Image courtesy of Leslie Gottlieb's Flickr page - Pete Best: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lesliepear/57743685/in/photolist-66XbM-e6Z13z-bcZiaT-a7PZVQ-57vQFM-81isEG-s22Kkv-8aGNyr-bHfuwp-739oHH-8torat-27Pk1Ev-7xWZ1d-bLed9T-2761J2i-a7PSF3-aJ1oUX-5xwL1p-4yp9p6-9BG9eQ-95aN5-21uqhNq-6Kqsp9-cA1TLd-7Btcnv-8vLz1u-bd1LWn-7BtmFd-L8mfty-acnFFA-8vGM7F-bykzQx-jkvVQ-8mgJaN-7BgKVd-e6z7yn-e6BQr6-4MsrdC-TfypYF-7NAxDb-4aygXY-25uSXC-aJ1p8a-c7UtHo-6RKv9k-aJ1paa-rzP4BE-dAz3RP-bxjB7Y-kMamHD
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Today is the birthday of Pete Best, who used to be the drummer for The Beatles, just before they really broke huge, and became basically the biggest band in music history. He was replaced by Ringo Starr just before the Beatles really exploded onto the world scene, and became international superstars, known as the "Fab Four."
But behind the glittering headlines, there was a bit of a dark story involving how they handled the Pete Best situation. As I understand it, George Martin particularly wanted to replace him. And replace him they did. But it was done in a sort of strange, and frankly unfair way. Some of the Beatles themselves suggested as much.
Still, Pete Best survived. It was obviously more than a mere tough break. Most of the world defines him as the guy who used to be a Beatle, but was forced out just before the band became the legends that they ultimately became. A large chunk of his life seemed to be in the shadow of the Beatles success, and that shadow was dark indeed. Yet to his eternal credit, Best remained a great person, and he survived. I saw him with his band, The Pete Best Band, back in 2004, at Little Steven's Underground Garage concert at Randall's Island, and felt very privileged to have done so. I was almost always impressed with the grace with which he handled what was obviously a devastating blow in his life. And he seems to have become a better person for his travails, for what it is worth.
Some time ago, I wrote a blog entry about Pete Best. In honor of his birthday today, I thought it would be worth sharing this story again. Here it is:
Imagine going through the difficulties, the trials and tribulations of being in a struggling band desperately trying to break out, to make good on their potential. To break it big. To deal with the bookings for long nights playing endless gigs, playing and replaying the same songs on your limited repertoire, and to go through the difficulties of being overlooked and underpaid.
Through it all, everyone in the band not only feels, but knows, that there will be a breakout. That sooner rather than later, they will reach the top, break it big. Then, all of these struggles will be worth it, and will add to the legend of the band later. It will be a good story to share, of the difficult times, when the band was getting pedestrian results, before breaking it huge.
Then imagine that you are a member of that band, right on the cusp of breaking it big, and you get called in to meet the manager. He is pacing around, clearly nervous. You find out soon enough that he is nervous about this meeting with you. He regrets to inform you that the other members of the band have decided to part ways with you. They have found your replacement, and want that other person. You have worked with these guys virtually every night, yet not one of them approaches you to tell you, or rather warn you, about what is going to happen. Not one of them tries to talk to you afterward, either.
Shortly thereafter, the band finally breaks it big. Well, big is an understatement. They actually become huge, like literally the biggest band in the world. Probably the biggest band in the history of the world, in fact.
This is not fiction, although it might well be classified as a horror story, for how horrendous and despicable it sounds. But this actually happened.
The man's name is Pete Best, and in many respects, he was the literal "Fifth Beatle."
Indeed, Best had known the members of the band for years, back in the days when they were known as the "Quarrymen." He was asked to join them when they went to Germany, as they worked hard to break it big. By then, they were known as the "Silver Beatles." Eventually, they changed their names, shorted it to what we now know by: "The Beatles." Germany was an era in the band's history that adds to their legend, and Pete Best was there. Yet, he was kicked out of the band shortly after they returned home, and just before the band really, finally broke it big.
Just imagine what that would do to a person. Best returned home, and did not leave his house for two weeks, because he could not face the inevitable questions of what happened, of why he was no longer in the band. Epstein, unlike the members of the Beatles Lee Curtis and the All-Stars, which shortly thereafter became known as Pete Best and the All-Stars. But the band did not enjoy strong commercial success. Before long, Best left music altogether, and for twenty years, he was a civil servant.
