Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

It was actually George Harrison who first dubbed Murray the K as “The Fifth Beatle” but it was actually a sarchastic slam on him because Murray was being so intrusive.

But Murray the K was no dummy... he knew a catchy self-promoting phrase when he heard one.

I think there is a really good argument to be made that George Martin was the 5th Beatle. He surely had more input and influence on their music than Ringo .... and his keyboard work can be heard on a number of their early songs.

This thread isn't about who the 5th Beatle is, was, or should have been. But since it's turned, my vote too would be Martin.

I nominate Buddy Holly as the #0 Beatle (if sports teams can have players numbered 0, why not bands?) Buddy, along with the Crickets, constructed the blueprint. The first self-contained band with a name (one the Fabs used as inspiration for their name.) The first such named rock band that wrote many of their own songs. And an act that rocked and popped along with playing rockabilly, show tunes, and was open to limitless possibilities. Martin's contributions, know how and incredible good taste definitely makes him #5 but without Buddy, Nikki, Joe B. and Jerry, there never would have been the blueprint, one the surviving Bealtes love to this day.

Gosh, Glenn....

THANK YOU! for the credit. I'm ALMOST speechless.
It's about time SOMEBODY recognized my contributions to the Crickets AND to the Beatles!

(but who are Joe B. and Jerry ??!!??)


HEY! Did you know that there was a CRICKET in the
shed where the pre-Crickets were practicing and
recording in their formative early years ?!? Yeah!
The cricket inadvertently got Recorded on one of their demo tapes and so the cricket was not only an inspiration for the group's name
(ie. "The Crickets"),
but it was sorta like an extra member 'cause it kinda "performed" on one of their recordings !
COOL !!! But That'll Be The Day
it ever receives any credit !!


And HEY! I guess you could kinda count YOKO as a sorta JAPANESE Beatle on some of the Beatles' Recordings (ex. Bungalow Bill, What A Shame Mary Jane Had A Pain At The Party, etc...). COOL !!!

(But I know nobody else on THIS Forum will be voting for her as an Honourary Beatle!)


PS My Vote for the 5th Beatle is DEFINITELY
George Martin. His contribution to their
music and growth as musicians is immeasurable.

GOD BLESS YOU SIR GEORGE* !!! (*that's MARTIN)

(and when the Hell is George HARRISON
going to be Knighted so as to be referred to
as *SIR GEORGE II ?!?!?)

Joe B. was the Crickets bassist. Jerry Allison, their drummer, who actually was one of the most influential rock drummers of the early days. He went on to play on hits by the Everly Brothers, etc.

I think what we have going here is a little microcosm of what is known as revisionist history of which is so popular today, and actually I would also vote for GM as the fifth Beatle if someone didn't already have a claim to the name.

Have any of the Beatles gone on the record on their opinion of who the 5th Beatle would be? My hunch is they'd say Neil Aspinall. Lennon seemed really peeved in his last years that Martin took too much credit for what the Beatles did, and went so far as to say he thinks most of what they did could be done so much better...he thought "Lucy" was terrible. I guess this really wounded George Martin considerably.

>HEY! Did you know that there was a CRICKET in the
>shed where the pre-Crickets were practicing and
>recording in their formative early years ?!? >Yeah!>The cricket inadvertently got Recorded on >one of their demo tapes and so the cricket was >not only an inspiration for the group's name
>(ie. "The Crickets"),

Well, since The Crickets were a very big inspiration in creating the name "Beatles", I'd vote for that cricket as the fifth Beatle. I'll bet Pete Best and that cricket could have had a lot to talk about, crying over a few pints...

Hi Glenn ...

I KNOW who the other Crickets were sweetie.

I was just KIDDING !!!

LOVE, Nikki

Yes, Glenn sweetie. She was JUST A-KIDDIN'!

YOU GUYS GET A ROOM...

LOVE, Steve
NOW ABOUT MURRAY...

Hey Steve....

I've got a message from Murray for ya :


"Hi Steve. Thanks for still thinking about me.
I miss those good times we used to have....
the 60's... the music... the unbridled passion.
Love, Murray"

Ha! That was a GOOD One...

Cant...stop...laughing...

Hi Steve...

Glad to know you have a GREAT sense of humour.

LOVE, Nikki

Back to Murray... there are people in show business who, as a friend of mine used to say, "have been there". As it was mentioned before in this thread, they promote themselves that way: if there's something new and "hot" around, they always have a connection. Sometimes they are really talented - and i find it sad that they... hmm... use? the others for self-promotion, together with their own works and creations, and even instead at times, - sometimes not. However, Beatles are known as "Liverpool foursome" (at least where i live), so...

Hi Sheena ...

Murray 'The K' was definitely a SELF-Promoter,
but he was integral in promoting musical "Acts" and creating "HITS" via his radio show.

Thus, he was a perfect choice for Promoting
The Beatles when they hit the USA :

The Beatles landed in NYC and were about to
appear on The Ed Sullivan Show located in NYC,
and NYC was the BIG APPLE (talkin' pre-iPod days)
and THE center of Entertainment and Music then.

Murray's radio station was VERY influential and
he could make or break a record (remember those
thingies?) and a group/act not only along the East Coast but, consequently, Coast-To-Coast.

Brian Epstein and the 4 Lads KNEW that Murray
'The K' was a GREAT Promoter and they were savvy
enough to want to hook onto a guy who had his level of Power in the Music Industry and in pop-society in general...AM RADIO RULED in the early 60's and 1010 WINS outta NYC was the benchmark for other radio stations. ("THE GREATEST RADIO STATION IN THE WORLD".., they would proclaim).

There are lots of quips from The Fab Four
"DIGGING!" Murray for his energy and silliness
and for turning them onto Tamla and Motown etc..
(he had BUNCHES of Promo/DJ stuff that he gave
to them to listen to in their Hotel rooms and
ship back to their homes in the UK).

COOL! , DADDY-O !!!


THANK YOU! Murray 'The K' for your fun and your energy and your love of rock/pop/soul music and for helping ignite The Beatles in the USA !

LOVE YA, BABY !!!


PS Does the 'K' stand for "KOOKIE" ?
Or "wacKer" ??