The Beatles Beginnings

  • John Lennon Forms Band

    John Lennon forms a band with several of his friends from his school, Quarry Bank.
  • Paul McCartney Joins

    John Lennon and Paul McCartney become friends and Paul joins the band.
  • George Harrison Joins

    Although 14-year old George Harrison was originally considered too young, he impressed McCartney and Lennon with his guitar skills enough to join.
  • Lennon's Friend From Art School Joins

    Stuart Sutclfife buys a guitar and joins the band.
  • Officially Become "The Beatles"

    After several different names (Johnny and the Moondogs, The Beatals, The Silver Beetles, The Silver Beatles) they finally choose to be called The Beatles.
  • Pete Best Becomes Drummer

    The band's unofficial manage hires Pete Best to become the fifth member of the band.
  • Spend Two Years in Germany

    The five-person band travelled to Hamburg, Germany with their unofficial agent and performed and wrote songs (staying in hotels) there for two years.
  • Sutcliffe Leaves Band

    Stuart Sutcliffe, the bass player, leaves the band to continue his art studies. Paul McCartney takes up bass instead.
  • Find Managers

    Brian Epstein, who owned a nearby record shop, heard one of their performances and decided to help them find a record label to work with.
  • Sutcliffe Found Dead

    Stuart Sutcliffe, having been gone from the band for almost a year, is found dead with what would be determined to be a brain hemorrage.
  • Signed to EMI label

    The band is signed on to their first record label, EMI Parlophone with the help of producer George Martin.
  • Ringo Starr Joins

    Dissatisfied by Pete Best's drumming, the band replaces him with Ringo Starr.
  • First Recording Session

    They record as a band for the first time at EMI Parlophone studios, yielding the hit "Love Me Do".
  • Love Me Do is released

    "Love Me Do" is released and is number 17 on the Record Retailer chart.
  • First Album Is Released

    Recorded in one day, their debut album, Please Please Me, is released. It reached number one on almost every chart of London. And that was just the beginning...