The Beatles' temporary bassist Ches Newby: history and facts
Содержание
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
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!"
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..."
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..."
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
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....