2003 Radio Interview with Pete Best (3/5)

[nitropowrd]

I can't imagine working as a pisspoor civil servant for the rest of my life while my inexplicably detached band became the most successful in the world. How can you blame him for trying to off himself when Beatlemania peaked and he hadn't gotten a dime? He started talking about the Beatles after he got his share 30 years later, so I would say he isn't trying to capitalize off it now.

[tyronerodgers]

Pete's a nice guy after all. Regardless of what happened, he hasn't let bitterness get the better of him. A good thing for sure.

[artrocker65]

Thanks for the upload, Check out my recent Pete Best's video from the concert. :)

[annet48]

Ringo forever!!

Pit never!!!

[TheBeatlesL0VE]

its pete not pit lol

[annet48]

i don t care

happy new year)

[frankophille]

nrobnas43 is talking a load of pants

[panzerjj]

pete was probly lucky. he was able raise a family..go to the store...go for dinner and not be accosted. and, he got massive royalties from anthology.

[nrobnas43]

ringo's drumming is so signature that you can take any Beatle's song and listen only to the drum track and know what song it is. Rain, A day in the life, practically all of his work his awesome, I really doubt if anyone here really knows how to identify a great drummer. It isn't about solos either. Yes, Keith Moon was awesome. I love his drumming but the Who is the Who and the Beatles are the Beatles, period, no comparison. PB is gone folks, get over it.

[AvidLethargy]

Beatles never needed ringpoo, any basic drummer would have done.

He was in the right place at the right time when they fell out with Pete Best that's all.

The Beatles were all about melody and harmony, It's this what made them the Beatles not the drumming. Starkey was a function to a need. Imagine Keith Moon with the beatles ? we wouldn't remember half the melodies because of the amazing drumming. He fitted in because what he did was simple and he wouldn't interfere with the songs.

Lotto win

[nrobnas43]

People always say how PB was the best looking- I don't think so. Look at Ringo now compared to PB. Pete looks like an old sheep dog. Ringo looks better than ever and he has much better personality. His drumming is also much better. Drop the ego and your feeling for PB. The Beatles are the Beatles only with Ringo. It's John, Paul George and Ringo. They are the Beatles. Sure, the Beatles have a history of playing 7-8 years to build up to this. Forget about PB. If you really like his music, fine.

[n136ha]

Ringer had a bigger penis, that's why he was in and pete was out

[AvidLethargy]

Sorry, but have you forgotten how much Starkey made being around those three amazing artists ?

Anyone of us would look good living the life style he's had.

He should thank Paul daily for all he's got.

I also disagree, for us here in Liverpool there are only three Beatles and a session drummer who's narcississm eclipsed any memory of the very average person he actually was.

[nrobnas43]

Don''t be sorry Avid. You obviously don't know much about Ringo. He wasn't a session player. Read a few Beatles bios and you will see. He was the best drummer available at the time. If you study other famous drummers you will come across quite a few who admit Ringo is one of the greatist drummers of all time. And once again, this is your opinion. So you are right, in your mind ! And I find it odd that you speak for all of Liverpool.

[AvidLethargy]

Your clearly a fan that read's a lot of media and you certainly believe what you read. Please dont ask me to read Beatle bios, I've been part of the retro scene here in Liverpool for many years. I've worked and produced at LIPA ( look it up )

So I know my Beatle history aswell as the Musical history of my city.

You may not know that Ringo shot himself in the foot by using Liverpool's capital of culture status to sell his latest so called Album, then disgraced the city on a London tv show.

[AvidLethargy]

In this City my friend, his name's being erradicated aswell as defaced after such a slur. So I can speak for the majority of Liverpool people who care about their history and not just musical.

If there are drummers who say ringo is one of the great drummers, then they are playing into the myths of the era. even John Lennon said "Ringo wasn't the best drummer in the world, he wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles." That sir, is a fact. George Martin even had Andy White play on Love me Do.

[nrobnas43]

great, paul wrote ringo a note saying he was the greatist drummer in the world and till this day Paul says Ringo is his favorite drummer. I know Ringo is not the best drummer in the world, but belongs to the best rock n roll drummers grp. If PB was so great why didn't he go to Rory Storm while they surely needed a great drummer? Andy Whites tracks were taken out btw and replaced by Ringo. This is Fact. And Love me do is only one song. I really don't care if you hate Ringo.

[lifestraight]

@AvidLethargy  Where did he say this?

[nrobnas43]

another thing. I really don't care if Ringo voiced his opinion. you should speak for yourself too and not for all of england. I would spit on you if I saw you because your type make me sick to my stomach. you are also complaining and bitching and hating. It is no myth that Ringo is God. PB is nothing. It don't even matter anymore what he did for them- he was an drummer who couldn't keep tempo. G P J didn't like him. GM loves Ringos drumming as well. Fuck you!

[Yayo015]

Poor pete best :(

[livndream4u2]

Even by the pictures here, very interesting, Pete, was better looking, and the other guys wanted something new and different pete didn't fit. You can see that. Still a hell of a story, the way it all happen. The music wasn't that great, Johns voice did it all in the songs they started, Hard days night etc.

