untitled
The Pete Best Four/Combo
After his dismissal as drummer with The Beatles in August 1962, Best joined another Liverpool group, Lee Curtis & The All Stars. This band included both
· Tony Waddington Rhythm guitar
· Wayne Bickerton Bass guitar,
· Frank Bowen Lead guitar
· Pete Best drums
· after breaking away from Curtis, they replaced Frank with guitarist Tommy McGurk, and re-named themselves after their most famous member in September 1963.
They went to the USA during 1964 and, based in New York City,
spent quite a bit of time in the studio recording material some of
which was issued in the States on small independent labels during the
mid-60s. By the beginning of '65,Tommy McGurk had left the group, his place had been taken by a two-man brass section, Trevor Browne (Memphis R&B Combo) and Billy Burton.(The
Valkyies) This line-up, calling themselves The Pete Best Combo, toured
America during that year and also recorded an album for the American
Cameo label entitled "Best Of The Beatles", obviously aimed at cashing
in on Best's former association with another group. Billy was replaced
by another Billy, Wesley, but 66 after the band got back to Liverpool
Pete, disbanded the group and went into the civil service
.
Signed to Decca, the debut,
"I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door"
/Why Did I Fall In Love With You,
was produced by Mike Smith -
ironically the man who had
recorded the Beatles Decca audition
the year before. After the failure
of the single Decca dropped them.
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