TOURING with THE BEATLES DON DANNEMANN INTERVIEW CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN
Don Dannemann and Mike Losekamp, two original members of the 60’s pop music group The Cyrkle, best known for the hit songs Red Rubber Ball and Turn Down Day, have reunited, added a few new members, and reinvented themselves around the 50th anniversary of the band’s success.
Named The Cyrkle by John Lennon himself and managed by none other than Brian Epstein, they were The Beatles opening act on 18 tour dates including August 23, 1966 at Shea Stadium, and August 29, 1966, for The Beatles’ famous final concert at Candlestick Park.
In 1966, the band released two Billboard hit songs. “Red Rubber Ball” went gold, selling over one million copies.The follow up single, “Turn Down Day” was a solid hit as well, becoming their second Top 20 song of the year.
Coupling extraordinary musical talent and classic hit songs, The Cyrkle promises to electrify fans today just as they did when they were the opening act for The Beatles!
CHRONICLES, TRUTHS, CONFESSIONS AND WISDOM FROM THE MUSIC LEGENDS
THAT SET US FREE
…Order yours today on Hardcover or E-book at bookbaby.com or amazon.com
Featuring over 45 intimate conversations with some of
the greatest rock legends the world will ever know.
CHRIS SQUIRE... DR. JOHN... GREG LAKE... HENRY MCCULLOUGH... JACK BRUCE … JOE LALA… JOHNNY WINTER... KEITH EMERSON... PAUL KANTNER... RAY THOMAS... RONNIE MONTROSE... TONY JOE WHITE... DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS… MIKE LOVE... TOMMY ROE... BARRY HAY... CHRIS THOMPSON... JESSE COLIN YOUNG... JOHN KAY... JULIAN LENNON... MARK LINDSAY... MICKY DOLENZ… PETER RIVERA ...TOMMY JAMES… TODD RUNDGREN... DAVE MASON... EDGAR WINTER... FRANK MARINO... GREGG ROLIE... IAN ANDERSON... JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM... JON ANDERSON... LOU GRAMM... MICK BOX... RANDY BACHMAN… ROBIN TROWER... ROGER FISHER... STEVE HACKETT... ANNIE HASLAM… ‘MELANIE’ SAFKA... PETULA CLARK... SUZI QUATRO... COLIN BLUNSTONE… DAVE DAVIES... JIM McCARTY... PETE BEST
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
BOOK TRAILER B O O K R E V I E W
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles, by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.
The Rock Star Chronicles uses your interviews with rock legends to humanize them and preserve their contribution to the genre. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I was fortunate to have lived through two of the greatest decades for music. It was a time when radio played incredible music and rock concerts were a bargain and a happening thing to do. Rock groups featured incredibly talented musicians with guitarists and lead singers in the spotlight. There has never been a generation to match that period of music expertise and staying power. I wanted the reader to understand and realize how great a talent they really were and still are. Especially to wannabe musicians and the young. Many of the artists I have interviewed have passed on and others nearing retirement. It was important to me to tell their stories at a vulnerable period in their lives and be recognized as the greatest music legends the world will ever know.
What is one interview in this book that stands out as the most exciting one you had?
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has always been a rock hero to me. He has written and performed complex music and always had an incredible stage presence. Going to a Tull concert back in the day was a huge event. I will admit the first time I interviewed Ian Anderson I was quite nervous. I remember when the phone rang for the interview, I thought, that’s Jethro Tull calling me! During the second interview I got him to chat about politics, religion, ancestry, and world events. I tried not to ask the same mundane music questions that have been asked of him many hundreds of times. He was intellectual and I was on my best game that day.
What do you think is one thing modern musicians have to learn from the icons of the rock and roll genre?
Bands must perform live. All the legends started performing at school dances, bars, clubs, and anywhere they could be seen by an audience big or small. If they are talented eventually someone will give them a break, but it will not be easy. Having a You Tube video with a lot of page views is a start, but it will never have the impact of playing in front of live audiences.
What do you find is a common misconception people have about music?
People that pay big money to watch an artist lip sync on stage and still call it a great show. Music lovers who go see a legendary rock band and there are no original members in the band. Ringo Starr would never bill himself as The Beatles, instead he created an All-Starr band. All generations need to do a little homework before purchasing expensive tickets to concerts nowadays. My book will certainly help identify who the real legends are.
Music is a universal language that we all share and cherish.
Originally founded as a skiffle group in Liverpool in 1959 by John McNally and Mike Pender (Mike Prendergast), the band took their name from the classic 1956 John Wayne western The Searchers.
