Beatles ''Love Me Do'' Drum Kit

The original Ludwig drum kit used for the recording of ''Love Me Do'', The Beatles' first single on their first album ''Please Please Me'', released on 22 March 1963 and ushering in Beatlemania. This Ludwig drum kit was owned and played on the track by Andy White, often called the ''fifth Beatle'' because of this recording session. White was a professional session drummer who was called in by Ron Richards, assistant to George Martin to re-record the song with Ringo Starr playing tambourines. In fact, after this session, Ringo went out and bought his own Ludwig set (he had previously been using Premier) and it was thus that The Beatles' famous association with Ludwig was established. The session with Andy was recorded on 11 September 1962 at EMI London, with his version of ''Love Me Do'' used on the Beatles' first album ''Please Please Me'' as well as the first Beatles U.S. release of ''Love Me Do'' and the 1982 re-release of the song. Ringo's version was released as the 1962 U.K. single and a few other much later compilation albums; it is set apart by its absence of tambourine. In addition to ''Love Me Do'', White's Ludwig drum kit is also heard on ''P.S. I Love You'', which plays on the B-side of the British single and on the ''Please Please Me'' album. He also played ''Please Please Me'' with The Beatles during this recording session and is quoted from a 2012 BBC interview, ''From the drum sound I can tell that I was on [Please Please Me], because it was a vastly different sound to Ringo's drum set at that time. This was before he got the Ludwig kit. Each drummer gets an individual sound, first of all by the way they tune the drums and then by the way they play the drums.'' In addition to the Beatles' recordings, Andy White used this kit to record with Billy Fury on Fury's first album, ''The Sound of Fury'', which is generally regarded as Britain's first rock and roll album. Kit comprises a 14'' x 22'' bass drum, 16'' x 16'' floor tom, 9'' x 13'' tom-tom (which is date-stamped 1956 inside) and 5.5'' x 14'' snare. Drum head is new. The original Black Diamond Pearl wrapping is present and matches exactly the photo of Andy playing the drum kit. From the personal collection of Clive Edwards, who studied drum playing under Reg Weller, one of Andy White's best friends. Weller procured the kit for Edwards after White secured an endorsement deal with Ajax drums. With an LOA from Thea White, the widow of Andy White.