Defined as the group member who was fired and replaced shortly before the group's commercial breakthrough.
Thought about this when reading Kathy Valentine's memoir, when she tells the story of taking over on bass for the Go-Go's on a minute's notice, which marked the end of the line for their original bassist Margot Olavarria. Within a few months the group signed with IRS Records and started recording their debut album which eventually went to #1.
― Josefa, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:21 (three years ago) link
Jason Everman and Chad Channing (Nirvana)
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:24 (three years ago) link
Glen Matlock, sort of?
― clemenza, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:25 (three years ago) link
Self XP Everman was also in Soundgarden for minute before they really got big.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:26 (three years ago) link
I don't have the specifics, but iirc the Impressions had a couple extra singers who bailed shortly before their breakthrough single "Gypsy Woman" was recorded.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:31 (three years ago) link
Belinda Carlisle just missed fame and fortune with the Germs and was never heard from again.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:32 (three years ago) link
Lanier Greig & Dan Mitchell (ZZ Top)
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:50 (three years ago) link
Courtney Love and Faith No More
― Why does this relates to Yoda? (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:52 (three years ago) link
idk how much this counts but Eddie Jobson was briefly a member of Yes during the 90125 days but was replaced by Tony Kaye because they needed original members in order to continue calling themselves "Yes"
― frogbs, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:54 (three years ago) link
Has to be fired? I don't know if Stephen Duffy was fired or left Duran Duran before their debut
― Vinnie, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 02:56 (three years ago) link
Yeah, my first thought was fired only, because there might be too many cases where people voluntarily left. But those cases are interesting as well.
― Josefa, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:07 (three years ago) link
Fella by the name of Dave Mustaine.
― pplains, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:13 (three years ago) link
Keeping it to drummers:
John Rutsey - RushRichard Edson - Sonic YouthTerry Chimes - The ClashMisty Farrell - Sleater-Kinney
― asthmatic american, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:23 (three years ago) link
Would've thought Bob Bert for Sonic Youth
― Josefa, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:28 (three years ago) link
vini lopez - e street bandchuck johnson - superchunk
i don't think rutsey was fired, but i could be wrong
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:33 (three years ago) link
Mannheim, drummer of Mayhem, got replaced by legendary Hellhammer, and unfortunately wasn't around when album sales increased from 3 to 5
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:34 (three years ago) link
gary young - pavement
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:34 (three years ago) link
guitarist Henry Pandovi was fired from The Police a few months before "Roxanne" though maybe that doesn't count because he wasn't really replaced, Andy Summers was already in the band
this happens a lot in prog. Peter Banks and Tony Kaye from Yes, Anthony Phillips from Genesis, David O'List from The Nice, like a dozen dudes in Magma
― frogbs, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:44 (three years ago) link
John Mayhew of Genesis, since he was replaced on drums by Phil Collins.
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:45 (three years ago) link
Anthony Phillips quit, I think, cos he wanted to write 40 minute songs and not tour
Terry Chimes - The Clash
also, keith levine
― visiting, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:45 (three years ago) link
Chris Stewart - Genesis
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 03:48 (three years ago) link
also Mick the Prick, who died tragically in the Battle of Epping Forest
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 04:00 (three years ago) link
Richard Hell x2: Television / Heartbreakersnot technically fired but pressured to leave in the case of The Heartbreakers the rest of the band quit, then reformed without him!
― Paul, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 04:01 (three years ago) link
Doug Sampson - Iron Maiden
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 04:02 (three years ago) link
Peter Laughner
― Master of Treacle, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 06:57 (three years ago) link
good thread topic and OP Josefa, FPing everyone who just posts some name without even suggesting what band they were fired from, let alone adding a gentle seasoning of further context
― Steppin' RZA (sic), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 07:37 (three years ago) link
I didn't know this, but Judy Dyble was fired from Fairport Convention and replaced by Sandy Denny.
― joni mitchell jarre (anagram), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 07:48 (three years ago) link
Ian Stewart, Rolling Stones,
He was removed from the line-up in May 1963 at the request of manager Andrew Loog Oldham who felt he did not fit the band's image. He remained as road manager and pianist for over two decades and was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the rest of the band in 1989.
