Although it was never shown on The Beatles’ original UK albums, The Beatles’ famous ‘drop-T’ logo was a familiar sight throughout the group’s early years.
It adorned Ringo Starr’s drum kit from 1963, has since endured as The Beatles’ official marque, and was registered as a trademark by Apple Corps in the 1990s. But how did it come about?
Ivor Arbiter was born in Balham, south London, in 1929. He repaired saxophones, worked as a part time drummer, and in the late 1950s opened the specialist music shop Drum City on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was the first drums-only store in London.
The store, modelled on the US idea of an outlet just for drums, became a popular destination for jazz drummers. He also opened Sound City, a guitar shop where The Beatles bought much of their equipment from 1963.
The drop-T logo came about almost by accident. In April 1963 Ringo and Brian Epstein entered Drum City to find a replacement for Starr’s Premier kit.
I had a phone call from the shop to say that someone called Brian Epstein was there with a drummer. Here was this drummer, Ringo, Schmingo, whatever his name was. At that time I certainly hadn’t heard of the Beatles. Every band was going to be big in those days!
At first they asked for an all-black kit, but Ringo changed his mind after seeing a swatch of Ludwig’s new oyster black pearl finish on Arbiter’s desk. When told that it was only available on Ludwig drums, his mind was made up. “That’s what I want,” he told Arbiter, who fortunately had a £238 Ludwig Downbeat kit with the finish in stock.
Epstein didn’t want to pay for the drums, but Arbiter refused to let him have them for nothing. They negotiated, and eventually Arbiter agreed to trade the drums in return for his battered old Premier kit.
Arbiter told Epstein he wanted Ludwig’s name to appear on the bass drum head, as he’d recently begun a distribution deal with the company. Epstein agreed, but asked for The Beatles’ name on it too.
On the spot Arbiter designed the famous drop-T logo, hastily sketched onto a scrap of paper. The capital B and dropped T were to emphasise the word ‘beat’. Drum City was paid £5 for arranging the artwork, which was painted onto the drum head by Eddie Stokes, a local sign writer.
On Sunday 12 May 1963 Ringo took delivery of his new Ludwig kit. The drums, along with new Paiste cymbals, were driven up by Drum City’s Gerry Evans, who delivered them to the Alpha Television Studios in Birmingham, where The Beatles were appearing on Thank Your Lucky Stars.
The kit had a 20 inch bass drum, 12×8 tom-tom, 14×14 floor tom, and a non-standard Ludwig Jazz Festival wooden snare.
I took his old Premier drum kit from him and brought it back to the store. We renovated it in our workshop, and then sold it. I ripped off the bit of material from the bass drum head where he’d handwritten the Beatles’ name and threw it away. It was a terrible drum kit. It wasn’t old: he’d only had it six months or a year. But it was a brown finish, one of the worst finishes that Premier ever did… I don’t know why he got it in the first place, really. No wonder he wanted to change it. Anyway, we cleaned it up and sold it off the same week – and very, very cheaply. It would most likely be a collector’s item if we still had it today.
Beatles Gear, Andy Babiuk
By the end of 1963 the Ludwig sticker on the bass head was flaking away from all the carrying from show to show. It was taken back to Drum City, where Stokes repainted the Ludwig logo, slightly larger than before.
This original drum head was last seen in public at The Beatles’ run of appearances at Paris’ Olympia Theatre, which ended on 4 February 1964. Paul McCartney appears to now own it, as seen in studio photographs from 2020.
Previously I would have guessed that Ringo or The Beatles as a whole came up with the “drop T” idea. Its was certainly a big improvement on the previous drumskin that had beetle bug antennas (antennae?) on top of the letter B.
It would be so nice for the actual correct facts to be published about who designed the Beatles drop T.
Eddie Stokes painted and DESIGNED the Beatles drop T , It was not Ivor Arbitor, he liked to take credit for everything. If you want the correct facts read the new Book just published by Ring Starr.
