Editing George Martin (section)

====Conflict with Capitol Records====
In 1955, EMI purchased American recording company [[Capitol Records]]. Though this gave Capitol the [[right of first refusal]] to issue records in the US from EMI artists, in practice Capitol's head of international A&R, [[Dave Dexter Jr.]], chose to issue very few British records in America.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=270–271, 280}} Martin and his EMI A&R colleagues became irate at how few British records were issued by Capitol, and how little promotion was given for the ones that were issued.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=423–424, 523}} In December 1962, Martin complained to EMI managing director Len Wood that he "would not wish to recommend Capitol Records to any impresario who was thinking of launching a future British show in the States".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=119}} Dexter passed on issuing the Beatles' first four singles in the US, driving Martin out of desperation to issue "[[She Loves You]]" on the small, independent [[Swan Records]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=143}}

Capitol finally agreed to release a Beatles' fifth single, "[[I Want to Hold Your Hand]]", only after Wood met Capitol president [[Alan Livingston]] in person, in New York, in November 1963 with an order from EMI chairman Sir [[Joseph Lockwood]] to do so.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=167}} Martin alleged that when he and the Beatles travelled to New York to make their American debut in February 1964, Livingston kept Martin away from the press to minimize EMI's role (and promote Capitol's) in the Beatles' success.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=168}}

Martin and the Beatles resented Capitol's practice of issuing records often highly divergent from British record releases. These changes could include the album title, cover art, and songs included. In addition, Dexter frequently altered Martin's mixes of Beatles tracks by processing them through Capitol's [[Duophonic]] mock stereo system.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=78}} Capitol's divergent treatment of Beatle albums did not cease until the band signed a new contract with EMI in January 1967 that forbade such alterations.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=168}}