The 1960s’ Most Influential Music Executive
In the 1950s and 1960s, few wielded more influence in Britain’s music industry than Richard “Dick” Rowe. The head of Decca Records’ A&R (artists and repertoire), Rowe was in charge of finding new artists who showed promise. Although he became famous – or infamous – for an epically bad business decision, Rowe was overall pretty good at what he did. His signings included The Rolling Stones, Tom Jones, Cat Stevens, The Animals, and Them, the band that launched Van Morrison. Unfortunately, his name is forever tied with the one group he failed to sign.
It began on New Year’s Day, 1962. Brian Epstein, the manager of an unheralded group, took his young talents to audition with Decca Records at their studios in West Hampstead, North London. They were there at the invitation of one of Rowe’s A&R subordinates, Mike Smith, who had heard the band play a few weeks earlier. He liked what he heard, and asked them to do a session at Decca’s studio. The group drove to London all the way from Liverpool, in the middle of a snowstorm, and made it just on time for their 11 AM audition.