Obscure Beatles Facts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Colin

The drummer for the Quarrymen, ca. 1956.

Answer: Larry Parnes

Larry Parnes, a promoter of Elvis look-alikes with violent sounding names like 'Billy Fury' and 'Marty Wilde', teamed the Beatles up with 'Johnny Gentle'

Answer: The Indra Club

The Indra was where Koschmider first booked the Beatles, later moving them to the Kaiserkeller, after the Indra was shut down.

Answer: Jurgen Vollmer

Jurgen met up with John and Paul in Paris. He cut their hair in the 'Beatle' style, and they mimicked his style of dress (e.g., the collarless jackets, bell-bottom pants, etc.). This is based on Paul's recollections in the Beatles' 'Anthology' Book.

Answer: He owned his own drum kit, and he was available.

The Beatles needed a drummer -- fast. They were booked to go to Hamburg for the first time. They knew Pete because his mother Mona ran the 'Casbah' club out of her basement. Pete had the drum set, he was available to go, and he was an adequate drummer.

Answer: Hofner, Rickenbacker, Gretsch, and Vox

The Beatles used primarily German equipment (American was too expensive). George and John played Rickenbacker guitars (though George later also played the Gretsch Chet Atkins model). Stu Sutcliff and Paul McCartney both played Hofner basses (though Paul later played a Rickenbacker bass as well), and the Beatles initially used Vox amps (after 1967, they used Fender equipment as well).

A side note: Ringo initially played 'Premier' drums, still a very good English manufacturer. He switched to Ludwigs in 1963, and he still plays them to this day.

Answer: Allan Williams

Allan Williams, owner of the Jacaranda Club, near John's art college, got the Beatles their first gigs, especially in Hamburg.

Answer: Helen Shapiro

Helen Shapiro. In fact, 'Please Please Me' went to Number 1 in the UK while the Beatles were on that tour, and eventually they ended up headlining the tour, much to their embarrassment (They felt sorry for Helen Shapiro.)

Answer: He was at Heathrow Airport when the Beatles returned from Sweden and saw 10 thousand kids screaming their lungs out.

Sullivan was at Heathrow Airport when the Beatles returned from Sweden. He saw thousands of English kids waiting for the Beatles and booked the group to play his show in February 1964.

Answer: All of these

They loved playing at the Hollywood Bowl because the bowl acted like a big reverb chamber or monitor. They could hear themselves. All of the reasons listed above contributed to them not hearing anything but the screams.

Answer: Peter Fonda

Fonda and the Beatles (save Paul) were all tripping on acid, and Fonda kept saying 'I know what it's like to be dead.' It really annoyed John and George, who kept asking Fonda to shut up. McGuinn and Crosby (from the Byrds) were there also.

Answer: Neil Aspinall

Neil began driving the Beatles around in Liverpool, for he was a friend of Pete Best's. Mal was their roadie; Derek, their press agent; Brian, their manager.

Answer: Shea Stadium

Shea. It seats 56,000 people. The Beatles sold it out in 1965, and played to 46,000 there in 1966 (perhaps due to John's 'Jesus' remark).

Answer: Magic Alex

Alexis Mardas, the son of a Greek General in the ruling junta, was neither very magical nor was he much of an electronics wizard, but John liked him, so he hung out with the Beatles for about three years.

Answer: False

There are many stories about when they first tried marijuana. Some say it was in the summer of 1964. Apparently, Bob Dylan turned them on in New York City during the Beatles' 1964 summer tour of the US. Other sources indicate that it was earlier, circa 1960-61, in either Liverpool, Hamburg, or somewhere else.

Answer: John and George's dentist, spring 1965

It was a dentist who knew John and George. He slipped it into their after-dinner coffee.

Answer: The Budokan

The Budokan, a 'sacred' hall once dedicated to exhibitions of martial arts, had never hosted a rock n' roll concert before. There were many protests over the Beatles playing there.

Answer: Almost getting killed in Manilla

The one event that really set them onto this course was the whole debacle in the Philippines. The other choices have merit, but their narrow escape from Manilla was really the last straw.

Answer: Pilcher

Sgt. Detective Pilcher made a name for himself by busting Donovan, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and then eventually half of the Beatles, all for drug possession. He was later arrested and imprisoned for perjuring himself (Hope he had fun in prison!)

Answer: Geoff Emerick

Geoff Emerick was the recording engineer on virtually all of the Beatles records, except on parts of the 'White Album' and 'Let it Be'.