The Beatles demo tape famously rejected by Decca Records in 1962 will go under the auctioneer’s hammer later this month.
The seven track demo, which contains the Fab Four’s cover of the Motown classic ‘Money (That’s What I Want)‘ – which would go on to feature on their second UK LP ‘With The Beatles‘ – as well as ‘Like Dreamers Do‘, ‘Take Good Care Of My Baby‘, ‘Three Cool Cats‘, ‘Love Of The Loved‘, ‘Memphis‘ and ‘Crying Waiting Hoping‘, was recorded at Decca Records’ London base on New Year’s Day 1962, but rebuffed by executive Dick Rowe with the now notorious comment that ‘guitar music is on the way out’, and who thus concluded that the young Liverpool group ‘had no future in showbusiness’.
By the October of that year, The Beatles had instead signed to EMI and were ready to begin their unrivalled success story with the release of debut single ‘Love Me Do‘, while Decca would slightly cushion the blow by adding The Rolling Stones to their family.
The demo recording has never been officially released, while the master tape found its way into the possession of a music collector back in 2002 after previously being owned by Beatles manager Brian Epstein and later an EMI employee. It will go on sale at the Fame Bureau auction in London’s Mayfair on November 27th.
“It is totally unique and the sound quality is crystal clear,” Ted Owen, of Fame Bureau has told The Telegraph. “They are copying the American style, the style of artists like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry. Those were the days of Rock and Roll and everybody who was trying to make a name for themselves were trying to replicate that style.”