Friday 18 July 2008
On 18 July 2008, it was announced that Pete Best — The Beatles’ original drummer — was to release a new CD entitled Haymans Green. The autobiographical album was scheduled for release on 16 September 2008.
Where it all began — The Cavern, officially licensed
Official Beatles The Cavern unisex T-shirt.
Haymans Green
Haymans Green chronicles Best’s experiences from his time as a Beatle. The album takes its name from Haymans Green in West Derby, Liverpool — the street where The Casbah Club was located. The Casbah was opened in 1959 by Best’s mother Mona Best, and it was there that The Beatles began their career.
Best reflected on the album’s themes:
“The excitement around the club and The Beatles was overwhelming for us all. When that ended for me I found myself Broken, the title of one of the tracks on the CD. We were on the verge of international stardom and then the dreams I helped build with my fellow Beatles were snatched away. I was left to crash and burn, Broken. I chose to stand tall. As the song says, ‘When I’m beat, you won’t see me down. When I’m weak, I’ll turn it around – or at least I’ll try.’ I think I did.”
— Pete Best
Haymans Green was Best’s first album of original material. According to Arnie Holland, CEO of Lightyear Entertainment: “[It is] as good as anything The Beatles did at their peak.”
The CD was made available through Lightyear Entertainment / Caroline / EMI and online through petebest.com.
Pete Best and The Beatles
Pete Best was the drummer for The Beatles from August 1960 until August 1962, when he was replaced by Ringo Starr just weeks before the group achieved national fame with Love Me Do. Best had been a founding member of the group’s Hamburg and Cavern Club line-up, and his dismissal — handled by manager Brian Epstein — remains one of the most discussed episodes in Beatles history.
The Casbah Club, opened by his mother Mona in the basement of the Best family home at 8 Haymans Green, West Derby, was a pivotal early venue for The Beatles. It is now a Grade II listed building and a place of pilgrimage for Beatles fans.
The Beatles at the Cavern, 1962 — officially licensed
Official Beatles Cavern Shots 1962 unisex T-shirt.
Key Details
| Announcement date | 18 July 2008 |
| Album title | Haymans Green |
| Artist | Pete Best |
| Release date | 16 September 2008 |
| Label | Lightyear Entertainment / Caroline / EMI |
| Named after | Haymans Green, West Derby, Liverpool — location of The Casbah Club |
| Notable track | Broken |
| Type | First album of original material by Pete Best |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pete Best's album Haymans Green about?
Haymans Green is an autobiographical album by Pete Best, The Beatles’ original drummer, released on 16 September 2008. It chronicles his experiences as a Beatle and is named after Haymans Green in West Derby, Liverpool, where The Casbah Club — opened by his mother Mona Best in 1959 — was located.
Why was Pete Best replaced in The Beatles?
Pete Best was replaced as The Beatles’ drummer by Ringo Starr in August 1962, just weeks before the group achieved national fame with Love Me Do. The decision was communicated by manager Brian Epstein. The exact reasons have never been fully explained publicly, though producer George Martin’s preference for session drummers and internal band dynamics are often cited.
What was The Casbah Club?
The Casbah Club was a music venue opened in 1959 by Mona Best in the basement of the Best family home at 8 Haymans Green, West Derby, Liverpool. It was one of the earliest venues where The Beatles performed and is now a Grade II listed building.
How long was Pete Best a Beatle?
Pete Best was The Beatles’ drummer from August 1960 to August 1962 — approximately two years. During that time the group performed extensively in Hamburg and at the Cavern Club in Liverpool.
→ Pete Best: Beatles History, Life & Legacy
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