Saturday 12 July 1958 | Phillips Sound Recording Services, 38 Kensington, Liverpool, England
On 12 July 1958, The Quarrymen — featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison — made their first-ever recording at Phillips Sound Recording Services, a home studio in Liverpool. It was the first recording session featuring all three future Beatles together.
Phillips Sound Recording Services
The studio was owned and run by Percy F Phillips, and was based in the living room of his home at 38 Kensington, a Victorian terraced house in Liverpool. Phillips offered a basic but functional recording service to local musicians, pressing recordings directly onto disc.
A blue plaque was installed on the front wall of the house in 2005 to commemorate the session, listing the date as 14 July 1958. However, the studio log book entry for that date does not mention any skiffle group, and the former members of the Quarrymen have given differing accounts of the precise date. The most widely accepted date, based on available evidence, is 12 July 1958.
The Recording Session
The Quarrymen recorded two songs during the session:
- 'In Spite Of All The Danger' — an original composition credited on the label to McCartney-Harrison, with Lennon on lead vocals
- 'That'll Be The Day' — a cover of the Buddy Holly song
The recording cost the group 17 shillings and three pence, and was pressed directly onto a 10″ aluminium and acetate disc to be played at 78rpm. The studio log book records the session simply as "Skiffle. 10inch double sided. Direct. 11/3".
It says on the label that it was me and George but I think it was actually written by me, and George played the guitar solo! We were mates and nobody was into copyrights and publishing, nobody understood – we actually used to think when we came down to London that songs belonged to everyone. I've said this a few times but it's true, we really thought they just were in the air, and that you couldn't actually own one. So you can imagine the publishers saw us coming! 'Welcome boys, sit down. That's what you think, is it?' So that's what we used to do in those days – and because George did the solo we figured that he 'wrote' the solo.
Paul McCartney
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Mark Lewisohn
The Quarrymen in July 1958
The Quarrymen had been formed by John Lennon in 1956 as a skiffle group at Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool. Paul McCartney had joined in 1957, and George Harrison followed shortly after. By July 1958 the group was in a transitional phase, moving away from skiffle towards rock and roll.
The disc was passed between the group members for safekeeping. It eventually came into the possession of original Quarrymen member John Duff Lowe, who kept it for decades before it was purchased by Paul McCartney in 1981.
Key Facts: 12 July 1958
| Date | Saturday 12 July 1958 (disputed; also cited as 14 July) |
| Venue | Phillips Sound Recording Services, 38 Kensington, Liverpool |
| Songs recorded | 'In Spite Of All The Danger'; 'That'll Be The Day' |
| Format | 10″ aluminium and acetate disc, 78rpm |
| Cost | 17 shillings and three pence |
| Log book entry | "Skiffle. 10inch double sided. Direct. 11/3" |
| Lineup | John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison (+ other Quarrymen members) |
| Official release | Anthology 1, November 1995 |
38 Kensington, Liverpool — the Victorian terraced house where Percy Phillips ran his home recording studio, and where The Quarrymen made their first recording in 1958.
The Beatles: Anthology
The landmark 1995 release that brought these very recordings to the world for the first time. Officially licensed Beatles merch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was The Quarrymen's first recording?
The Quarrymen's first recording was made at Phillips Sound Recording Services in Liverpool in July 1958. They recorded 'In Spite Of All The Danger' and a cover of Buddy Holly's 'That'll Be The Day', pressed onto a 10-inch acetate disc.
Who wrote 'In Spite Of All The Danger'?
The label credits the song to McCartney-Harrison, but Paul McCartney has since said he wrote it and that George Harrison's credit came from playing the guitar solo. At the time, the group had no understanding of music publishing or copyright.
When was 'In Spite Of All The Danger' officially released?
'In Spite Of All The Danger' was officially released on Anthology 1 in November 1995, nearly 37 years after it was recorded. It was the first time the public could hear the earliest known recording of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison performing together.
How much did The Quarrymen's first recording cost?
The recording cost 17 shillings and three pence, and was pressed directly onto a 10-inch aluminium and acetate disc to be played at 78rpm.
What is the exact date of The Quarrymen's first recording?
The date is disputed. The most widely accepted date is 12 July 1958, though a blue plaque on the building lists 14 July 1958. The studio log book entry for 14 July does not mention a skiffle group, and former Quarrymen members have given differing accounts.
→ 12 July in Beatles History
→ July in Beatles History
→ John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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