In 1956, John Lennon formed a skiffle group in Liverpool called the Blackjacks. He quickly changed the name to the Quarrymen before the band performed in public. The new name came from a line in the school song at Quarry Bank High School, where Lennon and his friends were students. The group played at house parties, school dances, and small cinemas across the city. They also entered amateur contests to show off their skiffle music, which used a mix of folk, jazz, and blues styles.
Paul McCartney joined the group in October 1957. He met Lennon at a local event where the band performed on the back of a coal truck. McCartney’s arrival shifted the band’s focus because he knew how to tune a guitar and played more complex chords than the original members. In early 1958, George Harrison joined the band at McCartney’s recommendation. Lennon initially resisted the idea because Harrison was only fourteen years old. Unlike the other members, McCartney and Harrison attended the Liverpool Institute instead of Quarry Bank.
The band’s sound changed significantly as they moved away from skiffle and toward rock and roll. In 1958, the group made their first amateur recording at a small home studio. They performed a cover of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” and an original song titled “In Spite of All the Danger.” This shift in musical style caused several of the original school friends to leave the group. The band eventually shrank down to a core trio consisting of Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison.
The trio performed under different names throughout 1959, including Johnny and the Moondogs and Japage 3. They briefly returned to the Quarrymen name before finally deciding on a permanent identity. They spent their time practicing in a small room at Lennon’s house, perfecting their vocal harmonies and guitar solos. By 1960, the group changed their name to the Beatles and prepared to begin their professional recording career.
