forming of his first group, the Blackjacks, with his friend Ken Brown through whom he met John, Paul and George then known as the Quarrymen. The opening of the Casbah Club in his mother’s cellar was well detailed and there were several slides of the original art which John and Stuart Sutcliffe had created for the walls and ceiling. Amazingly the artwork survives to this day and was a centrepiece of the Casbah’s reopening a short time ago. Pete said the painted stars alone had been valued at £1000 each and his family were waiting for the roof to fall in to grab them.

Pete recalled packed nights at the Casbah Club and his admiration of the Quarrymen cum Beatles as their appearances continued. He was aware of their lack of a permanent drummer and was not surprised when Paul McCartney took an interest in him and his drum kit when the Blackjacks parted. He auditioned and was immediately accepted as the group had a pressing engagement to play clubs in Hamburg, Germany. A cramped trip in a van led to the group posing as students to gain admittance to the country. We learned about the competition between the Liverpool groups to destroy club owners Bruno Koschmeider rickety stage (it was replaced with one just as cheap) and the delights of viewing the unclothed ladies in the Herbertstrasse ("best window-shopping I’ve ever done").

The infamous story of the burning condom used to boost lighting in the groups windowless room was outlined in amusing detail as was Pete and Paul’s subsequent deportation for this "arson" offence. The excitement that was building around the group was captured in Pete’s description of the group’s welcome home gigs in Liverpool especially the morale boosting receptions at the Casbah and Litherland Town Hall. The black leather outfits worn by the group and the hard sound initially led Liverpool fans to believe they were German. Being billed as the "fabulous Beatles direct from Hamburg" didn’t help.

Several of the mysteries about the Bert Kaempfert/Tony Sheridan recording sessions were illuminated by Pete’s eyewitness account. I was amused by the story of Bert asking George if he knew the Shadows number "Frightened City" and George confidently playing "Cry For A Shadow" which Bert accepted and recorded! Pete was proud of his efforts on these recordings with the only downside being the tiny one off payment the group received. The arrival of Brian Epstein led to an attempt to smarten the groups act and Pete displayed one of Brian’s immortal instructions to the group ordering them not to eat, drink, smoke or swear on stage.

Brian’s attempts to obtain a record deal seemed to bear fruition when they were offered a session with Decca on January 1 1962. Pete laughingly recalled the bizarre occasion with the Beatles out celebrating New Year until 4.30am before turning up late and hungover at Decca for this important audition. Brian was furious ("you could tell because his tie was undone") and the group did themselves no favours by giving a lacklustre performance. Pete though remains proud of some of the tracks with "Like Dreamers Do" being his particular favourite.

Before EMI beckoned, there were more attempts by Brian to broaden the group’s horizon. The disastrous concert at Aldershot attended by 18 people was fondly recalled, as were the frequent occasions when the Beatles backed big names like Gene Vincent and Davy Jones. Several shots of the group looking uneasy in smart suits from Spring 1962 were fascinating as you couldn’t help but look for Ringo in the line up! Ringo had cropped up earlier as Pete mentioned their friendship and drumming styles. He got a big laugh from the audience by pretending to forget the name of the Beatles subsequent drummer. Frustratingly, Pete only briefly dwelt on his own singing spot during the Beatles appearances with the group but was questioned about this later on. Fresh insight into "Love me do" was forthcoming as Pete revealed that the original country style sound was inspired by the sadness following the death of Stuart Sutcliffe. The EMI audition version was played by Pete to bear this out.

Pete dramatically ended the first half of the show with an account of his dismissal from the group. This was emphasised by letters of disbelief from fans at the time, which were displayed without comment. His brother, Roag, reappeared to announce that the question and answer session would follow shortly and encouraged us to get our questions ready.

Audience Questions

Pete sat on a stool very close to the front of the stage and invited questions. Pete took all questions good-humouredly and gave excellent responses throughout. I have not attempted to include every question asked, as I only noted down his (approximate) responses to the memorable ones.

Q. You used to sing with the early Beatles. Tell us about that.

A. It was originally Bob Wooler’s idea, who was the DJ at the Cavern. If you were in a group he reckoned you had to sing and drummers always sang "Matchbox". I never enjoyed singing. The picture of me centre stage that I showed earlier was from a Fan Club Night at the Cavern. I also had to twist and sing Joey Dee’s "Peppermint Twist" that night while Paul took the drums. It was embarrassing, I couldn’t wait to get back behind the drumkit!

Q. How did you feel about Anthology 1? Were you interviewed for the TV series?

A. I was approached about the use of the 10 tracks, which I appear on and they also asked to use my image and likeness for the television. It was then all placed in the hands of the lawyers and I had no other involvement.

Q. Did you ever follow their interest in Eastern Religion

A. I got there before them. I was born in India!

Q. Who was the real leader of the Beatles, John or Paul?

A. I can only give my personal opinion based on my time in the band. If a leader was ever needed it was John. He was the stronger personality.

Q. Were you ever told the reasons for your sacking?

A. No, but let's look at the theories. I can’t accept the drumming theory as when we came back from Germany, other groups copied my style using the loud bass drum. Also, Bert Kaempfert was quite happy with my drumming when we recorded in Germany. As for Ringo being a better drummer, well, he was replaced on "Love Me Do" as well wasn’t he? The hairstyle? That’s all rubbish, it was never even discussed. Jealousy? I was aware of the Pete Best fans but there were plenty of Paul fans too. As long as the group got the attention I was happy. Personality? I took part in all the crazy stunts and drinking. I was a Beatle. A rumour around the Cavern was that it was because I turned down Brian Epstein’s advances but I don’t believe that. Unreliable? I missed four shows in over two years so if that makes me unreliable…….

At the end of the day two people still alive know the reason. We may all read about it in the newspapers next year or we may never know.

Q. Did you ever think of asking for compensation or a settlement?

A. A few years later I had to bring a libel case as Ringo said in Playboy magazine that I used to take pills to make me ill so I wouldn’t have to play. The lawyers advised me to sue for loss of earnings as well for the period up to Christmas 1963. Eventually the case was settled out of court but the settlement was not substantial.

Q. Did you have any contact with Beatles afterwards?

A. On two occasions I appeared on the same bill as them with my new band Lee Curtis and the All Stars. It was a stand off situation as we came offstage and they were going on…. As they grew to the phenomenon we all know the walls went up and they were hard to approach. I never bothered. What was the point?

Q. Did you ever want to ring them up and say "you *******"

A. (Laughs) Many times.

Q. Do you think you will ever meet them again?

A. It's possible. I’m now back in show business what with the tours and shows. One day our paths might cross.

Q. Is it true John sent a message years later saying he wanted nothing to do with your sacking?

A. Hunter Davies spoke to John and that was the message that came back. John had said, "We were cowards when we sacked him".

Q. What gave you the idea for these shows?

A. In America, the Pete Best Band would play a concert and afterwards I would be besieged with questions about my time with the group. That gave me the idea to do the informal sort of lecture tour.

Q. In your opinion, who were the best of the Liverpool groups?

A. Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes. They were the musicians group we all wanted to watch.

Q. Do you still see Neil Aspinall?

A. About twice a year. Its very much a hello how you doing kinda thing.

Q. What did you think of the film "Backbeat?"

A. I enjoyed it but it was wrongly portrayed by the media. It was really the love story between Stuart and Astrid with us on the sidelines.

Q. If you could have a one to one who would it be with?

A. John Lennon.

After an hour he took his leave but promised to return to sign autographs a bit later on. True to his word he came back and signed autographs for everyone who wanted them. Many fans (including me) had brought treasured items, which he took great care to sign. He also posed for photographs. A true gent!

In conclusion, a memorable evening with Pete revealing himself to be a happy, relaxed and all round pleasant guy. It was obvious that he retains happy memories of his days as a Beatle, a certain amount of pride and undiminished affection for John Lennon. The first half was professional, well structured and informative. The second half was informal and truthful with Pete clearly relishing the audience interplay and willing to answer absolutely anything.

Man I do feel bad for Pete, so what if he didn't have the personality maybe that they were looking for. But it wasn't right for them to just off him like that ya know..

But.. I <3 Ringo

Well, you can also look at the bright side for him...

Cause basically he just played in a local band for a couple of years like hundreds of thousands of other people have done, but unlike 99,99% of all those people he still makes money from that band and people still are interested in his stories, only because his former band mates made it big without him. So in a way you could say he's a really lucky bastard. And I guess it just wasn't meant to be for him.

