Beatles stand-in

[alancubitt]

Whatever happend to Jimmy Nichol who stood in for Ringo Starr on a Far East tour by the Beatles?

[andy hughes]

Jimmy Nichol enjoyed his 15 minutes (four weeks actually) of fame touring with The Beatles in Scandanavia and The Far East in June 1964.
Ringo collapsed with tonsilitis and was rushed in for surgery. George refused to tour without him, but was talked round by manager Brian Epstein.
Jimmy Nichol was a session drummer who fitted the requirements of a stand-in - he knew the material, having recently worked on an album of Beatles songs, and he sported a Beatle-esque image, as did most young men of his age.
Fielding the constant question about his reaction to playing with the biggest pop group in the world, Jimmy always gave the same reply - "It's getting better," a phrase later imortalised by a song.
Having finished the tour, Jimmy took his �500 fee and an engraved watch from Epstein and The Beatles, and returned to his own group The Shubdubs. Their next single failed to chart, and the group split son after. Jimmy Nicol moved to Australia, and then South America - his current whereabouts and career status are uknown.

[Fish the Mod]

I did hear he was a painter and decorator - honest!