The Beatles were an English rock band that formed in Liverpool, in 1960. With John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the greatest and most influential act of the rock era. But it didn't look like this would ever be achieved in their early years.

John Lennon met Paul McCartney when they were both performing in Skiffle Groups, which were bands that played music styles such as folk, rock and jazz. John was in a group called The Quarrymen, but felt that the group wasn't really headed in the right direction. Paul introduced John to George Harrison, who John was skeptical about letting join the group because of his younger age. Eventually, his persistence got him in the group. John, Paul and George, with the addition of Johns Friend, Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best, set out to work in German clubs and bars, where musicians were able to make a decent living playing at low end establishments. During their time in Germany, Stu Sutcliffe decided to return to his first love, art, and a new love, a woman he had met in Germany. Stu later died of a brain hemorrhage, which some suspect was due to his previous involvement in a club fight. The remaining members, now called The Silver Beatles, returned to Liverpool, where John dealt with feelings of failure and a pregnant girlfriend, whom he reluctantly married.

The Beatles and Their Beginnings

The Silver Beatles

A young Paul McCartney and John Lennon jamming out