I also met Pete - he REALLY was a great guy. My camera suddenly stopped working and he re-posed for all the pics for me!!!

is the one of him nude on the bearskin from that shoot????lol
welcome back alan

Quoted from pc31, posted March 24, 2004, 12:59am at here

is the one of him nude on the bearskin from that shoot????lol
welcome back alan

LOL That wasn't bearskin, that was me!!!!!!!!

Thanks PC :)

Quoted from The_End, posted March 24, 2004, 2:20am at here

LOL That wasn't bearskin, that was me!!!!!!!!

Thanks PC :)

Maybe we should call you



oh wait.


Thats just wrong.


Nevermind. :-)

Who gives a rats a** about Pete? The bastard is cooking fish at some grease pit, why is he even relative now?

Quoted from Alan_H, posted March 25, 2004, 12:37am at here

Who gives a rats a** about Pete? The bastard is cooking fish at some grease pit, why is he even relative now?

You really are a sad little tosser aren't you!

Quoted from The_End, posted March 25, 2004, 12:41am at here

You really are a sad little tosser aren't you!

Fish, grease, tosser.. Makes me hungry for Fish and Salad. And Alan-H head on a platter... I have a possible IDea or two about whom he is..

for him the bell tolls......toss off

Dear All, 

Please find further details for the Casbah Coffee Club and Pete Best and band

The Pete Best Band : The Pete Best Band will be performing on three seperate occasions in Hamburg, Germany. The band will be performing on the world famous Reeperbarn on the 17th, 18th & 19th of June as part of the Hamburg Beatles Convention.

The Casbah Coffee Club, the true birthplace of the Beatles is now officially open to the public. Bookings can be made by appointment only and can be done so by sending an e-mail to bookings@petebest.com .

Many Thanks

Pete Best.com

Peach Besht

Quoted from Beatle_Ed, posted April 12, 2004, 9:13am at here

Peach Besht

Are you drunk?! LOL ;)

Yup. Nope. Yup.

Mr. Best (Besht) is a really good guy and is extremely relative to the Merseybeat scene and the Beatles. I have been lucky enough to meet him on a few occasions, I thought this was a Beatles forum? Alan_H get on back to your limp bizquit chat room.

pete was the FIRST FULL TIME drummer that the beatles had.have you heard them play with no drums?????3 lead guitars and a lame bass if your lucky but no percussion......pete put the beat in beatles.but ringo made them a complete product.
it does not seem likely that pete would have been as happy and go lucky in the back seat as ringo...ringo in the back seat????????no way he recieved the most fan mail in the beginning.he did enhance the others talents as pete could not have.in my opinion anyways.pete was always looking moody and sullen.ringo was spry and funny.
face ringo was the fit but pete was the first.i like petes attempts to create.i bear the man no ill will......

ooops i meant i agree with some other guy....
goose step ma ma goose step ma ma

pc31,
Pete Best may not have been the best fit for the Beatles (for whatever reason) no one will ever know for sure? Mr. Starkey did turn out to be the best fit but he certainly wasn't the first choice as Pete's replacement. The Drummer the Beatles initially wanted was Johnny Hutchinson from the Big Three as he was regarded by most as the best drummer in Liverpool at the time. Johnny Hutch had a great singing voice, he filled in as the Beatles drummer for the Larry Parnes audition and numerous shows. He was asked by Epstein to join the band but declined as he believed he was already in the best band in Liverpool. Many people believe that Pete was sacked and quickly replaced by Ringo because of his superior drumming ability, which is not the case.

I don't feel sorry for Pete Best for getting dumped by the Beatles before their huge success since it happens to millions of other legendary rock bands like Mark Stone who was a member of Aerosmith before their rock stardom.  I think Pete is a great rock drummer in his own right who will always hold a little grudge against Paul mostly no matter what he says differently in interviews.  I'm sure millions of Beatles fans would like to see a picture of Paul & Ringo with Pete before their time is up to symbolically heal old wounds from the past which I believe will never happen. 

if pete had had the talent any of the fab four had he would have been more.........he didn't have the desire or want to be in a second rate rock band.which is where they were b4 ringo.noone but ringo could have been the 4th.it had to be a down player presence not a big show presence.

i would like to share an email with you.......Dear Beatles' Fans,

    I saw Pete Best, the Beatles' original drummer, at the Jaxx in West Springfield, Virginia, on Thursday, July 15.  Pete and his band started at 9:15 and played the following set list:

1. Slow Down
2. What'd I Say
3. One After 909
4. Please Mr. Postman
5. P.S. I Love You
6. My Bonnie
7. Cry for a Shadow
8. September in the Rain
9. Roll Over Beethoven
10. Some Other Guy
11. Sweet Georgia Brown
12. Hello Little Girl
13.  Like Dreamers Do
14.  Till There Was You
15.  I Saw Her Standing There
16.  Twist and Shout
17.  Kansas City     

Encore (actually, the band never left the stage)
18.  Johnny B. Good

    Pete's band consisted of a lead singer who looked like a young Phil Collins, two guitarists, a bass player, and a second drummer (Pete's half-brother, Roag, son of Neil Aspinall).  Everyone had thick Liverpool accents and talked like the Beatles.  They all wore black t-shirts and black pants.

    Pete is a competent drummer, but he is not a flashy or charismatic performer.  He was content to stay in the background while the lead singer did most of the talking.  Pete came out from behind the drums only twice, to introduce "What'd I Say," and to introduce "My Bonnie."

    Fewer than 100 people attended the show.  On the plus side, I was able to go up to the railing at the front of the stage whenever I wanted. Most of the crowd stayed for autographs after the show. 

    Pete was very polite and cordial, and complied with all requests for pictures and autographs.  He autographed my booklet from the "Beatles Anthology 1" CD, and posed for a picture with me.

    In summary, I enjoyed the show.  My feelings are the same as after my first Pete Best show in 2001 - I was thrilled to meet and shake the hand of someone who knew and performed with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, and who made early contributions to their music.

Sincerely,

Jeff Root
Fairfax, Virginia

Yeah, I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the current Pete Best tour.....it's great music....and a former Beatle, what's not to like?

sing it pete

Great article PC  thanks for posting it.

you heard him sing btw? does he "have" a voice?

???
HFleen

*bites tongue*   :K) ::) :X ;)

lol you zipperhead
yeah he harmonizes,but i never heard him sing by himself.
he did in the beatles as the pic above shows.
hey 777 the dead milkmen are a good band.....

its been said he covered match box............during the beatles.

Quoted from pc31, posted September 18, 2004, 9:44am at here

hey 777 the dead milkmen are a good band.....

I'll take your word for it  :)

One listen to Love Me Do on the Anthology reveals why Pete was sacked, IMO.  The drumming was not very good.  During the harmonica solo, he is all off.

Ringo was far better.

Quoted from Sadie4, posted December 3, 2004, 6:08pm at here

I thought only Andy White and Ringo drummed opn Love me do...

There's an outtake on Anthology 1 with Pete drumming.  Most of it's pretty bad, but during the solo it gets really bad.  He's way off the beat.

Pete is interesting because of how close he came to being a star, but he's no different, IMO, than Stu or any of the Quarrymen or any other member of any famous band who got kicked out before the big break.

Ringo got the gig because he was better.  End of story.

oh...

Quoted Text

Pete is interesting because of how close he came to being a star, but he's no different, IMO, than Stu or any of the Quarrymen or any other member of any famous band who got kicked out before the big break.

Stu wasn't kicked out, he left.

Quoted from Mairi, posted December 8, 2004, 3:45pm at here

Stu wasn't kicked out, he left.

Of course, you're right.  I was just making a point.  Over the years, Pete's legend has grown to the point where people can't conceive that he was kicked out for the simple reason that Ringo was far better.  It has to be that everybody was jealous because he was so good looking and he was better than Ringo, ect. 

The legend has only grown because the Beatles are the biggest band in the world.

Yes. And, it's true that Stu wasn't much of musician either. As I recall he couldn't even play bass.

beatles the biggest??????

Quoted from Mairi, posted December 8, 2004, 7:52pm at here

Yes. And, it's true that Stu wasn't much of musician either. As I recall he couldn't even play bass.

i heard that too

Quoted from pc31, posted December 9, 2004, 1:52am at here

beatles the biggest??????

Yes... Is that troublesome?

just seems like a narrow veiw.thats all.

What's narrow?  That the Beatles are the biggest band in the world or that Pete is not as good as Ringo?

The Beatles have sold more records than any music act in history and they still are a top 10 selling act 35 years after they broke up.  To me, that's the biggest band in the world.  Now, if you're arguing that there is someone who is better than the Beatles, that's a subjective opinion, but that's not what I was referring to.

