
In January 1960, John Lennon's art college friend bought a bass guitar and became the band's first bass player. When the Beatles returned from their first Hamburg residency, Stuart stayed behind with his new girlfriend, Astrid Kirshherr.
The Beatles needed a bass guitarist for their upcoming Liverpool gigs. Pete Best asked his former bandmate, Chas Newby to stand in. Chas obliged for four gigs but then had to return to college when the Christmas vacation ended.
Paul McCartney switched from six strings to four and the group had a new bass player.
Stuart Sutcliffe played occasionally with the Beatles when they returned to Hamburg but his days as a Beatle were all but over.
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Author of Rock'n'Roll Unravelled, Derek Shelmerdine - guest appearance on the Mop Tops and The King Show with his segment The Beatles Unravelled.
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