Fifth Beatle
As the " fifth Beatle " were in the course of pop history by the media at the - directly with one exception of 15 months after its founding - consisting of four members Beatles refers to those persons who the group were close to and / or for the group were of great importance.
- Neil Aspinall was a school friend of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, who took over for the Beatles assistant tasks and can be heard as a musician on several recordings of the Beatles.
- George Best was at the same time successful as a football player and was referred to as the fifth Beatle because of his popularity, his lifestyle and his long hair by the media.
- Pete Best was before Ringo Starr until August 1962 the drummer for the Beatles.
- Brian Epstein was from 1961 to 1967 manager of the Beatles and important driving force for the international success of the group.
- George Martin was a producer and arranger of the Beatles, in particular worked in the creative field with them strongly together and playing on some recordings piano.
- Jimmie Nicol took the diseased Ringo Starr in 1964 for a total of 17 concerts as a drummer.
- Yoko Ono was the second wife of John Lennon. She has been accused of influences on the Beatles (usually unpleasant ).
- Billy Preston played during the sessions that later became the album Let It Be was, Hammond organ and electric piano.
- Stuart Sutcliffe was the bassist for the Beatles and an old friend of John Lennon, he is in express the only " real fifth Beatle ", with him, the band in the years 1960/1961 of five members. His story is told, among other things in the film Backbeat.
- Klaus Voormann designed the cover of the LP Revolver and can be heard on solo albums by John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as a bass player.
Paul McCartney, the decision was not difficult: "If anyone should be referred to as the fifth Beatle, then Brian Epstein ."
Other influences of the term
As a result, Lisa the Vegetarian ( Season 7 ) of the animated series The Simpsons Apu claims to have called him " the fifth Beatle ". The figure Paul McCartney - spoken by himself - confirms this.
Referring to George Martin as the " fifth Beatle " itself had Geoff Emerick, the longtime sound engineer of the EMI referred to as " the sixth Beatle ".