The band grew out of an earlier skiffle group formed by McNally, with his friends Brian Dolan (guitar) and Tony West (bass). When the other two members lost interest, McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbor Mike Prendergast. They soon recruited Tony Jackson with his home-made bass guitar and amplifier and styled themselves Tony and the Searchers with Joe Kelly on drums. Kelly soon left to be replaced by Norman McGarry and it is this line-up—McNally, Pender (as he soon became known), Jackson and McGarry—that is usually cited as the original foursome.
The band returned to a residence, at the Iron Door Club and it was there that they tape recorded the sessions that led to a recording contract with Pye Records with Tony Hatch as producer.
Hatch played piano on some recordings and wrote "Sugar and Spice"—the band’s second number one record—under the pseudonym Fred Nightingale; a secret he kept from the band at the time.
The group continued to tour through the 1970s and were rewarded in 1979 when Sire Records signed the band to a multi-record deal. Two albums were released by them, The Searchers and Play for Today (retitled Love's Melodies outside the UK). Both records garnered great critical acclaim but did not break into the charts. They did however revitalize the group's career. According to John McNally, the band were ready to head into the studio to record a third album for Sire when they were informed that due to label reorganization, their contract had been dropped.
In 1981, the band signed to PRT Records (formerly Pye, their original label) and began recording an album but only one single, "I Don't Want To Be The One" backed with "Hollywood", saw the light of day at that time. The rest of the tracks would be released as part of 2004's 40th Anniversary collection.
In 1985 MIKE PENDER left The Searchers to form his own group. His aim was, and still is to this day, to faithfully recreate the sound and feel of those Hit Recordings and at the same time introduce other material that compliments Mike's unique voice and guitar style.
In 1988, Coconut Records signed The Searchers and the album Hungry Hearts was the result. A very contemporary sounding release, it featured modern sounding remakes of "Needles and Pins" and "Sweets For My Sweets". While the album was not a major hit, it did keep the group in the public eye.
John McNally and the Searchers are still going strong today and hold a significant fanbase worldwide.
The band members are:
John McNally - original member and founder, 6string/12 string guitarist and vocals
Frank Allen - bass guitarist, vocals and front man
Spencer James - guitar synth and lead vocals
Scott Ottaway – on drums.
For more information about John McNally and The Searchers and up to the minute concert dates visit …http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/
JOHN MCNALLY GUITARIST
FOR
THE SEARCHERS
ON'INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS'
w/RAY SHASHO
EXCLUSIVE
BBS RADIO
THE SEARCHERS TOUR DATES
Fri 31 August: WORTHING Pavilion Theatre (S)
SEPTEMBER Sat 1 September: FALMOUTH Princess Pavilion (S) Sun 2 September: TORQUAY Princess Theatre (S) Fri 7 September: CHRISTCHURCH Regent Centre (S) Fri 28 September: GREAT YARMOUTH St Georges Theatre (S) Sat 29 September: CROMER Pier Pavilion (S) Sun 30 September: WHITBY Pavilion Complex
SIXTIES GOLD AUTUMN TOUR Featuring The Searchers, P J Proby, The Merseybeats, The Fortunes, Steve Ellis (Love Affair) and Vanity Fare For fuller information please see www.sixtiesgoldtour.co.uk OCTOBER
Tues 2 October: OXFORD New Theatre Wed 3 October: SOUTHPORT Southport Theatre Thur 4 October: LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru Fri 5 October: CARDIFF St David’s Hall Sat 6 October: ST ALBANS Alban Arena (2 shows) Sun 7 October: IPSWICH Regent Theatre Fri 12 October: LEICESTER De Montfort Hall Sat 13 October: STEVENAGE Concert Hall Sun 14 October: SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion Fri 19 October: WEYMOUTH Pavilion Theatre Sat 20 October: MARGATE Winter Gardens Sun 21 October: WIMBLEDON Wimbledon Theatre Thur 25 October: DARTFORD Orchard Theatre (2 shows) Fri 26 October: STOW ON THE WOLD St Edward's Church (Stow Music Festival) (not part of Sixties Gold tour) Sun 28 October: LEEDS Grand Theatre (2 shows)
NOVEMBER
Thur 1 November: GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall Fri 2 November: DUNDEE Caird Hall Sat 3 November: INVERNESS Eden Court (2 shows) Sun 4 November: ABERDEEN Beach Ballroom Tue 6 November: GATESHEAD The Sage Wed 7 November: BLACKPOOL Opera House Sat 10 November NORTHAMPTON Derngate Sun 11 November: NORWICH Theatre Royal Sat 17 November: LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall Sun 18 November: CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange Fri 23 November: DONCASTER The Dome Sun 25 November: SOUTHAMPTON Mayflower Theatre Wed 28 November: BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall Fri 30 November: MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall
DECEMBER
Sun 2 December: CARLISLE Sands Centre
(end of Sixties Gold Tour) Fri 7 December: WIMBORNE Tivoli Theatre (S) Sat 8 December: WORCESTER Huntingdon Hall Fri 14 December: NR NOTTINGHAM Lowdham Village Hall (S) Sat 15 December: NR CHARD Cricket St Thomas (Warner's weekend break) Sun 23 December: HULL City Hall
THE SEARCHERS FAREWELL TOUR 4 January – 31 March 2019 S = Solo all evening show, with no support acts Please note that although some of these shows are already on sale, others may not be for a while yet.
