Editing George Martin (section)

==Parlophone==
[[File:Parlophone LP PMC 1202.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The Beatles' first LP (produced by Martin)]]
Martin joined EMI in November 1950 as an assistant to Oscar Preuss,{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=25}} who had served as head of EMI's [[Parlophone]] label since 1923. Although having been regarded by EMI as a vital German imprint in the past, it was then not taken seriously and used only for EMI's insignificant acts.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=296}}{{sfn|Martin|1995|pp=28–29}} Among Martin's early duties was managing Parlophone's classical records catalogue, including [[Baroque]] ensemble sessions with [[Karl Haas (conductor)|Karl Haas]]; Martin, Haas, and [[Peter Ustinov]] soon founded the London Baroque Society together.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=26–27}} He also developed a friendship and working relationship with composer [[Sidney Torch]] and signed [[Ron Goodwin]] to a recording contract.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=28}} In 1953, Martin produced Goodwin's first record, an instrumental cover of [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s theme from [[Limelight (1952 film)|''Limelight'']], which made it to no. 3 on the British charts.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=29}}

Despite these early breakthroughs, Martin resented EMI's preference in the early 1950s for short-playing 78 [[revolutions per minute|rpm]] [[phonograph record|records]] instead of the new longer-playing {{frac|33|1|3}} and 45 rpm formats coming into fashion on other labels.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=30}} He also proved uncomfortable as a [[song plugger]] when occasionally assigned the task by Preuss, comparing himself to a "sheep among wolves".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=35}}

===Head of Parlophone===
Preuss retired as head of Parlophone in April 1955, leaving the 29-year-old Martin to take over the label.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=36}} Martin soon hired [[Ron Richards (producer)|Ron Richards]] to be his A&R assistant.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=43}} However, Martin had to fight to retain the label, as by late 1956 EMI managers considered moving Parlophone's successful artists to [[Columbia Records]] or the [[His Master's Voice (British record label)|His Master's Voice]], with Martin possibly to take a junior A&R role at the His Master's Voice under [[Wally Ridley]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=43}} Martin staved off corporate pressure with successes in comedy records, such as a 1957 recording of the two-man show featuring [[Michael Flanders]] and [[Donald Swann]], ''[[At the Drop of a Hat]]''.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=44}} His work transformed the profile of Parlophone from a "sad little company" to a highly profitable business over time.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=297}}

====Early music records====
As head of Parlophone, Martin recorded classical and Baroque music, [[original cast recording]]s, [[jazz]], and regional music from around Britain and Ireland.{{sfn|Martin|1995|p=63}}{{sfn|Martin|1995|pp=84–85}}{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=259}} He signed singer [[Dick James]], later the music publisher for the Beatles and [[Elton John]], to a recording contract, and reached no. 14 with James's theme from ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]''.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=40}}

Martin became the first British A&R man to capitalize on the 1956 [[skiffle]] boom when he signed [[the Vipers Skiffle Group]] after seeing them in London's [[2i's Coffee Bar]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=54}} They reached no. 10 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1957 with "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O", though their success faded with the end of the skiffle boom.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=54}} In 1957, Martin signed [[Jim Dale]], hoping the singer would prove Parlophone's answer to British [[rock and roll]] star [[Tommy Steele]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=55}} Dale achieved success as a [[teen idol]], reaching no. 2 on the chart with "Be My Girl". After recording an album, ''[[Jim!]]'', in 1958, Dale cut his music career short to pursue his original profession as a comedian, frustrating Martin.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=55}}<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |last1=P. |first1=Ken |title=An Interview with Jim Dale |website=IGN |date=16 June 2003 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/06/16/an-interview-with-jim-dale |access-date=10 July 2022}}</ref>

Martin courted controversy in summer 1960, when he produced a cover of the teen novelty song "[[Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini]]" and released it mere days after the release of the record in the UK, opening him to public accusations of piracy. Martin's version, recorded by 18-year-old Paul Hanford, failed to chart in Britain—though it performed well in several other countries and reached no. 1 in Mexico.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=55}}

Martin produced two singles for Paul Gadd in 1961. Later better known as [[Gary Glitter]], at this time Gadd used the name "Paul Raven". Neither single was commercially successful.

