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In recent days I've gone back to Mark Lewisohn's definitive Beatles book, All These Years.
It truly is an epic, and well worth a read for any Beatles fan.....
I come away from it thinking, that there is no doubt that the 5th Beatle is Brian Epstein, without him and his backing in time and money, borne out of a love for the boys and what they could do then it's not a stretch to think they'd have just drifted away to nothingness on the Liverpool scene.
I’ve always had a problem with “5th Beatle”. To me there are/were 4 Beatles - John, Paul, George and Ringo. Brian Epstein and George Martin were huge influences on the 4, but were not Beatles per se.
The Beatles to me were born in Hamburg and were shaped over the years with the assistance of Brian, George M, Neil Aspinall etc.
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Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:31 - Dec 18 with 2142 views
Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:26 - Dec 18 by blueislander
I always though it was Pete Best.
I guess it depends on what the question really is. Stuart Sutcliffe was literally a fifth Beatle. Pete Best was a Beatle but (for a variety of reasons) kicked out by the others. George Martin was the fifth Beatle in terms of his creative input. Brian Epstein was key in getting them to the top.
I’ve always had a problem with “5th Beatle”. To me there are/were 4 Beatles - John, Paul, George and Ringo. Brian Epstein and George Martin were huge influences on the 4, but were not Beatles per se.
The Beatles to me were born in Hamburg and were shaped over the years with the assistance of Brian, George M, Neil Aspinall etc.
If they were born in hamburg then surely just 3 Beatles as no Ringo.....! But I get your point, that is where they perfected their craft, which allowed them to come back to Liverpool and earn enough to make it viable in the short term to give it a proper go.
The more you read about it, the more you realise that without Brian there would be no Beatles though as we know it - others obviously had big impacts at different times - but without him therw would have been no band to have an impact on.
So many things had to fall perfectly into place at the right time, lots of different alternate universes out there where they didn't
Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:36 - Dec 18 by itfcjoe
If they were born in hamburg then surely just 3 Beatles as no Ringo.....! But I get your point, that is where they perfected their craft, which allowed them to come back to Liverpool and earn enough to make it viable in the short term to give it a proper go.
The more you read about it, the more you realise that without Brian there would be no Beatles though as we know it - others obviously had big impacts at different times - but without him therw would have been no band to have an impact on.
So many things had to fall perfectly into place at the right time, lots of different alternate universes out there where they didn't
Fair point about Ringo, but... they knew of him on the circuit and he played with them in Hamburg too when Pete Best often missed shows.
A lot of stars aligning though to get them signed - Brian having the Decca tapes transferred to disc after being turned down by most labels and the engineer upon hearing them recommending George Martin.
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Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:41 - Dec 18 with 2094 views
Fair point about Ringo, but... they knew of him on the circuit and he played with them in Hamburg too when Pete Best often missed shows.
A lot of stars aligning though to get them signed - Brian having the Decca tapes transferred to disc after being turned down by most labels and the engineer upon hearing them recommending George Martin.
I don't think he's played with them in Hamburg, but had in Liverpool a few times - but not many as they always seemed to be in the wrong place at wrong time - Ringo usually at Butlins performing!
His first official gig after joining the band was Saturday August 18th 1962.......the exact same day as Liverpool played their first top flight game after promotion from the 2nd division, they have been in the top division ever since.
George Martin was lumbered with the Beatles at first, as part of ongoing punishment for having an affair with his secretary who he later married
Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:54 - Dec 18 by itfcjoe
I don't think he's played with them in Hamburg, but had in Liverpool a few times - but not many as they always seemed to be in the wrong place at wrong time - Ringo usually at Butlins performing!
His first official gig after joining the band was Saturday August 18th 1962.......the exact same day as Liverpool played their first top flight game after promotion from the 2nd division, they have been in the top division ever since.
George Martin was lumbered with the Beatles at first, as part of ongoing punishment for having an affair with his secretary who he later married
Wasn't Ringo the drummer with Rory Storm and The Hurricanes who were the top Liverpool band prior to The Beatles?
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Who is the 5th Beatle? on 10:29 - Dec 18 with 2015 views
Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:54 - Dec 18 by itfcjoe
I don't think he's played with them in Hamburg, but had in Liverpool a few times - but not many as they always seemed to be in the wrong place at wrong time - Ringo usually at Butlins performing!
His first official gig after joining the band was Saturday August 18th 1962.......the exact same day as Liverpool played their first top flight game after promotion from the 2nd division, they have been in the top division ever since.
George Martin was lumbered with the Beatles at first, as part of ongoing punishment for having an affair with his secretary who he later married
The Beatles and Hurricanes were in Hamburg at the same time - there was a competition to see who could break through the stage first, won by Rory Storm!
And Pete Best was in The Beatles for exactly two years!
This is much more interesting than Town’s current plight...
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Who is the 5th Beatle? on 11:00 - Dec 18 with 1965 views
Who is the 5th Beatle? on 09:54 - Dec 18 by itfcjoe
I don't think he's played with them in Hamburg, but had in Liverpool a few times - but not many as they always seemed to be in the wrong place at wrong time - Ringo usually at Butlins performing!
His first official gig after joining the band was Saturday August 18th 1962.......the exact same day as Liverpool played their first top flight game after promotion from the 2nd division, they have been in the top division ever since.
George Martin was lumbered with the Beatles at first, as part of ongoing punishment for having an affair with his secretary who he later married
I have an imported LP entitled 'The Beatles Live At The Star Club Hamburg 1962' and Ringo was, according to the sleeve notes, sitting in for Pete Best when the recording was made. The actual date of the recording is not stated but only John, Paul and George appear on photographs on the sleeve.
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Who is the 5th Beatle? on 11:17 - Dec 18 with 1934 views
I have an imported LP entitled 'The Beatles Live At The Star Club Hamburg 1962' and Ringo was, according to the sleeve notes, sitting in for Pete Best when the recording was made. The actual date of the recording is not stated but only John, Paul and George appear on photographs on the sleeve.
Session drummer Andy White played on a few of The Beatles early recordings.
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