JANUARY Fri 4 January: MARKET DRAYTON Festival at Drayton Centre (S) Sat 5 January: MARKET DRAYTON (as above - second night) Fri 11 January: DISS Corn Hall (S) Sat 12 January: HAYES The Beck Theatre (S) Sun 13 January: NR READING The Mill at Sonning (dinner and show) Thurs 17 January: MAIDSTONE Hazlitt Theatre (S) Fri 18 January: BASILDON Towngate Theatre (S) Sat 19 January: BURY ST EDMUNDS Apex Theatre (S) Sun 20 January: EPSOM Playhouse (S) Wed 23 January: MORECAMBE Platform Theatre (S) Thurs 24 January: RUNCORN The Brindley (S) Fri 25 January: DONCASTER The Cast (S) Sat 26 January: STOCKPORT Plaza (S) Sun 27 January: LINCOLN New Theatre Royal (S) Thurs 31 January: SOLIHULL Core Theatre (S)
FEBRUARY Fri 1 February: RHYL Pavilion Theatre (S) Sat 2 February: BARROW IN FURNESS Forum 28 (S) Sun 3 February: BOLTON Albert Halls (S) Weds 6 February: YEOVIL Octagon Theatre (S) Thurs 7 February: HEREFORD Courtyard Theatre (S) Fri 8 February: PORTHCAWL Grand Pavilion (S) Sat 9 February: NR CAERPHILLY Blackwood Miners Institute (S) Sun 10 February: EVESHAM Arts Centre (S) Thurs 14 February: WAKEFIELD Theatre Royal (S) Fri 15 February: WHITLEY BAY Playhouse (S) Sat 16 February: BROMSGROVE The Artrix (S) Sun 17 February: STAFFORD The Gatehouse (S) Mon 18 February: CANTERBURY Marlowe Theatre (S) Thurs 21 February: LOWESTOFT The Marina (S) Fri 22 February: BEDFORD Corn Exchange (S) Sat 23 February: KINGS LYNN Corn Exchange (S) Sun 24 February: HAYLING ISLAND Sinah Warren (Warner’s weekend break) (not part of the Solo Tour) Wed 27 February: POCKLINGTON (near York) Arts Centre (S) Thurs 28 February: GLENROTHES Rothes Hall (S)
MARCH
Fri 1 March: MOTHERWELL Concert Hall (S) Sat 2 March: MUSSELBURGH Brunton Hall (S) Sun 3 March: LIVINGSTONE Howden Park Centre (S) Weds 6 March: FAREHAM Ferneham Hall (S) Thurs 7 March: HARLOW Playhouse (S) Fri 8 March: CREWE Lyceum Theatre (S) Sat 9 March: NEW BRIGHTON Pavilion Theatre (S) Sun 10 March: LEEDS City Varieties (S) Thurs 14 March: MANSFIELD Palace Theatre (S) Fri 15 March WIMBORNE Tivoli Theatre (S) Sat 16 March: HORSHAM Capitol Theatre (S) Sun 17 March: PETERBOROUGH Key Theatre (S) Weds 20 March: CANNOCK Prince of Wales Theatre (S) Thurs 21 March: DARLINGTON Hippodrome (formerly Civic) (S) Fri 22 March: LOUGHBOROUGH Town Hall (S) Sat 23 March: LYTHAM ST ANNES Lowther Pavilion (S) Sun 24 March: REDDITCH Palace Theatre (S) Weds 27 March: HIGH WYCOMBE Swan Theatre (S) Thurs 28 March: CROMER Pier Pavilion (S) Fri 29 March: CAMBERLEY Camberley Theatre (S) Sat 30 March: WEYMOUTH Pavilion Theatre (S) Sun 31 March: NR MILTON KEYNES The Stables, Wavendon (S) SOLD OUT
Alan White is
considered by many to be one of the greatest rock drummers of
all-time. With forty-plus years of performance experience and appearances
on over fifty albums, Alan’s dossier reads like a who’s-who of rock
legends. With his consummate professionalism and easy-going nature, Alan
continues to be an inspiration to fellow musicians as well as fans.
In the summer of
1968, Alan was asked to join Ginger Baker’s Airforce, a new group being put
together by the former drummer of Cream and other noted musicians from
England’s music scene including Steve Winwood, formerly of Traffic.
