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Lot Essay
Before they signed their recording deal with Parlophone Records in the summer of 1962, the Beatles took part in several recording sessions in Hamburg, Germany. They were recruited by independent producer Bert Kaempfert as the backing band for the London rock'n'roll singer Tony Sheridan, and also taped two songs in their own right. Most of these recordings were then licensed to Polydor Records in Germany, and originally appeared under the name of 'Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers'.
Until the publication of Hans Olof Gottfridsson's book The Beatles - From Cavern to Star-Club in 1997, the exact details of the Beatles' German sessions were shrouded in mystery. The authors were the first to reveal that the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, booked two days of sessions in May 1962 at a Hamburg studio for the group to record a demonstration album. Before they were due to take place, EMI confirmed that they were interested in signing the group, and so Epstein elected to cancel the sessions. The carbon copy of the release plan for 28/29 May 1962 is the only remaining proof that these sessions were ever booked. The copy of the 24 May, 1962 release plan/augnahme-planung in this lot is illustrated in the above book [p.109]. The vendor, Günther Sörensen, worked for Polydor as a technician and sound engineer, and was present at the recording session with The Beatles and Tony Sheridan in Studio Rahlstedt in Hamburg on the 24th May, 1962. Sörensen confirmed that only two songs Sweet Georgia Brown and Swanee River were recorded at that session and The Beatles played on both.
As a result of Epstein's cancellation of the booking for the 28/29 May 1962 session, the group's session with Tony Sheridan on 24 May proved to be their last recording date in Germany. The release plan for that date confirms the long-held rumour that Sheridan and the Beatles recorded a version of Swanee River together.
The earliest of the three schedules in this lot relates to a session involving Sheridan and another group of British musicians, who also worked under the name of the Beat Brothers.
The vendor, Günther Sörensen acquired these documents from Bert Kaempfert's wife.
Until the publication of Hans Olof Gottfridsson's book The Beatles - From Cavern to Star-Club in 1997, the exact details of the Beatles' German sessions were shrouded in mystery. The authors were the first to reveal that the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, booked two days of sessions in May 1962 at a Hamburg studio for the group to record a demonstration album. Before they were due to take place, EMI confirmed that they were interested in signing the group, and so Epstein elected to cancel the sessions. The carbon copy of the release plan for 28/29 May 1962 is the only remaining proof that these sessions were ever booked. The copy of the 24 May, 1962 release plan/augnahme-planung in this lot is illustrated in the above book [p.109]. The vendor, Günther Sörensen, worked for Polydor as a technician and sound engineer, and was present at the recording session with The Beatles and Tony Sheridan in Studio Rahlstedt in Hamburg on the 24th May, 1962. Sörensen confirmed that only two songs Sweet Georgia Brown and Swanee River were recorded at that session and The Beatles played on both.
As a result of Epstein's cancellation of the booking for the 28/29 May 1962 session, the group's session with Tony Sheridan on 24 May proved to be their last recording date in Germany. The release plan for that date confirms the long-held rumour that Sheridan and the Beatles recorded a version of Swanee River together.
The earliest of the three schedules in this lot relates to a session involving Sheridan and another group of British musicians, who also worked under the name of the Beat Brothers.
The vendor, Günther Sörensen acquired these documents from Bert Kaempfert's wife.