A bunch of questions about the Beatles Decca audition

I know speed corrected versions of these tracks have circulated in recent years. Were the versions on Anthology at the wrong speed?

 

Is the article available to read at this time?

 

But this suggests that, for better or worse, that band was *memorable*. Considering how many auditions Decca staff must have sat through day after day, it seems telling (or perhaps revisionist) that each member of the band would have made such a distinct impression. Perhaps that should have been a clue for Decca A&R to give them a second look.

It seems odd that anyone from Decca would play the audition tape as a point of pride to demonstrate how sound their judgment had been in rejecting The Beatles. It wasn't.

 

No, they're at the correct speed. I believe they had Epstein's original source tape to work from. Whether that was THE master, or a dub of the Decca master is another question. I know that multiple copies of the Decca master tape existed at one time.

Derek

 

I still wonder if "Money" is at the correct speed, it sounds too fast for me. It's certainly faster than the 1963 version, John's voice is higher than I'm used to hearing it, and the way the words are pronounced he sounds like he's sneezing them out.

 

Thanks Derek

And I had the same thought about Money as well listening to it this AM

 

The Decca master was in the studio for at least a couple of years after the session and then it went missing at some point. Mike Savage told me after hearing the disc I sent him that the songs sounded like they ran too fast, so it's possible there's a speed issue.

 

The "speed-corrected" might've refered to the original vinyl boots that did appear to be faster than the recent versions.

As for the ORIGINAL Decca tape, it makes much sense that Epstein would have it...but perhaps only a copy?? I recall a persistant story (perhaps only urban myth) decades ago that Decca staff used to play the Beatles audition tape once a year at the staff Xmas/New Year's party just to rib the A&R guy that passed on the Beatles (and as a result signed the Rolling Stones).

 

"Like Dreamers Do" sounds great, but IIRC it has only 10 tracks. I still have this on white vinyl.

I had two other versions from around the same time - I want to say the Silver Beatles albums on Audio Rarities - that were companion volumes to each other. They did not sound as good, and IIRC repeated tracks between both versions. I unloaded them.

I ended up with a full LP version that has all the songs, on a label called Circuit (probably a boot). This sounded better than the albums I unloaded but not as good as "Like Dreamers Do." It was the first version I found that had "Hello Little Girl."

These recordings are not very good. They advanced light years between this album and "With the Beatles."

It's been ages since I've heard this stuff, but I can't remember any of these tunes fading on my versions. They all have cold endings, at least the tunes I can remember.

 

I don't own the bootleg CDs, but I do have 4-5 of the Deccagone 45s, as well as the Deccagone LP that also came out in the '70s, and there are indeed bits of chatter after many of the songs.

 

An old article I've had for thirty years:

 

Right, it was refreshing for its complete lack of incorrect information!

 

The price paid for the Decca Tapes is incorrect. According to author Clinton Heylin, the real figure was $5000 plus a trip to NY for the seller of the tape.

Derek

 

I believe the Deccagone singles were put out by Joe Pope of Strawberry Fields Forever magazine. But I'm just going on memory here -I may be wrong.

J. D.

 

It's true. RIP, Joe.

 

They should have been signed for sure - even listening to the audition tapes which I just finished listening to, you can hear the early energy and the "beat" sound in spades.

But without George Martin, it is hard to say that we'd have ever gotten a Sgt. Pepper, to say nothing of Rubber Soul and Revolver.

It would have been a much different Beatles, and a different rock world today had Decca snapped them up right then and there.

 

I enjoy listening to the Decca songs every once in awhile, but "energy" and "the Beat" are not two words I'd use to discribe them. Pete's drumming is rudimentary at best and John in particular sounds bored and tired. George IS the star of the session. His guitar work is good, considering all, and his lead vocals are easily the best of the bunch. Paul is a tad over-exuberant, but his bass playing is surprisingly good considering he'd been at it less than a year. Of course song material (pre-selected by Brian Epstein) is the biggest let down/issue. No Some Other Guy, A Shot Of Rhythm and Blues or Hippy Hippy Shake... instead we get Sheik Of Araby, Searchin' and September In The Rain. Too bad. Ron

 

So, guys whats the consensus? If one wants the best sounding Decca Auditions on Vinyl, with all 15 songs , whats the best LP to look for?

Thanks.

 

WoW
They passed on "Like Dreamers Do"?!?!
What about that sounds like it couldn't be producED too be on the radio back-in-the-day???
i guess they didn't pass on the song:
"In 1964, the track was recorded by Decca Records' band "The Applejacks" and released as the group's debut single, reaching No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart. The Applejacks worked with Mike Leander from Decca as the musical director."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Like_Dreamers_Do
The frick'in 'Applejacks' had a hit w/it!!!

Paul sounds like his channeling Elvis a bit.
i can see were "Money" scared em tho!

 

I agree with Mark the Shark. I bought Raw Energy when it first came out. I already had the original Circuit LP, but wanted the session on CD. When I read the liner notes, I took it to be a similar send up like the one on the Circuit records LP. The reference to the FDS system was clearly a piss take on Feminine Deoderant Spray, which was heavily advertised on TV at the time.

 

As far as I know, there aren't any good sounding Decca Auditions on vinyl with all 15 songs. Your best bet is find the "Nevermind the Tremeloes - Here's The Beatles" set on the internet.

Derek

 

You missed four. Turn in your card at the door.

 

Probably because it is all Apple owned. Anthology 1 had tracks from other label sources (Sherieden etc,).

 

What's Joe Pope doing these days? (I love that name for some reason...)