In 1969, Alan received
what he thought at the time to be a prank phone call, but was actually John
Lennon calling to ask Alan to join the Plastic Ono Band. The next day
Alan found himself learning songs in the back of an airliner en-route to
Toronto with Lennon, Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton and Klaus Voorman. The ensuing
album, Live
Peace in Toronto,
sold millions of copies, peaking at number 10 on the pop charts.
Alan’s
association with Lennon continued, recording singles like ‘Instant Karma’
and the subsequent landmark album, Imagine, with Alan providing
drums for the title song, ‘Jealous Guy’, and ‘How Do You Sleep at Night’.
Alan’s work with Lennon led to an introduction to George Harrison, who asked
Alan to perform on the album All Things Must Pass, including the hit
single, ‘My Sweet Lord’, released in 1970.
In June 1972, while on
tour with Joe Cocker, Alan got a phone call from his manager, who said that Yes
wanted him to join the band. His current tour was ending so he flew back to
England for a meeting with Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, who told him that he
was joining Yes or “they were going to throw me out the third-story window,”
recalls Alan.
Three days later, on
June 30th, Yes, along with their new drummer, opened their US tour before 15,000
fans in Dallas, Texas. Alan and Yes gave each other three months to see
if it would work out, and more than thirty years later, Alan is an integral
part of the band, having played on every Yes studio and live album recorded
since.
Founded in 1968
by Chris Squire and Jon Anderson, Grammy-award winning recording
artists YES have created some of the most important and influential
music in rock history, such as iconic pieces “Roundabout,” “Close to the Edge,”
“I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Starship Trooper,” and
countless others. Its albums, including Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales from
Topographic Oceans, Relayer, Going For the One and 90125, have been certified
multi-platinum, double-platinum, platinum, and have sold over 50 million
records total in its career that has so far spanned almost five decades. Among
the world’s most influential, ground-breaking, and respected progressive rock
bands, YES continues creating masterful music that inspires musicians,
fans and music lovers around the world.
Time off from the Yes’
hectic touring and recording schedule allows Alan to pursue other projects as
well. With longtime friend and technical guru, Reek Havok, he formed
‘Crash and Bang’, to provide music for the entertainment industry, including
video games and television shows. “It also serves as a testing ground for new
music hardware and software and new approaches to music and it’s psychological
effects on the user and an excuse to plug the wrong things together just to see
what happens!”, adds Reek.
In 2005, Alan formed a
new band, aptly called White, who released their self-titled debut album in January 2006. White performs
regularly in the Seattle-area, when time permits.
In recent years, Alan
has performed with a variety of artists, including Spencer Davis, The Ventures,
Charlie Daniels and Eddie Money, to name but a few. In 2007, Alan played
alongside Keith Emerson, Simon Kirk and Yes bassist Chris Squire at the Ahmet
Ertegün memorial show, as part of the opening act for Led Zeppelin. He
also conducts numerous drum clinics around the country and around the world to
encourage and teach other drummers.
2017 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Alan and his wife Gigi
are very active in the Seattle arts community, serving on the board of
directors for Music
Aid Northwest,
Northwest Program for the Arts, and the Seattle Theatre Group. Alan is
also a member of the Seattle Chapter of The National Academy of Recording Arts
& Sciences.
A L A N W H I T E INTERVIEWED ON THE RAY SHASHO SHOW-BBS RADIO CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN
THE
RAY SHASHO SHOW
Bi-weekly
Monday Afternoon at 3 pm Pacific/6 pm Eastern
And don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the
Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family
business … or the second edition entitled … Wacky Shenanigans on F Street-
‘Proud to be Politically Incorrect in Washington DC’ ... available now at
amazon.com.
Over the years, there’s been speculation and even conspiracy theories to why original Beatles drummer Pete Best was fired by manager Brian Epstein. On August 16th, 1962, Best was permanently replaced by Rory Storm and the Hurricanes drummer Ritchie Starkey (Ringo Starr).
Some of the explanations for his dismissal we
adhered to over the years were … He was too conventional to be a Beatle
…Paul and George never liked him …He was anti-social, never hung-out
with the other lads after gigs …Pete refused to sport the proposed
mop-top haircut …Ringo was the better drummer …Pete was too good looking
… Pete was too popular …Pure jealousy …Epstein felt threatened … and
so on… and so on.
One thing is certain … John, Paul and George kept completely silent and remained totally numb during and after his discharge from The Beatles.
Since receiving those historic walking papers, the band had never made a
legitimate effort to make amends, remain friends, or even consider Pete
Best as an acquaintance.
In this interviewPete Best states … “I
never spoke with any of them again after the dismissal. Played on the
same bill as them on two or three occasions, but we didn't speak.”
