 John Lennon asked him to go to West Germany for the Beatles' second trip, but Newby chose to return to university.After Lennon and George Harrison both declined to switch to bass guitar, Paul McCartney, who previously played guitar and piano, reluctantly became the band's bassist.Newby taught mathematics at Droitwich Spa High School in Droitwich Spa and now lives in Alcester, where he plays in a charity group, The Racketts.