Date:

Author:
Category:

Ches Newby is a man who was The Beatles' bass player for several gigs

He played a couple of gigs in Liverpool with John, George and their then drummer Pete as a replacement for Sutcliffe. However, when the band decided to return to Germany, Ches stayed in his homeland, intending to get the education and profession he wanted, far from music...

The Beatles' temporary bassist Ches Newby: history and facts

Today. The Beatles known as the "Magnificent Liverpool Four", whose bassist and ideological "engine" (along with John Lennon) until the breakup was the Paul McCartney. However, the early history of the band, when the Beatles were just taking their first steps into the world of the music industry, was different... So, their first drummer was a Pete Bestand Paul's place was taken Stuart Sutcliffe. In the early 1960s, Sutcliffe temporarily left the line-up and stayed in Hamburg, Germany, to concentrate a little on the visual arts. And returning from Germany without him, the Beatles faced the question: who would be their new bass player?

This man's name is known only to the most devoted fans of The Beatles, who have studied the band's biography backwards and forwards. Most books about the Beatles don't even mention it! But that's not surprising: Chas Newby was the Beatles' bass player for only a few gigs. He played a couple of gigs in Liverpool with John, George and their then drummer Pete as Sutcliffe's replacement. However, when the band decided to return to Germany, Ches stayed in his homeland, intending to get the education and profession he wanted, far from music...

A useful acquaintance

The Beatles with Pete Best
The Beatles with Pete Best

When Ches briefly joined the Beatles, their line-up included George Harrison, John Lennon, Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe, who had decided to say goodbye to a career in music and devote himself to the visual arts. What Ches played with the Beatles several concertswas due to his connections, namely his mate relationship with Pete. In his interview, Newby said:

"Me and Pete knew each other well from another Liverpool band we used to play in, The Blackjacks!"

Chas Newby
Chas Newby

So, back to the events that forced the Beatles to enlist the help of Ches. With the band returning to Liverpool and Sutcliffe staying in Germany, the Beatles urgently needed bassist for four gigstwo of which were held at Liverpool's legendary The Casbah Coffee Club. One concert that Newby played with the band at the Litherland Town Hall in Litherland, England, was retrospectively labelled the beginning of Beatlemania. Even then, the Beatles were already gaining fans, and female fans in particular... Around the same time, Newby was in his second year of university. Many years later he recalled:

"I was asked to play bass as a temporary replacement for Stuart. I knew it wouldn't be for long, so I agreed..."

George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon.
George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon.

Shortly after the last gig in Liverpool with Newby on bass, it was time for the band to return to Hamburgand Ches stayed in his homeland.

"I assumed Stuart would be back by early January 1961..."

He was far from the truth, for as early as 1962 Sutcliffe died of a cerebral haemorrhages at the age of 21.

He never wanted to be a professional musician

When their paths parted, Ches had no way of knowing how legendary the Beatles would become just a few years later. But such speculation he had. And yet.

"In my mind I could allow that one day they would be a great band. You know, miracles happen, and the guys you have coffee with today could be stars tomorrow! But no matter what, I wasn't going to stay in the band from the beginning. I knew I was going back to college. It was very important to me. Oh, and I never intended to become a professional musician - rather, music was my teenage hobby. I knew it was never going to be my livelihood. You know, everyone has their own path in life. For me, my true passion was chemistry. That's what I always wanted to do..."

Ches Newby as a young man
Ches Newby as a young man

Newby also recalled feesthat he and the other Beatles guys got for their gigs:

"We got £1 for each performance and that was not sustenance. I worked and my education was paid for..."

Further history

The Beatles
The Beatles

So: in 1962, Sutcliffe was gone. Soon enough. Paul McCartney took over bass duties in the band, and Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starrand thus completing the most famous line-up in British rock history.

As for Newby - he got a degree in chemistry and became a teacher, which, in his own words, he was always more than satisfied with. However, Newby hasn't completely given up on music. Since 2016, he's been performing and touring with a revamped tribute lineup The Quarrymen - the name of the band that can be considered the starting point in the history of The Beatles. Alas, Chas passed away in May 2023 at the age of 81....

LEAVE ANSWER

Please enter your comment!
please enter your name here

62 − 56 =

'Pretty Woman With A Secret': Debbie Harry's 'Blondie' Secrets She Long Hid From Fans

Debbie Harry: facts about her personal life and career Debbie Harry is unfortunately a rarity: a surviving 78-year-old punk scene icon whose career developed during the era of...

