Number of Beatles

[Bangkok]

In researching the question about the BBC banning the Beatles (with no success), I found references to Jimmy Nichol replacing Ringo for the Holland / HK / start of Australia tour in 1964.  Does this mean there were acually 7 Beatles?  How is it defined?

[Ouisch]

John, Paul, George, Ringo plus Jimmy = seven?  I'm trying to figure out that math.  Jimmy Nichol was brought in as a temporary drummer while Ringo was having his tonsils out.  He was never an "official" member of the band, nor did he record with them or ever appear with them again once Ringo recovered.

[Bangkok]

I had always thought that Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best had been formal members (I have seen references to them leaving / being sacked respectively).

[lookslikemik]

I'd noticed that too.  It seems that Ringo was hospitalised briefly in early June and Nicol (of the various spellings, this seems the most reliable) replaced him on drums for the first dates of their world tour.  Ringo was back in the saddle by mid-June.

[Ouisch]

Ah, that's where you got the extra members from.  :)  Stu Sutcliffe was a friend of John's, and mainly joined the Beatles for a short time because of that friendship, and because he had enough money to buy a bass guitar.  He was never very gifted music-wise (though he was a brilliant artist), and he left after a short while and Paul took over bass duties.

 

Pete Best was with them longer, but he was fired shortly after the band signed their first record deal. 

[luckyboy]

Right, here goes.. John, paul, george,stu, who left, pete,replaced by ringo, who was deemed not good enough as a drummer to play on love me do, so they used a session drummer called andy white, then in 64 when ringo had tonsilitus, jimmy nichol deputised for him... so lets see thats 8.. then on let it be, billy preston played with them on get back so thats 9 beatles...but seriously if there was a 5th beatle then step forward george martin whose production ingenuity, coupled with lennon and mccartneys creative genius and great songs is why 34 years after they split, their music still sounds so fresh and inventive.

[mcmikeymike]

Who could forget Brian Epstein ?

 

Though I don't think he had anything to do with the group on a musical basis, he did a great job of bringing the band into the public eye.

 

If anybody is looking for more Beatles, what about Apple's house band Badfinger.  I often wonder in the later years, how much music the Beatles recorded together and how often session musicians may have been used by George Martin.

 

Obviously George Martin would have called in other musicians for all the orchestral sections in Beatles records.

[ANGELA02]

I have six black and white pics taken of the Beatles, when Jimmy Nichol was the drummer.   They were taken in the Mandarin hotel Hong Kong, at a welcome reception.  I do not have the negatives but I know they have never been published.  Does anyone have any idea of the value?