Too old? Wyman was older. Too ugly? LOL it's the Stones.
― Sonny Shamrock (Tom D.), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 08:21 (three years ago) link
David O’List left Roxy Music after an altercation with Paul Thompson. Was replaced by Phil Manzanera just before they recorded their debut.
― Dan Worsley, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 08:51 (three years ago) link
Yeah, I was playing on it. https://t.co/9kLsUXNBJS— Pete Best (@BeatlesPeteBest) July 16, 2020
― Sam Weller, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 09:06 (three years ago) link
Ian Stewart... Too old? Wyman was older. Too ugly? LOL it's the Stones.
― A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Chooglin (will), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 11:08 (three years ago) link
Yes, he was far too healthy looking.
― Sonny Shamrock (Tom D.), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 11:30 (three years ago) link
Kate Schellenbach of the Beastie Boys
― (the one with 3 L's) (Willl), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 11:32 (three years ago) link
It's not a very accurate comparison, but maybe Graham Simpson of Roxy Music?
(I'm kind of fascinated that Bryan Ferry's early band - the Gas Board- had Grham Simpson, film-director Mike Figgis and the record producer John Porter (The Smiths, Elvis Costello among many more). But there's very little information about them.
― Luna Schlosser, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 12:49 (three years ago) link
https://cdn1.umg3.net/464/files/2017/12/gas_board.jpg
Just before Bryan acquired his design, branding and style skills...
― Luna Schlosser, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 13:08 (three years ago) link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Hopkins
― I pity the foo fighter (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 13:27 (three years ago) link
Ron McGovney - original Metallica bassist
― chap, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 14:11 (three years ago) link
On further thought I am on the fence about whether Doug Hopkins is a Pete Best. Hopkins wrote the Gin Blossoms' biggest hits, was fired shortly before the band became famous, then (sadly) killed himself.
Now, if Pete Best had written "Love Me Do" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"...
― I pity the foo fighter (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 14:19 (three years ago) link
Does Jack Irons count? Not that he hasn't had a good career, but he was in the Red Hot Chili Peppers before Chad Smith, and passed up being in early Pearl Jam (but later subbed with them at different periods).
― change display name (Jordan), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 14:20 (three years ago) link
Brian JellimanDiz MinnitMick Pointer
All casualties of the turbulent creative hothouse that was Marillion
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 15:11 (three years ago) link
why is it so often the drummer
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 15:33 (three years ago) link
arguably Bob Stinson
― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 15:34 (three years ago) link
xp it's hard for a group who are starting out to find a good drummer, and it's easy for a group with a record contract to find a good drummer
― Anti-Cop Ponceortium (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 15:39 (three years ago) link
Mick was ousted from Marillion in the same fashion as Pete Best, deemed not good/professional/studio capable enough to move forward with, although Mick managed to last a whole album before being sacked.
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 15:41 (three years ago) link
no one's said David Marks, the Beach Boy?
― doorstep jetski (dog latin), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 15:56 (three years ago) link
Marks at least enjoyed the success of several major hits before he left the group
― Josefa, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 16:08 (three years ago) link
There is Tony McCarroll, though he got a whole LP in first (and appeared in a music video getting buried by the rest of Oasis)
― Anti-Cop Ponceortium (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 16:15 (three years ago) link
Reese Wynans, who was kicked out of the group that would become the Allman Brothers to make room for...Gregg Allman.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 16:15 (three years ago) link
David Conway - My Bloody Valentine
― city worker, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 16:23 (three years ago) link
Just imagine...The "Boom" Carter Seven.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 21 July 2020 21:47 (three years ago) link
Wally Nightingale, rather than Glen Matlock, is probably the Pete Best of the Sex Pistols ? (Founder member who was fired as he didn't “fit the image of the band” that McLaren had in mind)
― Luna Schlosser, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 22:47 (three years ago) link
The other four members of The Thompson Twins.
Accordingly, the other four members of the band were notified that the band was breaking up; they were each paid £500 and were allowed to keep their instruments and equipment in exchange for an understanding not to perform together under the name "Thompson Twins".
― enochroot, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 22:57 (three years ago) link
Gwen Stefani's older brother in No Doubt, who quit the band just before Tragic Kingdom started talking off.
― enochroot, Tuesday, 21 July 2020 23:14 (three years ago) link
This one was a near miss, but according to Chris Frantz's new book, David Byrne tried to kick Tina Weymouth out of the band just before they recorded the first album:https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/chris-frantz-memoir-david-byrne-talking-heads-more.html
― enochroot, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 00:56 (three years ago) link
In a recent podcast, Britt Walford expressed disappointment that he was never asked back to drum for The Breeders after Pod & the first Safari EP session. He confidently assumed he was a member of the band at that point and was sad when Kim broke the news to him that he wasn't in the band anymore.
But as a positive, after being booted he immediately went back to work with Slint to write and record Spiderland.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 05:02 (three years ago) link
ooh, I missed this:
Tanya Donelly (The Breeders)― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, July 21, 2020 11:13 AM (ten hours ago)
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, July 21, 2020 11:13 AM (ten hours ago)
Belly's "Feed The Tree" went to #1 on the USA Alternative charts, whereas "Cannonball" only made it to #2... That said I think Last Splash far outsold Star by a factor of Platinum vs. Gold. On the other hand, Belly received two Grammy nominations... Where am I going with this? I think Tanya did pretty well for herself and didn't necessarily miss out by leaving the Breeders.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 05:20 (three years ago) link
“Near misses” is a probably a whole new thread. Bob Weir and Pigpen were almost kicked out of the Grateful Dead at one point.
― Luna Schlosser, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 06:58 (three years ago) link
― Luna Schlosser, Tuesday, July 21, 2020 10:47 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
Met them both down the 100 club. Well, it was a "Sex Pistols Convention" so it was well after the heyday, but. Oh, and John Peel the same night.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 11:51 (three years ago) link
Bob Rusay was kicked out of Cannibal Corpse right before they did their cameo in Ace Ventura and recorded The Bleeding, their best selling album.
― Judi Dench's Human Hand (methanietanner), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 17:05 (three years ago) link
In a recent podcast, Britt Walford expressed disappointment that he was never asked back to drum for The Breeders after Pod & the first Safari EP session.
recall kim saying something about switching drummers after safari because his beats were "too dancey." which i thought sucked because i absolutely loved the baggy drum beats for safari and it remains my fave breeders song.
― andrew m., Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:12 (three years ago) link
last splash is great and all, but it's a diff band basically.
Doug Sandom of The Who
― Irritable Baal (WmC), Tuesday, July 21, 2020 5:26 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
Doug ran into John Entwistle in 1978 just after Who Are You was released, but before Moon died. Entwistle signed a copy of the album for Doug, writing, "Where's your drum kit? We're desperate!"
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:36 (three years ago) link
recall kim saying something about switching drummers after safari because his beats were "too dancey." which i thought sucked because i absolutely loved the baggy drum beats for safari and it remains my fave breeders song.― andrew m., Wednesday, July 22, 2020 11:12 AM (forty-eight minutes ago)
― andrew m., Wednesday, July 22, 2020 11:12 AM (forty-eight minutes ago)
Bad phrasing on my part, every song on the Safari EP except "Safari" was played by Britt (recorded in late 1990 in NYC).
As for "Safari", that track was recorded a year or two later and by then Josephine's former bandmate Jon Mattock was the fill-in drummer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT6oZGThwis
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 19:07 (three years ago) link
woah! well i should've looked more closely at the credits. i guess both drummers belong on this thread.
― andrew m., Wednesday, 22 July 2020 21:25 (three years ago) link
"safari" also one of my fave videos.
― andrew m., Wednesday, 22 July 2020 21:26 (three years ago) link
Crystal Jones formed TLC and then was sacked right before they signed their contract. Ouch.
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 22 July 2020 23:21 (three years ago) link
Dag Nilsen, bassist on Darkthrone’s “Soulside Journey”, a year before their big breakthrough second album.
Clive “Jesus Christ” Archer sang on the demo for the first Venom album, left just before recording.
― Siegbran, Thursday, 23 July 2020 00:37 (three years ago) link
Also there was guitarist Larry Wallis, who played on the first (shelved) Motorhead album “On Parole”, left before the official debut.
― Siegbran, Thursday, 23 July 2020 00:41 (three years ago) link
pretty much the entire original lineup of Iron Maiden I guess
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Thursday, 23 July 2020 00:42 (three years ago) link
And the rarer example of Tracii Guns, not only co-founder but also co-namer (with Axl Rose) of Guns n Roses.
― Siegbran, Thursday, 23 July 2020 00:46 (three years ago) link
yeah! that one is actually mega bizarre to me, I didn't know about that until a few years ago
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Thursday, 23 July 2020 00:51 (three years ago) link
gary young - pavementMore like Jason Fawkes - a Stockton guy who played drums on “Forklift” and a live radio session, but didn’t get along with Malkmus and was out.
― Your dream has symbolic content (morrisp), Thursday, 23 July 2020 04:42 (three years ago) link
Also Gary quit Pavement, he was not fired.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 23 July 2020 04:57 (three years ago) link
Tracii Guns quit gnr 2 months in, not "shortly before the group's commercial breakthrough."
― peace, man, Thursday, 23 July 2020 08:05 (three years ago) link
Wikipedia says Gary Young was fired, for what that's worth
― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Thursday, 23 July 2020 15:27 (three years ago) link
p. 126 of Perfect Sound Forever, as told by Bob Nastanovich:
https://i.imgur.com/Huw1DIk.png
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 23 July 2020 16:19 (three years ago) link
Also (without quibbling over how the phrase “commercial breakthrough” applies to a band like Pavement) Gary played on a hugely celebrated and influential album of theirs... not quite a Pete Best situation?
― Your dream has symbolic content (morrisp), Thursday, 23 July 2020 16:30 (three years ago) link
morrisp raises (perhaps inadvertently) an interesting point; some of the bands mentioned in the thread may be questionable examples of commercial success
― Please, Hammurabi, don't hurt 'em (Ye Mad Puffin), Thursday, 23 July 2020 16:39 (three years ago) link
I can confirm that if I happen to raise an "interesting point," on any subject, it was purely inadvertent.
― Your dream has symbolic content (morrisp), Thursday, 23 July 2020 17:04 (three years ago) link
Tracii Guns quit gnr 2 months in, not "shortly before the group's commercial breakthrough."― peace, man, Thursday, July 23, 2020 8:05 AM (nine hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
― peace, man, Thursday, July 23, 2020 8:05 AM (nine hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
Another one that I don't think quite works for this thread, but I still want to mention here is Alain Johannes. Started a band, What Is This. The other 3/4s of his band do a one-off jokey side-project with their roadie Anthony Kiedis which morphs into the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both bands get signed to major labels but are still struggling. After shuffling members back and forth for a few years, the key players all jump ship for the Chili Peppers, who begin to have enormous success while What Is This breaks up.
― peace, man, Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:03 (three years ago) link
I’ve always wondered why Tracii Guns never insisted GnR change their name, I mean we never saw Paul Simon continue as “Simon & Garfunkel” after the split.
― Siegbran, Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:23 (three years ago) link
i always had this fantasy that when Halford rejoined Judas Priest that Ripper Owens would take his place in Halford and still call it Halford.
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:29 (three years ago) link
George Coleman -- Miles Davis' second classic quintet
Probably unfairly, since he's a great saxophonist, he's just not Wayne Shorter. And there's an anecdote (maybe apocryphal) that gets repeated a lot about Tony Williams not being into his playing because it was too square or traditional.
― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:30 (three years ago) link
An example of the “inverse Pete Best” phenomenon was that Slash initially auditioned for Poison, got rejected, and then went back to his old friends Adler and Rose in GnR, ended up the bigger band.
Same with Kerry King who (after Show No Mercy!) almost joined Megadeth permanently, but in the end went back to Slayer.
― Siegbran, Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:33 (three years ago) link
Coleman probably got over it by the time he appeared in Freejack with Mick Jagger and Emilio Estevez.