As far as Pete vs Ringo, once again, based upon recorded evidence, Ringo seems to be better.  That might be a subjective opinion, but most would agree with me.

maybe beethovens 5th has been played more than yesterday.i love the beatles too but because the impact is personal i must disqualify myself as a judge.
you catch my drift?music is like THE BORG.it is a collective type thing that needs all parts.no one person or people can be the best can they?
influential sure...........

I understand what you are saying, but I think we are talking about different things. 

I didn't say the Beatles were, necessarily, the best group ever or the most influential (although, I think they are), but that point can be argued.

What I did say, is that because the Beatles are the most popular, most well known band in the world, the Pete Best thing gets blown out of proportion.  Really, think about it, more people know who Pete Best is (who is only a former Beatle) than know who the actual drummer is for many, many rock bands. 

I, really, don't think the fact that the Beatles are the most well known and popular band in the world can be challenged.  They've sold more than anyone else, they continue to sell more than most others (even modern bands), and most everybody knows the names of the 4 members, even if you aren't a fan.

Now, that doesn't mean that someone won't come along who will be more popular and well known, but as of right now, because of the reasons I listed, the Beatles are the biggest ever and because of this, people make a bigger deal out of Pete Best being kicked out than they should.  He is just a footnote.

good defense paul......lol kidding i know the beatles we know and love would not have been the huge thing they were without mr richard starkey.i just kinda consider the facts as they are.....like b4 pete they had no steady drummer and at some shows showed with no drummer.then the fact mona owned the casbah club,where they played more than a few times.also neil aspinall lived with petes family while he was a beatle.
they used pete.paul admits it.THEY HAD NO DRUMMER.and figured pete would do.they asked him to join.he didn't ask them.

but ringo made the band complete.

Yeah, I agree.
Like John said, 'to make it you had to be a bastard, and The Beatles were the biggest bastards at the time' (something along those lines) :)

good old john.. not one to mince his words lol :)

He was at the Chicago Beatlefest last August. Kind of a dour fellow. He was hawking signed drumsticks and photos for $20.00. I felt bad for the guy, here he is tucked in a little room signing stuff and having pictures taken, while you can hear the screams from the screening rooms, and he's surrounded by all the memorabilia, etc. Its a living I suppose, but its gotta suck having your nose rubbed in it.  I know its his choice, but it still has to sting.

his nose rivals ringos too.did you notice that?

so.........was Andy White a better drummer than Pete?

Quoted from Rowdy

so.........was Andy White a better drummer than Pete?

Probably not, but Andy White was a session musician and George Marting was playing it safe, maybe too safe because, let's face it, "Love Me Do" doesn't have the most intricate drumming in the world.

Yeah, but if Pete was so bad that George Martin didn't even want to have him on the record........I would think that White was better.

it was the fact the were unsure about ringo....

happy birthday pete.......

I think it was just because Ringo was an unproven entity in George Martin's eyes and he took the precaution of booking Andy White.

In the end Ringo's version was used as the single (in the UK) and Andy White's version with Ringo relegated to tambourine made the LP. It was around the time of The Beatles' Hits EP that Andy White's version became the version we are most familiar with. I don't think the master of Ringo's version is still in existance! I seem to remember that a new master was made from a dub from a single! Stoopid EMI!

Pete Best on TV ... long time ago ... funny ... in the mid-1960s as a guest on a TV show ...

Here you are:
http://rapidshare.de/files/18443675/Pete_Best.wmv.html

Many people say that when Ringo arrived, the Beatles were complete.  They basically say that Ringo was indispensable and that, perhaps, the Beatles ascent to glory was now unimpeded.  This implies that Pete was an obstacle in their path to fame and fortune.

Nonetheless, Pete was wildly popular with his fan base.  I question how the Beatles disregarded Pete's popularity while assuming they could dismiss him without any threat to the group's overall appeal.  Did they have a Plan B of asking Pete back into the band if Ringo didn't receive the fans' approval?  How could they risk firing him without also jeopardizing their own success?  Could they really have been absolutely sure that Pete was nonessential and that Ringo would automatically receive widespread acceptance (which he did)?

Quoted from Loco_Mo

Many people say that when Ringo arrived, the Beatles were complete.  They basically say that Ringo was indispensable and that, perhaps, the Beatles ascent to glory was now unimpeded.  This implies that Pete was an obstacle in their path to fame and fortune.

Nonetheless, Pete was wildly popular with his fan base.  I question how the Beatles disregarded Pete's popularity while assuming they could dismiss him without any threat to the group's overall appeal.  Did they have a Plan B of asking Pete back into the band if Ringo didn't receive the fans' approval?  How could they risk firing him without also jeopardizing their own success?  Could they really have been absolutely sure that Pete was nonessential and that Ringo would automatically receive widespread acceptance (which he did)?

That's a very interesting thought. But I guess there was no way back when they sacked Pete. Asking Pete back? If I were Pete, I would never ever have done that. I wonder if Pete was really an obstacle in getting a proper contract and chance at Parlophone's. If he was, then that might have been a true reason for letting him down. There's been a lot of speculation about the true reasons. Even Pete himself claims he still doesn't know the true reason. Still, John, George and Paul must have been aware of the fact that they took a risk in sacking Pete. Or, they must have been very full of confidence.

Quoted from Loco_Mo

Many people say that when Ringo arrived, the Beatles were complete.  They basically say that Ringo was indispensable and that, perhaps, the Beatles ascent to glory was now unimpeded.  This implies that Pete was an obstacle in their path to fame and fortune.

How could they risk firing him without also jeopardizing their own success?  Could they really have been absolutely sure that Pete was nonessential and that Ringo would automatically receive widespread acceptance (which he did)?

You make it sound like they were a poltical party running for office.
I'm not the first to say "it's only the bl**dy drummer." I doubt whether they went through that kind of thought process, or that they would have seen past the fact that they had to find a recording contract, and if that meant dumping your mate, then so be it.  I think J & P would have seen themselves as the only essential members, with G a close second. Drummer schrummer.
Beatleworld didn't collapse when Jimmy Nichol took over. In fact, I put it to you that if Ringo had not come back the Beatle bandwagon would have rolled on regardless.

Quoted from kevin_b

Beatleworld didn't collapse when Jimmy Nichol took over. In fact, I put it to you that if Ringo had not come back the Beatle bandwagon would have rolled on regardless.

Being that it was in 64' at the height of the groups popularity, I might be inclined to agree. If we were talking 66' or so after they quit touring, I dont think so. Ringo was embedded by then plus the fact i'm sure he helped in keeping the ego's intact.

Reply to Bobber:  It’s debatable if Pete would have returned to the Beatles.  Sure, his pride was greatly offended but he may have swallowed hard rather than miss his great opportunity with the Beatles.  I oftentimes wonder what would have transpired if Pete had played the last 2 Chester dates that Brian asked him to.  Would a fight have broken out between him and the others?  What would have been the upshot of that?  Could something have been worked out?  If Pete couldn’t have been their drummer, could he have adopted another role in the organization?  I also tend to think that J P & G were very confident of themselves so I guess they didn’t think canning P was too risky with the fans.

Reply to Kevin:  I never really knew what “politics” were until I got much older in life.  I don’t think the Beatles were savvy enough in the early days to be political, but for all practical purposes they were.  I strongly believe that the final nail in Pete’s coffin was George Martin’s remark that Pete wasn’t a good enough drummer.  I think it was Paul who said that they’d been planning to eliminate Pete from day one and Martin's remark pushed them over the edge. Pete wasn’t who they really wanted but he was available or perhaps more importantly, his drum kit was available and Pete had a strong backbeat which suited their hard rocking numbers of the time.  Pete had to be a real asset to them in Hamburg because he was able to play loud and hard.  Without that, the club owners may have viewed them as just one of many bland bands and that would cost the B's jobs.  It seems, too, that the Hamburg customers really needed super strong performances to attract and maintain their attention.

I also concur with you on Ringo not being essentially necessary to the group’s subsequent fame and endurance.  He contributes primarily to the debatable legendary quality of the whole Beatle history and experience.  By legendary, I mean that we cannot confirm one way or the other the validity of a particular claim or myth that pertains to the Beatles.  We assume, for example, that they were all equal players, equally talented, equally important to the overall success of the group, etc.  But we really can’t categorically and quantitatively prove it.  We can only rely on what we know as described by the historians and documentation of the time and create our hypotheses from that.

In that vein, I will argue further that I think that because the Beatles were already incredibly popular with Pete, that they would have continued to be so with him remaining on the drummer’s throne.  This, again, disputes the “myth” that Ringo was the final missing piece.  There may not have been a “missing piece” to begin with.  We simply assume it to be true because the Beatles declare it as Beatles dogma.  Who dares challenge it?

