The Beatles Appreciation Thread

[Raining_Roses]

Ringo's led a charmed life... able to play the drums and The Beatles were looking for a drummer... Same goes for Cilla Black, worked at the Cavern, wanted to be a singer and was friends with The Beatles... As for Pete Best, you can't help feeling for him... must have been like losing a winning lottery ticket. I read once that he was working night shifts in a bakery when they made it big...

I love that song! Thank you

Cilla didn't really have the voice of an angel, did she? Lol But maybe they saw something in her. I have to say though, I loved Cilla! I have both hers and Dusty's version of 'Anyone who had a heart' and it's her version that sends shivers down my spine.

I think they needed a quieter drummer- Pete (and his mum) liked the spotlight too much and from Paul and John's point of view, all he did was bang the drums. But I agree- I used to feel sorry for him too. Couldn't have been easy watching them rise to stardom, knowing he could have been a part of it. He did gain a little bit of fame though with the Pete Best Band and he's still rocking today.

 

[Raining_Roses]

It has to be said that three of the Beatles weren't all sweetness and light the way they stabbed Pete Best in the back. They didn't even tell him themselves that they didn't want him, and left it to Epstein to tell him.
It's also been said that they were jealous of Pete's good looks because he was the heatthrob of local girls, so they replaced him with dull-as-dishwater Ringo..

PS- I don't know if Pete ever signed a contract with Epstein, but if he did, Eppy broke the contract and Pete could have demanded a big settlement fee.

There was bad feeling in the band before they ousted Pete and Pete's mother could answer to a good bit of it. The mother started the rumour that they dumped him because of his good looks. When they were on the Liverpool club circuit, they gained a local following of girls who used to wait outside the clubs for them. and she claimed to a local journalist that they were there because of Pete.
She also managed the band before Epstein and tried to 'manage' the band afterwards, often advising her son to go against him.

I may not be correct on this (going by what I read in the past), but I'm sure Pete was ousted days before they signed the contract with Epstein. They went through 2 other drummers before Ringo, so Ringo was not necessarily a purposeful choice.

 

[Raining_Roses]

Posting 2 versions- The Beatles and The Carpenters. As a teen, I was a bit Karen fan and adored The Carpenters version. As an old bird, I much prefer The Beatles version. What's yours?

 

[Dropship]

Pete's mother..started the rumour that they dumped him because of his good looks.....They went through 2 other drummers before Ringo, so Ringo was not necessarily a purposeful choice.

I heard that Pete's girl fans used to camp overnight on his lawn, so maybe that added to the other 3's jealousy.
And in some TV films and documentaries about the groups early days, Lennon said something like "Pete's not a Beatle", meaning he didn't fit in with the others for some reason.
What were the names of the other two drummers before Ringo, why don't they come forward to appear on chat shows and stuff to make a name for themselves?

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

Posting 2 versions- The Beatles and The Carpenters. As a teen, I was a bit Karen fan and adored The Carpenters version. As an old bird, I much prefer The Beatles version. What's yours?

The Carpenters version is very different to The Beatles original, which is not a bad thing, it's nice to see a different take on a song. What's the point in cover versions that are identical to the original? Having said that. i'm not a fan of The Carpenters version - it's just too slow.

Cilla didn't really have the voice of an angel, did she? Lol But maybe they saw something in her. I have to say though, I loved Cilla! I have both hers and Dusty's version of 'Anyone who had a heart' and it's her version that sends shivers down my spine.

Don't get me wrong, I love Cilla. It's just, like Ringo, she was in the right place at the right time.
Cilla's live performance of 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' is electric... Lennon was in the audience, he said it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end! I'm sure that's the first song I posted in the 'Break-up songs' thread
____________________________________________________
There's been books written about Pete Best's departure. I remember coming across one once in a charity shop, 'Drummed out' I think it was called, I left it because it was a bit tatty, i'm sorry I didn't pick it up now. Perhaps John, Paul and George did consider that he was too good looking, and I recall John in an interview saying Pete just wasn't 'one of us', i'm not sure exactly what he meant by that.... But what is certain, is that when they got there first recording session with producer George Martin, he questioned Pete's drumming skills... That was enough - he was out.
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I think Pete had one style of playing the drums and that was it. He couldn't adapt. Ringo may have been a bang average drummer in the beginning but he learnt his trade and became a bloody good drummer as other top drummers have stated...

