When was Pete Best fired from The Beatles?
On June 6th, 1962, The Beatles entered Abbey Road Studios for the first time, taking their place in the legendary Studio Two that would become their musical home. They were there to try and impress the manager and head producer of Parlophone Records, a subsidiary of major UK label EMI, who’d heard the demos they’d previously recorded at Decca studios earlier that year.
If the band’s test recordings for Parlophone were good enough, the label was even ready to pencil one of their songs in as a prospective single release. These sessions were clearly a big deal for everyone involved.
“The control room door opened and in walked George Martin himself,” sound engineer Norman Smith recalled to Sound on Sound. He was shocked to see the head of Parlophone turn up in person to see this young, unknown outfit from Liverpool audition, which was far from standard practice at the label. “Up to that time, George was not involved at all with any guitar groups,” Smith explained. “He did a lot of comedy records, like Peter Sellers and stuff like that.”
But Martin was aware that he might see something special. The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein, had sold him on just how big the group had become in Liverpool’s Merseybeat scene, as well as the idea that they could write their own songs. In retrospect, it’s even been suggested that the band were already signed before their test at Abbey Road.
Unfortunately, though, their performance on the day didn’t come off as they’d hoped. “The Beatles didn’t make a very good impression,” Smith remembered. “I mean, we heard nothing of John and Paul’s songwriting ability”. Three of the four songs the group performed were Lennon-McCartney originals – ‘PS I Love You’, ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘Ask Me Why’ – but none of them particularly stood out at that stage. Especially as they were being performed through the band’s low-grade amplifiers.
And Martin marked out one of the group’s members for special criticism. It was clear to the producer that Pete Best’s drumming lacked flair, his timing was sloppy, and he struggled with in-song transitions, such as the middle eight in ‘Love Me Do’.
Nevertheless, despite their poor musical showing, Martin and Smith both felt that The Beatles had star quality, which shone through in their charismatic personalities during a half-hour conversation at the end of the session. Martin went ahead and took a punt on the band, informing Epstein that he was signing them to Parlophone. On one condition, that they get rid of their drummer.
So, how did Epstein get rid of Best?
The group’s manager duly informed Lennon, McCartney and George Harrison that Best needed to go and was surprised to find that they’d already reached the same conclusion. Lennon, in particular, as the band’s oldest member and de facto leader at the time, felt that their drummer simply didn’t have the skillset to keep up with their development into professional recording musicians.
On the other hand, neither he nor either of the other two were willing to break the news to their bandmate. They insisted that as manager Epstein should bear that responsibility. He felt uneasy about the decision, though, and sought the advice of Bob Wooler, the DJ who compèred Beatles performances at the Cavern club in Liverpool. Wooler was upset by what he heard, and asked Epstein, “Why are you doing this?”
The Liverpool local understood that Best was arguably the group’s most popular member with Cavern regulars, thanks to his natural good looks and quiff haircut. Indeed, in the performances immediately after the drummer was replaced by Ringo Starr, the Cavern crowds were furious, booing The Beatles and chanting Best’s name.
Nonetheless, the other three band members were implacable. They’d already had a taste of Ringo’s drumming on their songs when he filled in for Best on several occasions, and they knew what they wanted. Epstein had to act.
And so, he summoned Best to his Liverpool record shop on Thursday, August 16th, and led him into his office. After several minutes of small talk, Epstein blurted out, “The boys want you out and Ringo in.” Best was mortified and wanted to know what was going on. “‘They don’t think you’re a good enough drummer, Pete,” the band’s manager reasoned. “And George Martin doesn’t think you’re a good enough drummer.”
Best tried to argue, but the deed was done. Except for one small formality. He still had to play the next two Beatles gigs before Starr joined up with the band alongside those who’d turned their back on him, which must have served as the ultimate humiliation.
As hard as this decision was on Best, it turned out to be the right one, as Ringo Starr became an integral element of the Beatles music we know and love. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison were ruthless, but they were right.
