The Forgotten Beatle Who Faked His Own Death

Who doesn’t remember The Beatles? John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Jimmie Nichol. Wait a minute, it’s Ringo Starr! But Nichol did become a part of the band. Today, we’ll discuss the one Beatle who relatively became a superstar in the limelight of the biggest band on the planet, and afterward, faked his death.

Jimmie Nichol is an English drummer and a business entrepreneur most famously associated with The Beatles during the height of Beatlemania. With hectic schedules and jam-packed performances, Ringo Starr’s body couldn’t take it anymore and he fell ill, just in time for the band to embark on a tour in Copenhagen back in 1964. But how could they do it when their beloved drummer was diagnosed with tonsillitis and was ordered to rest for the next day? George was believed to have said that they couldn’t do the tour, for, without Ringo, there wouldn’t be “The Beatles” to present with. But they had no choice, as per their contract stated, they had to do it still. And so, the next possible solution was to hire a session drummer.

Someone recommended the name of Jimmy Nichol, real name James George Nichol to the band. And, after a few takes to get things right, he was hired almost immediately. Nichol, who was unknown by many, received so much fame in his 13-day tenure from The Beatles. He was positive that his association with the band would boost his career as a drummer. But after Starr came and retained his position as the sole drummer, Nichol’s fame declined immediately.

Still living behind the shadows of his famed past, he was ready to ignore all his association with the Fab Four. When someone from the media was recollecting The Beatles’ past, Jimmie requested his son to lie to the press that he is already dead. He is keen to move on from them.

Nichol is the inspiration of The Beatles’ track, “Getting Better,” a phrase often used by the drummer whenever John or Paul would ask him how he felt he was coping. And as of 2020, Nichol is still alive.