Martin's first British no. 1 came in May 1961, with [[the Temperance Seven]]'s "[[You're Driving Me Crazy]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=60}} Also that year, Martin produced [[Humphrey Lyttelton]]'s version of "Saturday Jump", which became the theme tune of the influential [[BBC Radio]] programme, ''[[Saturday Club (BBC Radio)|Saturday Club]]'', and scored a success at no. 14 in the charts with [[Charlie Drake]]'s novelty record, "[[My Boomerang Won't Come Back]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=49}}

In early 1962, Martin collaborated with [[Maddalena Fagandini]], then working at the [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]], to create two electronic singles, "Time Beat" and "Waltz in Orbit", which were released as records by the pseudonymous Ray Cathode.<ref name=Cathode>{{cite web |title=George Martin Early Electronic Recordings to Be Reissued |date=9 March 2021 |website=bestclassicbands.com |url=https://bestclassicbands.com/george-martin-electronic-recordings-reissued-ray-cathode-3-9-21/ |access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref> Martin also earned praise from EMI chairman Sir [[Joseph Lockwood]] for his top-10 1962 hit with [[Bernard Cribbins]], "[[The Hole in the Ground]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=67}} He earned another top-10 hit with Cribbins that year, with "[[Right Said Fred (song)|Right Said Fred]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=98}} Though Martin wanted to add [[rock and roll]] to Parlophone's repertoire, he struggled to find a "fireproof" [[hit record|hit-making]] pop artist or group.{{sfn|Miles|1997|pp=330–331}}

In August 1964, Martin oversaw [[Judy Garland]]'s final studio recording session, with two songs from the ''[[Maggie May (musical)|Maggie May]]'' musical.{{sfn|Womack|2017|pp=222–223}}

====Liverpool pop and rock acts====
By late 1962, Martin had established a strong working relationship with [[Brian Epstein]], the Beatles' manager.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=117–118}} Epstein also managed (or was considering managing) a number of other Liverpool music acts, and soon these acts began recording with Martin. When Martin visited Liverpool in December 1962, Epstein showed him successful local acts like [[Gerry and the Pacemakers]] and [[the Fourmost]]; Martin urged Epstein to audition them for EMI.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=117}} Gerry and the Pacemakers scored their first no. 1 with their version of "[[How Do You Do It?]]", a song previously rejected by the Beatles, in April 1963. The group's next two singles (also produced by Martin), "[[I Like It (Gerry and the Pacemakers song)|I Like It]]" and "[[You'll Never Walk Alone]]", also reached no. 1, earning the group the distinction of being the first British act to have their first three singles top the charts.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=132–133}}

Martin also produced the Epstein-managed [[Billy J. Kramer]] and [[The Dakotas (band)|the Dakotas]], whose first single was a cover of the Beatles' "[[Do You Want to Know a Secret]]", which hit no. 2 on the chart. Kramer and Martin scored two UK no. 1's in 1963 and 1964—"[[Bad To Me]]" (also Lennon–McCartney original) and "[[Little Children (song)|Little Children]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=134–135}} Kramer also reached no. 4 with another Lennon–McCartney song in 1964, "[[I'll Keep You Satisfied]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=215}}

Martin began work with the Fourmost in summer 1963 with a cover of one of John Lennon's earliest songs, "[[Hello Little Girl]]", which reached no. 9. Their follow-up, released in November, was another Lennon–McCartney work, "[[I'm in Love (Lennon–McCartney song)|I'm In Love]]", which reached the top 20.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=140}}