BBC News reported that
… Ringo Starr made an apology to the city of Liverpool for remarking
that he missed nothing about his city, leaving many Merseyside residents
very angry. A foliage sculpture of The Beatles
at Liverpool South Parkway Station was beheaded by vandals three months
after the remarks, with the sculptures of the other three Beatles left
untouched.
Even today: Fellow Liverpool musicians
continue to be puzzled over the firing of Pete Best. In a recent
interview conducted with another British Invasion legend Billy J. Kramer, He states… “There’s
never been an out and out answer … Me, as an onlooker, I saw… Lets here
it one more time for John, George, Paul …and when Pete Best walked back
on the stage at the end of the show… young girls just went crazy! It’s
something that always baffled me.”
Was there another reason behind the firing of Pete Best?
Pete Best was born in Madras, India and brought up in Liverpool, England. In 1954, Pete’s mother Mona Best pawned
all of her jewelry and bet the money on a racehorse. She bet on a
33-1 longshot named “Never Say Die.” She won the bet and used her
winnings to purchase a house at 8 Haymans Green in Liverpool.
On August 29th, 1959 Mona Best opened The Casbah Coffee Club
in the cellar of that home becoming Liverpool’s first rock ‘n’ roll
venue. Mona “Mo” Best’s encouragement to promote local musicians helped
shape and popularize the “Merseybeat,” the original sound of the British
Invasion. The first gig at the infamous Casbah was ‘The Quarrymen’ featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ken Brown (The Les Stewart Quartet). The band (without a drummer) played a series of seven Saturday night engagements.
Ken Brown later formed The Blackjacks with Pete Best and ‘Chas’ Newby.
Beatles Era: In the 1960s, a tour of Hamburg, Germany was arranged by The Silver Beetles manager Alan Williams, and the band still desperately needed a drummer. The answer was Pete Best, who frequently played with his band The Blackjacks at
his Mom’s Casbah Coffee Club. After The Blackjacks broke up, it was
Paul McCartney who convinced Best to join the group and go to Hamburg.
Best auditioned at Alan Williams Jacaranda Club and left for Hamburg the
next day. Pete Best became a Silver Beetle on August 12th, 1960. The Silver Beetles changed their name to The Beatles on August17th.
During their first tour of Germany, The band played the Indra Club and the Kaiserkellar. The Beatles met photographer Astrid Kirchherr and Klaus Voormann that same year.
In 1961, NEMS (North End Music Stores) owner Brian Epstein approached the band with a management offer. He had been quite impressed with the group after hearing the release of “My Bonnie” (Polydor Records) recorded with rocker Tony Sheridan. Epstein had also visited the original ‘Cavern Club’
on several occasions to watch The Beatles perform live in front of a
crowd. The Beatles first ‘Cavern Club’ gig was secured by Pete Best’s
mom Mona.
Before taking over The Beatles, Epstein asked Alan
Williams if there were any contractual ties between him and the band.
There weren’t any, but Williams told Epstein … “Don’t touch them with a f***ing bargepole, they will let you down.”
Bassist Stuart Sutcliffe
quit The Beatles on March 15th, 1961 to pursue a career as an artist.
Sutcliffe died April 10th, 1962 of an aneurysm that was believed to be
caused by a head injury from a brawl inside Lathom Hall in Liverpool.
In 1962, after becoming Liverpool’s #1 voted band, The Beatles revisited Hamburg to play ‘The Star Club.’ In Hamburg, new boss Brian Epstein announced to the group that they had achieved a recording contract with EMI. They met George Martin that year at Abbey Road Studios. The Beatles recorded the original version of, “Love Me Do” in June of 1962 with Pete Best on drums (available on The Beatles Anthology 1 compilation release).
Pete Best was fired from The Beatles on August 16th, 1962.
In 1964, “Love Me Do” became The Beatles first #1 U.S. Hit (On
Vee-Jay Records) featuring their new drummer Ringo Starr. EMI (Capitol
Records in the U.S. initially refused to release Beatles records). Post Beatles Era: Pete Best was offered to play drums with several high profiled bands. Ringo Starr’s ex-group Rory Storm & The Hurricanes ironically asked Pete to replace Ritchie Starkey (Ringo) on drums. Then Brian Epstein contacted Best to shape The Merseybeats into another Beatles scenario. Pete Best rejected both offers.
Which brings up the point … If Pete Best was such a
bad drummer, why did Brian Epstein want him to play drums and take
charge of The Merseybeats? Epstein still had enough confidence in Pete
by asking him to turn The Merseybeats into another Beatles Phenomena.
