John Lennon and Brian Epstein: More than Friends? The John Lennon who rose to fame in Britain because the "chief" of the Beatles in 1963 was very totally different from the character acquainted to those who knew him in and round Liverpool. The last thing that John had anticipated, however, was for him to die so abruptly, and his response was two-fold: First, echoing the situation when Uncle George Smith had died nearly five years earlier, John burst into a fit of hysterical laughter (hardly what Astrid -- having arrived at the airport straight from the hospital -- may have needed). Underneath this show of defiance, nonetheless, he obviously acknowledged the good sense in Brian's actions, in any other case he would not have put up with them. This was, nevertheless, in no way the only reason for Brian's interest within the group. The reason given at the time was that Pete's drumming wasn't good enough, and that his shy disposition didn't fit in with the quirky nature of the rest of the group. Pete's recollection of his dismissal, reported by him in his 1985 autobiography, Beatle! Others who were round have advised that the ousting was due to McCartney and Harrison's jealousy over Pete's recognition with the female followers.
