# the Beatles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935 "2002-12-20T00:10:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/1 "2002-12-20T00:10:00Z")
Were there 4 or 5 original members of the Beatles? I’m coming up with Paul, John, George, and different sources say Stuart Sutcliff, others say Pete Best. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/2 "2002-12-20T00:17:34Z")
Both Stu and Pete were members at one time. Stu quit the band to pursue an art career. Unfortunately, he died not long after. Pete was the original drummer and was replaced by Ringo. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/3 "2002-12-20T00:19:50Z")
Pete Best was the Beatles’ original drummer. Stuart Sutcliffe was a guitarist with the Beatles until they were played in Germany, before Ringo joined. Stu stayed in Germany with his girlfriend when the rest returned to England, and died not long after, I think of a brain embolism or something. When the Beatles’ got a recording contract, they got rid of Pete Best and hired Ringo. So yes, for a while, there were 5 Beatles, but never as a recording act. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/4 "2002-12-20T00:50:58Z")
I’d recommend the movie **Back Beat** to get an idea of just, exactly, why Stu was in the band. See, he was supposed to play bass, only he had no interest in music, no natural talent, no skill, no ability, nothing. He turned his back to the audience so nobody could see that he wasn’t really playing. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/5 "2002-12-20T00:52:49Z")
Also, IIRC, Stu came from a well-off family and could afford to buy brand new instruments while the other guys made do with used or cheap gear. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/6 "2002-12-20T01:05:43Z")
Then there was Mal Evans. And that deejay in Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/7 "2002-12-20T01:41:31Z")
Don’t forget their other roadie! Neil Aspinal. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/8 "2002-12-20T02:22:08Z")
Ooh! Ooh! And Yoko! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/9 "2002-12-20T02:24:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Torgo \* > \*\*Ooh! Ooh! And Yoko! \*\* That’s it. Get out! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/10 "2002-12-20T02:26:58Z")
And George Martin! ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/11 "2002-12-20T02:49:03Z")
Don’t forget Billy Preston! And Clapton was the SILENT silent Beatle… ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/12 "2002-12-20T03:18:06Z")
Did John Lennon once consider asking Eric Clapton to join when George Harrison threatened to quit (around when they were filming _Let It Be_)? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/13 "2002-12-20T03:20:20Z")
They _all_ threatened to quit around Let It Be—except Paul. Which is why it’s so funny that he’s the one who officially quit the band first. Anyway, since they were all threatening, I don’t think anybody was too concerned about “looking for replacements.” I certainly never heard that Lennon ever considered asking Clapton to join the band. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/14 "2002-12-20T05:37:22Z")
Then there was that loser Shears. Nobody speaks of him now. 'Cept me. Ayup. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/15 "2002-12-20T05:44:35Z")
Clapton played the lead guitar on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (but was uncredited), but I, too, have not heard of him being considered to take George’s spot. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/16 "2002-12-20T08:33:26Z")
Pete Best was drummer with the Beatles from mid-1960 until August 1962. You can hear Pete Best on drums in the Beatles’ earliest studio recordings, the ones they made for Polydor Records in Germany in May 1961 as backup musicians for the English pop singer Tony Sheridan. These recordings, with their alternate versions, have been collected with copious liner notes on the Bear Family CD _Beatles Bop: Hamburg Days_. You can also hear Pete Best on the audition tape the Beatles made for Decca Records in January 1962, which is quite an enjoyable album if you like early Beatles, including a slick cover of The Coasters’ “Three Cool Cats”. Five of the tracks appear on Vol. 1 of the Beatles’ _Anthology_. In 1964-65, Best recorded several singles, and in 1966 put out the album _Best of the Beatles_ on the U.S. label Savage. (The title is a play on his own name; the album doesn’t contain any Beatles songs.) A recent [interview](http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mccorp/petebest.html) with Pete Best. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/17 "2002-12-20T09:20:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > **You can also hear Pete Best on the audition tape the Beatles made for Decca Records in January 1962, which is quite an enjoyable album if you like early Beatles, including a slick cover of The Coasters’ “Three Cool Cats”. Five of the tracks appear on Vol. 1 of the Beatles’ _Anthology_.** Is “Leave My Kitten Alone” on there? I’ve only heard it from _Anthology 1_, but I think (the Beatles’ version of) that song may be the most ass-kicking performance ever committed to tape. ---
**Author:** ![greniermp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9a140/32.png) [@greniermp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greniermp)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/18 "2002-12-20T12:18:58Z")
i thought eddie murphy of SNL, circa-1982, was the fifth beatle, he did sing the classic “I want to hold your hand, man” ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/19 "2002-12-20T16:17:19Z")
No, **jackelope** , “Leave My Kitten Alone” was not one of the songs the Beatles recorded on their Decca audition tape in 1962. The only Beatles recording I know of is the studio recording they made for EMI that appears on Vol. 1 of _Anthology_. ---
**Author:** ![wikkidpis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f05b48/32.png) [@wikkidpis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wikkidpis)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935/20 "2002-12-20T19:43:31Z")
Interesting, in the the interview linked by Waloon, Best says that Sutcliffe wasn’t faking at all. He could and did play bass and didn’t play with his back to the audience. Contradicts those movies but I don’t see why those movies are more reliable than Best. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-beatles/143935.md?page=2)