WOW! "Actual Film Of" The Beatles Decca Audition Video 1962

The Beatles audition with Decca Records took place on New Year’s Day 1962. The session had been secured through the Beatles new manager, Brian Epstein, and Mike Smith from Decca, who had already seen the Beatles perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool.

The Beatles had travelled down from Liverpool the day before in Neil Aspinall’s battered van. In those days, before the motorway system was built, it would have taken them about ten hours. Brian Epstein travelled down by the rather more luxurious inter-city train. When the Beatles arrived in London they went straight to their hotel for the night – the Royal in Russell Square. Despite the hotel’s regal name, it was far from palatial.

As it was New Year’s Eve, the Beatles decided to soak up the atmosphere of London and asked their way to Soho. They ended up in a pub close to Trafalgar Square where they drank in the New Year. However, they didn’t stay long due the importance of the next day.

Probably unknown to the Beatles, their audition took place in the same room that Lonnie Donegan recorded ‘Rock Island Line’ in 1954 – the song that greatly influence the Beatles and pretty much every UK musician in the 1950s and 60s.

The Beatles were very nervous – and their mood wasn’t helped by Decca refusing to let them use their own amps, which they had transported from Liverpool. Instead, they had to use Decca’s ‘in house’ unfamiliar amps.

The Beatles sang 15 songs that day, only three of which were Lennon/McCartney originals – the rest were cover versions. John Lennon later blamed Brian Epstein for playing safe with the songs he chose. Rather than stick to the songs the Beatles regularly played on stage, like Long Tall Sally, they sang ‘standards’ like Besame Mucho and The Sheikh of Araby. However, whether Brian has chosen the repertoire, or the Beatles themselves, has been debated ever since.

Surprisingly maybe, John and George sang four songs each, while Paul sang seven. Vocally, George’s performance was the best, but Paul was wracked with nerves, and his singing was sub-standard for him – especially on ‘Til There Was You’.

Much has been said about Pete Best’s drumming at the audition, but in reality, his performance was no worse than the others.

It was unusual for so many songs to be recorded at an audition, so it is likely that Decca might have taken some of the best recordings that day to release as singles, if the Beatles were given a contract.

Immediately after the audition Mike Smith was reasonably enthusiastic about the group’s chances of getting a recording contract, but many weeks later Decca decided to turn the Beatles down. They were going to sign London based Brian Poole and the Tremeloes instead!

Even though Decca have been derided in the past for turning down the Beatles, and with hindsight it does seem a strange decision, it has to be remembered that many other companies turned them down without even auditioning them. With hindsight, their rejection by Decca could have been one of the best things that happened to the Beatles. If they had been signed, they might have only made one or two singles, and then dropped; they might never have met George Martin; and never become the world-conquering group we know and love to this day.

Decca's Main Man Dick Rowe was quoted as saying at the time "Guitar groups are on their way out, Mr Epstein." Dick Rowe of Decca made himself unwittingly but enduringly synonymous with catastrophic commercial misjudgements. "Shit Happens" as Keith Richards would later say, the rest is HISTORY!

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