I don't think Pete Best will be allowed to use the Beatles name while Yoko is alive. For some reason, I think Yoko will outlive us all - she's that type. Think Zelda in Terrahawks.

may have accidentally been a teeny-weeny cash-in on his association with the biggest band in the world. Or just an unfortunate coincidence.

Even if John, Paul, George, Ringo, all their wives, ex-wives, kids and grandchildren died, there is still not even a nano-chance that Pete Best could trade as The Beatles.

...in fact I'm sure he wouldn't, but I am saying that he probably COULD. That it would be his moral right, certainly; his legal right perhaps more questionably. I'm really pondering this in abstract/philosophical terms, not laying odds on people's likely longevity.

But for precedence (on a non-abstract level) we need think only of the sacked bass player from the Bachelors who seems to be gnawing away at the lives of 'Con & Dec The Bachelors [see nearby thread]' with his dastardly alternative Bachelors, let alone all those 50s/60s/70s acts with one or indeed NO original members left - merely with people who replaced people and who are now left with the name eg. Dr Feelgood, Smokie, loads of doo-wop/Motown soul acts... and Thin Lizzy seems to be Scott Gorham plus a bunch of guys who maybe played with Lynott solo in some vague capacity for a few weeks and now have big windows in their diaries...

As for Pete's immediate post-Beatles years (the mid 60s)when his record label lumbered him - rather ingeniously, you must admit - with an album called 'Best Of The Beatles', yes, he/they were 'cashing in', but that was for a couple of years when the wounds were raw, after which Pete left music and tried to get on with life painting/decorating and civil servicing (civilly serving...?).... until more or less his Anthology windfall. He's back playing music because clearly that's what he likes doing, and good luck to him (I hesitate to say 'Best of luck to him' !).

Really, I can't imagine anyone else placed in his circumstances would have coped or conducted themselves much better. Once bitterness sets in, it's a bugger to shift. I once interviewed, 25 years after Woodstock, the drummer from Canned Heat: now there was a man consumed with bitterness based on the view that (a) Heat were the best band at the thing but (b)some kind of sinister conspiracy had meant they weren't included in the original film and hence their career was torpedoed. Even if this WERE true (let's not even start...), it was a lifetime ago - you can CHOOSE, for the good of your sanity and health, to let things like that go. And 25 years is more than enough time in which to do that...

a long time ago (81/82) I saw Roag Best's band play at Kirklands in Liverpool - on keyboards? Mr Craig Charles of Coronation Street fame. No relevance to anything really

...nonetheless!

No, I don't think so. Look at it this way: if you and a bunch of school mates - all the rest of whom went on to be successful public figures, publishing great books, becoming PM, whatever, for sake of argument - are the 'Class of '62' (or any other year) and the rest all pass away, there comes a point where you alone represent the 'Class of '62'. It doesn't matter that you went through life as an underachiever and everyone else became celebrated - nothing can ever take away from the fact that you were part of that illustrious year. And if, say 60 years on, the school wants to celebrate the achievements of its most famous year and you're the last man standing, your stock will be higher for that very reason: you'll be feted, guest of honour at the do, you will BE, to all intents and purposes, the 'Class of '62'.

Still not convinced? Think then of the centenarian Harry Patch (army) and his two companions, poignantly from the navy and air force, who are very last living UK veterans of WWI. It doesn't matter a jot that they were all low ranking, utterly anonymous (till relatively recently) 'footsoldiers' among a load of Admirals and Generals whose names are now in text books - THEIR names are now in text books and THEY are in the positions of greatest honour as leaders and highest representatives of the phalanxes of armed services people who take part in Remembrance Day.

If anyone had said to any of the big-noise generals who survived WWI during, say, the 40s or 50s, 'See that guy there, Private Patch? One day he'll be most hallowed and venerated soldier in the land, leading the rembrance of the nation on November 11...' those generals who have probably said 'Him? Preposterous! What right would he have to do that?' His 'right' is that he's the last man standing; he was 'in' something (the UK land forces in WWI)that not one other soul left alive was in. And if Pete outlasts Ringo and Paul, he WILL be the last Beatle. And if that's the case I can't see who could possibly have the moral authority to say, 'Here, you - you can't go out as the Beatles!' (As said above, look at all those people - not EVEN one original member among some of them - going out as Dr Feelgood, Smokie, Thin Lizzy etc.)

Now, it MAY be the case that because the Beatles are such a huge business there might be something enshrined in contracts specific to the name in this case to prevent this - completely abstract, you understand - eventuality from happening. Certainly from happening while the others, who became the successful version of the Beatles, are still 'in business'. But after they're gone...? I think - if Pete really wanted to push it (and nothing about him suggests that he would) - there would be, at the very least, a day or two in court to be had.

