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Lot Essay
The Tom Tom drum included in this lot originally formed part of Paul McCartney's first drum kit, originally sold at Sotheby's in 1982 with a letter of authenticity from Mike McCartney. As well as the drum in this lot, that kit consisted of a snare, base, side base tom tom, two High hat Krut special cymbals and a clash cymbal. Paul McCartney is not best known for his drumming skills but did own this drum kit before the Beatles were formed and is in fact shown with the kit in a photograph taken circa 1960 reproduced in his brother, Mike McCartney's book Thank U Very Much. As such, this drum forms part of the first drum kit used by the Beatles.
When the Quarrymen played at the St Peter's Church fete in Woolton on Saturday 5 July, 1957, it was with the line-up of John Lennon and Eric Griffiths on guitar, Rod Davis on banjo, Pete Shotton on washboard and Colin Hanton on his Broadway drum kit - pictures from that era show that the kit included an identical Tom Tom to this one. When he left the band in early 1959, the Quarrymen performed without a drummer for the rest of that year, with Lennon, McCartney and Harrison claiming ...the rhythm's in the guitars... whenever they were challenged about the lack of percussion in the group. Tommy Moore joined the group, then renamed The Silver Beetles, as drummer for a brief period in 1960 during their seven-date tour of Scotland with Johnny Gentle but when he left the band shortly afterwards, Paul McCartney traded in his Zenith guitar and, for a brief period, took over playing the drums for the band, possibly using the drum in this lot.
Later on, when McCartney went to record the Wings album, Band On The Run in Lagos, he was let down by drummer, Denny Seiwell, and ended up playing the drums himself. In an interview with Timothy White, McCartney recalls the sessions: Actually it was good because it meant I could play drums--or that we were stuck with me as the drummer, depending on your outlook. I've just gotta be simple in my playing, because I can't be complicated...The best compliment I got from that was when I was out in L.A. in 1974 visiting John [Lennon] ...Keith Moon was staying with them. What a crowd! But I remember Keith saying, "Say, who was that drummer on Band on the Run?" That was the biggest accolade I could get...
When the Quarrymen played at the St Peter's Church fete in Woolton on Saturday 5 July, 1957, it was with the line-up of John Lennon and Eric Griffiths on guitar, Rod Davis on banjo, Pete Shotton on washboard and Colin Hanton on his Broadway drum kit - pictures from that era show that the kit included an identical Tom Tom to this one. When he left the band in early 1959, the Quarrymen performed without a drummer for the rest of that year, with Lennon, McCartney and Harrison claiming ...the rhythm's in the guitars... whenever they were challenged about the lack of percussion in the group. Tommy Moore joined the group, then renamed The Silver Beetles, as drummer for a brief period in 1960 during their seven-date tour of Scotland with Johnny Gentle but when he left the band shortly afterwards, Paul McCartney traded in his Zenith guitar and, for a brief period, took over playing the drums for the band, possibly using the drum in this lot.
Later on, when McCartney went to record the Wings album, Band On The Run in Lagos, he was let down by drummer, Denny Seiwell, and ended up playing the drums himself. In an interview with Timothy White, McCartney recalls the sessions: Actually it was good because it meant I could play drums--or that we were stuck with me as the drummer, depending on your outlook. I've just gotta be simple in my playing, because I can't be complicated...The best compliment I got from that was when I was out in L.A. in 1974 visiting John [Lennon] ...Keith Moon was staying with them. What a crowd! But I remember Keith saying, "Say, who was that drummer on Band on the Run?" That was the biggest accolade I could get...