Mike Smith was an executive in charge new talent for of finding Decca London.
In 1961,he went to Liverpool to see The Beatles perform.
Thinking the band had talent, Smith asked them to audition a Decca Studios in London a couple of weeks later.
The excited group we London, and endured an intense two-hour audition.
However, they were rejected.
Dick Rowe, another executive at Decca Records, told The Beatles's manager:
"We don't like your boys' sound.
Groups are out; four-piece groups with guitars particularly are finished.
He couldn't have known how wrong he was.
He must have regretted that mistake for many, many years.
The group eventually signed with another record label, sold millions of records, and became one of the most popular bands in music history.