Pete Best- Original Drummer of The Beatles

Original Beatles drummer Pete Best and The Pete Best Band deliver the raw intensity of the Beatles’ sound during the early 60’s. Right from the first beat you’ll feel you’re at the Casbah, in the Cavern and hanging out in Hamburg. The Pete Best Band offers the audience a rare opportunity to get up close and personal to those early days with Pete on drums, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stu Sutcliffe. The show includes anecdotes from Pete about those early days and a set list second to none. This is the sound of Liverpool, the sound of Hamburg and the sound that started a revolution.

The Beatles’ original drummer, Randolph Peter Best was born on November 24,1941 in Madras, India and grew up in Liverpool. In the late 50’s Pete’s mother, Mona Best, opened a coffee club in the cellar of their home, Hayman’s Green in the West Derby area of Liverpool.  The venue became the place to be with performances by popular local groups like The Quarrymen. Pete’s first band, The Blackjacks, split in 1960.During that same time, The Silver Beatles played without a permanent drummer. Then, having secured dates in Hamburg, Pete was offered the permanent gig at the invitation of Paul McCartney, Pete joined the Beatles for their upcoming shows in Hamburg as their original drummer. Hamburg shows were grueling but allowed these boys to build their sound and set the groundwork for the future.

On New Year’s Day 1962, they headed to London to audition for Decca Records. They were turned down for a record deal. It was on their first recording date in June of 1962 that they met George Martin at Abbey Road Studio. It was there that The Beatles recorded Love Me Do. The finished song became their first hit in October 1962 and when released later in early 1963, became their first #1. Unfortunately, in circumstances still clouded in mystery, Pete was dismissed from the band he had played with for over 2 years and performed live with for hundreds of hours in August 1962. The reason for his dismissal is one of Rock ‘n Roll’s greatest unanswered questions.

Pete formed The Pete Best Band in the late 80’s. The band tours the world bringing that unique early Beatles’ Sound Anthology I features tracks with Pete on drums. In addition, the band released a Grammy nominated album, Hayman’s Green in 2008. Welcome to the Best years of the Beatles.