5 Things to Know About Pete Best and the Beatles
- Pete Best was the Beatles’ drummer from 1960 to 1962, including their Hamburg gigs and the Decca audition.
- He was not the original drummer. The band had several before him, like Tommy Moore and Norman Chapman, who lasted only weeks or sessions.
- He was fired in August 1962, just before the band met George Martin and started recording for EMI.
- The official reason was his drumming wasn’t good enough, but the real reason was likely personality and chemistry. Ringo Starr was already a friend and a better fit.
- Pete got a raw deal, but he also avoided the chaos of Beatlemania, so it wasn’t all bad.