The Stokes family and several other sources have verified the correct facts.
Richard Stokes
Joe – you may want to mention that the drop T logo is on Live At the BBC album cover – not sure what other albums it’s on “official” releases
It is featured on the front covers of the US lps “The Beatles Second Album” & “Something New”.
You can also see it in the inside of the gatefold cover of Beatles for Sale.
In the days of Jesus, the cross used to crucify people was actually a ‘T’ shape, just like the T in the BeaTles’ logo. I wonder – is that part of the reasom for their success? Maybe the Fab Four are Our Lord’s chosen band! I wonder if Brian Epstein was a Christian at heart, and used this as a subconscious marketing ploy….
Christ, you know it ain’t easy
Epstein was Jewish. It’s meaningless. Religion and the Beatles are linked enough without crazy theories. What next, Jesus sent codes in certain vinyls to tell the truth of Paul’s death? Religion and the Beatles mixed rarely, but not here
Do you know who was also Jewish? Jesus!
Don’t bring religion into it please. It just wasn’t like that.
Religion was a part of the Beatles growing up years. it was clear that they knew who God was , as evidence we can listen thru there music. But just because of christians brothers who persecute & judge them. they stumble in believing in jesus. John Lennon knew about this, that’s why he wrote “Imagine there’s no religion” & the religious people attack him again. they are stumbling block to John.
Cause religion can not save us. But only a personal relationship with Jesus !!
God is a concept by which we measure our pain. -John Lennon
I agree, even tho I considered the Beatles as Gods, in the 60’s……different type of God, but God’s nonetheless!
“Our Lord’s chosen band”? Thanks Kevin, I haven’t laughed so hard in quite a while… I think we can safely credit the Beatles themselves for their massive success – with a little help from their friends.
Paul met John at a church festival.
Don’t be ridiculous ……. as John said ….. THEY WERE BIGGER THAN JESUS …… [AND GOD]
.
I’m sorry, but can someone please explain to me why John INSISTED on telling the world that The Beatles were bigger than Jesus……just what the HELL should their comparative heights to J.C. have to do with ANYTHING ??
Never understood why people got SO bent out of shape when Lennon simply pointed out the fact that all four of the band members would have had to look down when addressing Jesus, had he still been alive when they were still a band….
.
I think that when John said that phrase he meant that all the people ,fans, worshipped Beatles so high that it seemed to be that they were bigger than JC. I don t think he really meant it.
Lennon did not tell the world. He commented in a small group of friends on the report that church attendance in England was down. The Beatles concerts would sell out. The youth was, apparently, far more interested in attending concerts than church. Stating the Beatles was “more popular” with the youth was accurate as attendance comparisons confirmed. It was not “on the record” but one of the friends was a reporter and shared it with the world. It wasn’t proclaimed for the world and was taken out of context.
FYI: In TRUTH, allegedly the stuff setting one free, we (me, myself, and I) do not know if Brian was a Christian at heart. However, according to informed sources, Brian was in TRUTH a homosexual. If in fact true, then he may in fact have been a homosexual Christian. True? Go figure.
I’m a Christian (and a missionary, for that matter), but could we please get back to the drop-T logo? Render unto Ringo that which is Ringo’s, and unto God that which is God’s.
Amen. lol.
I was the Manager/Drum Repairer at Drum City throughout this period and was actually involved in the whole business of supplying the kit, fitting the Spurs and the Rogers ‘Swivomatic’ Tom tom fitting (at a later date with Mel Evans) and arranging for Eddie Stokes to paint the ‘Beatles’ logo on the head, and to selling Ringo’s now Second Hand kit in store.
Imagine what it’s worth now, if you had kept it!!!!!
Hi Dave,
I worked for the Arbiters round the corner in Gerrard Street in the 60’s….those were the days….and nights propping up the bar in the Blue Posts !!
