“The Beatles have no future in show business”
On New Year’s Eve in 1961, a group of four twenty-somethings from Liverpool, England piled into a car with their instruments to drive to London for the biggest moment of their young musical careers.
These four young men (George, Paul, John and Pete – known by their small cadre of fans as “The Beatles”) had secured their first formal audition with an actual record company. Decca Records.
Their school buddy Neil drove them. But there was a snowstorm.
And then Neil got lost. And then Neil got lost again.
Apparently, Neil had the navigational prowess of a terrier.
And soon, more than 10 hours had passed.
The next morning, frazzled, supremely nervous and exhausted, The Beatles auditioned for the heads of Decca Records.
And they blew the audition.
They had a bad day.
That’s right, at the biggest moment of their entire music careers – up to this point – The Beatles swung hard and completely wiffed. Struck out.
Decca Records politely said, “Thanks, but no thanks” and even said – and I’m going to include the actual quote here for fun:
“The Beatles have no future in show business.”
Ever had a bad day?
Ever watched your teen have a really bad day?
Ever watch them blow an opportunity?
Ever see them do something that didn’t really truly reflect their potential?
Here are some lessons from that dismal audition:
- That failure did NOT erase The Beatles’ raw potential.
- That failure did NOT erase the thousands of hours of practice the group had logged over the previous year and a half.
- That failure was NOT the final word on The Beatles.
- That failure was NOT the end.
So.
When your teen falls down, let them know, it’s okay.
So did The Beatles.
