The Casbah Coffee Club, which opened in Liverpool on August 29, 1959, was the brainchild of Mona Best, the mother of Pete Best. It is well known that Pete Best was the drummer for The Beatles in their early days in Liverpool and Hamburg. But less well known is that The Beatles’ origins were in fact at Pete’s mother’s club-it was at the Casbah and with Mona Best’s blessing that the greatest popular music phenomenon of the twentieth century began. And now, the basement club where The Quarrymen, The Silver Beatles, and finally The Beatles played over 90 times before they hit the Cavern has been reopened and revealed by this remarkable new book. The Casbah’s significance cannot be overestimated-it brought together some of the greatest names in rock music and became the catalyst for the Mersey Beat phenomenon that swept Liverpool in the early 1960s. Seen here for the first time in forty years is the basement’s interior as it was at the very beginning, juxtaposed with the rooms as they are today, where the ceilings painted by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best still rest. A wealth of rare material from the club and the Bests’ own archives, together with newly-commissioned images by renowned photographer Sandro Sodano, documents the club’s and The Beatles’ intertwined stories. The Beatles: The True Beginnings also features accounts from early fans hearing the Beatles for the first time. Stunning new color photography of the rooms and memorabilia of the Casbah Coffee Club. Gritty, never-before seen photos of the young Beatles playing for hundreds of of their very first fans. And comments from the Beatles and their closest friends from the period. Accompanied by a fascinating personal memoir of this extraordinary time, written by Roag Best with his brothers Pete and Rory, this is both a moving family tribute and a unique insight into a remarkable period of Beatles history. The glory of the Casbah has hidden for almost half a century in the Best family’s basement rooms. This account of their earliest days promises to blow back its roof, and that of the Beatles’ unbelievable history, forever.

The Beatles: The True Beginnings

Biographies & Memoirs

Best, Pete

Best, Roag

Best, Rory

Arts & Literature

Thomas Dunne Books

The Casbah Coffee Club, which opened in Liverpool on August 29, 1959, was the brainchild of Mona Best, the mother of Pete Best. It is well known that Pete Best was the drummer for The Beatles in their early days in Liverpool and Hamburg. But less well known is that The Beatles' origins were in fact at Pete's mother's club---it was at the Casbah and with Mona Best's blessing that the greatest popular music phenomenon of the twentieth century began. And now, the basement club where The Quarrymen, The Silver Beatles, and finally The Beatles played over ninety times before they hit the Cavern has been reopened and revealed by this remarkable book. Seen here for the first time in forty years is the basement's interior as it was at the very beginning, juxtaposed with the rooms as they are today, where the ceilings painted by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best still rest. A wealth of rare material from the club and the Bests' own archives, together with newly commissioned images by renowned photographer Sandro Sodano, documents the club's and The Beatles' intertwined stories. The Beatles: The True Beginnings features accounts from early fans hearing The Beatles for the first time, stunning new color photography of the rooms and memorabilia of the Casbah Coffee Club, gritty, never-before seen photos of the young Beatles playing for hundreds of their very first fans, and comments from The Beatles and their closest friends from the period. The Casbah brought together some of the greatest names in rock music and became the catalyst for the Mersey Beat phenomenon that swept Liverpool in the early 1960s. Accompanied by a fascinating personal memoir of this extraordinary time, written by Roag Best with his brothers Pete and Rory, this is both a moving family tribute and a unique insight into a remarkable period of Beatles history. This account of the Casbah's earliest days blows back its roof, and that of The Beatles' unbelievable history, forever.

Humor & Entertainment

St. Martin's: Griffin

John, Paul, George . . . and Pete. Few people know much about the Beatles original drummer, Pete Best. His career with the Beatles spanned the riotous Hamburg club days, and the zenith of the Cavern gigs, only to be cut short just before the group hit the big time. His book gives a unique insight into the formative years of the worlds greatest pop group.

Beatle!: The Pete Best Story

Doncaster, Patrick

Plexus Pub

Before there was Ringo, there was Pete. Drummer with the Beatles from 1960 to 1962, Best played with the band in Liverpool and Hamburg, then was unceremoniously dropped on the eve of fame and fortune. In Beatle! he relates previously unknown anecdotes that form a fascinating look at the least-documented period of Beatles history.

Plexus Publishing

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Best, Pete. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Best, Pete

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Best, Pete. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Beatles: The True Beginnings

The Beatles: The True Beginnings

Beatle!: The Pete Best Story

Beatle!: The Pete Best Story