The Quarrymen recording Phillips' Sound Recording Services

side 2 of quarrymen s record: in spite of danger (running time 3.25)

johnny guitar byrne (from rory storm , hurricanes) , singer paul murphy recorded version of butterfly , she’s got in studio on 22 june 1957, , byrne later played recording harrison. on 12 july 1958, local skiffle group, quarrymen (lennon, mccartney, harrison, lowe , hanton) visited phillips studio record 2 songs, although date has been disputed, lowe remembered recording during cold weather (october or november, 1957) band wearing scarves. hanton mentioned cold weather in interviews, , before recording, lennon suggested hanton put scarf on snare drum lower volume, supports earlier date.

the group surprised see how small , technically basic studio was, 1 microphone in centre of room. phillips demanded pay recording before set equipment, each member paid 3 shillings , 6 pence, asked surcharge (£1) cover cost of transferring tape recording acetate disc. expensive, phillips said cut-rate price not taped first, record directly vinyl.

the first song recorded that‘ll day (sung lennon harmonies mccartney). phillips wanted them record next song, lennon , mccartney not decide on song b-side of disc. mccartney suggested doo-wop ballad, in spite of danger (by mccartney , harrison, sung lennon) though lowe , hanton had never heard before. asked time rehearse, phillips refused, saying, seventeen , 6 17/6d re not here day .

lowe , hanton busked through song, cut short phillips waving hands indicate cutting needle getting close centre of acetate. handed band fragile 78rpm 10-inch acetate record. later lost until lowe rediscovered in 1981, , planned put auction @ sotheby s, sold mccartney undisclosed amount. mccartney later had 2 songs digitally re-mastered , pressed 50 copies, giving them friends christmas present, although 2 songs released on 21 november 1995, part of beatles anthology (anthology 1). mccartney later said, strangest thing me, listening it, s drowning, s life flashing in front of you. earliest things me , john when used sag off school , earliest demo tape ever made, first little record made version of john singing ll day , , little song of mine [and harrison] on other side s never been released before.