When Pete was the Most Popular Beatle
Posted on 21:16, under beatlefest, emi, Hayman's green, pete best, the David Letterman show
0
Pete Best was the original drummer for one of the most famous musical groups of the 20th Century. Pete was dropped from the Beatles in 1962, and replaced by Ringo Starr. Who was this original Beatle? What stories could he tell about their early days creating the sound that changed the world?
In 1982, Pete resurfaced in Los Angeles and did a handful of rare interviews in the states. One of them was the David Letterman show. Shortly after this appearance, he did his first American radio network interview with me for CBS Radio and the Beatles hour.
The interview was conducted during “Beatlefest” at the Bonaventure hotel, where I was co-hosting and doing stage interviews of beatle people for the fans. Pete and I hit it off well during these onstage interviews, and he agreed to a series of recorded interviews for radio that would be held upstairs in our hotel rooms over the next few evenings.
Over dinner we talked about music, life, and his current hopes and dreams, while saving the big sotry for the taped conversations. During these, Pete told a fascinating story about the early years of the beatles- from the inside, as a member. Everything from their meeting, the first clubs they played, the Hamburg tour, the early songwriting and recording sessions, to the partying, and of course the breakup. Not having his memory clouded with all the fame and events that enveloped the Beatles after august of 1962, his memory of the Beatles early years was crystal clear. It seemed as though he had worked past the bitterness that had been a big part of the years immediately after the breakup, and was ready to tell his side of the story.
After 3 days together, I found Pete to be a fascinating person on several levels, deeper than many would imagine, funnier, smarter, and very a sincere and thoughtful person. To this day, it remains one of my favorite interviews and experiences.
Today, Pete has his own band and has just released a new album that’s getting airplay and interest. You will be surprised and impressed if you listen to it- the writing and production values are very good, and you will hear that unmistakable british beat, and a hint of beatle-esque production. Far from a drummer who needed replacing, he’s quite good. But, what else would you expect from a former beatle? His New album is called "Hayman's green", distributed by EMI.
Highlights in this video are from these interviews, and the “Best years of the Beatles” episodes of The Beatles Hour aired first on KCBS-FM and KRQR in San Francisco.
In 1982, Pete resurfaced in Los Angeles and did a handful of rare interviews in the states. One of them was the David Letterman show. Shortly after this appearance, he did his first American radio network interview with me for CBS Radio and the Beatles hour.
The interview was conducted during “Beatlefest” at the Bonaventure hotel, where I was co-hosting and doing stage interviews of beatle people for the fans. Pete and I hit it off well during these onstage interviews, and he agreed to a series of recorded interviews for radio that would be held upstairs in our hotel rooms over the next few evenings.
Over dinner we talked about music, life, and his current hopes and dreams, while saving the big sotry for the taped conversations. During these, Pete told a fascinating story about the early years of the beatles- from the inside, as a member. Everything from their meeting, the first clubs they played, the Hamburg tour, the early songwriting and recording sessions, to the partying, and of course the breakup. Not having his memory clouded with all the fame and events that enveloped the Beatles after august of 1962, his memory of the Beatles early years was crystal clear. It seemed as though he had worked past the bitterness that had been a big part of the years immediately after the breakup, and was ready to tell his side of the story.
After 3 days together, I found Pete to be a fascinating person on several levels, deeper than many would imagine, funnier, smarter, and very a sincere and thoughtful person. To this day, it remains one of my favorite interviews and experiences.
Today, Pete has his own band and has just released a new album that’s getting airplay and interest. You will be surprised and impressed if you listen to it- the writing and production values are very good, and you will hear that unmistakable british beat, and a hint of beatle-esque production. Far from a drummer who needed replacing, he’s quite good. But, what else would you expect from a former beatle? His New album is called "Hayman's green", distributed by EMI.
Highlights in this video are from these interviews, and the “Best years of the Beatles” episodes of The Beatles Hour aired first on KCBS-FM and KRQR in San Francisco.
