Best Of The Beatles Dept. - Who's A Pretty Boy, Then?

Pete Best was sacked from the Beatles for being prettier than Paul McCartney. Tough break. "We needed a gonk for a drummer," laughs Sir McCartney today. "Remember gonks? They were like these toy gnomes what the kids had. Big nose. Ringo passed the audition soon as he came through the door. He was homelier than Better Homes & Gardens! We all applauded, actually. Anyway, what mattered was I was officially the prettiest Beatle, as stated in my contract. And still am incidentally. I mean, I won't say a word against Pete, but he'd be the first to admit he hasn't aged at all well. That chin? The old hooter? He's a gonk! [winks to camera] Still not getting in the band, Pete!"

Sir (then just "Paul") McCartney knew his signature Puppy Pout™ was no match for Pete's broody magnetism

Exactly seventy-three years later to the day Pete got his revenge by finagling a bunch of out-of-work musicians (this is Liverpool, remember), and a drummer, to steal some gear and make an album with his name on it that surprised the nine people who bought it by being unaccountably swell. Yes, it's beetly. Peppersome, even. And yes, Pete's input was limited to tea urn and takeaway curry duties. He doesn't sing, or play the drums much, and his songwriting input is sketchy at best [oh very good - Ed.]. But do we care? Nope. Because it's a good album.

Cover notes: Using the head shot Sir McCartney bitchily ripped out of the group photo used for the Anthology cover [left - Ed.] was a good idea - for a back cover.  But it makes for a butt-ugly front cover, so I done did a replacement [above - Ed.] in an appropriately colorful Pop Art style. You don't care.

This post funded in part by Calm Down! The Liverpool City Council Domestic Violence Initiative