[plazmikguitar]

I believe john knew he could anyone along with him and the beatles knew this themselves,remember it was them who joined Johns group,he wanted stu sutcliff and he couldn't play at all,it more important to be close as friends to live thru what they did

[Kfg929]

pete just didn't fit the beatles

[tony00165]

I asked Pete if he was related to 'Johnny Best' who promoted big boxing matches at the 'stadium' in Liverpool between the wars..he said it was his grandad.

[rw5791]

the beatles were on the verge of ushering in and presiding over the sixties.They could'nt do that with one guy in the band who refuses to leave the fifties.

[jmanmoonwalk]

It was mainly Paul and George that wanted Pete out. They didn't like him very much.

[drummer78]

Not really. Certainly Pete wasn't really part of John, Paul and George's tight inner circle but it actually did boil down to the fact that there were grumblings about his drumming. When Pete hit the studio and George Martin indicated that his drumming wouldn't work, this sealed the deal. However, the rest of The Beatles were already feeling less than satisfied with Pete's playing. Ringo was actively sought out by George.

[mkrobinson95]

This is all a bunch of crap. You all need to watch "The Pete Best Story" on youtube. Then google an article called "When Pete was the Most Popular Beatle" written by Bill Harry, friend of the Beatles and founder of the "Mersey Beat" publication/newspaper.

[drummer78]

Well, I guess George Martin and most accounts aren't correct then. What does Bill Harry say? I'm up for some different perspectives.

[mkrobinson95]

Google "When Pete was the Most Popular Beatle" and the article will come right up ... there is a tremendous amount of early history that has been covered up in the "official" accounts of what happened, Pete's role in the group, etc. People can have their opinions, but those observers who were actually there offer the best perspective(s).

[drummer78]

I agree that there is certainly more stories that need to be told. Anyone who studies any part of history needs to view it from multiple perspectives. My only thing is that the recording people on the first Decca session said they were having drumming issues. This is not to say that Pete wasn't good as most band's drummers of that age had to cede their seat to a session drummer when they entered the studio. Still, one's style of drumming is usually the reason drummers are fired or hired. .

[mkrobinson95]

... and yet the fans loved Pete. In "The Pete Best Story" (also on youtube ... you must watch it ... it's very interesting). It was all about good looks for Pete, other bands loved his drumming, copied it and wanted someone like Pete for their own bands. If we're going to talk about early talent, George Harrison certainly wasn't the most versatile musician. John said George was damn lucky to be around two "geniuses" like him and Paul so he could be a better musician and song writer.

[drummer78]

Yeah, but comparing George Harrison to Pete Best is a bit futile. By the time Pete joined the band, George had already established himself in the band. John finally came around to respecting him and George did work tirelessly at his guitar playing. Pete was by all accounts a pretty good drummer for that era. He certainly was good enough to make them a smash sensation in Hamburg. Still, recording studios often are unforgiving environments.

[Lennonstlllives]

You guys are all wrong about him. The people who were going to give them a "contract" replaced him.

[AleisterFiend1975]

People say he got kicked out for no reason, or because of jealousy. The guy had the personality of a sack of rocks! Not to mention his indiscriminate use of the bass drum would have made the Beatles sound like the Bee Gees of the 70s.

[senorbellaco]

Yeah, if you read in the Beatles books, when they were in Hamburg, he never hung out with them, he was always off by himself.

[kajoschin]

Ringo war definitiv nicht der beste Schlagzeuger seiner Zeit, aber er passte in jeder Beziehung perfekt zu den Beatles. So ungefähr wie Charlie Watts zu den Stones...

[emergos]

perros beatle estaban celosos de pete best... por eso lo echaron solo porque atraia mas a las mujeres que los mismos paul, george, and john jealous

[chabaljunior]

my dad plyd rugby wif im at collegiate rufc he sed one of the reasons was that he was verrry popular wif the girls and thy wer jeleous so thy got rid of him

[bluekiukasu]

Pete best is a FUCKER AND A SHIT HE IS SON OF A BITCH LONG LIFE TO RINGO RINGO THE BEST RINGO BEST PETE WORST

[rramirez115]

He was dismissed from the group without full explanation, in other word "FIRED"!!! Waooo I would hang myself!

[zensho1]

With all their talk of 'peace, love and understanding', what the three others(probably edged on by Lennon)did to Pete must rate as the dirtiest piece of back-stabbing in the history of Rock Music.

[terrythekittie]

Not back stabbing....perfect musical sense more like..Pete was an adequate time keeper, a nice bloke, but he had nowhere near the musical talent Ringo had (considered premier drummer in Liverpool at the time, and regularly sitting in for the FABS in Germany when Pete took time off), and as suggested by George Martin ( a gentleman if there ever was one)he didn't fit the sound...it's a sad story, but that's life, and if the BEATLES hadn't acheived mega-success who would care what happened to Pete?

[zensho1]

Perfect musical sense?