That’s an interesting idea you propose about the Beatles continuing on without Ringo after Jimmy Nichols filled in.  It’s purely speculative to the nth degree, but I think you’re right.  By the way, I understand the B’s didn’t really care for Jimmy that much and were glad to be rid of him.  I don’t think they had any contact after that.  Am I wrong on this point?

Quoted from kevin_b

You make it sound like they were a poltical party running for office.
I'm not the first to say "it's only the bl**dy drummer." I doubt whether they went through that kind of thought process, or that they would have seen past the fact that they had to find a recording contract, and if that meant dumping your mate, then so be it.  I think J & P would have seen themselves as the only essential members, with G a close second. Drummer schrummer.
Beatleworld didn't collapse when Jimmy Nichol took over. In fact, I put it to you that if Ringo had not come back the Beatle bandwagon would have rolled on regardless.

Man, I hate to have to agree with this, but you're right. How many tours have been called to a halt because a member of the band is sick? Not many. Jimmy came in did his job, the tour went on, and no problem. If Charlie Watts was sick (and I'm glad he's in remission), there's no way the Stones would tour. Pete got dumped due to the chemistry of the band-not to mention Brian Epstein's whatever. Ringo fit in, but for the first few years, he was worried that they were 'pulling a Pete' -which sounds completely different than was meant, but that he could be replaced in an instant. Who could blame him? George Martin bringing in a session musician to play that incredibly intricate 'Love Me Do'. "Here Ritchie, have a tambourine".

Pete Best 2006 summer tour schedule announced

The schedule has just been announced for the Pete Best and the Pete Best Band summer tour which begins July 28th in Clearwater Florida and ends August 11th at the Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago.
Performing the songs the Beatles were playing from 1960-1962, the Pete Best Band delivers the raw, thumping intensity of the Beatles' savage sound of the early sixties. Right from the first beat, you'll feel you're at the Casbah Club, in the Cavern or hanging out in Hamburg. During the show, Pete also comes out from behind the drum kit to treat the audience to anecdotes about those early days with John, Paul, George and Stu Sutcliffe.
Of those years, John Lennon said, "We were at our best when we were playing in the dance halls of Liverpool and Hamburg. The world never saw that." Here's when and where Pete Best and the Pete Best Band will be performing this summer:

Friday 7/28 and Saturday 7/29 - Royalty Theatre - Clearwater Florida

Monday 7/31 - Smith's Olde Bar - Atlanta Georgia

Tuesday 8/1 - Greene Street Club - Greensboro NC

Wednesday 8/2 - Jammin Java - Vienna Virginia

Thursday 8/3 - Legends of Waldorf - Waldorf MD

Friday 8/4 - Laugh Factory - Times Square NYC

Saturday 8/5 - Elks Lodge - Latham NY

Sunday 8/6 - Hartwood Acres Outdoor Concert - Pittsburgh PA

Wednesday 8/9 - Club Infinity Buffalo NY

Thursday 8/10 - Winchester Tavern and Music Hall - Lakewood Ohio

Friday 8/11 - Sunday 8/13 - The Fest for Beatles Fans - Chicago IL

I'm going to try to hit the 'Fest in Chicago this year, and will probably check out Pete for a few. Probably the most dour person I've ever met. If he does Beatles music, which I'm sure he does, I hope it's the stuff they did in Hamburg and the Casbah, etc., and not anything from the 'Post Pete' era.

I have to add something to my previous comments because it's bothered and puzzled me for a long time.  John Lennon once made the remark that without the 4 of them as they were the Beatles would not have existed.  This seems to suggest that Ringo was absolutely essential to the band's widespread approval and success.  I just have a hard time believing this.  How could a drummer be that important?  The Beatles were already incredibly popular with Pete in the drummer's seat.  This fact seems to contradict Lennon's supposition.  Yet I am puzzled because a number of authors have said that the Beatles really came to life after Ringo joined.  The tone, spirit and zest of their recorded music shifted into high gear and into the stratosphere when Ringo began executing his stickings.  Can this really be true - that without Ringo, the Beatles wouldn't have been as big as they were?

I've also read that the Beatles had asked other drummers to replace Pete.  If Ringo were considered the one and only, then why wasn't he the one and only one they asked?  And why did it take them so long to dump Pete if he was not a good enough drummer and didn't smile enough for them?  What were they waiting for?

Poor Pete - any other band and who would have cared?  But he had to miss out on being in the greatest band of all time.  Otherwise, the reasons for being booted out wouldn't have mattered at all.  He would have gone on with his life no worse for wear.  

I used to play in bands long ago and I remember firings were common and bone cold.  There was little or no finesse or consideration of feelings shown.  Pretty crude matter-of-fact stuff, it was.  No apologies, if someone didn't like you and they carried enough clout, you were out.  I think the Beatles saw Pete in their way with George Martin and the Parlophone recordings and, boom, that was it.  A cold and unceremonious death for Pete.  Yep, they said the Bs were ruthless, but how many of us would have acted differently considering a coveted recording contract and the all absorbing desire to get ahead in the music trade?  

I think Ringo's main contribution was the chemistry. You can't pull a word out of Pete Best through his nose-I can't imagine him at the press conferences. He completed the band just by being himself.

I think Pete needs to just get over himself. Okay, so he was sacked, and they weren't very nice about it, but still, that was over 40 years ago. If he wants to continue charging for autographs and giving bitter interviews, then so be it. But he's just making money off of SOMEONE ELSE'S success!

Pete has often asked what the real reason was for his firing out of the number which have been proposed.  I think the most salient reason is George Martin's comment that Pete wasn't a good enough drummer.  That is really what killed him.

Consider this, the Beatles were desparate for a recording contract and everyone else prior had turned them down.  This seemed like the last chance for them.   Although Martin said it wasn't a problem in that he could sub Pete with a session drummer, I'm sure the Beatles had other thoughts.

First of all, they were a live concert band at the time.  If Pete couldn't back them on studio recordings, then how would he faithfully rendition their songs live?  They couldn't use the session drummer live just so they could get the tune right.  Bottom line, the B's wanted their drummer to be a credible presence both live and in the studio.  This is truly the most compelling reason for Pete's canning.

Pete couldn't play "Love me do."  Listen to the Anthology recording.  He struggled with that.  He couldn't find the beat and tried to play the accenting of it instead.  It just didn't work.  It felt too forced and stilted.  I speak from my own experience as a drummer in my younger days.  For a guy who's used to 4 to the floor, "Love me do" was confusing and challenging.  Pete needed a simple soft back beat.  He'd should have pulled out his brushes.  He might have made it.  If he had, who knows how much longer he could have lasted with them?

They were other challenging tunes ahead.  Could Pete have provided the excellent backing that Ringo did for "Please please me?"  The Beatles catalogue was not simply straightforward rock and roll.  It was really a mix of the past and present styles of music.  You'd have to have been a really versatile drummer to successfully complement the Beatles' wide range of musical diversity.  

As far as Pete goes, all I can say is "Let it be, yeah, let it be, whisper words of wisdom, let it be."

:o

Concert by 5th Beatle draws noise citation
08/02/2006

The Associated Press

ATHENS — A rock ’n’ roll show by the original drummer for The Beatles landed a club owner a date in court after complaints that the music was too loud.
Pete Best and The Pete Best Band were playing outdoors Sunday night at Loco’s Deli & Pub, a nightclub in this college town famous for launching the careers of bands like REM and The B-52s.
Police showed up with a citation for the club, saying a neighbor had complained that the music was violating the county’s noise ordinance.
Because Loco’s owner Jamie Loftin has been cited for noise before, he’s headed to municipal court, where a judge will decide if he should pay more than the usual $144 fine.
‘‘We respect our neighbors and try to do things by the book, so it’s disappointing when you try to do that and still can’t make everybody happy,’’ Loftin said.
According to the Athens ordinance, noise before 11 p.m. is too loud if it can be heard 300 feet away.
The show, which lasted just over an hour, was not interrupted and Loftin said he asked the band’s sound engineer to turn down the volume after police arrived.
Jeff Snowden, who handles publicity for the club, said most, if not all, of the complaints about the club’s music have come from a single neighbor.
He said he regretted the complaint came during a show that drew a mostly middle-age crowd of about 140 people.
‘‘This wasn’t a frat party,’’ Snowden said. ‘‘It was an important show because it was the closest anyone there ever got to a Beatle, and it’s just too bad someone pushed our laws to the point of unreasonableness.’’
A drummer, Best played with The Beatles until 1962, when he was replaced by Ringo Starr.

it's funny because if it was r e m it wouldn't have happened but i think the deep south still can't accept the british invasion...they still love country down there...no wonder they call them crackers...no thats not the real reason i know...but it sure is funnier than the real reason...

