The Beatles, “Like Dreamers Do” (Decca Audition, 1962): Deep Beatles
In 1962, the Beatles did not pass the audition.
January 1 of that year was supposed to be the Beatles’ huge break, as manager Brian Epstein had secured an audition with Decca Records. Decca A&R rep Mike Smith had attended the group’s December 13, 1961 Cavern Club show. Liking what he heard, he approached the Beatles and Epstein to record an audition tape for the label. The recording session was set for December 31, 1961. What followed was a virtual comedy of errors.
First, road manager and assistant Neil Aspinall agreed to drive the boys from Liverpool to Decca’s West Hampstead Studios. However, the group encountered a snowstorm during the trip, resulting in Aspinall getting lost. When they finally arrived at 10 p.m. December 31, they had been on the road over ten hours. Epstein (who had arrived earlier via train) and Smith rescheduled the session for the following day, hoping the boys would be well rested.
When a freezing January 1 dawned, the Beatles’ anxiety was palpable; they felt tremendous pressure over performing to the label’s satisfaction. Meanwhile, Smith had thoroughly enjoyed New Year’s Eve, thus he arrived late to the recording studio. To make matters worse, Smith insisted that the Beatles use Decca’s amplifiers rather than their own, thus increasing the group’s anxiety over using unfamiliar equipment. Relying on their Hamburg and Cavern Club setlists, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and then-drummer Pete Best recorded 15 tracks during their one-hour session. Featuring mostly covers and a handful of Lennon/McCartney originals, the audibly nervous Beatles rushed through their tracks.
By: Kit O'Toole
Source: Something Else Reviews
