03/23/2026
A record store owner, Rob Frith, discovered a lost Beatles audition tape for years. Paul McCartney later became involved.
Frith could’ve auctioned the 1962 Decca tape for a fortune. Instead, he received a different payment.
For a decade, a reel-to-reel tape labeled “Beatles Early Demos” sat behind the cash register at Neptoon Records, a beloved independent record shop in Vancouver. Frith assumed it was a bootleg and never played it.
In March 2025, Frith brought the tape to his friend Larry Hennessey’s studio. When they played it, they were amazed by the clean, present sound, unlike the murky quality of a bootleg. It was a master-generation recording of the Beatles’ failed audition for Decca Records on January 1, 1962, eight months before Ringo Starr joined the band.
Decca famously rejected the group that day, reportedly telling their manager that guitar bands were on their way out. The 15-song tape, including early Lennon-McCartney originals like “Like Dreamers Do” and “Love Of The Loved,” had been considered lost in master form for decades. Bootleg copies had circulated since the late 1970s, but nothing with this clarity.
When Frith posted a clip online, the reaction was immediate and international. Paul McCartney’s representative contacted him. On September 18, Frith traveled to Los Angeles with his wife, Vicki, and sons, including Ben, who manages the store. McCartney invited them to lunch and a rehearsal with his band. He greeted Frith’s wife by name. Ben said, “I thought I saw her soul exit her body right then.”
Frith handed over the tape. McCartney signed albums, photographs, including black-and-white prints from the Beatles’ early years, in return.
Frith said, “You changed my life as far as music. That’s why I have a record store. Your influence is why I have one.”
He returned home with signed memorabilia, photographs, and the best 24 hours of his life. He also left the tape, which was exactly what he wanted.
Frith said, “I got paid because I met Paul McCartney. That was good enough for me.”
Catch the stream at k-zap.org, on the k-zap apps or at 93.3 FM in the metro Sacramento area.
