10 Bands That Actually Got Better After Losing Members
1. The Beatles
Most of the Beatles' journey to the top of the rock world has gone down in legend at this point. After working in the club circuit in their hometown of Liverpool, people still tell the tale of the Fab Four gracefully stepping into rock history on The Ed Sullivan Show, with one pop-flavored hit after another. Though it seemed like the entire group had remarkable synergy, it didn't really work out that way when they first started.
Formed as the result of schoolboys, the main lineup of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison was originally a five piece, with Stu Sutcliffe behind the bass and Pete Best on drums. While Sutcliffe looked every bit the part with his James Dean persona, his total incompetence on the bass and focus on art led to him abandoning rock and roll altogether.
Though McCartney graciously switched over to the four-string, the real magic still wasn't secure until producer George Martin pointed out Best's off-kilter drumming style when it came time to record. Despite some major pushback from fans, the band quickly drafted in Ringo Starr from rival band Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, who ended up being just the kind of song-centric drummer who knew just when to pull back and hit hard at every turn. While the Fabs could have gone on with Best behind the kit, the entire history of rock and roll may have turned out a whole lot different.