32. The Music Industry’s Biggest Oops
On January 1st, 1962, Brian Epstein, the manager of an unheralded musical group, took his young talents to audition with Decca Records at their studios in West Hampstead, North London. After setting up, tuning and stringing their guitars, and clearing their throats, Epstein’s group performed about 15 songs before Dick Rowe, a senior Decca executive and the record label’s chief talent spotter. After the audition, Mr. Rowe decided to pass on signing the group, telling Epstein: “Guitar groups are on the way out“.
Epstein and his group left Decca’s studios, understandably dejected at starting the new year with a rejection. Not so Dick Rowe, who figured that his new year had started auspiciously. That same day, he had listened to another auditioning band and liked what he heard. So he signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes to a deal with Decca Records. The band he passed on, however, would forever associate Dick Rowe and Decca Records with the music industry’s biggest oops.