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The Pete Best Scrapbook...
Over the coming months we will attempt to unravel the real story starting with some words from the man himself recorded not long after in 1965 during a trip to New York. The Day Pete Was Sacked - Part 1 To Be Continued...
The Real Reason Why Pete Best was Replaced?
Without the Beatles a riot would have ensued and Brian would have lost the rights to promote the venue and with it perhaps the development of the MerseyBeat. Brian said to Johnny "Half the bloody band isn't here" and Johnny said "Do you mean George?", he said Yeh. With that Johnny opened the side door of the Van and George fell out. Somehow they managed to get him into the show and still in a very bad state he managed to get through the act. When John and Paul heard about Mona's comments, they were furious and this incident laid the real foundation according to Johnny for the change which took place not too long after. Pete After The BeatlesOne of the reasons given for Pete's dismissal was that his drumming wasn't up to standard. I think most of us who were around at the time would disagree and of course David Bedford in his recent book LiddyPool disagrees too. Here's a couple of tracks with Pete playing after the Beatles and decide for your self
Castin' My Spell - The Pete Best Combo
I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door - The Pete Best Four
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Probably the defining moment in Liverpool Beat History was the day
Pete Best was sacked from the Beatles. What really happened? Can the stories featured in
the books really be trusted? Was Brian Epstein behind it or was it John and Paul?
Over the years there have been many stories which purport to be
the truth behind the Beatles decision to part company with drummer Pete Best, the most popular being that
Pete's drumming wasn't up to standard. Well, if anyone has seen Pete live you will know that idea is utter
nonsense as Pete is a fabulous drummer and probably one of the first if not the first drummer to develop the
"Atom Beat" fundamental to the MerseyBeat sound. Now according to Johnny Booker who was the Roadie for a
number of Liverpool bands including 
Johnny says that Mona went ballistic, as apparently George,
( in common with a lot of us at the time), did like the occasional tipple and had missed a few gigs before.
This time Mona said "That's it, George is out of the band". John who was a good friend of George said, "Over
my dead body" and was left to try and resolve the situation. With George out cold he brought over a cup of hot
coffee and proceeded to hold George's nose and poured the contents of the cup down George's throat. Not
surprisingly George woke up and Johnny hauled him over his shoulder and threw him in the back of van and
headed for the Litherland Town Hall. As his van drew up he was met by Brian Kelly who was promoting the venue.
Brian was suicidal as already 
