Beatles History was about to Change – Dramatically
On Friday 27th July 1962, a conversation was about to set in motion a chain of events that would lead to Pete Best leaving The Beatles and eventually being replaced by Ringo Starr.
The Beatles were playing on the same bill as Joe Brown and the Bruvvers at the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, a show promoted by Bob Wooler. As featured in Finding the Fourth Beatle, Bobby Graham was the first drummer to be approached to replace Pete and, in the estimation of John, Paul and George, ideally suited for The Beatles and more than adequate for George Martin’s needs. After all, the producer’s problem with Pete had nothing to do with his live performances, but rather his drumming in the studio. Graham had extensive studio experience and, as would be proved, was one of the top session drummers in the ‘60s. Unfortunately for Brian, Graham turned him down.
As Graham recalled: “He said that they needed a change. I said, ‘No thanks’ as The Beatles hadn’t had any hits and anyway, I had a wife and family in London. I don’t think he had even discussed it with The Beatles, as surely they would have wanted someone from Liverpool.”
“I turned him down”
In a further interview with Spencer Leigh, Graham elaborated further on the discussion. “Brian Epstein invited us back to the Blue Angel after the show. He called me to one side and said he was having trouble with Pete Best’s mum and he wanted him out of The Beatles. He asked me if I would take his place. Although I liked The Beatles, I turned him down because I didn’t want to come to Liverpool. Besides, I liked Joe Brown, who was having hit records.”
It has been suggested that Bobby Graham wasn’t offered the permanent job. According to Mark Lewisohn in TuneIn: “He (Brian) can’t have been offering the position permanently – John, Paul and George were clear they wanted Ringo – but Ringo was at Butlin’s until early September…. Brian wondered if Graham could bridge the gap between Pete’s departure and Ringo’s return.” However, this is a speculation and there is no evidence to support this theory.
Four Drummers were Asked
Bobby Graham was one of four drummers asked to replace Pete Best: Ringo was the one who accepted the job, and became The Fourth Beatle.
The full story is in Finding the Fourth Beatle. To purchase this, and David’s other books, go to www.beatlesbookstore.com
David Bedford
Bobby Graham was our manager in the mid to late sixties – The Manchester Playboys.
Fascinating. What was he like? Did he talk about being offered the job with The Beatles?
He was not the right one, of course. He was not from Liverpool! It had to be Ringo, a true Beatle.
That’s how it ended up, but it was a gamble. Thankfully it paid off brilliantly.
You claim that Lewisohn offers no evidence that Brian’s offer to Graham was only temporary, but offer no evidence yourself that the offer was permanent. At the very least, we have indications from interviews/statements given by the Fabs themselves that the other three (especially George) had already informed Epstein that Starr was their first choice, which is likely why Lewisohn assumes the offers to Graham, Hutchinson, etc. in July/August of ’62 had to have been temporary (either that, or Epstein was going against their recommendation). Starr mentions that just after the late March gig at the Cavern where he filled in for Best, George had approached him about joining the band and discussed it with John and Paul on the spot. Then in late May ’62 at the recording session with Kaempfert in Hamburg, Roy Young remembers the others asking his opinion of Ringo joining their band (Young says he enthusiastically approved). Given this, I consider Lewisohn’s theory quite plausible that the other offers to Graham and Hutchinson were temporary and/or contingency plans, on account of Ringo being committed to playing Butlin’s until September and also possibly the news that he had already agreed to join Kingsize Taylor–it was up in the air whether he’d be able to join them in time for when they’d agreed to get rid of Best (before the Aug 22 Granada TV shoot at the Cavern). Lewisohn mentions that John and Paul specifically traveled all the way to Butlin’s at the tail end of July to visit Ringo and persuade him to join The Beatles instead of The Dominoes (plus come back early from Butlins) and that finally cleared the way for him to join, and not have to ask anyone else. All four Beatles have said that Ringo was the drummer they wanted, and Epstein confirmed in interviews that was their first choice after Martin said he wanted someone else for the studio records. And while it may be the case that they were all rewriting history somehow, I don’t see why they would…
The evidence for the permanent offers comes via Bobby Graham’s manager and friend who worked with him for many years, which included personal appearances, where he would always tell the same story. Think of it this way: why would Brian approach a guy playing on a national tour with a chart topping group and ask him to give all of that to step into an unknown group who were just about to start making records while they waited for a new drummer to finish at Butlins? Makes no sense. It was a permanent offer and the reason he gave was that why would he give all of that up, move to Liverpool with his family to join a group he’d never heard of.
With Ritchie Galvin, it was a similar thing in that I know a few of the group members he played with who were very good friends with him. It was a permanent switch. Johnny Hutchinson was asked the day after Ringo was asked, when it had been agreed Ringo was joining in 2 days. He had already sat in with them. It was a permanent job offer, and I have that from Johnny himself who had no reason to lie. He did tell Mark Lewisohn the same, but apparently Mark took great offence at being told this, argued with Hutch and wrote it up in a more vague way in the book.
There have been plenty of quotes from the Beatles looking back and what else would they say? Ringo was never offered the job until the last minute and, as I say, it was completely the right choice. He was incredible and a brilliant drummer.
Although the trip to Butlins has never been verified, it is most likely that it happened.
Ringo was available on many occasions but was never approached untilhe had agreed to join Kingsize Taylor when they pounced and we are so glad they did.
As for why they would rewrite history? It has been going on since day 1, and especially on the recruitment of Ringo to protect his reputation. You couldnt say “we asked 4 drummers, 2 before we asked Ringo and the other the day after, and then we paid him on probation for a few weeks to see if it worked.” So we have the Lewisohn narrative of it “was always going to be Ringo” for which there is virtually no evidence, and the evidence that 3 drummers were asked but said no. Just getting history straight.
And I will keep saying the same thing: it was the right decision and would not have worked as well with any other drummer.