Wasn’t it Mike Smith who recommended the Beatles be dropped by DECCA when Dick Rowe asked him? Rowe merely relayed the new to Epstein?

George Martin did not suggest that Best to be sacked. The real reason for the dismissal is still a mystery with only one man, Paul McCartney, still alive who fully knows. George Harrison was the hawk to have Best sacked but he never gave the real reason(s). The sacking was 2.5 months after the June 6 session at Abbey Rd.

Another myth is that the Beatles 6 June first session at Abbey Rd with Pete Best was an audition. It was not. Even Pete Best has stated so. They were told they were to record a single. The contract to record a single was already signed. No record label would allow unknowns to record their own written songs in those days. Any White, the session drummer called in, stated he was very surprised an unknown band on their first recordings were recording their own songs. The Beatles had financial leverage over EMI.

The Beatles did record their own songs and turned down a sure-fire hit, because it was not written by them, How Do You Do It, a No. 1 hit later with Gerry and the Pacemakers. The first release, Love Me Do, was rather lame and dull and obvious why it was a minor hit.

It has been written that Epstein threatened EMI with withdrawing EMI records from his stores to get the Beatles recording a single. The economic threat by Epstein meant EMI gave in. Even Martin stated, “EMI had nothing to lose by recording the Beatles”. Martin’s knowledge of rocks bands was little more than nil, as he had never recorded such music previously. Martin was on the bottom end of EMI in their small Parlophone label. It was clear EMI allowed Epstein to make a single to keep the NEMS record sales, so never gave him the top EMI labels or experienced rock music producers.

Stephen, thanks for the insight on your godfather’s mindset. Very informative.

Gordon

Southport is not a city but a town, 16 miles to the north of Liverpool.

Ringo Starr did not join the Beatles until after they had signed with Parlophone. It was George Martin who urged them to dump Pete Best as drummer.

If anything, the Beatles were anti-classical in the sense that they represented a movement in Britain to undermine class hierarchy. (What else can “classical music” refer to if not the class that traditionally patronized it?)

And when Chuck Berry commands Beethoven to “roll over” and “tell Tchaikovsky the news,” I think he meant in their graves. Rock and the under-privileged now ruled.

Thanks for the comments.

Gordon