Yet, he got little help from the Beatles themselves, although they obviously could have afforded to help him out. Best attempted suicide in the late sixties, and after the members of the Beatles seemed insistent on insulting and even slandering Best, claiming that he had used drugs and was unreliable to even show up for their gigs, which is how Starr eventually came to fill in and, eventually, to be seen as a desirable replacement. Best decided to sue them. He won, but had to settle for significantly less than the $18 million he sued them for.
Still, the insults continued. Lennon went on a tirade on Best, essentially calling him a mediocre drummer, and suggesting that, even though the band had specifically asked Best to join them for their upcoming time in Germany, they had always intended to get rid of him as soon as a better drummer came along. The other Beatles also felt that Best was almost anti-social, choosing to go off on his own instead of spending time with the other band members. Harrison admitted that getting rid of Best was his idea, and that he managed to get the other members of the band to go along with it. There were rumors that McCartney was jealous of Best, because he was considered the best looking member of the band. And Starr, for his part, felt that he did not owe Best any kind of apology, saying "I never felt sorry … I was not involved."
In fact, Starr was obviously involved, as he was the man who replaced Best. He has always maintained that he was the better drummer, which to be fair, most people tend to agree with.
Talk about adding insult to injury. And this was an injury that the members of the band themselves had inflicted on Best! It is not like they did not win out, so why seem so adamant to undermine Best and his credibility? After all, they were millionaires and respected the world over, while Best had to watch it all from the sidelines, the forgotten man. Yet, they each seemed to take a turn in almost lashing out at Best, as if they had been wronged, or clearly felt uncomfortable taking ownership for what they had done, for how poorly they had handled the situation with Best, and how that might have impacted this man's life.
Whatever the truth (and there was a lot of rumors flying around through it all), the members of the Beatles did eventually show some regret in their handling of this unfortunate situation. Here is a description of some of what the Beatles said, as taken from Pete Best's Wikepedia page (see link below):
Lennon admitted that "we were cowards when we sacked him. We made Brian do it." McCartney stated: "I do feel sorry for him, because of what he could have been on to." Harrison said: "We weren't very good at telling Pete he had to go," and "Historically it may look like we did something nasty to Pete and it may have been that we could have handled it better."
Indeed, Best had known the members of the band for years, back in the days when they were known as the "Quarrymen." He was asked to join them when they went to Germany, as they worked hard to break it big. By then, they were known as the "Silver Beatles." Eventually, they changed their names, shorted it to what we now know by: "The Beatles." Germany was an era in the band's history that adds to their legend, and Pete Best was there. Yet, he was kicked out of the band shortly after they returned home, and just before the band really, finally broke it big.
Just imagine what that would do to a person. Best returned home, and did not leave his house for two weeks, because he could not face the inevitable questions of what happened, of why he was no longer in the band. Epstein, unlike the members of the Beatles Lee Curtis and the All-Stars, which shortly thereafter became known as Pete Best and the All-Stars. But the band did not enjoy strong commercial success. Before long, Best left music altogether, and for twenty years, he was a civil servant.
Yet, he got little help from the Beatles themselves, although they obviously could have afforded to help him out. Best attempted suicide in the late sixties, and after the members of the Beatles seemed insistent on insulting and even slandering Best, claiming that he had used drugs and was unreliable to even show up for their gigs, which is how Starr eventually came to fill in and, eventually, to be seen as a desirable replacement. Best decided to sue them. He won, but had to settle for significantly less than the $18 million he sued them for.
Still, the insults continued. Lennon went on a tirade on Best, essentially calling him a mediocre drummer, and suggesting that, even though the band had specifically asked Best to join them for their upcoming time in Germany, they had always intended to get rid of him as soon as a better drummer came along. The other Beatles also felt that Best was almost anti-social, choosing to go off on his own instead of spending time with the other band members. Harrison admitted that getting rid of Best was his idea, and that he managed to get the other members of the band to go along with it. There were rumors that McCartney was jealous of Best, because he was considered the best looking member of the band. And Starr, for his part, felt that he did not owe Best any kind of apology, saying "I never felt sorry … I was not involved."
