Paul McCartney: The Song That Stopped Me Playing Lead Guitar
It may seem the four Beatles were fated to be together. But in reality, the group's lineup was defined from the beginning by the members accepting their individual limitations and bringing in players who could make up for them.
It’s well known that, in the beginning, the Beatles had three guitarists: John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney. Along with bassist Stuart Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best, the five-piece Beatles landed in Hamburg in 1960, where for roughly two years they honed their skills.
But when Sutcliffe left the group in July 1961 to continue his art studies, it fell to McCartney to take over bass guitar duties. The instrument was beyond Lennon's abilities, and Harrison’s lead guitarist skills were too valuable.
But perhaps most crucial to that decision was McCartney's ill-fated attempt at a guitar solo on his first gig with Lennon. It not only put him off playing lead guitar — it also led directly to Harrison being hired as the group's lead guitar. And it all happened one fateful night in January 1958.
Source: guitarplayer.com/Christopher Scapelliti
