"Sorry Pete..."

He was just a bad drummer, plain and simple. Sheridan and Polydor had a problem with Pete Best because they overdubbed another drummer on all his songs!! Listen to Love Me Do on Anthology 1 that they did on their June 6, 1962 audition. He sucks! And the rhythm always changes because Pete can't keep up. And his mommy was always sticking her nose into their business! Good riddance!! [img]graemlins/thumbsdown.gif[/img]

John did say once "we were cowards for sacking him the way we did". But, yes,the Beatles with Pete were a different band than "THE BEATLES". Ringo just fit right. But Pete did make a pretty penny from the Anthology CDs, and since he played on 'em, he deserved to. But while Paul still talks to Astrid and other folk from then,these are people they connected with. They obviously never connected with Pete. But he was a Beatle. Stu was a Beatle. Though one wonders where he'd be now if he'd lived...

i just saw pete last thursday night. he rightfully stays way in the back, playing the opening band's kit while his BROTHER plays another kit. yes, he's that bad that his brother needs to cover up for him. he only spoke and got up front twice for the whole hour and a half show. and it was best that way (no pun intended) [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

however, i know many of you are into tribute bands. pete's band is a tribute band who happen to focus on early rock n' roll more than beatles songs. yet, it's still a beatles show from a particular period. i thought their appearance and demeanor was pretty cheesy, but they honestly were good musicians. the john guy even had a BLONDE rick. now that's detail.

i just don't get why people are so adament about disliking pete--it's not like he did anything wrong to the beatles. so he's using the beatles to make some dough--what tribute/cover band doesn't? and what tribute/cover band made money off the sale of "anthology 1"? face it, he's got some clout in the beatles legacy--bad drumming or not. and we really cannot forget all that his mom did for the beatles (as the new book illustrates). i just feel he's getting an undeserved bad rap here so yes, i'm defending him [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

as for the beatles apologizing to pete--why should they? he didn't deserve to be in the beatles...he simply wasn't good enough and i think as paul kinda said, there's no good way to do that.

Originally Posted By Nice Mr. Mustard:
He was just a bad drummer, plain and simple. Sheridan and Polydor had a problem with Pete Best because they overdubbed another drummer on all his songs!! Listen to Love Me Do on Anthology 1 that they did on their June 6, 1962 audition. He sucks! And the rhythm always changes because Pete can't keep up. And his mommy was always sticking her nose into their business! Good riddance!! [img]graemlins/thumbsdown.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">With regards to the 06 Jun 'Love Me Do', the arrangement (which wouldn't have been down to Pete) sucks... Polydor didn't have a problem with Pete's drumming - Bernard Purdie's drumming was overdubbed in early 1964 for an MGM LP in the US, presumably because Pete's original rock 'n' roll drumming (it was 1961 remember) wasn't regarded as being contemporary enough for the time: the important tracks (ie 'My Bonnie') had been released as they were originally recorded, in 1961/2.

Originally Posted By Nice Mr. Mustard:
He was just a bad drummer, plain and simple..... And his mommy was always sticking her nose into their business! Good riddance!! [img]graemlins/thumbsdown.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">And that isnt all Mrs Best stuck her nose in, [img]graemlins/wink1.gif[/img] if you know what I mean, I have always had a theory that it was Mona's relationship with a certain member of the Beatles personnel that possibly led to friction between Pete and the rest of the gang. Also, the fact that Pete has to use a second drummer in his current band kinda says it all for me, I mean he is famous for being the Beatles DRUMMER for goodness sake, it is his ONLY claim to fame, what else could it mean except he isnt so good? He and his band are playing in Wexford, Ireland (George's ancestors birthplace, incidentaly) on 28th of this month, I will just be back from Liverpool, might go, curiosity and all that. Having said all that, I have met Pete, and he is a very nice, unassuming man, not rock star material at all. But what a really good debate this is, I am enjoying it.

Hello PM, [img]graemlins/wave1.gif[/img] *

I think it was Neil Aspinall, rather than Mona Best, who was doing the 'sticking in'...
Also, is it really that surprising that a drummer in his sixties would use any means possible to augment his sound? Fair play to Pete - at least he's still picking up the sticks after all these years! [img]graemlins/thumbsup2.gif[/img]

If Pete was an asset to the early Beatles, he would not have been dismissed.
You all know as well as I, they were driven to succeed, and would use any real talent to their

If Pete was an asset to the early Beatles, he would not have been dismissed.
You all know as well as I, they were driven to succeed, and would use any real talent to their
advantage.
IMO, Pete got the early gigs cause his mama owned the venue. No one can change that opinion!

No-one is trying to change your opinion Johnna Lynn,

Pete's mother owning the Casbah had nothing to do with Pete joining the Beatles as his first gigs with the group were at the Indra Club in Hamburg, whiich was owned by Bruno Koschmider.

Also, it's a dumb group that sticks with a bad drummer for 2 years...

Originally Posted By Paolo Meccano:
No-one is trying to change your opinion Johnna Lynn,

Pete's mother owning the Casbah had nothing to do with Pete joining the Beatles as his first gigs with the group were at the Indra Club in Hamburg, whiich was owned by Bruno Koschmider.

