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Original Beatles drummer who was sacked from band retires after ‘wonderful ride’-Danni Scott-Entertainment – Metro
He was forced out by producers.
Pete Best has officially retired from music (Picture: Regis Martin/Getty Images)
Pete Best has retired from music a whopping 60 years after he was sacked from The Beatles and replaced with Sir Ringo Starr.
The iconic quartet originally looked a little different as Pete was a founding member alongside John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
In 1962, Pete was fired by manager Brian Epstein after the first recording session at the request of the other bandmates.
He is often referred to as a ‘fifth Beatle’, an informal title given to people close to the band such as Derek Taylor, Brian Epstein, Sir George Martin, original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, and keyboardist Billy Preston.
After leaving The Beatles, Pete, now 83, continued to perform in The Pete Best Band and make convention appearances.
However, he is now hanging up his drumsticks and confirmed: ‘I had a blast. Thank you.’
He was replaced by Sir Ringo Starr after two years with The Beatles (Picture: Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty Images)
His brother – and bandmate – Roag Best also shared the news of Pete’s retirement on X, writing: ‘Well what an absolutely wonderful ride we’ve had.’
‘However, everything comes to pass,’ Roag, 62, continued, ‘My brother Pete Best has announced today he is retiring from personal appearances and performing with the group.’
The retirement came as a surprise since The Pete Best Band was due to perform at the Beatles Museum in Liverpool this summer.
Roag added: ‘His daughter has informed me it’s due to personal circumstances.’
His family owned the Casbah Coffee Club, where he was spotted playing by Sir Paul and persuaded to join The Beatles – who had no permanent drummer – in Hamburg for a series of gigs.
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Pete was forced out by producers at EMI (Picture: Sayle/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
At this time, the group included Stuart Sutcliffe on bass (Sir Paul was originally on rhythm guitar with Lennon), however, when they returned to Liverpool, Sutcliffe remained in Germany.
Also known as a fifth Beatle, the guitarist died at age 21 from a brain haemorrhage after collapsing in art class in February 1962.
Pete continued on with the band until EMI record producer Sir George Martin suggested they replace him with a session drummer, which was common practice at the time.
Others advised against removing him from the band, as he was popular with fans, but eventually, Pete was booted in a bid to improve their recorded sound and grow their fanbase.
He was popular with fans at the time (Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
His final two gigs with The Beatles were at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club on August 15, 1962 – he was let go the next day.
He turned down an offer to join the Mersey Beats group and later moved to the United States, where he first formed the Pete Best Combo and the Pete Best Band.
Fans of The Beatles will know the group originated as The Quarrymen, with Sir Paul’s brother Mike as the unofficial first drummer, but he broke his arm in the Scouts so couldn’t continue.
He played with The Beatles at the iconic Cavern Club in February 1961 (Picture: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
He previously told BANG Showbiz: ‘It was when John used to come to the house in Forthlin Road with The Quarrymen, before George was even there.
‘I broke my arm at camp and it affected the nerves that control the wrist. They were dead.
‘I had to have electric shocks and hot stuff put on my arm to get the nerves back. For a couple of years, I had to wear a support strap with a wire.
‘If I hadn’t broken my arm, I’d have been a Beatle. But I did break my arm and I’m not a Beatle. You always have to deal in reality, not dreams.’
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