In 1963, Pete Best joined Lee Curtis & The All-Stars. The band landed a record deal with Decca. The All-Stars toured the UK and Germany and were awarded second place in the Merseybeat Poll, losing the number one spot to The Beatles, but ahead of Gerry and the Pacemakers and The Searchers. The band split from Curtis and eventually became ‘The Pete Best Four’ and ‘The Pete Best Combo.’ The band toured the U.S and Canada.
In 1968, Pete Best left the music business to concentrate on family
life. He worked as a civil servant worker for the next twenty years.
Depressed over The Beatles sustained fame and fortune, Best tried to
commit suicide, but was miraculously talked out of it by his mother Mona
and brother Rory.
The secrecy and avoidance surrounding Pete Best’s
dismissal by The Beatles reminded me of another incident the same year
that lead to a similar covert aftermath … the ‘Cuban Missile Crisis.’ (October 16-28, 1962).
The Pete Best Band: In 1988, after twenty years of turning down requests to perform in public, The Pete Best Band was
formed. Pete continues to tour worldwide with his younger brother Roag
sharing drumming duties. The band’s sound and appearance is a throwback
to those exciting early days of The Beatles. Their setlist includes
Beatles classics like … “Please Mr. Postman,” “P.S. I Love You,” “My
Bonnie,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Till There Was You,” “I Saw Her
Standing There,” “Twist and Shout” and “Kansas City” to name a few.
I’ve witnessed The Pete Best Band in concert and thought it was … Gratifying, authentic rock and roll at its finest.
In 2007, Pete Best was inducted into the All You Need Is Liverpool Music Hall of Fame as the debut Charter Member.
In 2008, The Pete Best Band released the album Haymans Green consisting
of all new material. Best plays drums and co-wrote all the tracks. The
album received rave reviews with a lineup that featured … Pete Best
(drums), Roag Best (drums and percussions), Tony Flynn (guitar, vocals
-played with Steppenwolf), Phil Melia (guitar, harmonica, vocals), and
Paul Parry (guitar, piano, keyboards, vocals).
On July 25th, 2011 two streets in Liverpool were named Pete Best Drive and Casbah Close.
Pete and Kathy Best have been married for fifty years; they have two daughters and four grandchildren. Pete Best has an incredible website that spotlights
opportunities to visit or even play at the legendary Casbah Coffee Club.
Visit Pete’s official website at www.petebest.com. The site also features some great merchandise and memorabilia.
I had the rare pleasure of chatting with Pete Best recently about life before and after The Beatles.
Here’s my interview with the original drummer of The Beatles/ Leader of The Pete Best Band/Drummer/Percussionist/Songwriter … PETE BEST. Ray Shasho: Hello Pete, happy 2013! Pete Best: “Oh thank you …same to you.” Ray Shasho:I actually met you back in 2001 in Springfield, Virginia after your show. Pete Best: “That’s going back a long ways, but I do remember the gig.” Ray Shasho: You and the band certainly put on a great show. So what’s new these days in the life of Pete Best? Pete Best: “Well, I’ve still got the band going
which is touring all over the world as we have been doing for many-many
years. But at the present moment, I’m into getting right into this
technology … Facebook and everything, and have three things going at the
present moment Ray, I’ve got my own website which is www.petebest.com
and people can go on that site to see what the band is doing, what I’m
doing, and all the updates. It’s full of all kinds of information and we
just want people to go on and visit it. And of course the Facebook
regime which is www.facebook.com/petebestofficial. I’ve also gone on to the Twitter as well so I can have a chat with the fans, and that is https://twitter.com/BeatlesPeteBest.”
“I’ve been promising myself that I’d keep everyone up-to-date and
just enjoying the fact that it gives hundreds and thousands of people
out there the opportunity to get in touch with me and have a chat, and
keep up to date with what we’re doing and we love to talk about it with
people.” Ray Shasho: I’ve been on your website and it’s quite
impressive. I noticed that you can actually book tours at the famous
Casbah Coffee Club directly from the site. Pete Best: “That’s right; The Casbah is opened to
tours now, we’re open nearly 365 days a year and it’s by booking
appointments only. The contact information is on the website and if
people phone up and make an appointment then we’ll be more than glad to
take them around and give them a history of The Casbah and the history
of Merseybeat from the early years of The Beatles.” Ray Shasho: Your mom was quite a visionary and entrepreneur wasn’t she? Pete Best: “Let’s be quite honest about it Ray, she
bet all her money on a horse, “Never Say Die” which we didn’t know
about, and that horse had jockey Lester Piggott on it, who won the Epsom
Derby in 1954, and from that she bought Haymans Green and then
transferred a cellar into what the world knows now as The Casbah Club.
But that dream that she had, what you are talking about being an
entrepreneur, she always wanted to bring music to the kids of Liverpool
and that’s exactly what she did, and that’s exactly what history
portrays now.”
