When the Beatles returned from West Germany for the first time, they were short of a bass guitarist. Pete Best suggested Chas Newby. Newby had been with The Black Jacks (Pete Best's group), and was now attending university; however, he was on holiday, and so he agreed to play with the Beatles."But Xmastime", you say in the voice of Craig “Ironhead” Heyward from those soap commercials (RIP), “didn't you point how earth-shattering Paul being the one to pick up the bass would become?"
Newby appeared with the Beatles for four engagements. John Lennon asked him to go to West Germany for the Beatles' second trip, but Newby chose to return to university. After Lennon and George Harrison both declined to switch to bass guitar, Paul McCartney, who previously played guitar and piano, reluctantly became the band's bass player.
Sigh. Yes I did, faithful reader
A better version of the movie Yesterday (which I reviewed here) would be revisiting the fateful moment when Paul picked up the bass after Stuart Sutcliffe left the band. Normally, John being the inferior guitar player would mean he'd be relegated to being the bass player, but him being the leader of the band allowing him to refuse, leaving it to Paul, forever changed the future of the band and rock and roll itself, as Paul went on to become the most inventive bass player of all time. With John on bass, how different would The Beatles have turned out?
I'd watch that movie!
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