The excellent BEST OF THE BEATLES DVD from PETE BEST will finally be released in the UK on October 2nd, but with a slightly different title - PETE BEST OF THE BEATLES "The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Story Never Told".
The DVD features interviews with original fans and friends of the BEST family, together with the earliest known colour footage of THE BEATLES - a must for all fans!---> Well, that's what the producer says. Any recommendation from DM's?

Yeah - I've got it! It sits nicely along side the Anthology DVDs and is what should have been included in the Beatles' story - afterall, he was a Beatle!!!

Thoroughly recommended!!

Here is a previous conversation we had regarding this DVD, including a more detailed review: http://www.dmbeatles.com/forums/m-1127086338

According to a post on Pete Best's website, he is touring the States beginning June 2007.

I think I will try to go to that!

he is worth a watch!!!enjoy yourself!!!

Beatles’ guilt revealed

THE Beatles were embarrassed about the way their original drummer was ditched to make way for Ringo Starr, the band’s biographer Hunter Davies has revealed.
Davies, journalist, biographer, columnist, prolific author and raconteur, told an audience at Burgh House in Hampstead how his visit to the so-called fifth Beatle Pete Best while he was researching the biography had unnerved John, Paul and George.
He said: “When I told the Beatles. . .they sort of turned away because they were too guilty and embarrassed at the way they’d got rid of him. They got Brian Epstein to do the dirty deed. They hadn’t told him themselves, and that really hurt.”
Davies, who now lives Dartmouth Park, added. “ When I saw him (Best) he was wearing a grubby pair of white dungarees, having just come off the night shift where he had been slicing bread for &#163;18 a week. At that moment The Beatles were among the richest and most successful people on the planet.”

i would be willing to bet there was less guilt with slicing bread....even tho he was cut out he was probally better off....they snuck around his back discussing him...and decided he had too go...groups make decsions together after all and if one is excluded then he is not of the group....

Slicing Bread for a living at the time? :'( My son's guitar teacher met him at a show in Florida. Said he's a nice guy.

at least he was rolling in the dough....

I heard some news today that Pete Best wants to make up with
Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr after 45 years of no contact.
What do you guys think to this?

The Beatles' original drummer Pete Best has invited Sir Paul McCartney to break his 40 (sic) years of silence and get in touch.

Best was famously sacked in favour of Ringo Starr just before the Fab Four hit the big time, but the 65-year-old says he'd like to finally speak to Paul again for the first time since he was booted out of the band.

He explains to the Mail, "We're not getting any younger. We know what we've done and we're not going to think any worse of each other if we had a chat now. God bless us all: it was all 40-odd years ago."


They have to hurry up ...

I think everyone should make up with everyone, because I think people are happier when the air is cleared. You never know when the end might come, and you never get to say what you might have wanted to say.

That said, however, it would really be Paul and Pete having a conversation. I can't see that Ringo had much to do with Pete, although they might have known each other a little from playing a few of the same venues.

From what I understand, John was closest to Pete and George was the one who championed getting Ringo in. So Paul was not the main mover in the replacement matter, or the main friend to become estranged. It might be nice just because Pete sounds like a nice guy.

the air needs clearing i think tony sheridan would be a good meadiator......

Would be Great to see Pete talking to them. Metallica did this with  their old guitarist( pre- fame era.) . It was Very emotional! The guy just let loose on them for what they did and treated him like.

dave mustane you are refering too....yeah they did him the same way great analogy......

It would be good if they become friendsies again. I mean it was 40 odd yrs ago (as PB says) and you know, it aint such a big deal  no more i think. Lets hope that "it wont be long"

Life's is very for fussing & fighting my friend!!
It is very strange how the beatles never sopke to him again
after he was sacked. Maybe they were too embarrased to face
him after what happened :-/

Quoted from Andy Smith

Life's is very for fussing & fighting my friend!!
It is very strange how the beatles never sopke to him again
after he was sacked. Maybe they were too embarrased to face
him after what happened :-/

Yea... did Pete Best go to Brian Epstein's funeral? What I want to know is what PB thinks of Neil Aspinal staying with the Beatles and all.

By the way, you said "life's very short..." I see now that short is defined as 40yrs ;)

Just wait until you're 40, Kaleidoscope_Eyes! Life will seem very short indeed. In fact, it gets shorter the older you are!  ;D

That said, I don't believe Pete Best went to Brian Epstein's funeral. I've never seen it mentioned. The Beatles did not go because the family didn't want the crowds, although they went to a memorial service later on.

Quoted from Andy Smith

Maybe they were too embarrased to face
him after what happened :-/

John always said he was chicken. I forget where the quote originated, but it's certainly covered in the Anthology book. Cheers!

Quoted from harihead

Just wait until you're 40, Kaleidoscope_Eyes!

You mean 'til I am in the age of 40 or 'till i am, physically, 40 kaleidoscope eyes?  ;) hehe, i know what you mean.  

Whoa, 40 kaleidoscope eyes! *quickly takes LSD to recover from the image*  ;D

I met Pete Best last summer. after I saw a show... just thought I add that ...

You met him?!!! :o
did you speak to him or was it just a quick hi?

Quoted from Andy Smith

You met him?!!! :o
did you speak to him or was it just a quick hi?

OMG, what I would give to even say hi.

Makes me want to ask ... has anyone ever laid eyes on a Beatle?  I went to a Paul McCartney concert, but I mean up close, like close enough to say hi, or even (GASP) shake hands or something?

Quoted from pc31

at least he was rolling in the dough....

Oh, I get it.  ;D (Better late than never...)

Ooh, tell us more, DarkSweetLady. I will post George pictures for you. What were your impressions when you met Pete Best? Everyone so far (that I've read about on the web) has really liked him.

DarkSweetLady bait:

harihead you crack me up... I loved the bait! It is a very sexy picture...

OK! Here's the story:

   It was on August 6th at this one concert he was performing at... after the concert he was signing autographs... and we were the last people in line... so we waited for like an hour and a half...
But I was like freaking out for like that whole time. I was like" OMG what do i say!? What if I can't say anything?!... I laugh at it now... ya but I just basically said that i liked the concert and what he was doing now was cool... but I got a drum snare signed.
I didn't want to say anything in refrence to the beatles b/c I didn't know how he might react. but i was wearing a beatle top...

But I didn't know he was signing or I would have bought my camera. . . maybe next time right?
Is that what you wanted to know...

Quoted from DarkSweetLady

I loved the bait! It is a very sexy picture...

My pleasure, DarkSweetLady! :)

You got a drum snare signed, how cool! Thanks for the report.  Did you get much of an impression of Pete as a person? I know you were nervous-- I'm sure I would be, too. I just wondered if you got any sense of his personality from seeing him up close. But perhaps he was mostly signing and not chatting.

Anyway, just for fun, here's a pic of the Beatles with Pete:

Quoted from harihead

[...]Anyway, just for fun, here's a pic of the Beatles with Pete:

... and two bass guitars, by the way!  ::)

He was very nice. He seemed very sweet.
I was just nervous because I mean look how close he was to George in that picture. LOL!

I just wish I got a picture of him. My dad said if he tours here again he'll take me.

There you go, nice and sweet. So far, only good reports about Pete. :) I hope you do get to see him again and get a photo, DSL! That would be lots of fun. :)

Quoted from raxo

... and two bass guitars, by the way!  ::)

Yes, I noticed that. I assume this must be January (or so) after the first Hamburg trip, when Stu came back for a while before moving to Germany permanently.

Quoted from DarkSweetLady

I mean look how close he was to George in that picture. LOL!

He's even closer to George in this picture. ;)

Yum! George looks so mysterious. You have the greatest pictures harihead!

Thanks, DarkSweetLady! I am a mere newcomer, so my picture collection is quite eccentric. I do like the funny ones, however.

i think he looks hott lol...

      

So, according to this news Paul and Pete did meet recently:

Quoted Text

Sir Paul backs the Casbah in new promo film
[Press release] -- "I think it's a good idea to let people know about the Casbah. They know about the Cavern, they know about some of those things, but the Casbah was the place where all that started," said Sir Paul McCartney.

The Casbah Coffee Club was not just the starting block for popular cultures greatest music phenomenon, The Beatles, but it was the place where Liverpool's sound was nurtured, and encouraged to grow. Liverpool's first BEAT CLUB launched practically every group that became synonymous with Mersey Beat, and put Liverpool on the musical world map.

