Editing John Lennon (section)

===Formation and Hamburg Years===

In 1956 Lennon formed a skiffle group called '''The Quarrymen''', which evolved through several lineup and name changes before settling as '''The Beatles''' by 1960. The classic lineup — Lennon, [[Paul McCartney]], [[George Harrison]], and [[Ringo Starr]] — solidified in 1962 with the replacement of original drummer Pete Best. The group's formative years were spent playing extended residencies in the clubs of Hamburg, Germany, where they developed the tight, high-energy live sound that would underpin their early recordings.

Signed to EMI's Parlophone label by producer [[George Martin]] in 1962, The Beatles released their debut single ''Love Me Do'' that October. Martin's role as arranger, sonic architect, and creative collaborator would prove indispensable to the group's recorded output throughout their career.