Ringo does not even play drums on Love Me Do - just tambourine. George Martin got a session drummer in because of Ringo's inability to play.

When asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world, Lennon replied 'he's not even the best drummer in the Beatles'.

Ringo did not sit in in Hamburg - Pete was there all the time. Ringo sat in sometimes at the Cavern Club.

It was jealously on John Lennon's part. Pete attracted the birds, John didn't like it.

[terrythekittie]

Actually on the second version of 'Love Me Do' Ringo did play drums, and virtually every other track from then on with the BEATLES...'worst drummer in the Beatles'! Ha! Ha! Good old John and his renowned wit. And it was George more than the others who was keen to get Ringo in, receiving a black eye for his trouble. The theory that because he attracted the 'birds', the others wanted him out is a dumb one. He simply didn't have enough talent.

[zensho1]

1) I agree, on the LP version, Ringo plays drums. But, he doesn't on the single.

2) Why do you say it was George harrison who wanted Pete out? Who gave him a black eye?

3) Why keep Pete in for so long right up to the first few recording sessions?

Pete's mother, Mona, played a big part in helping the Beatles. This should also be recognised.

[terrythekittie]

Not so much that he wanted Pete out, but George was a big admirer of Ringo and always keen to have him in...and supposedly it was a Pete Best fan who gave him the shiner....the Beatles went through several drummers before they arrived at Ringo, one of them (his name escapes me right now) was a lot older than the others, was a very good drummer but left the group on his terms before Pete Best arrived.

[terrythekittie]

.....It was George Martin who was unhappy with Pete Best's drumming, and when Ringo was available the jigsaw puzzle was complete...sure, Mona Best played her part as did a cast of hundreds inthe BEATLES story.

[zensho1]

OK, I also understand George Martin was not happy with Pete's timing. BUT, he was even more horrified by Ringo's drumming! That's why a session drummer is used on Love Me Do.

[senorbellaco]

That is Cruel!I never heard about John saying that about Ringo, but come on, when you listen to something like his drum solo on Abbey Road, you know he could play.

[mkrobinson95]

This is a lie about Ringo sitting in "regularly" ... Pete only missed 4 dates out of 1000 and the others missed dates too at times due to illness.

[NosdrahcirBocaj]

I prefer Pete Best to Ringo Starr

personally.

[ePhilosopher]

Pete Best suit but John Rutsey

[langbry]

Even worse than being unlucky enough to get fired for "not being good enough", to get replaced by Ringo, who was probably worse, was just cruel.

[nognilk]

peter best is the most unlucky man

[LadyCayenne]

Question: if the band wasn't happy with Pete, why on earth did they keep him in for two years???

Something is VERY fishy....

[pacificlipper]

cos he wasnt born in liverpool maybe??

[scouselid1]

Pete Best is Liverpool born and bred

[mkrobinson95]

I'm definitely in the Pete Best camp, but you are wrong ... he was born in Madras, India, then moved to Liverpool when he was four. His father was from Liverpool, as was his grandfather.

[enderwiggin101]

paul mccartney is amazing

[joverkid]

I'm extremely surprised that

Pete Best didn't kill himself for missing out

on one of the BIGGEST BANDS IN THE WORLD

[modgeezer]

He tried...

[modgeezer]

He tried

[danief22]

one of the biggest bands?

they are THE biggest band.

try and name somebody bigger. beside maybe queen.

[joverkid]

ok, well thats part of the point

im saying Pete Best is an idiot

Agree or Disagree?

[danief22]

i think the beatles kicked him out. ill look it up

[Shadowsadist]

I can see why you think that, but I don't really think he's an idiot... He kinda looks likes Hayden Christensen or Samwise Gamjee. (However you spell the hoo-ha.)

[beatlesfangirl]

All I can say is, "Wow!"

[coryv235]

pete was pretty bad he would not stay in the same beat and he didnt use the bass drum a lot he would go high and then back he didnt mix it up a lot

[kitakashiwa]

I feel bad for Pete...I hope he got some $ from books or royalties...

[davidswubc]

Pete Best collected some royalties for his drumming on Besame Mucho and some other Beatles songs he played on, included on The Beatles Antholgy cds.

[Mytownhomeboy123]

I believe he got something (in the millions range) from stuff on the Beatles Anthology. Maybe just a couple of million.  I have to remember where I read that. But if Peter just got that, imagine what everyone got!

[doublefantasy80]

Amazing. I love you. Lets make animal love. You be the rhino I'll be the owl.

[WatchingTheWheels]

lmao aahahah.. u weirdo lol

[doublefantasy80]

Thank you. Do you want to be the gazelle?

[WatchingTheWheels]

yes please!.. how could anyone not want to be the gazelle?!

[lucyinthesky11]

ringo's better

[28if]

Pete forever, Ringo never

All together now

um, anybody?

[ahcapella]

Nope.  Nobody, dude. lol

[JamesPaul66]

You spoke to soon. Pete rocks over Ringo. lol!

[modgeezer]

He certainly does....he's my Dad!!!!

[markdehamel]

They looked GREAT in leather!