Yuri Antonov - The Hardest Idol: Antics and Scandals That Made Producers Walk Away From the Master

Yuri Antonov: character, scandals, antics Recently, producer Sergey Lavrov said that Yuri Antonov is the most difficult, capricious and wayward maestro of the domestic variety, with whom he...

Ekaterina Batrakova: "A good half of academic musicians listen to good rock"

Ekaterina Batrakova - interview: about career and plans for the future The correspondent of Fuzz Music talked to the rock singer Katya Batrakova, whose songs have repeatedly hit the...

From babes to masters of mayhem: what iconic rock bands were called at the beginning of their journey

Cult rock bands and their original names It is not without reason that they say, "What you name the ship, so it will sail". So choosing a band name is a big deal, and,...

Vocals Only: What our favourite rock hits sound like without music - Part Two

Top 6 favourite rock hits with vocals only. Part Two Rock compositions that have become iconic over the years are planned as a whole work of art or performance even at the stage of writing, so...

Who did I Wanna Be Your Man better, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones?

The song "I Wanna Be Your Man": history of creation, best performance, covers In the 60's, many bands that later became world-famous were just beginning their creative rise. Such ...

Plant, Osbourne, Harrison - members of iconic rock bands who don't like to remember the period

Plant, Osbourne, Harrison: why these iconic rockers don't like to reminisce about their popular bands Music history remembers quite a few truly iconic rock bands - their influence...

Did the Beatles really come from bugs, or how did the iconic band get its name

How The Beatles got their name, and what "beetles" have to do with it When someone abroad hears the word "beetle" (beetle), they think of...

Were the Beatles friends with Queen

Was there friendship between the members of The Beatles and Queen There are many people among music lovers who are both fans of the iconic The Beatles and the equally...

What John Lennon "embezzled" from a music shop during the Beatles' first overseas trip

How The Beatles' first overseas trip turned out to be the "theft of the century" Despite their global status, The Beatles - like any other band - started out with...

The five worst songs by The Beatles: It's hard to believe they sang it

Even The Beatles have their worst songs - Top of the weakest tunes from the iconic foursome Even brilliant musicians are in decline from time to time. And the iconic ...

Why Charlie Watts didn't like The Beatles.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones: Was there really animosity between the two iconic bands? The Beatles and The Rolling Stones - these...
Recommended

'Pretty Woman With A Secret': Debbie Harry's 'Blondie' Secrets She Long Hid From Fans

Debbie Harry: facts about her personal life and career Debbie Harry is unfortunately a rarity: a surviving 78-year-old punk scene icon whose career developed during the era of...

Yuri Antonov - The Hardest Idol: Antics and Scandals That Made Producers Walk Away From the Master

Yuri Antonov: character, scandals, antics Recently, producer Sergey Lavrov said that Yuri Antonov is the most difficult, capricious and wayward maestro of the domestic variety, with whom he...

"Men Who Sing": Patrick Swayze, Bradley Cooper - Actors Who Have Performed Loud Hits

Actors who have performed hits: names, clips, facts Many actors are very bright and versatile personalities! They make us laugh to tears or tremble to goosebumps, but besides...

Ekaterina Batrakova: "A good half of academic musicians listen to good rock"

Ekaterina Batrakova - interview: about career and plans for the future The correspondent of Fuzz Music talked to the rock singer Katya Batrakova, whose songs have repeatedly hit the...

Brigitte Bardot: Four Marriages, Lonely Old Age - And Not a Drop of Regret

Brigitte Bardot: personal life, relationships and husbands In her youth, Brigitte Bardot was one of the most beautiful women in France - as, in fact, and the world cinema in...

What Lolita Milyavskaya is grateful to Pugacheva for

Lolita Milyavskaya and Alla Pugacheva: friendship, relationship, photos To call Lolita and Alla Borisovna girlfriends - somehow the language does not turn. Let the relationship between them always and...

Maksim and His Brother Dmitry Galkin - When the Apple Has Fallen Far From the Apple Tree

Maxim Galkin* and his brother Dmitry: biography, photos and facts Often children repeat their parents at an already realised age - their actions, their aspirations,... И...

Yuri Antonov: "Broken Zhiguli and a flat in Vykhino" - What the Artist Spent His Millions on, and How Much He's Ready to Perform for Today

Yuri Antonov: royalties, wealth, fortune Yachts, houses, business class cars... Yes, the sweet life of today's artists can only be envied, because they are literally like cheese in...

"In Her Mother's Footsteps": Olga Rozhdestvenskaya - How She Lives and Looks Today

Olga Rozhdestvenskaya: biography, career, photos and facts In the USSR there were many talented singers - with a beautiful voice, diction, manner of performance and, in fact, repertoire. How many gorgeous...