A new five-minute film featuring Sir Paul McCartney, Rory and Pete Best, Neil Aspinall, and Cynthia Lennon is to be released on Friday the 11th of May 2007. The film can only be viewed at the following Liverpool locations:


The Casbah Coffee Club, West Derby Village, recently awarded English Heritage status.
The Beatle Story, Albert Dock.
The 08 Place, Whitechapel.

More information:
• The Casbah Club

I'm excited! But... I can see they're in a film together, but did they actually meet? I would expect it's a collection of separate interviews.

Quoted from harihead

I'm excited! But... I can see they're in a film together, but did they actually meet? I would expect it's a collection of separate interviews.

That's true. I'm quite sure someone will post it on youtube.

Be interesting to hear what they had to say. ::)

No, I think he'll come clean at last!

PAUL: The real reason why we wanted Pete Best out of the group was... [answer interrupted by static that looks suspiciously like the kind that interrupted Brian Epstein's apology to the Manillan people about why the Beatles never made it to the Royal Palace...]

PAUL: ...and that is the complete and total truth. Now, at last, it's clear!

clever girl what!!!

Quoted from raxo

Pete Best on TV ... long time ago ... funny ... in the mid-1960s as a guest on a TV show ...

Here you are:
http://rapidshare.de/files/18443675/Pete_Best.wmv.html

I've reuploaded this clip here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/25361791/Pete_Best_-_What_s_My_Line__TV_Show__1964_.wmv.html

I was not aware until a short while ago that Pete Best BBC recordings still existed. They do. Use some fukking symbols Pete.

nice pete interveiw here.....http://beatlesbrunch.com/Features/Articles/petebest.html

Interview with Pete and Mona Best:

Bless him. His mum's speaking up for him!! :)

It looks like Pete can hardly speak for himself!

Here is an excerpt of a piece I wrote about Pete:

    On Wednesday 15 August 1962, following their lunchtime gig at the Cavern, Pete asked John what time he and Neil Aspinall would collect him for the customary lift in the van the next day. John said: “No, don’t bother. I’ve got other arrangements,” and rushed away.
     Brian was still in the Cavern and asked Pete if he could come and see him at the office the next morning. Pete saw nothing unusual in this – he was the one who met with Brian regularly to discuss forthcoming gigs. He arrived at NEMS the next day, driven by Neil, and went to meet Brian in his office.
     The manager seemed unusually flustered and blurted out: “The boys want you out and Ringo in. They don’t think you’re a good enough drummer, Pete. And George Martin doesn’t think you’re a good enough drummer.”
     When Pete asked him: “Does Ringo know yet?”, Brian told him that he was joining the band on the coming Saturday. Then the phone rang – it was someone asking if Pete had been given the news. Brian asked Pete if he could fulfil the remaining three bookings until Ringo replaced him.
     Stunned, Pete said “Yes”, then left, in somewhat of a daze.
     When Pete rejoined Neil downstairs he told him the news and the two retreated to the Grapes to discuss it over a drink. Neil was furious and threatened to resign as the Beatles’ road manager, but Pete told him to stay with the group as they were about to become successful.
     When Neil phoned Mo, she was furious and spent the afternoon trying to contact Epstein by phone – in vain. She then managed to talk to George Martin on the phone and he denied that he had ever suggested sacking Pete. All he would say was that he would prefer having a session drummer that he was familiar with in a recording studio. In fact, this was confirmed when he used a session drummer even after Ringo had joined the group.
     Martin actually told Mo: “I never suggested that Pete Best must go. 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. It was a surprise when I learned that they had dropped Pete. 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.”

Quoted from Bobber

Interview with Pete and Mona Best:

"I haven't seen him for Donkey's Years"?

Is that what he said? Is that a Liverpudlian thing? If so, I LOVE it!!

Also, I'd never heard the expression about being "a bit niggled" before, that's great too!

Quoted from Bill Harry

Here is an excerpt of a piece I wrote about Pete:

    On Wednesday 15 August 1962, following their lunchtime gig at the Cavern, Pete asked John what time he and Neil Aspinall would collect him for the customary lift in the van the next day. John said: “No, don’t bother. I’ve got other arrangements,” and rushed away.
     Brian was still in the Cavern and asked Pete if he could come and see him at the office the next morning. Pete saw nothing unusual in this – he was the one who met with Brian regularly to discuss forthcoming gigs. He arrived at NEMS the next day, driven by Neil, and went to meet Brian in his office.
     The manager seemed unusually flustered and blurted out: “The boys want you out and Ringo in. They don’t think you’re a good enough drummer, Pete. And George Martin doesn’t think you’re a good enough drummer.”
     When Pete asked him: “Does Ringo know yet?”, Brian told him that he was joining the band on the coming Saturday. Then the phone rang – it was someone asking if Pete had been given the news. Brian asked Pete if he could fulfil the remaining three bookings until Ringo replaced him.
     Stunned, Pete said “Yes”, then left, in somewhat of a daze.
     When Pete rejoined Neil downstairs he told him the news and the two retreated to the Grapes to discuss it over a drink. Neil was furious and threatened to resign as the Beatles’ road manager, but Pete told him to stay with the group as they were about to become successful.
     When Neil phoned Mo, she was furious and spent the afternoon trying to contact Epstein by phone – in vain. She then managed to talk to George Martin on the phone and he denied that he had ever suggested sacking Pete. All he would say was that he would prefer having a session drummer that he was familiar with in a recording studio. In fact, this was confirmed when he used a session drummer even after Ringo had joined the group.
     Martin actually told Mo: “I never suggested that Pete Best must go. 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. It was a surprise when I learned that they had dropped Pete. 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.”

Thank you Bill! It's a truly wonderful thing to have you on this forum. By the way, was Pete the source of the details of the office conversation, or did you get a bit friendly with one of the office girls who might have been there?

Oh, and do you believe the boys didn't think Pete was a good enough drummer themselves, or was it maybe they were jealous of his greater popularity, or was it simply that they didn't really like the idea of a separate touring drummer and studio drummer?

Finally, did Mal have a baby by Mrs. Best? Must have left his thick-lensed glasses at his house that day!

I collaborated on a book with Pete called 'The Best Years Of The Beatles' and spent a week with him at his home taping his entire life story. The book was published in Britain by Headline, but not published internationally. Pete told me in detail what had happened and he was unaware that the planning to oust him had been going on for some time. I do know that George went to Ringo's house to ask him to join them, but Ringo was in Butlins with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at the time. I mentioned it in Mersey Beat which is perhaps why Bruno gave him that black eye!

Quoted from Bill Harry

I collaborated on a book with Pete called 'The Best Years Of The Beatles' and spent a week with him at his home taping his entire life story. The book was published in Britain by Headline, but not published internationally. Pete told me in detail what had happened and he was unaware that the planning to oust him had been going on for some time. I do know that George went to Ringo's house to ask him to join them, but Ringo was in Butlins with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at the time. I mentioned it in Mersey Beat which is perhaps why Bruno gave him that black eye!

Wow! I know about the black eye, I think there are pics of George in Studio #2 (for the first time) sporting a shiner. Who was Bruno?

BTW, was it Mona Best that Mal fathered a child with?

Mona fathered a child with Neil.

Yes, Roag Best is Neil's son. Bruno was a Best fan and he hit George in the eye when they appeared at the Cavern. On the front page of Mersey Beat, where Brian had a special photo taken for me of the Beatles at Speke Airport on their way to London for the recording session, George can clearly be seen with the black eye. This issue is now available on  http://www.rockandpopshop.com

Wonderful entries. Thanks, Bill.

Amazon's copy of  'The Best Years Of The Beatles'  is for sale for over $100, so I don't think I'll be buying it anytime soon. Any chance of a reprint?

Quoted from alexis

Who was Bruno?

Bruno Koshmider. He owned the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg where The Beatles played in 1960.

What a magnanimous, healing gesture it would be for Paul to invite Pete over for a little chat. Even better to ask him over to jam on a new project. It really would benefit Paul more than anyone. Such an amazing amount of good karma would accrue.

Pete really has been such a gentleman about the whole thing. God, if it were me, I would have quite an ax to grind. It would be hard to hold my tongue and be civil.

I have to say that Pete's Anthology windfall was a first step by Paul etc. in the right direction. That largess allowed Pete to take early retirement and get back into playing music and meeting the fans on a regular basis.

Goodbye Liverpool Employment Office 9 to 5 grind. Back to the drum kit.

