Musicology 101

The Beatles may have gained the secrets to their success here, at the Top Ten in Hamburg, but the Fab Four who got their fab in Germany weren't necessarily John, Paul, George, and Ringo.  In fact, according to some (less-than-unbiased) parties, "Stuart [Sutcliffe] is the fourth Beatle. It was John, Paul, George and Stuart. Then it was John, Paul, George, Stuart and Pete. Pete Best is the fifth Beatle, without question. And all the others can be the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh...whatever they want."  That's from Pauline Sutcliffe, by the way.  So who were these other Beatles then, and why didn't they make it to the Bandstand?

There's Stuart Sutcliffe, of course, who was Lennon's art school friend who played the bass (he was mediocre), gave the Beatles their signature hair (with the help of his German girlfriend), and died in April 1962 from a brain hemorrhage.  His story is dramatically depicted in the 1994 film Backbeat.

Then you have Pete Best, the pre-Ringo drummer who played with the Beatles in Liverpool and Hamburg for two years before being booted out for 'reasons unknown' in 1962.  Was his curly hair wrong for the mop-top look?  Was he just too good-looking?  Or was he crap at the drums?  The world will never know...

And don't forget Brian Epstein, the band's discoverer and first manager, who died in 1967 of an accidental sleeping pill overdose.  Apparently there's a film coming out actually called The Fifth Beatle, and that Beatle is Brian.

The next candidate for the fifth Beatle would also be the second George - referring to producer George Martin.  He also accompanied the band on piano when the occasion arose...and other than that, his story is pretty boring.  No offense.

There's a slew of other possible fifths, from personal assistant and road manager Neil Aspinall to various musical contributors, loyal journalists, and band members from precursor bands, such as the Quarrymen, Johnny and the Moondogs, and the Silver Beatles.  Whichever way you look at it though, there's no girl Beatle.  What's that all about?  Looks like my British Invasion fantasy isn't about to happen.  Oh, also because I'm not British.  Or born in the 1940s.  Drats.