Let’s address the elephant in the Abbey Road studio: the “Fifth Beatle” is a cursed title. It’s been claimed by dozens, from manager Brian Epstein to producer George Martin. But the real candidate? Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bassist who quit to paint and tragically died young. He was so good-looking that fans called him “The Beatle with the Angelic Face,” which is the most 1964 compliment ever.
Another contender is Pete Best, the drummer fired right before fame hit. He later said, “I was the unluckiest man in music,” to which Ringo probably replied, “Cheers, mate.” Today, there’s a whole museum dedicated to Pete’s hair. No, really—his haircut has its own Wikipedia page.
Beatles Names