Also, it's a dumb group that sticks with a bad drummer for 2 years...

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Thats what I said. If Pete had been an asset, they would have kept him.
It seems I am in the minority when it comes to not giving Best any credit. To me, hes a joke.

I'm sorry but Pete doesn't deserve to be bashed, whether you like him or not he still played an important role in the early history of the Beatles! and for me that's a fact will never change.

True they needed a drummer for the trip to Hamburg
but I don't think that was the only reason they asked him to join the group. If they were only going to use him for Hamburg they probably wouldn't have asked him audition first and would have gotten rid of him right afterwards which they didn't. He was already in another band called the Blackjacks playing regular gigs at the Casbah when George saw him and suggested him for Hamburg.

I really wouldn't say they owed him an apology perhaps maybe just an explanation why?
After 41 years who really cares why now anyway
I'm sure Pete's gotten over it.

I had always wanted to meet him just because he was once a Beatle. I bought his book called Beatle The Pete Best Story! so I could get it autographed. I'm glad I got the book it was definitely one of the best books I've ever reed.
I found myself unable to put it down.
For those of you interested in the early history of The Beatles, The Beatles The True Beginnings is a must read as well.

I enjoyed seeing The Pete Best Band who have been playing together now for 6 years so something must be working.
I can't speak for anyone else but I thought they were terrific and definitely would go see them again. I might also mention they were a really nice group of guys..
Pete seemed to hold his own. I don't think having his younger brother playing drums has anyting to do with Pete's ability or lack there of.

Meeting him was the highlight of that night he was pleasant and also very patient when my camera wouldn't work. He joked with me and was nothing less than a nice guy...


[size="1"][ Aug 19, 2003, 09:10 AM: Message Edited By: durstie ][/size]

let's also recall that hundreds of kids much like us in liverpoool in 1960-63 thought pete was the best beatle.

Originally Posted By Johnna Lynn:
If Pete was an asset to the early Beatles, he would not have been dismissed.
You all know as well as I, they were driven to succeed, and would use any real talent to their
advantage.
IMO, Pete got the early gigs cause his mama owned the venue. No one can change that opinion!

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Go sister, let's remember too Ringo at the time was in a very sucessful band, Rory Storm & group were doing quite nicely, Ringo sat in with the Beatles on numerous occasions, when they were minus a drummer & also used to show up to watch the guys, he even knew that he was seeing magic, but that didn't pay his bills,I think Pete was just someone who could drum a little,he didn't want to change his looks when the other Beatles did, to make it a uniform looking group, and Pete's Mom happened to have a place for the Beatles to play & get better at their music(very early in their careers), but Pete never got better at it, from what I have read, how did Brian and company know about Ringo?(the rest of the Beatles knew who they wanted as a drummer), plus they were friends by now with Ringo, I believe that Ringo was the missing link..
maybe a more diplomatic good by, but business is business, business sure got better when Ringo stepped up to the drums.

Wow, Durstie...you met Pete and got a pic! [img]graemlins/thumbsup1.gif[/img] I would love to go to a show of his and snag a pic and autograph. I really dig Pete; and I'm saying that even though I'm the biggest Ringo worshipper since Marge Simpson. Can't we all just get along? [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img]

you just might get your chance boogaloo,
Pete and his band are coming back to the states in
September.... can't wait myself.
Of the celebrities I've met Pete was my favorite
he's was a real sweetheart..

Originally Posted By durstie:
you just might get your chance boogaloo,
Pete and his band are coming back to the states in
September.... can't wait myself.
Of the celebrities I've met Pete was my favorite
he's was a real sweetheart..

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">oh that's great! i'd definitly see them again. yeah, i met him like 2 months ago. our pic didn't turn out very well, but i paid $10 for a picture for him to sign and now i display it proudly on my living room wall. i also recorded the show, but i haven't done anything with it yet.

Bummer that he's only doing the West Coast and in towards the Midwest. [img]graemlins/cry3.gif[/img]

Originally Posted By beatlelover45223:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Originally Posted By Johnna Lynn:
If Pete was an asset to the early Beatles, he would not have been dismissed.
You all know as well as I, they were driven to succeed, and would use any real talent to their
advantage.
IMO, Pete got the early gigs cause his mama owned the venue. No one can change that opinion!

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Go sister, let's remember too Ringo at the time was in a very sucessful band, Rory Storm & group were doing quite nicely, Ringo sat in with the Beatles on numerous occasions, when they were minus a drummer & also used to show up to watch the guys, he even knew that he was seeing magic, but that didn't pay his bills,I think Pete was just someone who could drum a little,he didn't want to change his looks when the other Beatles did, to make it a uniform looking group, and Pete's Mom happened to have a place for the Beatles to play & get better at their music(very early in their careers), but Pete never got better at it, from what I have read, how did Brian and company know about Ringo?(the rest of the Beatles knew who they wanted as a drummer), plus they were friends by now with Ringo, I believe that Ringo was the missing link..
maybe a more diplomatic good by, but business is business, business sure got better when Ringo stepped up to the drums.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">George says the same as your post!