In fact, Starr was obviously involved, as he was the man who replaced Best. He has always maintained that he was the better drummer, which to be fair, most people tend to agree with.
Talk about adding insult to injury. And this was an injury that the members of the band themselves had inflicted on Best! It is not like they did not win out, so why seem so adamant to undermine Best and his credibility? After all, they were millionaires and respected the world over, while Best had to watch it all from the sidelines, the forgotten man. Yet, they each seemed to take a turn in almost lashing out at Best, as if they had been wronged, or clearly felt uncomfortable taking ownership for what they had done, for how poorly they had handled the situation with Best, and how that might have impacted this man's life.
Whatever the truth (and there was a lot of rumors flying around through it all), the members of the Beatles did eventually show some regret in their handling of this unfortunate situation. Here is a description of some of what the Beatles said, as taken from Pete Best's Wikepedia page (see link below):
Lennon admitted that "we were cowards when we sacked him. We made Brian do it." McCartney stated: "I do feel sorry for him, because of what he could have been on to." Harrison said: "We weren't very good at telling Pete he had to go," and "Historically it may look like we did something nasty to Pete and it may have been that we could have handled it better."
Two decades after it happened, Mark Lewisohn wrote about how the sacking of Best was the major dark blemish on the history of the early Beatles:
"Despite his alleged shortcomings, it was still shabby treatment for Pete, who had served the group unstintingly from their hapless, drummerless Silver Beatles days through three lengthy Hamburg seasons and over 200 Cavern Club performances. He had shared in the heartaches and the headaches, had controlled the Beatles' bookings before Epstein took over, and had made his home – the Casbah – their home. The Beatles had had two years in which to dismiss him but hadn't done so, and now – as they were beginning to reap the rewards for their long, hard slog, with money rolling in and an EMI contract secured – he was out. It was the most underhand, unfortunate and unforgivable chapter in the Beatles' rise to monumental power."
I love the Beatles, and generally, always thought of them as very decent guys, each one of them. Yet, they obviously showed some dark sides at times, and this particular chapter was definitely one of them. It took years for Best to open up at all, and that seems rather understandable. It took two decades to overcome his clear reluctance to play the drums again, although his wife and his younger brother finally convinced him to do so after two decades had passed.
In time, though, Best did take up music and began touring, with his Pete Best Band. I actually had the opportunity to see them in the summer of 2004, at Little Steven’s Underground Garage Festival in Randall's Island. For me, it was a thrill, and as a huge Beatles fan, it was like a rare opportunity to see a little bit of Beatles history.
However, the story does linger on, and seems like one of the relatively rare dark points in the history of the Beatles, one in which all of the members of the "Fab Four" - Lennon, Harrison, McCartney, and Starr - showed some undeniable pettiness.
Below are a series of videos which I watched last night. I just happened on one of them - the David Letterman interview - and started getting fascinated. Before long, I was going through numerous videos involving Best and what happened in 1962. It is hard not to imagine how hard it must have been for him, seeing his former friends and bandmates enjoying the limelight very shortly after getting rid of him, and seeming to have the time of their lives, enjoying both incredible fame and fortune. It got me on this topic, and so it seemed like a good idea to share these videos here.
The first video on top was the first ones that I viewed. In it, you will notice that Best seems like a quiet, unassuming guy. He does not joke much, or anything. Yet, while he is answering some of Letterman's questions, you can hear some of the audience members laughing at how Best was removed from the legendary band, which seemed a bit classless to me. Letterman had a reputation for being nasty to some of his celebrity guests back then, during the 1980's, but to his credit, Letterman remains focused, serious, and ultimately sympathetic. But this apparently is not shared by some who were in the audience on that day, who could be heard to laugh at Best's pretty clear pain and discomfort on the subject of his sacking.
The other videos include a couple where Best himself gets to talk about his time with the legendary band, and how they came to split, as well as some other clips of the members of the Beatles talking about Pete Best, and how they feel about what happened. By and large, none of them sounded especially sympathetic or guilty about anything that had transpired.
Take a look, and make up your own mind:
Wikepedia page on Pete Best, where I got the quotes used above from:
Here is the official link to the Pete Best Band website:
No comments:
Post a Comment