A very unlikely thing has taken over the music world, rare Beatles demo tape with unreleased tracks has been found in a record shop in Vancouver, Canada.
A remarkable find that has sent shockwaves through the entire music industry is none other than a rare and valuable ‘Beatles demo tape from 1962 in a record shop in Vancouver, Canada. This newly uncovered tape provides a valuable glimpse into the formative years of the world’s most iconic band capturing their raw energy and untapped potential just before their meteoric rise to fame.
The discovery took place at Neptoon Records, an independent record store located in Vancouver’s Main Street area. The store’s owner, Rob Frith, stumbled upon the tape while organizing and archiving tapes from his store’s extensive collection. Initially, the reel was believed to be a bootleg copy, part of a collection acquired many years ago. However, closer inspection revealed that this was no ordinary recording. Frith recounted how the revelation unfolded during a routine transfer session at the home of a friend and sound engineer, Larry Hennessey. As they played the tape labeled ‘Beatles demo’, they were both left speechless by what they heard.
The quality of the recording and the authenticity of the performances immediately struck them as genuine. Hennessey described the moment with awe, saying their jaws dropped as they realized they might be listening to an incredibly rare piece of Beatles history. ‘It was so exciting and we are sort of laughing,’ Frith added. ‘We can’t believe what we are listening to. I thought it was going to be off a record but it was obviously off a master tape.’
The demo tape features 15 tracks recorded before Ringo Starr joined the band, with Pete Best still on drums. Music historians believe that these recordings were part of The Beatles’ audition session for Decca Records in January 1962. This audition is now famously known as the session where Decca, in what has since become one of the most infamous decisions in music history, rejected The Beatles.
The tracks include a mix of early Beatles compositions and covers that the band performed during their club days in Liverpool and Hamburg. Songs such as ‘Like Dreamers Do’ and ‘Hello Little Girl,’ both written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, showcase the raw talent and songwriting prowess that would soon catapult The Beatles to stardom. The tape captures a youthful energy and ambition that offers listeners a unique glimpse into the band’s evolution.
Upon discovering the tape, Frith and Hennessey sought the expertise of music historians and sound engineers to authenticate the recording. After careful analysis of the audio, recording style, and physical characteristics of the tape, experts confirmed that the tape is indeed a one-to-one copy of the original Decca audition recordings. This finding adds another layer of historical depth to the story of The Beatles, as few such copies have ever been found in such pristine condition.
The authenticity of the recording was further supported by comparisons with known Beatles demos from the same period. The similarities in performance style, recording quality, and even minor imperfections in the tape all point to its legitimacy. This discovery adds a new chapter to the ongoing exploration of The Beatles’ early career.
