Original Beatles Drummer Publishes Book
A former Beatle is invading America again, only this time it’s the band’s original drummer, Pete Best. Now 61 years old, Best is promoting a new coffee table book, the Beatles: The True Beginnings, which he co-wrote with his half brothers, Roag and Rory. Best is making the rounds at bookstores and is also appearing at other events across the U.S. sharing his stories of the Beatles’ early days.
The book reveals how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison started out as the Quarrymen, playing Liverpool’s tiny Casbah Coffee Club, which was located in the basement of Best’s parents’ house. His mother opened the club in 1959 for local kids to listen to rock ‘n’ roll. The Quarrymen were offered a chance to play there, but only if they painted pictures on the wall to decorate the place. A year later, Best joined them in a new group, called the Silver Beatles.
Best gave the Beatles their beat from 1960 to 1962 and estimates he played more than a thousand shows with them, including three tours in Germany.
Best was fired on August 19, 1962, and replaced by Ringo Starr. He was told the news by the band’s manager, Brian Epstein, and said he never spoke to the other band members again. He became a Liverpool baker and plays music on the side these days with his own Pete Best Band.
Best told the Washington Post that he resented his dismissal for years. “I suppose the frustration is the fact that this was very much a case of it being done behind your back,√Æ Best said. √¨The lads weren’t there at the actual dismissal. They’d left it up to Brian. If they were there, maybe we could have resolved the problem. That never happened.”
Best and his brothers were scheduled to sign copies of the Beatles: The True Beginnings on Saturday (June 14) at Bookends in Ridgewood, New Jersey and at Book Revue in Huntington, New York.
On July 4, Best is scheduled to appear in Storm Lake, Iowa, for the Star Spangled Spectacular parade, where he will later sign autographs. He’ll also play in an afternoon softball tournament and perform with his band in the evening.
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