He was one of the founding members of the Beatles, but was fired from the group in August 1962, before the fab four made their first recording. What was his name?

Before the "Fab Four" became a household name, the Beatles' lineup looked slightly different. From 1960 to 1962, the man behind the drum kit was Pete Best. He joined the band just in time (Review) for their formative residencies in Hamburg, Germany, where they honed their craft playing long, energetic sets. His mother, Mona Best, also played a key role in their early career by running the Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool, which served as a regular venue for the burgeoning group.

The reasons for his abrupt dismissal in August 1962, on the eve of the band's breakthrough, are still debated. The band's new producer, George Martin, was not satisfied with Best's studio drumming and intended to use a session player for their first single. This gave John, Paul, and George the opening they needed to bring in their preferred drummer, Ringo Starr, who was then playing with another popular Liverpool group.

The timing was notoriously unfortunate for Best. Just weeks after he was fired, the Beatles, with Ringo now firmly in place, recorded "Love Me Do" and began their rapid ascent to global stardom. While often called one of the unluckiest men in music, Best eventually received significant royalties decades later when early recordings featuring his drumming were included on the Beatles' *Anthology 1* compilation album.