“The first band to play there were The Quarrymen, who went on to
become The Beatles. Every band in Liverpool played there …Gerry and the
Pacemakers, Kingsize Taylor, The Searchers, The Swinging Blue Jeans … my
goodness me; you can go on and on and on. But the good thing about it
Ray, was that she was also very interested in bringing the younger bands
up, the bands who were just starting to make a break through. She had a
simple rule and it worked great … when you tried out at The Casbah, if
the crowd liked you, you got another booking. If they didn’t she’d say,
“Go away my lads and practice, the door isn’t closed, come back and have
another go.” So many bands did that and it put them on the road to
stardom …which is absolutely fantastic.” Ray Shasho: The music business could certainly use someone like your mom today. Pete Best: “She’s still here Ray, even though she’s
gone. God bless her, she went in 1988. She’s still with us … The Casbah
is her, it’s her epitaph. She was the visionary; we’re just carrying on
the job for her.” Ray Shasho: Before The Quarrymen, John Lennon had a band
called The Black Jacks. Did John change the name of that band because
your band was also called The Black Jacks? Pete Best: “Yea, my band was The Black Jacks, but I
think John stopped calling himself The Black Jacks before I came along.
So there were no problems involving name discussions or anything else
like that. By that time they turned into The Moondogs, The Silver
Beetles, and all the other aliases that he had before we actually were
The Beatles with an ‘a,’ so there was no problem on that particular
side.” Ray Shasho: On the day bassist Stuart Sutcliffe was attacked, was it you and John Lennon who actually ran to his rescue? Pete Best: “Yea, what you actually saw portrayed in films like Birth of The Beatles and Backbeat, they
used Litherland Town Hall as to where the assault took place, and it
wasn’t, it was a venue called Lathom Hall and Stu was beaten up inside
the club. What we used to call in those days …‘Teddy Boys,’ Stuart was
the smallest in the band and they picked on him for some unknown reason
when we were backstage. John and I heard about it and we dashed out, got
stuck into it, and sorted it out. John broke his finger and that was
something he carried from that particular fight. But we managed to get
Stu out without too much damage to him and we just went on and did the
show. But the funny thing was Ray, after that, we were accepted by the
‘Teddy Boys,’ as we use to call them in those days. And at that
particular location they turned around and said, “Hang on just a moment,
it’s the Beatles, they can handle themselves.” So there was a little
bit of respect. But that just puts the record straight in regard to
location, and yes, john and I were actually there to help him.” Ray Shasho: Were you the closest with John than anyone else in the band? Pete Best: “Oh yea, without doubt. I mean everyone
had their associations, but I would say I was closest to John in the
band and I hope he felt the same as well. We spent a lot of time
together. In Germany, we were the ones getting into trouble, we were the
ones starting fights, we were the ones trying to rub sailors … that was
the mischief we got up to. But then when we came back to Liverpool he
was always at my house. The Casbah was always open and after we played,
we came back and raided the coffee machine and sandwiches and
everything, then came up to the living room and sat there till the early
hours in the morning, chatting and playing music. So it was very much
home away from home.” Ray Shasho: Pete, what was John Lennon like back in those early days? Pete Best: “He was one of those guys that the more
you got to know him, the more you saw that there was more to this guy
than what the public actually sees. If I could use an example to that
Ray, when I was in Germany, we used to spend a lot of time drinking, and
when I was talking with him, I started to realize, okay behind this
tough guy façade that he had, there was a very tender and loving person
and a brilliant family man. And when you put those two entities together
… that to me is the whole John Lennon.”
“In a way he became a visionary and a world leader, which was
something I expected and it didn’t come as a surprise when he started
leading peace movements and writing fantastic songs about bringing peace
to the world. It just seemed logical for him to do it.”
“But he was a real diamond and over the years just kept getting
polished …and unfortunately a stupid death because of that idiot
Chapman, which robbed the world of a great leader and robbed me of a
great friend.” Ray Shasho: What were you doing when you heard the news about John’s death? Pete Best: “I was actually getting ready for work in
Liverpool. By the time it started to come on the radio over here, it
was around seven or eight o’clock in the morning and just getting ready
for work and my wife Kathy said, “Pete you’d better come and listen to
this …John’s been murdered.” At that particular moment Ray, John Lennon
was the last person I thought of. And I said John who? Kathy said,
“John, who you used to play with in the band.” So I suddenly realized
after hearing the broadcast that it was John Lennon and I was mortified,
just absolutely horrified. Of course the media went wild all over the
world. They tried to get in touch with me to do radio, television and
press interviews, and I just basically said no. I said look, I know what
you’re trying to do, but I want to pay my respects to my old friend in
the best way I can. So I kept me feelings to myself and stayed quiet.” Ray Shasho: John’s death affected so many of us, I remember
gathering on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. for a
vigil a few days after hearing the news. I’m still in a state of denial
that George is also not with us any longer. Pete Best: “They will always be the icons of the
music business, generations are still discovering them, year after year,
century after century, people will always be discovering their music,
which is absolutely fantastic. It probably won’t happen with anyone
else.”
