Search icon

Entertainment

18th Jan 2020

Original Beatles drummer Pete Best tells Ryan about his frosty relationship with the band

James Fenton

John, Paul, George and Ringo. A quartet that rolls off the tongue but it all could have been so different if Pete Best hadn’t left The Beatles.

The original drummer for the iconic Liverpudlian group was on The Late Late Show last night and was happy to regale the audience with memories of his short-lived spell as a Beatle and how life has been for him since he was given the boot in 1962.

Now 78, Pete told the Late Late audience that the group came up with all sorts of reasons for his dismissal including not being a good enough drummer as well being “anti-social, moody and slow-witted.”

Host Ryan Tubridy went on to ask Best if he ever ran into the remaining Fab Four at any point and the question was answered by an anecdote about a time when Pete was performing with another band on the same bill. He said “I was coming off stage and they were coming on stage and we passed. There was no communication. It was like ships passing in the night.”

Ryan echoed the sentiments of many viewers by saying “that’s sad, isn’t it?” and you can view the short clip below:

It all could have been so different for Pete Best but to be fair he carved out a decent career as a touring musician, forming the Pete Best Band and releasing a number of albums.

Not many people can say that they were a Beatle at one point and Pete Best certainly has a great story to tell.

Topics: