The Lost Beatles..

"Aih, who play the bass guitar for the Beatles?"

That was among the question that always in my mind every time i watched the Beatles performing live from YouTube. As I know, Lennon played lead or acoustic guitar, Harrison played rhythm guitar and erm... does McCartney play the bass guitar? I could not find the answer for this question for 5 years until today,  i miss typing The Lost Beatles at search engine.

The search engine have come out vast number of result related to The Lost Beatles. The first name that come out from the result was Stuart Sutcliffe. Who is this man? What is his relation with the Beatles? How? Why? I clicked to that page, and the pages showed the biography about this man and it answered the question that i keep in my mind for 5 years. 

Stuart Scutliffe: Talented Painter

Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe or Stuart Sutcliffe was an artist and the original bassist player for the Beatles. Sutcliffe and Lennon were the person that came out with the band's name. Sutcliffe actually Lennon's closest friend as both of them studied at the same art college at Liverpool. 

Sutcliffe was a talented painter and being regarded as a 'star' in his college. He also win the John Moore Art Exhibition which was the prestigous art competition in Liverpool and used the money prizes to buy bass guitar after being persuaded by Lennon and McCartney.  Although he did not know how to play any instrument, Lennon always persuaded him to play music with the group. Maybe Sutcliffe did not want to let down Lennon's request, he study by himself to play the bass guitar or sometimes asked others to teach him. At this time, the group always perform at Hamburg night club in Germany.

There were many speculation about why Lennon really want Sutcliffe to play in the group although there were other person better than him in that position. Among the speculation was that Lennon have some sort of homosexual feeling toward Sutcliffe which is denied by both closest friend and the other member itself.

John Lennon: Admire Stuart Scutliffe

Sutcliffe's main contribution for the group actually not in the musical aspect but in making of the group's images. He was the person to have Beatles's cut hairstyles and after that being adopted by other member. He also being nicknamed as Hamburg's James Dean because his face resembled to popular American actor.

After two years staying at Hamburg, the group decided to take a long rest and go back to Liverpool. Only Sutcliffe did not go back because he want to further his study in art at Hamburg Art College and want to stay with his girlfriend, Astrid Kirchherr. His decision could change the direction of the group without anyone noticed it or if Lennon try to persuade him to go back to Liverpool maybe the story would have other ending. This could be the last time Lennon and other member see Sutcliffe before Sutcliffe passed away.

Three days before Lennon and other members arrive in Hamburg, Sutcliffe collapsed at his girlfriend house and according to the doctor, he suffered head injury which he get after the club fighting at Hamburg several months ago. His death was a shock for all his friend especially for Lennon because he died at young age which was 21 years old and he get lot of potential and things to do in his life. 

Sutcliffe's death really gave an impact to Lennon's life, and as we can saw from the beginning of the Beatles until being killed by Chapman, Lennon always tried to find Stucliffe's replacement in his heart. But, he unmanaged to find it because there was only one STUART SUTCLIFFE.

R.I.P