As an aside, I was once visiting Liverpool almost twenty years ago, to research a writing project and I telephoned Pete at his job. The man was such a gentleman, so polite. He was extremely courteous to this complete stranger who called out of the blue. He took the time to explain that he was terribly busy at the moment and that he wasn't doing interviews at that time in his life. I got the message and apologized for bothering him at work. He wished me the best of luck with my project; and I was left with an after image of a warm, kind and generous person.

I still feel fortunate to have been able to talk to him on the telephone for five minutes.


Come on, Paul.

Quoted from alexis

... Who was Bruno?

Quoted from Bill Harry

... Bruno was a Best fan and he hit George in the eye when they appeared at the Cavern...

Quoted from BlueMeanie

Bruno Koshmider. He owned the Kaiserkeller in Hamburg where The Beatles played in 1960.

BM, are you sure you are talking about the same Bruno that Bill Harry is? I guess your Hamburg Bruno would have to have been visiting the Cavern to bop George one...?

Quoted from alexis

BM, are you sure you are talking about the same Bruno that Bill Harry is? I guess your Hamburg Bruno would have to have been visiting the Cavern to bop George one...?

I don't know for sure, but it's quite possible. Koshmider had been in England before. Didn't he hire Derry & The Seniors?

Quoted from BlueMeanie

I don't know for sure, but it's quite possible. Koshmider had been in England before. Didn't he hire Derry & The Seniors?

Yes, and I'd LOVE to see/hear them in action. They looked jamming at the Weymouth social club from the still photo. I suppose we'll never see/hear them. I wonder what Paul thought about them?

Mr. Harry, if you're reading this, did you ever get to hear/see them?

Quoted from alexis

Yes, and I'd LOVE to see/hear them in action. They looked jamming at the Weymouth social club from the still photo. I suppose we'll never see/hear them. I wonder what Paul thought about them?

Mr. Harry, if you're reading this, did you ever get to hear/see them?

Bill's on holiday. But referring to his site (http://www.mersey-beat.net/), the band, under the name of Howie and the Seniors, did record and they even did so before The Beatles made their first record. Bill might be of help here!

Quoted from Bobber

Bill's on holiday. But referring to his site (http://www.mersey-beat.net/), the band, under the name of Howie and the Seniors, did record and they even did so before The Beatles made their first record. Bill might be of help here!

Wow, is all I have to say!

Well, not really of course, but I remember reading a thread a while back that asked if any other Liverpool groups had recorded before the Beatles, and here is the answer. THANKS, Bobber.

I will start a new thread for Mr. Harry's attention to see what he might know about the recording, or even what it might have been like to hear them.

Thanks again, Bobber!

bruno k didn't punch george...http://beatlesstory.com/wiki/ow.asp?BrunoKoschmider
i thought that it was around this time...
but no black eye there...

Not yet. You can see it in this session:

Quoted from alexis

Wow, is all I have to say!

Well, not really of course, but I remember reading a thread a while back that asked if any other Liverpool groups had recorded before the Beatles, and here is the answer. THANKS, Bobber.

I will start a new thread for Mr. Harry's attention to see what he might know about the recording, or even what it might have been like to hear them.

Thanks again, Bobber!

You're welcome. Not groups, but artists like Billy Fury and Frankie Vaughan came from Liverpool and recorded before The Beatles did.

Quoted from pc31

nice pete interveiw here.....http://beatlesbrunch.com/Features/Articles/petebest.html

sorry haven't signed in for several weeks. Got tied up putting this event together for the first USA concert of the Pete Best Band 2008 tours in Buffalo NY on 5/9.    Rumor has it there may be the debut of new PBB music, but we won't know until the first show on May 8th in Burlington Ontario. (club 54).

Anyhoo...here's the 97rock radio interview on podcast.  http://www.97rock.com/Article.asp?id=668983&spid=21996

Pete will also be on PM Buffalo 430 (or 4?) eastern time on Friday.

full event details  http://www.tralfmusichall.com

Enjoy the interview. about 10 minutes or so.

Bruno was a fan from West Derby in Liverpool, not to be confused with Bruno Koschmeider of the Kaiserkeller. The book I wrote with Pete 'The Best Years Of The Beatles', is available at a normal rate on Pete Best's own site.

haymans green is due out soon.....

I just finished listening to that 97 Rock Pete Best interview.

He sounds so happy.

Bravo, Pete.

What a classy guy.

The Beatles were really blessed to have been surrounded by a bunch of pretty nice people like: Pete, Neil, Mona, Brian, George, Mal, Astrid, Klaus, Jurgen, Sam L., Bob W., Bill H, etc., etc., etc.

"Yes, I know I'm a lucky guy..."

Found while surfing:

Ex-Beatles drummer Pete Best rocks on

By ROBERT M. COOK
bcook@fosters.com
Article Date: Saturday, May 10, 2008


DOVER — Pete Best, the Beatles' original drummer, said his fondest memory of playing with the world's most famous rock band happened on Dec. 19, 1960.

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Best had just returned from playing several gigs in Hamburg, Germany. When they left England, very few people in Liverpool knew who they were. Now they were clad in leather jackets, cowboy boots and armed with a new style of electrifying rhythm and blues at the Casbah Coffee Club that was owned by Best's mother, Mona Best.

"She threw them the lifeline," said Best, who is scheduled to perform with the Pete Best Band at Jonathan's Restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, on Thursday. That night in 1960, the Casbah club was filled to capacity with teenagers who were ready to embrace some good rock 'n' roll.

"I will never forget the expression when we played the first notes of 'Long Tall Sally' on the kids' faces," Best recalled Friday afternoon during a telephone interview from the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Buffalo, N.Y., where his band was scheduled to play that night.

Suddenly, there was a great roar that ushered in the beginning of what was to become Beatlemania, Best recalled.

"It was a moment of magic," the now 66-year-old Best said.

But Best's career with the Beatles was short-lived. Just before his former band mates became successful British pop stars in 1962, the decision was made to replace him with Ringo Starr.

Former Beatles Manager Brian Epstein broke the news to Best and Best never spoke with John, Paul or George again.

John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman on Dec. 8, 1980, and George Harrison succumbed to cancer on Nov. 29, 2001. McCartney and Starr are the two surviving Beatles.

It took Best many years to recover from the pain he felt and he even hung up his drum sticks from 1968 to 1988 so he could focus on raising his two daughters and his marriage to his wife of 40 years, Kathy Best. He also worked as a civil servant in his native Liverpool.

"That decision changed my lifestyle," said Best. "I've been fortunate enough to ride the test of time."

There have been many theories about why Best was dismissed. Some believe the band wanted a new drummer after Beatles producer George Martin heard Best's playing on a demo of "Love Me Do" in 1962 and thought it wasn't good enough.

Others have speculated that McCartney and Lennon were jealous of Best's good looks and popularity with the band's female fans. The exact reason was never communicated to Best by Epstein or anyone else within the Beatles' circle.

Today Best believes his dismissal was part of the Beatles' evolution to a higher musical realm. When the Beatles got on the music charts and became more known within the music industry, "It put John, and Paul and George in a different league."

Sometimes Best said he views his dismissal from the Beatles as a blessing in disguise because fame comes with a heavy personal and emotional price tag.

"The price that John paid was too costly as far as I'm concerned," Best said.

Through it all, Best said he never stopped wanting to be a drummer in a band so he could play the kind of rock 'n' roll he did with the Beatles.

Today Best said he is the happiest he has ever been and fully enjoys playing many of the same songs the Beatles performed in Hamburg clubs like the Kaiserkeller, the Star Club and the Cavern Club in Liverpool.

He and his brother, Roag Best, share the drumming duties in his current band that features three vocalists who belt out stirring renditions of "My Bonnie," "Twist and Shout," "Money," and "One After 909."

"I think it does bring back the energy" the Beatles generated, Best said.

The Pete Best Band is in the midst of its 2008 spring tour in the U.S. and Canada, which includes a concert at Tupelo's in Londonderry on May 17.

The band will release a CD in September titled, "Hayman's Green," which is named after the street where the Casbah Coffee Club is located. Best has also written books chronicling his early Beatle years and enjoys the celebrity.

"I'm famous for not being famous," Best said.

Best also feels very proud today that he has a prominent place in Beatles history.

"The pride comes from the fact when you see the enjoyment that you're giving to the audience," Best said. "What we love about clubs is the intimacy with the audience."

Many of the songs the band plays were featured on the Beatles "Anthology I" CD in 1995 and netted Best and his family up to $4 million pounds in royalties.

He saw it as a way for the surviving Beatles to say thank you for helping the group find its signature sound in the early years.