I'm SURE there must be some similar-ish precedents out there, maybe not in terms of bands but other successful institutions/names revived by 'lesser' figures who can claim some kind of moral right to continue the 'brand'. I'm just thinking out loud here - any suggestions?

"Now, it MAY be the case that because the Beatles are such a huge business there might be something enshrined in contracts specific to the name in this case to prevent this"

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There's no MAY about it - it's a cast iron certainty! If they can take Steve Jobs to court just for using a picture of an Apple I think Pete Best would be in court quicker than Usain Bolt!

...I'm talking about what happens to the issue of rights - moral and otherwise - AFTER a hypothetical situation wherein Paul and Ringo (and, if it makes the argument cleaner, Olivia and Yoko too) predecease Pete. Now, come on, detach yourselves from the notion that 'hey, this is THE BEATLES' and imagine its any other band. One original member remaining. You don't think he has a perfect right to the name if he wants it?

Or look at it in a more pragmatic/21st Century business way: the Hendrix estate (run by his half sister) have been wheeling round on tour an act or show called 'Experience Hendrix' featuring a couple of surviving musicians associated with the Hendrix Experience - the late Mitch Mitchell and Billy Cox - and no doubt a bunch of anonymous people who can play the Hendrix ouevre on guitar. ANYTHING to keep the brand alive.

Now... IF the hypothetical situation I speak of with Pete transpires AND there is still an official 'Beatles machine' in operation (if the music business hasn't completely keeled over and died by then, in which no one would give a toss) then wouldn't it be perfectly conceovable, indeed LIKELY, that the people running the machine would do anything they could to co-opt the last member of the Beatles into fronting an 'Experience The Beatles' band or somesuch? Really, it's not remotely as ridiculous as some of you seem to think...

And I stand by my WWI analagy AS an analagy (it shouldn't be interpreted as a 'Beatles bigger than Jesus' thing just because I'm using an extra-musical metaphor with a delicate subject).

You may be right.Perhaps 'the Beatles' will become like a brass band - a reputation, a repertoire, positions filled generation after generation from within a tight-knit community...

Obviously, I'm only joking. Sort of. But I believe Ashley Hutchings' son has expressed an interest in taking over/keeping going the 'Albion Band' brand when the time comes, if there's enough interest... Not a million miles away from Frank Zappa's kids doing tribute shows with their dad's music...

...both dicey businesses to be in these days! Pete Best may yet outlast both the music and automobile industries...

Surely most successful groups have a sort of “Pete Best”, i.e someone who left or was booted out just before they got rich and famous. Don’t have much sympathy with them on the whole. Pop groups are gangs - if you don’t fit in you don’t fit in and that’s all there is to it.
Apart, perhaps from Ian Stewart, the “Pete Best” of the Rolling Stones, booted out because he had a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp but who, nevertheless, remained fiercely loyal to the group, contributed to all their major records, did lots of donkey work etc. and was much loved and respected by all the group, Now he really does merit some sympathy and respect in a way that Pete Best doesn’t really. He may be a nice fellow and all that but I don’t think he’s entitled to dine out on the success of The Beatles.

Now we're really entering the realms of fantasy - those D&TS guys are WAY too wealthy and influential in the world of music: their lawyers would never let Pete use the name in a million years... (Obviously, all those posters you see for 'Derry & the Seniors' down the Accrington Working Men's Club on a Tuesday night must be for a tribute act - couldn't possibly be the real thing...)

Your knowledge of Merseybeat minutiae certainly (Mersey)beats mine, Stimps. But going off on a total tangent (well, not totally - as Beatles bores will certainly spot the erstwhile Beatle drummer connection) can I recommend The Big Three as THE best Merseybeat act that never made it past the Mersey. The original power trio who made but a handful of records - some schmaltz, some so-so ballads and a few blistering slabs of beat group brilliance ('Cavern Stomp', 'Some Other Guy' come to mind)that comes closest to representing their true sound.

Johnny Gustafson (bass) pops up here and there in other bands in the 60s/70s, not sure the guitarist did much else and Johnny Hutch (drummer) - rare among Merseybeat types - turned his back on music, emigrated and has never tried comebacks or cabaret and almost never given interviews about the 60s. And yes, he's the bored looking bloke sitting in with the Beatles (John & Paul hamming it up for the camera) in that famous pic from their Johnny Gentle audition. I suppose, in a way, he was a 'Pete Best' of the band before even Pete Best. Now THERE'S something to put on your business card...