Formed in 1960 by John Lennon (rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals)and Paul McCartney (bass guitar and vocals), they were joined by George Harrison (lead guitar, sitar, vocals) and Pete Best (drums) Playing in Liverpool and at venues in Hamburg until in 1962 when Brian Epstein signed them up for a 5 year contract and Ringo Starr joined the group in place of Pete Best. Although their early songs were simple they won acclaim from serious musicians and The Times music critic William Mann hailed Lennon and McCartney as the outstanding English composers of 1963! In 1965 the Queen awarded each an MBE which caused protests from previous medal holders. Several critically acclaimed films for cinema and TV followed including A Hard Day's Night (1964), Help!(1965), The Magical Mystery Tour (1967), and on the death of Brian Epstein in 1967 the Beatles announced they would manage their own affairs. The group played together for the last time in August 1969 and finally dissolved in early 1970.