(That really happened, btw.)
xp
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:50 (three years ago) link
xpost I kinda don't get how he'd have worked in Megadeth. he has technical ability but not much theory knowledge, and his noisy solos woulda probably driven Mustaine nuts. but then again, this was before they were doing Rust in Peace type stuff too.
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Thursday, 23 July 2020 18:51 (three years ago) link
Speaking of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I think DH Peligro is their quintessential "Pete Best" figure.He joined right when they were about to have a major commercial upswing and played on one of theirfirst singles to get significant radio airplay (not to mention being featured in SAY ANYTHING) but waslet go due to drugs (BTW, how bad do your problems have to be in order to be let go by THOSE guys?).Now that I think about it, though, DeWayne McKnight also joined and split just before they started blowing up, too.
― beamish13, Friday, 24 July 2020 14:38 (three years ago) link
All this RHCP talk and no mention of Jack Irons who:
1. founded RHCP with childhood friends Flea & Hillel and then left after their first demo2. was asked to be the Pearl Jam original drummer and turned that down as well (but in the process of declining, introduced Stone & Jeff to Eddie Vedder)
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 24 July 2020 15:32 (three years ago) link
But Jack Irons drummed on UPLIFT MOFO. Plus, he played on two multiplatinum Pearl Jam records and left on his own accord. By no stretchof the imagination is he a "Pete Best" figure
― beamish13, Friday, 24 July 2020 16:14 (three years ago) link
Eduardo Saverin the Pete Best of Social Media
― Lady Antibody (Neanderthal), Friday, 24 July 2020 17:55 (three years ago) link
I was thinking about this question tonight and it can also be reformulated to include frontmen such as Ian Curtis, Bon Scott, Syd Barrett and Peter Green. They are certainly not comparable to a Pete Best kind of character, as they did get to experience fame and success, but they were no longer part of the band when they reached their commercial peak.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 9 August 2020 06:48 (three years ago) link
That guy Bon Scott replaced in AC/DC.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 9 August 2020 06:54 (three years ago) link
Barbara Martin, the fourth Supreme who was on their initial, non-hit singles.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 9 August 2020 06:57 (three years ago) link
Well yeah Ac/Dc qualifies for both versions of this question. Dave Evans didn’t get any of the fame and fortune beforee he got replaced by Bon Scott, then, while Bon Scott did get a taste of success with the band before dying, it was his replacement Brian Johnson who reaped all the benefits by being the frontman of not only their most successful album, but one of the best selling records of all time.
In the top 10 best selling albums of all time there’s three missing a founding frontmen: back in black, dark side of the moon and rumours.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 9 August 2020 07:22 (three years ago) link
Patty Sullivan, who played bass for The Doors on their first demos.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 9 August 2020 07:26 (three years ago) link
... alongside Rick & Jim Manzarek.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 9 August 2020 07:27 (three years ago) link
Jefferson Airplane had several early members who didn't last (including Skip Spence), but I think a bassist named Bob Harvey was the only one who was fired (replaced by Jack Casady).
― Washington Foosball Team (morrisp), Sunday, 9 August 2020 07:40 (three years ago) link
Interesting - there's a much older friend of mine whose girlfriend at the time 'had a scene' - as they called it then - with a self-described "ex-bass player of Jefferson Airplane", which my friend always thought likely to be BS. On further investigation, it seems it could therefore have been true and it was Bob Harvey. Apparently this guy played in an unsuccessful support band (Flame?) at the first of the free Hype Park concerts with Tyrannosaurus Rex in 1968 before going back to the US, so he did have some connections with the music world.
― Luna Schlosser, Sunday, 9 August 2020 10:12 (three years ago) link
^Looks like Harvey was 30 in 1965... does the math work out? (He was an acoustic bass player from a bluegrass band.)Here’s a quote exchange describing the end of his tenure with the Airplane*:
BOB HARVEY: The first hint was David Crosby coming into the Matrix and listening to us. When we got done with the song, he said, “Good song, but get rid of the fucking bass player.” That was clue number one.DAVID CROSBY: Nah, I would never do that. Good story. Wrong.
― Washington Foosball Team (morrisp), Sunday, 9 August 2020 21:26 (three years ago) link