After failing to impress Decca Records, Epstein went to the HMV store on Oxford Street in London to transfer the Decca tapes to discs. There, recording engineer Jim Foy referred him to Sid Coleman, who ran EMI's publishing arm. When Coleman heard the demo tapes, he suggested taking the tapes to George Martin who, Coleman explained, "does comedy records" and headed the Parlophone label at EMI.[citation needed] Epstein eventually met with Martin, who signed the group to EMI on a one-year renewable contract.[34] The Beatles' first recording session was scheduled for 6 June 1962 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in north London.[35] Martin had not been particularly impressed by the band's demo recordings, but he liked The Beatles' personalities when he met them.[36] He concluded that they had raw musical talent, but stated in later interviews that what made the difference for him was their wit and humour.[37]
Martin had a problem with Pete Best,[36] whom he criticised for not being able to keep time. Martin privately suggested to Epstein that the band use another drummer in the studio. There was speculation by some that Best's popularity with fans was another source of friction.[38] In addition, Epstein became exasperated with his refusal to adopt the distinctive hairstyle as part of the band's unified look. Best also had missed a number of engagements because of illness. The three founding members of the band enlisted Epstein to dismiss Best, which he did on 16 August 1962.[39] They asked Richard Starkey, known as Ringo Starr, to join the band; Starr was the drummer for one of the top Merseybeat groups, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and had performed occasionally with The Beatles in Hamburg.[40] The first recordings of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr together were made as early as 15 October 1960, in a series of demonstration records privately recorded in Hamburg while acting as the backing group for singer Lu Walters.[41] Starr played on The Beatles' second EMI recording session on 4 September 1962, but Martin hired session drummer Andy White for their next session on 11 September.[42] White's only released performances were recordings of "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You", found on The Beatles' first album.
Their recording contract paid them one penny for each single sold, which was split amongst the four Beatles — one farthing per group member.[43] This royalty rate was reduced for singles sold outside the UK, for which they received half of one penny (again split between the whole band) per single. Martin said later that it was a "pretty awful" contract.[43]
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