The Beatles drummer Pete Best announces retirement
The original drummer for The Beatles, Pete Best, has officially retired aged 83 after decades in the music business.
Before Ringo Starr sat at the foot of the drums for the Liverpool four-piece, Best was originally signed with the three long-standing members: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. Manager Brian Epstein let him go and replaced him with Starr in August 1962.
After the band relieved him of his services, Best made a career playing live with The Pete Best Band, which included his brother Roag Best. The band was scheduled to play a show at the Liverpool Beatles Museum on Mathew Street in August, but his brother has confirmed that the 83-year-old has now retired.
He wrote on X: “Well what an absolutely wonderful ride we’ve had. However, everything comes to pass. My brother Pete Best has announced today he is retiring from personal appearances and performing with the group. His daughter has informed me it’s due to personal circumstances.”
Best reposted the message and simply wrote: “I had a blast. Thank you.”
Best came to the attention of Paul McCartney after performing at Best’s mother’s cafe and venue in Liverpool, The Casbah Coffee Club. The venue hosted The Beatles over 40 times during the start of their career and a further 13 times by The Quarrymen In later years, Best continued to operate the Casbah and recently converted the space into a Beatles-themed Airbnb.
Above the club, which re-opened as an Airbnb last year, there are several suites, each named after an individual Beatles, including Lennon, McCartney, Best, and the band’s first bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe. Suitably, there is no suite for the drummer who replaced Best, Starr, but Best has confirmed that despite this, there is no ill-feeling between the two.
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