Hi Dave
Do you know what happened to Eddie Stokes? Very little seems to be known about him. For someone who had his own unique part in the Beatles story ( actually painting the 7 different drum heads) and it would be nice to know more about him. I run ” The Beatles Yesterday And Today’ page on Facebook and would love to write more about Eddie if possible. I would also like to include your story ( with your permission) as I love the fact that many other virtually unknown people played their unique part in the Beatles history.
According to Bob Henrit, Eddie Stokes was a one armed signwriter who would frequently pop into the Drum City store to see if any band wanted a logo painting on their bass drum head.
Bob recalled Stokes was paid £5 to create and paint the Beatles new logo and also created the Undertakers logo.
Your details are correct. Dad painted many skins for Drum City and used to do them on our kitchen table in our small flat in South East London on Saturday mornings. then we would head off to watch a soccer game. some of my best memories
Mark
I would love to speak with you about my father Eddie Stokes. I live in Toronto, Canada
Mark
Dave Golding has an amazing memory and became a good friend of my father back in the 60’s. My father produced a sample board that had 4 Beatle designs on it, the drop T design was chosen and Dave then kept the sample hanging over his work bench for years and years. Dad was then commissioned to paint the original skins for Ringo.
Dave and I recently produced information independently to Ringo for his new book. The book is just amazing and is something every Beatles fan should have.
I’ve always admired the use of the logo in the Anthology openings. The notion of The Beatles dwarfing the four men into virtual insignificance beneath an incomprehensible weight threatening to crush them is as neat a thumbnail of their epic as we could have, and the beautifully smooth animation communicates that idea perfectly.
Thanks for an interesting read.
Wow !!! Dave Golding on here. that is very good..
your business card is still tucked inside one of Ringos toms, discovered during the peace and love exhibition of Ringos Ed Sullivan kit.
Is Eddie Stokes still alive ?
My Uncle, Edwin “Eddie” Stokes, passed away in 1999. I remember watching him paint the first drum head for the beatles in the Leo J. Fisher studio in Bateman Street, where he worked. He was a very competent artist, especially as he had a crippled left arm from polio as a child.
I’ve been trying for many years to find out what ever became of your uncle Eddie, who should have been carried about London in a sedan chair for the rest of his life just for the Beatles logo. Often wondered if anyone pestered him to paint *just* one more drum head…
Hi Nick
I have been trying to find out more about Eddie, for my ‘Beatles London Yesterday And Today’ Facebook page. I would like to write an article about him and his unique contribution to the Beatles history. Could you contact me with any more info if possible?
Kind regards
Mark
Mark
would love to assist you with details of my father. lots of great details.
was an amazing artist
Hi Nick
I am Eddies son Richard, living in Toronto Canada. I am not aware of you as an official uncle within the family. But I think I know who you might be? are you Leo’s son?
Would love to connect
Eddie Stokes died in 1971 of a massive heart attack on his way to pick me up at my grandmas house.
I was 16 years old at the time.
Hi Julian
Eddie Stokes past away in 1971 of a massive heart attack, when I was 16 years old
It was nice to see it on the Washington Concert (1st ever US Concert) between The Ed Sullivan Shows
Is there anywhere that one could view all the drop-T’s side by side for comparison? Thanks & love the site!!
google image search “Beatles logo”
I always thought the Beatles borrowed the design concept from Edgar Rice Burroughs.
https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0483.html
that’s pretty darn good! maybe the designer was influenced?
I worked for Ivor Arbiter and his two brothers in the 60’s in their offices in Gerrard Street….they were wonderful to work for and I miss them and the swinging sixties still.
Well, now we know where that Ludwig kit was, and who has it now.
The REAL truth is that Erwin Ross Invented the 1st Beatles drop `T´Logo back in 1960 for the Beatles in Hamburg, way before Ivor Arbiter! there is a photo to prove that.Ross was a wellknown painter that did the Posters for the beatles concerts in Hamburg Germany before they ever went to London in 1963. Ross is known also for his Paintings of sexy girls on the Reaperbahn in Hamburg where the Beatles `grew up according to John Lennon
Can you post the pic or a link to it ?