 

[Raining_Roses]

I heard that Pete's girl fans used to camp overnight on his lawn, so maybe that added to the other 3's jealousy.
And in some TV films and documentaries about the groups early days, Lennon said something like "Pete's not a Beatle", meaning he didn't fit in with the others for some reason.
What were the names of the other two drummers before Ringo, why don't they come forward to appear on chat shows and stuff to make a name for themselves?

I take this back. I shouldn't try to recall stuff from memory these days and should fact check. I'm getting to that age

I stand corrected- Norman Chapman and Tommy Moore were before Pete. Thomas Moore was first (May-June 1960)- he played with The Silver Beatles and did a stint in Scotland as The Beatles with John, Paul, George and Stuart Sutcliffe. He apparently didn't get on with John and didn't turn up for a gig one night. When they went to get him back, his wife told them to 'p!ss off'. He played with them once more before being replaced by Norman Chapman, who played 3 shows in the June of 1960, before they went to Germany with Pete Best. Norman Chapman was called up for National Service and replaced by Pete Best, but did play with minor bands after finishing his conscription.
Thomas Moore died in 1981 from a brain haemorrhage and Norman Chapman died in 1995 from cancer. It appears neither capitalised on stories of their association to the most famous band in musical history.

 

[Raining_Roses]

This is my absolute favourite performance from them. Even though they no longer appear the united band and you can see their individual styles coming through in how they're dressed, they're music and movements are completely in tune with one another and there's a body language between John and Paul that demonstrates how close they were, even if they weren't at that particular time. The little in-joke of the lyrics 'she done me' and a harmoniously relaxed mood that shows maturity and the adults they've become, rather than rebellious boys with a catchy tune.
Also, must say, Paul is looking quite hot in this video

 

[Dropship]

On the religious front, it's weird that the Beatles (and some other celebs) went to India to seek "spiritual enlightenment" under the Maharishi, but they cut their visit short after the old perv was caught with his hand up Mia Farrow's dress while she was wearing it..
George went on to hitch his wagon to the Hare Krishna thing and turned out some good stuff like this one with his sitar-

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

This is my absolute favourite performance from them. Even though they no longer appear the united band and you can see their individual styles coming through in how they're dressed, they're music and movements are completely in tune with one another and there's a body language between John and Paul that demonstrates how close they were, even if they weren't at that particular time. The little in-joke of the lyrics 'she done me' and a harmoniously relaxed mood that shows maturity and the adults they've become, rather than rebellious boys with a catchy tune.
Also, must say, Paul is looking quite hot in this video

That whole rooftop concert was incredible... What an amazing thing that must have been at the time. The office workers scrambling up to the top of the buildings for a better view, people in the street gazing up... The police bobbies trying to get in to shut it down. This is my favourite track from it, I think it was a song they wrote in the early days but never got round to recording...

 

[Raining_Roses]

That whole rooftop concert was incredible... What an amazing thing that must have been at the time. The office workers scrambling up to the top of the buildings for a better view, people in the street gazing up... The police bobbies trying to get in to shut it down. This is my favourite track from it, I think it was a song they wrote in the early days but never got round to recording...

Oh to have been alive in that era, never mind one of the office workers! It's the rooftop concert that makes me realise why my mum had a thing for Paul! He's definitely hitting top level of handsome in that. That's a fab track- definitely one of my favs too. I've watched the rooftop concert too many times to count now and love every minute of it.

 

[Raining_Roses]

I'll admit, I had no idea this band had existed until more recently, despite being (what I thought was) a Beatles fan since I was old enough to like music!

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

First time I've seen this ^^^. At first I thought it was a tribute band! I'll read up about this 'supergroup' when I get a moment.
I love Keith Richard, I'm a big fan of the Rolling Stones, well, their early stuff. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Dropship]

..I'm a big fan of the Rolling Stones, well, their early stuff..

Funny thing is, the Stones never had a really big string of hits, but were more like rebel icons, and all the stuffed shirts hated them..
I was proud to have the name Mick like Jaggers, and I nearly wasn't allowed in the local swimming pool because of my long hair (below)

 

[Dropship]

 

[Raining_Roses]

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

When I was into The Beatles, I didn't have much time for Yoko. But this track of the supergroup 'The Dirty Mac' with her screeching and wailing really works for me. I suppose the groovy violin and the guitar beat from Clapton/Lennon/Richards helps...

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

A very early Beatles song.

 

[Raining_Roses]

A very early Beatles song.

I have this on tape

 

[Raining_Roses]

To my cutie, you know who you are- begins with K...ends in V

 

[Raining_Roses]