“But through all that recognition, and all that fame, there’s been a
lot of tragedy within that band as well. Stu Sutcliffe died when he’s
only 21; Brian Epstein dies at 32, John being murdered by that idiot
Chapman, George dies a horrible death with cancer … so there has been a
lot of tragedy within the band. I think success sometimes comes with
tragedy. It seems to be an evolution and the way things go.” Ray Shasho: It seems to me that you’ve enjoyed a more stable
and healthier lifestyle than your old bandmates… Kathy and you have been
married for 50 years and you have a beautiful family … you’ve done
alright! Pete Best: “I had an early learning curve. It comes
from a stable background and a tough backbone. People knock you down and
you get back up and try twice as hard. What happened to me at an early
age probably hadn’t happened to anyone else, the fact that I was
dismissed from The Beatles and then they became icons of the music
industry. But that mishap …and I think that was the best way to explain
it, woke me up, it made me more streetwise, and I realized that there
was more to life than being a rock ‘n’ roll star.”
“But I had family around me and a stable character. I realized it’s
not about what happened yesterday, it’s very much about today and
tomorrow. I’ve lived my life and been recognized my own sweet way and
made my contribution to the music industry. My bands been recognized for
their own contribution. At the end of it all, I’m a great family man.
I’ve been married to a great Liverpool girl, Kathy; this year makes
fifty years, and we’ve got two beautiful daughters and four wonderful
grandchildren.” Ray Shasho: Pete, after you were dismissed from The Beatles, did Brian Epstein actually offer to put you in a different band? Pete Best: “Yea, it’s a funny thing, not initially.
In 1962, when I was called in, he basically turned around and said they
want you out and Ringo was in, and it was already prearranged that Ringo
was going to be in the band. But a couple of weeks afterwards, I had
offers from different bands and was still thinking it over, then got a
call from Brian Epstein and he basically said, “Pete, I’d like to see
you in the office again, I’ve got something I want to check over with
you.” I thought …oh my goodness me; maybe there’s been a change of
heart, maybe they’ll bring me back again.”
“So, when I got down there, he was very cordial and polite like he
normally was. Then he said, “I’m not bringing you back into the band,
just in case you’ve got that on your mind.” So I thought that clears
that particular subject (laughing). Then he said, “But I’m really
interested in a young band called The Merseybeats which I want you to
become the drummer in and take charge of them. I want you to turn them
into a second Beatles so I can manage them. I said, Brian, it’s
absolutely wonderful that you’ve got that much faith in me, but once
you’ve been with the number one horse, and number one stable, it’s going
to be very difficult for me to work with you again. I thanked him very
much for the offer and went away. Then I joined Lee Curtis & the
All-Stars, which was another up and coming band in Liverpool at that
time. And I took them to the number two position behind The Beatles in
The Mersey Beat Poll.” Do you have any regrets for not taking Brian’s offer to work with The Merseybeats? Pete Best: “No, not really, when I talked with Billy
Kinsley of The Merseybeats many years afterwards, I think they were
disappointed that I didn’t come onboard, because he’s always admired me
as a musician when I was a drummer. But as I explained to him, I said
Billy, at that particular moment in time; it didn’t seem like the right
thing to do, it wouldn’t have set easy with me. He said, “Pete, I accept
that, it would have been nice for you to be part of the team.” It
wasn’t meant to be, but they went on to be a fantastic band anyway.
Billy is still one of the best musicians in Liverpool.” Ray Shasho: Pete, how many times, if any, did you actually talk with John, Paul or Ringo after your dismissal from the band? Pete Best: “I never spoke with any of them again
after the dismissal. Played on the same bill as them on two or three
occasions, but we didn't speak.” Ray Shasho: Here’s a crazy thought … I covered Ringo Starr’s
show not long ago when he played in Clearwater. If Ringo asked you to
join his All Starr Band for one of his tours would you accept? Pete Best: (All laughing)
“That’s a question and a half Ray isn’t it? Now, I’ll turn it around
on you… If I ever see Ringo, maybe I’ll ask him if he’d play second
drums in my band. (All Laughing)” Ray Shasho: I think either scenario would be great! Pete Best: “I always say …if it’s meant to happen, it’s going to happen anyway.” Ray Shasho: Pete, thank you so much for being on the call
today, for all the great music, and for keeping The Casbah legacy alive. Pete Best: Thanks Ray, I had a really good time. Cheers!
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