10/3/08 – Alamo’s Claim of Owning Unreleased Beatle Album Another Lie
Arkansas Gazette
October 3, 2008
By Linda Caillouet
PAPER TRAILS: Alamo’s tale of Best gift a lie, Pete says
STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE: For years, evangelist Tony Alamo, whose multistate ministry is based in Fouke, has claimed to have an unreleased master recording of an early Beatles album worth $50 million. Alamo says the band’s original drummer, Pete Best, gave it to him for promoting Best’s new band in 1964.
No one has ever asked Best about Alamo’s claim — until now.
After Best played at Sticky Fingerz in Little Rock on Wednesday, Paper Trails asked him about Alamo.
“I’ve never heard of him,” said Best, who was booted from the Beatles in 1962 and replaced by Ringo Starr. And, when told Alamo was arrested last week in Flagstaff, Ariz., on federal charges of transporting minors across state lines for sexual purposes, Best added, “He’s not the type of guy I’d like to get involved with.”
IN HIS CORNER: Speaking of Alamo (whose real name is Bernie Lazar Hoffman), who’ll defend him? Little Rock-based criminal defense attorney John Wesley Hall Jr., his partner Patrick Benca and Jeff Harrelson of Texarkana.