"It was nice for it to happen," Best said. "It was totally unexpected and it was icing on the cake."

Best also believes he is reliving part of the dream he experienced when he was the Beatles' drummer.

"I can enjoy myself and I can live," Best said. "I feel like I'm doing OK."

When asked why he believes the early Beatles music is still relevant for so many people today, Best replied that it gives people a chance to experience the Beatles when they were a young, energetic rock 'n' roll band.

"It brings the show to the people and gives people a taste of what they were like before they were recording artists," Best said.

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080510/GJNEWS_01/7131724

Quoted Text

Many of the songs the band plays were featured on the Beatles "Anthology I" CD in 1995 and netted Best and his family up to $4 million pounds in royalties.

Well, that's a relief. Better late than never, I suppose. I'm glad he got a chance to enjoy his contribution to their legacy at last, as he certainly went through some misery to begin with. *hugs him... oh yeah, I already did that* :)

I heard a funny story from someone who went to see Pete Best giving a lecture about his Beatle days. During the lecture, Best did a fairly obvious running gag of "then I met Paul, er, Paul (pretending to forget) what's his name again?" Unfortunately, there was a completely humourless fan in the audience, who not realising it was a gag, stood up and helpfully shouted "It's Paul McCartney!" And later on, when Pete Best redid the same gag for the other Beatles, this fan kept on standing up going "It's John Lennon!" and "It's George Harrison for god sake, you worked with him!". Excruciating at the time, but funny in retrospect.

Ugh! What a horrible story! Wasn't any intelligent person sitting near this "fan" who could say, "It's okay, buddy. Grow a sense of humor."

I heard Pete is funny at these talks. He did a bit of talking between sets during the concert I saw but... I couldn't understand him! His accent was too thick. From the people up front who were laughing (perhaps they could lip read?) he was pretty funny.

Quoted from harihead

Ugh! What a horrible story! Wasn't any intelligent person sitting near this "fan" who could say, "It's okay, buddy. Grow a sense of humor."

I heard Pete is funny at these talks. He did a bit of talking between sets during the concert I saw but... I couldn't understand him! His accent was too thick. From the people up front who were laughing (perhaps they could lip read?) he was pretty funny.

That is crazy!!  Most accents mellow out over time, or at least stay the same. I've herrrrd Pete talk on youtube, he seemed fairly intelligible. Do you think it was a bad sound system at the venue (lots of echo), or maybe there was some alcohol involved, perish the thought!

Here's a piece I found that Bill wrote for Mersey Beat when Ringo replaced Pete. (Hope you don't mind Bill)



MERSEY BEAT EXCLUSIVE STORY
BEATLES CHANGE DRUMMER!

Ringo Starr (former drummer with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes) has joined The Beatles, replacing Pete Best on drums. Ringo has admired The Beatles for years and is delighted with his new engagement. Naturally he is tremendously excited about the future.

The Beatles comment "Pete left the group by mutual agreement. There were no arguments or difficulties, and this has been an entirely amicable decision."

On Tuesday, September 4th, The Beatles will fly to London to make recordings at E.M.I. Studios. They will be recording numbers that have been specifically written for the group, which they have received from their recording manager George Martin (Parlophone).

THE BEATLES TO PLAY CHESTER

As a result of the phenominal Box Office success of the Beatles during their 4-week season of Monday nights at the Plaza Ballroom, St. Helens, the directors of Whetstone Entertainment, controllers of the ballroom, have engaged the Beatles for a series of four Thursday night sessions at the Riverpark Ballroom, Chester, which commenced on 16th August.


[Mersey Beat, August 23, 1962]
Article copyright © Bill Harry.

Quoted from alexis

I've herrrrd Pete talk on youtube, he seemed fairly intelligible. Do you think it was a bad sound system at the venue

Maybe it was a bad sound system. I hadn't thought of that. It was terribly frustrating, because I've listened to the Beatles a lot, and I just couldn't get what Pete was saying.

I know I certainly got smashed after the show (sat up drinking with some friendly Canadians), but Pete was sober, but very tired, poor man. I know because I was forced to hug him four times for the requisite mug shot, because my flash wouldn't go off.

Pete Best doesn`t seem to be a very clever guy. As George Martin says he was rather gloomy, aloof and tied-lipped, out of the place. I dont think there is any point in their meeting each other, what can they say to each other? Though, certainly, as a fan i would like to watch them and to listen to any kind of conversation they may have. So from my egotistical point of view i am for the encounter.

I read that Pete is about to release an album with original material, called Haymans Green.

Quoted from Bobber

I read that Pete is about to release an album with original material, called Haymans Green.

is Macca making a guest appearance on a track?  :P

I can't help feeling that some of George Martin's current comments have been influenced by the Beatles books he's read. It was very common in the early Sixties for Londob A&R men to use session drummers - on a variety of bands ranging from the Beatles to Procol Harum.
When the Beatles sacked Pete, George Martin told Mo Best: "I never suggested that Pete Best must go. All I said was that for the purposes of the Beatles first record I would rather have 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. It was a surprise when I learned they had dropped Pete."
When Ringo replaced him, Ron Richards. George Martin and Paul McCartney all said they were unhappy with the way Ringo played on their first recording session, so a second one was arranged. When they arrived drummer Andy White was there and Ringo thought 'They've done a Pete Best on me.' Martin said, "He (Ringo) couldn't do a roll - and still can't,  though he's improved a lot since. Andy was the kind of drummer I needed. Ringo was only used to ballrooms. It was obviously best to use someone with experience."

Quoted from Bill Harry

It was very common in the early Sixties for Londob A&R men to use session drummers - on a variety of bands ranging from the Beatles to Procol Harum.
When the Beatles sacked Pete, George Martin told Mo Best: "I never suggested that Pete Best must go. All I said was that for the purposes of the Beatles first record I would rather have 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. It was a surprise when I learned they had dropped Pete."

I may well have this wrong, but I think Martin said somewhere that while he thought Pete Best was fine for live dates he wasn't a good enough drummer to record (the Anthology audition take of "Love Me Do" bears him out on this, I think). He probably expected to use session drummers on the recording sessions while Pete would keep playing for The Beatles live, and was surprised when The Beatles turned up to record "Love Me Do" with Ringo. Ringo got his shot on the first recording of "Love Me Do" - that take appeared on the first issues of the single -  but was displaced by Andy White's remake on the album and later editions of the single. Ringo and George Martin have been cheerfully giving each other the elbow about it ever since, too, most notably on the Anthology video.   :)

The last two pieces of information are very interesting! I have never heard about that. The general perception is that Pete didn`t fit in, first, for his lack of charisma, and, second, for his rather poor performance. But, remember, the curios thing is that none of the Beatles objected to the dismissal. As if they were happy to get rid of him. As if he hadn`t made close friends with them when in Germany, as if he were simply a burden to them, an alien, a pariah. And they had never communicated with him since. So not much of a loss was he. Why do you think they didn`t protest?

Quoted from Jane

Why do you think they didn`t protest?

It was their plan in the first place.

Quoted from Bobber

It was their plan in the first place.

Mean plotters!

Quoted from harihead

Maybe it was a bad sound system. I hadn't thought of that. It was terribly frustrating, because I've listened to the Beatles a lot, and I just couldn't get what Pete was saying.

I know I certainly got smashed after the show (sat up drinking with some friendly Canadians), but Pete was sober, but very tired, poor man. I know because I was forced to hug him four times for the requisite mug shot, because my flash wouldn't go off.

I remember when you went ... what a fantastic experience, to touch a Beatle, and more than that to talk and hug one!!

You had a beautiful pic or two (later lightened up by a helpful forum mate) you posted back then ... would love to see them again if you wouldn't mind reposting -

Thanks Harihead!

hERE'S A BIOG i WROTE ABOUT HOWIE CASEY:

Casey, Howie

Howie Casey is a Liverpool legend and his bands preceded the Beatles on a number of fronts. Under their original name of Derry and the Seniors they were the first Liverpool group to go to Hamburg and as Howie Casey & the Seniors the first Mersey band to make a record in their own right.

Born 12 July 1937, Howie started playing saxophone because he liked jazz and decided to pursue a career in music by signing with the King’s Regiment, the Liverpool troop, for three years.

“I was in the military band, but of course there were all little offshoots of jazz groups and dance bands and then, of course, rock and roll. That was 1955, so rock and roll was hitting big by that time and I was very keen obviously on listening to the sax players who played with the likes of Little Richard, Fats Domino and Lloyd Price.

“Of course, this was an introduction to R&B really, although it was called rock and roll, and I liked what I heard. I thought I could get closer to that than jazz b