Pete Best the original drummer for The Beatles turns 71 today. Pete Best was replaced by Richard Starkey aka before The Beatles hit it big. Most of The Beatles would later regret how Best was dismissed. They left it to manager Brian Epstein to do the dirty work but it was a job that needed to be done. By most accounts Best wasn’t one of the boys. He was popular with the fans {who would chant Pete forever Ringo never} but the fans got over it pretty quickly. Best was somewhat of a loner, not that great of a drummer. The addition of Ringo as the drummer would ‘seal the deal” Ringo fit into the chemistry of the group. A lot of people seem to want to dismiss Ringo as being ‘at the right place at the right time” that he was ‘lucky” that the rest of the group carried him but I disagree. Ringo was no Keith Moon or John Bonham on the drums but he was the drummer that was perfect for what The Beatles needed. He also had charisma. I believe a great sports team, a great rock group needs great chemistry.

Pete would earn a late payday. When The Beatles put out their first Anthology in 1995 some of the early tracks released had Pete on drums. He made good $$$$$ on that deal.