RANDOLPH PETER BEST
Born: 24 November, 1941, Madras, India
Drummer of Liverpool's Black Jacks and son of Mona Best, owner of the Casbah Club, Best often sat in with the Quarry Men when they played the Casbah. On the eve of their first trip to Hamburg in August 1960, John, Paul and George asked Best to come along. He jumped at the opportunity.
Thus, Best became the Beatles' first official drummer. From the start, it was clear that he didn't quite fit in. Shy and with little to say, he would often sit quietly at a bar or stay at home while the other three engaged in wild exploits through the Reeperbahn, Hamburg's red light district. Certainly, he was the most popular with Liverpool's female population. Some people even say that was why he was dismissed from the Beatles so abruptly.
Although the full story remains unclear, shortly after their visit to EMI's Abbey Road studio in June 1962 (during which George Martin had suggested that the band would need to hire a studio drummer for recording sessions), Brian Epstein called Best into his office and told him that the others wanted him out of the group. Best was crushed and fans in Liverpool were shocked and angry.