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PETE BEST (Room 109)
Mona Best owned a large Victorian mansion in West Derby and opened up its cellar as a venue for the young beat groups of the day. She called it The Casbah. The Silver Beatles, as they were then known, still hadn’t found a permanent drummer, and Paul occasionally filled in behind the kit. They had a seven-week residency at The Casbah, which ended after a dispute over their fee.
After a local gig was cancelled, The Silver Beatles returned to The Casbah to socialise. They were impressed by the drummer Pete Best, Mona’s son. The group had agreed to travel to Hamburg—a trip arranged by Allan Williams, who had effectively become their first manager—but they still lacked a drummer. After a hastily arranged audition, Pete became the newest member of the group.
With his dark, handsome looks and moody demeanour, Pete quickly became something of a cult hero among fans. He stayed with the band for the next two years, playing hundreds of gigs and recording with them as backing musicians for Tony Sheridan. Unceremoniously, he was sacked—two years to the day after joining.
Many reasons have been given for his dismissal: he didn’t fit in; he wasn’t good enough; he was too popular, which made the others jealous. Whatever the truth, Pete missed the bus on one of the most extraordinary journeys in music history.
Artwork © Shannon
PETE BEST (Room 109)
Mona Best owned a large Victorian mansion in West Derby and opened up its cellar as a venue for the young beat groups of the day. She called it The Casbah. The Silver Beatles, as they were then known, still hadn’t found a permanent drummer, and Paul occasionally filled in behind the kit. They had a seven-week residency at The Casbah, which ended after a dispute over their fee.
After a local gig was cancelled, The Silver Beatles returned to The Casbah to socialise. They were impressed by the drummer Pete Best, Mona’s son. The group had agreed to travel to Hamburg—a trip arranged by Allan Williams, who had effectively become their first manager—but they still lacked a drummer. After a hastily arranged audition, Pete became the newest member of the group.
With his dark, handsome looks and moody demeanour, Pete quickly became something of a cult hero among fans. He stayed with the band for the next two years, playing hundreds of gigs and recording with them as backing musicians for Tony Sheridan. Unceremoniously, he was sacked—two years to the day after joining.
Many reasons have been given for his dismissal: he didn’t fit in; he wasn’t good enough; he was too popular, which made the others jealous. Whatever the truth, Pete missed the bus on one of the most extraordinary journeys in music history.
Artwork © Shannon