On This Day in 1962, The Beatles Audition for EMI Records and George Martin Calls Them “Pretty Awful” Before Signing Them a Month Later
via It's Only Rock And Roll PODCAST / YouTube
Audition Day at EMI Studios
On June 6, 1962, The Beatles were given a chance to audition for EMI Records at their studios in London. The band, which then included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and drummer Pete Best, had just come off a failed audition at Decca Records earlier that year. Despite the disappointment, they were still looking for a record deal.
The EMI session was arranged by their manager, Brian Epstein. The group was paid £7.10 each (about $12.07 at the time) for the session. George Martin, a producer at EMI, was asked to listen and see if the band had potential. What he heard didn’t impress him right away.
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George Martin’s First Impression
George Martin later spoke about the audition and was honest about how it went. “They were pretty awful. I understand why other record companies turned them down,” he said. Martin thought their playing needed improvement and felt they sounded rough compared to other acts of the time.
Even though he had doubts, Martin saw something different in the group. He noticed their sense of humor and energy. They had a chemistry that stood out, even if their sound wasn’t polished yet. Martin also believed that with some changes, like finding a new drummer, they could do better.
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A Turnaround Within a Month
Despite calling them “pretty awful,” George Martin decided to give them a chance. One month after the audition, in July 1962, he signed The Beatles to a recording contract with EMI. The band would soon replace Pete Best with Ringo Starr, helping to solidify their future sound.
The EMI audition may not have been their best performance, but it was the first step in what would become a major music career. George Martin’s decision to sign them changed both his life and theirs. The Beatles would go on to become one of the most successful bands in music history.