No pic or link. ‘Nuff said.
I am very sorry your assessment above is not correct.
Eddie Stokes Designed and painted the drop T logo and also painted the first 5 drum skins for the Beatles, including the Ed Sullivan skin that sold for 2.2 million a few years ago.
Ringo has just printed his first book with the correct facts, based on research and details from the people that worked at Drum City.
Would anyone of you who used to work for Ivor Arbiter back then in the 60’s remember something about him owning a metallic blue Jaguar E-type?
I have such a car, and on the Green logbook it shows that the first owner was J&I Arbiter Ltd. London W1.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Regards Ras
Drum-head #2 is the best (no pun intended). That’s the “Ed Sullivan” one. Big, bold, and stylish.
…I like Kevin’s comment about the Drop Down-T and Christ’s Crucifixion Cross. It seems interesting that the “God So Loved the World” story in the New Testament is “Paralleled” by the Beatles building a career on songs about ( and climaxing in a musical explosion of) “Love, Love, Love”. From McCartney’s “Never-ending”–“Silly Love Songs” to Lennon’s “Real Love”, the Theme of —“Love Conquering” seems like something GOD HIMSELF might just have had a guiding hand in “Manifesting” (and all you “Nay Sayers” can “shove it”). The Stones ( on a flip side) “imitated” everything the Beatles did (John hints in “Dig a Pony”) exactly the way Satan creates “Imitations” to lead people into darkness and confusion. Islam was Satan’s “Imitation Religion” to keep the Entire Middle East in Darkness without “Christ”. The Stones wrote parodies and blatant “copy-cat” songs that mimicked Beatle hits ( and “everyone knows it”).Kevin’s point is poignant.
” It would most likely be a collector’s item if we still had it today.”
ya, think?
It also features on the back cover of the Australian “Beatles For Sale”.
Does anyone know which version of the Drop T logo is now used on the official Beatles merchandise? To me it is either what would be called #4 or #6.
I’ve never read where they used a particular one. FWIW, the “official” logo does look most like #6 to me.
Yes, today’s “official” version of The Beatles’ logo is a cleaned up version of #6.
November 10, 2015 – NFL Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay spent $2.125 million on a Beatles drum head
The Star points out that there were seven such drum heads made during the Beatles’ tenure as the biggest band in the world. Irsay now owns No. 2. Paul McCartney owns No. 1. Good luck getting that one, Jim.
I don’t believe McCartney owns the first Downbeat set of Ringo’s. He did borrow the bass drum and tom from Ringo’s first set and the floor tom from Ringo’s second set when making his debut McCartney album. With that kit he borrowed Ringo’s second black oyster Jazz Fest snare which Ringo NEVER used. It was also for sale at the Julien’s auction when his FIRST kit was sold to Jim Irsay, NOT the second downbeat set that featured the first use of a Rogers Swiv-o-matic tom mount which he also used on his Super Classic sets as well. McCartney does not own ANY of Ringo’s drums even though he borrowed them from the first McCartney album into the Wings years. He eventually returned the drums MINUS the front bass drum head with “The Beatles” painted by Eddie Stokes. Ringo used his first Oyster Black Jazz Fest throughout his entire Beatles career and is still in possession of it. It is one of 5 known OBP Jazz Fest that were 5 1/2″ deep vs. the normal 5″ deep shell.
I believe the first time the drop T logo was used on Beatles records was the World Records Beatles Box in 1981.
Just wondering if the Beatles’ original drum logo (cursive with the two antennae) still exists, and if it’s in a private collection.
Beatles Bible publication
You have a great site and I have just found you. It seems to me that many of your subscribers have an interest in learning more about who Eddie Stokes was, I would be more than happy to share new information about my father if interested.
Sure, please do. The floor is yours!