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    Letter offering Beatles tryout fetches $55,400

    LONDON (AP) — Christie's auction house says a handwritten letter from Paul McCartney offering a Beatles audition to a mystery drummer has sold for nearly 35,000 pounds ($55,400).

    The note, found folded in a book at a Liverpool yard sale, offered an audition to someone who had advertised their availability in the Liverpool Echo newspaper four days earlier. The unsigned ad said simply: "Drummer_Young_Free."

    The letter was dated Aug. 12, 1960 — two years before the band bounced drummer Pete Best in favor of Ringo Starr.

    Christie's said a European buyer made Tuesday's 34,850 pound winning bid over the phone.

    The auction house had estimated it would fetch more than 7,000 pounds ($11,000).

     
    • Sealed Records  •  6 mths ago
      That band will never make it. Not with those haircuts!
      • Bad Timing 6 mths ago
        And that music.Nobody will ever go for it.
      • SMC 6 mths ago
        I can still remember my gruff old Uncle Mike (God rest his soul) telling me the same thing in my grandmother's kitchen (God rest her soul) way back when.
      • SRH 6 mths ago
        Reporter: "When do you plan to get your hair cut?"
        George: "I had one yesterday!"
    • SRH  •  6 mths ago
      Remember when Saturday Night Live offered the Beatles $3000 to do a reunion on their show? I wonder what happened to that check Lorne Michaels had?
      • Steve B 6 mths ago
        Strange thing was that Lennon was on the phone with McCartney, who were both in New York at the time. They were going to go when Lennon received a call from his wife who talked him out of it.

        Too bad.
      • SRH 6 mths ago
        @Steve. . .

        I know: So close and yet so far. Thank you very much, ONO!
      • michael 6 mths ago
        Lets not forget that Lorne suggested they could pay Ringo less than the fair share if they accepted his offer. haha
    • The MeXorcist  •  Los Angeles, United States  •  6 mths ago
      And the bottom of the letter read:

      P.S. I love you.
      • Kryptik 6 mths ago
        That tooth whitener hasn't had much of an effect yet, has it?
      • The MeXorcist 6 mths ago
        Get off my digk already.
    • bite-me  •  6 mths ago
      ...and the rest is history folks!
    • tomcib  •  Beijing, China  •  6 mths ago
      Yeah, yeah, yeah.
    • Unbiased American  •  Phoenix, United States  •  6 mths ago
      I loved the Beatles ... must be nice to have such an excess of personal spending money you can buy crap like this for such high prices. I was lucky to be able just to afford a few Beatles records. I remember them selling pieces of the sheets the Beatles slept on during their tours in the 60's. I guess if someone could have fished Beatle poop out of the toilet there would be a long line to buy it. RIP George and John.
      • M Caine 6 mths ago
        Actually, if someone with the financial means decided to purchase something of value, they made an investment to protect themselves against the devaluation of the money from all the printing of currency (inflation). I'm fairly sure that the yard sale shopper who lucked out and received the cash wasn't so wealthy and will spend it to enrich there life. The money will re-circulate. Stop wanting a bigger slice
        of a shrinking pie handed to you and take care of yourself so the pie grows. Then again, it's not your money or your business anyway, is it?
    • Hey Whitey  •  6 mths ago
      There was Elvis, The Beatles and then everyone else!
    • Col Korn  •  6 mths ago
      The reason they got rid of Pete is because he wanted to call it
      THE PETE BEST BAND
    • davidH  •  Los Angeles, United States  •  6 mths ago
      This "mystery drummer" has been kicking himself ever since 1964.
    • Free-Bird  •  Chicago, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Very funny everyone, now get back to work.
    • U cant handle the truth  •  Sydney, Australia  •  6 mths ago
      Beatles forever!!!
    • Sikovitt  •  Athens, United States  •  6 mths ago
      "Dear Mr. Piddlington, We thought you played quite well, but I doubt we will make it big with a drummer named Elmer. Thankyou for your time.
    • the_angry_american  •  6 mths ago
      Alas...as history would show: John Bonham's dance w/ fame (and a different band) would have to wait a few more years....
    • Kryptik  •  6 mths ago
      Save your money. I heard them play in Germany and they'll never amount to anything. Pete Best, the drummer, is the only one with any talent. He should join the Lettermen. Now there's a band that is going to change music as we know it!
    • Roger  •  6 mths ago
      I got a letter from the Mosquitoes. Bingo,Bango,Bongo and Irving. I guess they landed on an island somewhere and I never heard back from them.
    • Gemologist  •  Richardson, United States  •  6 mths ago
      To put this in perspective folks, A 7-Page hand-written letter from Lafayette to a friend detailing his defeat of Cornwallis at Yorktown - written the day after the battle, bought almost the exact same amount - a record to this day for a Lafayette Letter - a few years ago... So this is a huge price...
    • anthony  •  Pompano Beach, United States  •  6 mths ago
      he coulda been a BEATLE.
    • M Shake  •  Manchester, United States  •  6 mths ago
      it was me dammit!
    • Roger  •  6 mths ago
      I showed up with my drum set and they told me to beat it. It should have been John,Paul,George and Roger.
    • Eddie  •  6 mths ago
      The very first Beatle drummer spontaniously combusted during a solo!
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