Lost Beatles Demo Tape Discovered in Vancouver Record Store

Lost Beatles Demo Tape Discovered in Vancouver Record Store

A rare Beatles demo tape from their fabled 1962 audition for Decca Records has surfaced in a Vancouver record store, decades after it was presumed lost. Rob Frith, owner of Neptoon Records and a well-known collector, unknowingly possessed the treasure for years before finally playing it, revealing pristine sound quality that astonished him and his colleagues.

A Forgotten Tape Unveiled

Several years ago, Frith purchased a reel-to-reel tape labeled “Beatles demo.” However, he assumed it was just another bootleg and never played it. That changed last week when he was transferring tapes at broadcaster Larry Hennessey’s studio. Curious, he decided to give it a listen.

“All of a sudden, it was like the Beatles were in the room playing,” Frith recalled, still amazed. “The quality was that good.”

A Legendary Recording Session

The recording is from the now-infamous audition the Beatles gave at Decca Studios on January 1, 1962. Despite their evident talent, Decca Records rejected them—a decision widely considered one of the greatest mistakes in music history. Just months later, EMI signed the Beatles, catapulting them to global fame.

This session features the Beatles’ original drummer, Pete Best, who was later replaced by Ringo Starr. The tracklist consists mostly of covers, including Money, To Know Him is to Love Him, and The Sheik of Araby, along with three original compositions by John Lennon and Paul McCartney: Like Dreamers Do, Hello Little Girl, and Love of the Loved.

Although five songs from the session were officially released in 1995 on The Beatles Anthology I, not all 15 recordings have seen an official release, making this newly discovered tape an invaluable artifact.

The Mysterious Journey of the Tape

Following the discovery, Frith and Hennessey shared the news on social media, prompting speculation about the tape’s origins. Musician Tom Lavin of the Powder Blues band recalled that the Decca tape had once been housed at Can-Base Studios in Vancouver, previously known as Mushroom Studios. The studio’s former owner, Jack Herschorn, confirmed that he obtained the tape in London in the late 1960s from an unnamed record producer.

“He thought maybe we could release it as a bootleg album in Canada and the U.S.,” Herschorn revealed. “He gave me a copy.”

Vancouver had a reputation for pressing bootleg records in the 1960s, with local company International Record Corp. even facing a lawsuit from Bob Dylan in 1969. However, upon returning to Canada, Herschorn decided against releasing the Beatles tape due to ethical concerns.

“I wouldn’t want somebody doing that to me,” he explained. “I could have made a few bucks, but it wasn’t my style.”

Lost and Found

For years, the tape sat in a storage closet at Can-Base Studios. Ownership of the studio changed hands multiple times, and at some point, the tape went missing. Frith, who eventually purchased it, believes he acquired it from a longtime Vancouver recording engineer, though he can’t recall exactly who.

While Frith cannot legally reproduce or sell the tape due to copyright restrictions, it remains a highly valuable collectible. A similar copy, once owned by Beatles manager Brian Epstein, was auctioned for £62,500 (approximately CAD $117,000) in 2019—despite containing only half the recordings.

A Piece of Music History

Jack Herschorn, now 80 and living in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, played a key role in Vancouver’s 1960s music scene. He managed the Collectors (who later became Chilliwack) and co-founded the pioneering local label New Syndrome Records. Though he left the Beatles tape behind when he moved back to the U.S. in the 1970s, his connection to music endured.

Beyond music, Herschorn built a successful career as a chiropractor in Venice Beach, California, and later founded The Sacred Space, a renowned spiritual retreat and retail destination near Santa Barbara. His clientele included Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé.

Last week, former Heart guitarist Howard Leese visited Herschorn in Mexico, a testament to his enduring friendships from his days in the Vancouver music industry. Meanwhile, the Beatles tape, once gathering dust in a record shop, has found new life as an extraordinary piece of rock history.