The first Beatles-related drum kit, used in John Lennon's pre-fame group the Quarry Men, is going under the hammer. The Daily Beatle reported drummer Colin Hanton's legendary drum set, which was also featured on John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison's first amateur recording session in Liverpool, will be sold via Julien’s Auctions on May 20th and 21st, live at New York City's Hard Rock Cafe and online at juliensauctions.com.
Hanton was playing the iconic drums on July 6th, 1957 at the Woolton Village Fete the day John Lennon and Paul McCartney met, the first time the pair ever performed on stage together — as well as the during the Quarry Men's first amateur recording session on July 12th, 1958, where they taped a cover of “That'll Be The Day” and the McCartney/Harrison original, “In Spite Of All The Danger.”
According to the listing “The drum kit, hand-signed by Colin Hanton in the inside of the tom-tom drum and inside of the bass drum, is estimated at $400,000 to $600,000. The lot also includes a 1-of-1 Quarry Men Drum Kit Animated NFT serving as the digital representation of the physical drum kit used by Colin Hanton in The Quarry Men.”
John Lennon recalled music always playing a large role in his early life: “It's a joke in the family, now — 'Y'know, the guitar's alright for a hobby, but it won't earn you any money.' Y'know, I was obviously musical from very early, and I just wonder why nobody ever did anything about it. 'Cause — maybe because they couldn't afford it.”