This Day in Beatle History

January 20

1962 (Jun 6) - First Beatles Recordings at What Will Become 'Abbey Road'

The first Beatles recording session took place at EMI studios. The group recorded four tracks, one of which was ‘Love Me Do’ the four musicians received payments for the session of £7.10 ($12.07) each.

1964 (Jan 20) - 'Meet The Beatles' Released in America


Meet The Beatles’ is released by Capitol in the US.

1965 (Jan 20) - 'Father of Rock and Roll' DJ Alan Freed Dies


American disc-jockey Alan Freed died from uraemia and cirrhosis brought on by alcoholism at the age of 42.  Freed called himself the “father of rock and roll”, appeared in the movies such as Rock Around the Clock and Don’t Knock the Rock.  His career was destroyed by the payola scandal that hit the broadcasting industry in the early 1960s.

1966 (Feb 18) - Brian Wilson Finishes 'Good Vibrations'

Beach Boy Brian Wilson finished recording the future classic song ‘Good Vibrations’, which went on to become the band’s third US number-one hit. As a child, his mother told him that dogs could pick up “vibrations” from people, so that the dog would bark at “bad vibrations” Wilson turned this into the general idea for the song.

1969 (Jan 20) - 'Get Back' Filming Moves to Apple Studios


The idea of a live concert is shelved.   Filming of ‘Get Back’ is moved to the incomplete Apple Studios at 3 Saville Row.

1970 (Jan 20) - John and Yoko Return From Copenhagen


John & Yoko have their hair cropped in Copenhagen. They then return home after nearly a month in Denmark.

1988 (Jan 20) - Beatles Inducted Into RRHOF


The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Yoko, Sean, and Julian Lennon all attend.  Paul McCartney did not attend, sending instead a letter stating that continuing business differences with the other ex-Beatles was the reason for his absence.

2000 (Jan 20) - 'Birthplace Of The Beatles' Signs Banned


Tourism departments in Liverpool were banned from putting up motorway signs saying ‘Liverpool, the Birthplace Of The Beatles’ because the Highways Agency thought the signs would distract motorists.

2002 (Jan 20) - 'My Sweet Lord' #1 in Britain Posthumously


George Harrison had the posthumous UK No.1 single with the re-release of the 1971 former No.1 ‘My Sweet Lord’.  Harrison’s single replaced Aaliyah’s ‘More Than A Woman’, the only time in chart history that one deceased artist had taken over from another at No.1. 

2008 (Feb 20) - Beatles' Autographed Rolling Stones Album Auctioned

A 1976 Rolling Stones album bought for £2 at a car boot sale sold for £4,000 at an auction. The ‘Black and Blue’ LP was signed by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Paul and Linda McCartney and George Harrison as well as members of the Rolling Stones. The seller obtained the album after haggling the cost down from £3.

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