Nécrologie – Mort cause de décès.
Chas Newby, bassist for The Beatles in their early years, has passed away at the age of 81. The musician played a key role in the iconic band’s early successes in the 1960s while the group’s original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe, pursued his artistic career. A cause of death has not yet been announced.
Newby was a member of John Lennon’s first band, The Quarrymen, and news of his death was announced by the Cavern Club Liverpool, a concert venue where The Beatles performed before becoming a worldwide sensation. “It is with great sadness that I learn of Chas Newby’s passing,” the site wrote in a Facebook post. “Chas replaced The Beatles for a few dates when Stuart Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg and, more recently, he played for The Quarrymen.”
“Interestingly, he was also The Beatles’ first left-handed bassist. RIP Chas Newby, thoughts and best wishes from everyone at the Cavern Club,” the post concluded. Tributes have poured in since the news was revealed, with Roag Best, the brother of former Beatles drummer Pete Best, rushing to Facebook to pay tribute to him.
Chas Newby, who played a key role in The Beatles’ early successes in the 1960s, was a member of John Lennon’s first band, The Quarrymen. Twitter, @marklewisohn “Pete and I and all the Best family are absolutely devastated to hear the very sad news about one of the family’s closest friends, Chas Newby, who passed away last night,” he wrote. “Many of you will know him for playing bass guitar for The Beatles and The Quarrymen, but to us, he was laid back Chas with a big smile. He will truly be missed. Forever in our thoughts. God bless you Chas x.”
Mark Lewishon, a Beatles historian, described Newby as a “lovely man.” The cause of Chas Newby’s death has not yet been announced, as the former Beatles bassist passed away at 81. Facebook / Luna Collins “RIP Chas Newby, Beatle stand-in and lovely guy,” he tweeted. “He stood in for Stuart on a few dates when The Beatles first returned from Hamburg in late 1960, including the memorable Litherland date.” “Lately, he was also one of The Quarrymen. A lovely man, always a pleasure to meet,” he added.
After replacing Sutcliffe in the early 1960s, the band’s leader, Lennon, reportedly wanted Newby to continue the tour in Germany. Chas Newby replaced The Beatles for a few dates when Stuart Sutcliffe stayed in Hamburg, according to Cavern Club Liverpool. Getty Images But Newby declined the offer and instead pursued university studies. Speaking to the Sunday Mercury in 2012, Newby said he never regretted his decision. “Music was never going to be a life for me. I wanted to do chemistry,” he said at the time. “John Paul [McCartney] and George [Harrison] just wanted to be musicians. “Sometimes people don’t believe me when I say I have no regrets. But I really haven’t.”