Martin also agreed to sign the Beatles' Cavern Club associate [[Cilla Black]]. Her first record was a discarded Lennon–McCartney song, "[[Love of the Loved]]". The record was only a minor hit, reaching no. 35.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=142}} Martin and Black rebounded in 1964 with two no. 1 hits, "[[Anyone Who Had a Heart (song)|Anyone Who Had a Heart]]" and "[[You're My World]]". Black's "Anyone Who Had a Heart" was the top-selling British single by a female artist in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biggest selling chart stars of the '60s |date=1 June 2010 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/7791739/Ken-Dodd-outsold-only-by-The-Beatles.html |access-date=2 June 2010}}</ref>

Between the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Martin-produced and Epstein-managed acts were responsible for 37 weeks of no. 1 singles in 1963, finally transforming Parlophone into the leading EMI label.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=154}}

In December 1964, Gerry and the Pacemakers released "[[Ferry 'Cross the Mersey]]", a teaser for the February 1965 [[Ferry Cross the Mersey (film)|film of the same name]] in the style of the Beatles' ''[[A Hard Day's Night (film)|A Hard Day's Night]]''.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=216–217}} The [[Ferry Cross the Mersey (album)|soundtrack album]] featured music by Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Fourmost, Cilla Black, and George Martin-orchestrated instrumental music.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=217}}

====Comedy records====
Martin produced numerous comedy and novelty records. His first success in the genre was the 1953 "Mock Mozart" single, performed by Peter Ustinov with [[Antony Hopkins]] – a record reluctantly released in 1952 by EMI, only after Preuss's insistence. In 1956 he produced the well-known children's song "Nellie the Elephant" which was released by Parlophone in October of that year. In 1955, Martin worked with [[BBC]] [[radio comedy]] stars [[The Goon Show|the Goons]] on a parody version of "[[Unchained Melody]]", but the song's [[music publishing|publishers]] objected to the recording and blocked it from release. The Goons subsequently left Parlophone for [[Decca Records|Decca]], but member [[Peter Sellers]] achieved a UK hit with Martin in 1957, "[[Any Old Iron (song)|Any Old Iron]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=Peter Sellers |website=officialcharts.com |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/4961/peter-sellers/ |access-date=25 May 2022}}</ref>  Recognising that Sellers was capable of "a daydreaming form of humour which could be amusing and seductive without requiring the trigger of a live audience", Martin pitched a full album to EMI.<ref name="hepworth">{{cite book |last1=Hepworth |first1=David |title=A Fabulous Creation: How the LP Saved Our Lives |date=2019 |publisher=Bantam |isbn=978-1-7841-6208-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WH1lDwAAQBAJ&dq=songs+for+swingin+sellers&pg=PT86 |access-date=25 May 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603212109/https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Fabulous_Creation/WH1lDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=songs+for+swingin+sellers&pg=PT86&printsec=frontcover |archive-date=3 June 2022}}</ref> The resultant album, ''[[The Best of Sellers]]'' (1958), has been cited as "the first British comedy LP created in a recording studio". Both ''The Best of Sellers'' and its follow-up ''[[Songs for Swingin' Sellers]]'' (1959) were critical and commercial successes in the UK.<ref>{{cite book |last=Doering |first=James |title=Lewisohn, Adolph |date=2010-02-24 |publisher=Oxford University Press |series=Oxford Music Online |pages=273 |doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.a2085302 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.a2085302}}</ref>
[[File:Abbeyroadtomswain.jpg|thumb|alt=Studio Two, Abbey Road Studios|At Parlophone, Martin recorded many of his acts in Studio Two of [[Abbey Road Studios|EMI Studios]].]]
Martin later became firm friends with [[Spike Milligan]], and was best man at Milligan's second wedding: "I loved ''[[The Goon Show]]'', and issued an album of it on my label Parlophone, which is how I got to know Spike."{{sfn|Ventham|2002|p=62}} The album was ''[[Bridge on the River Wye]]''. It was a spoof of the film ''[[The Bridge on the River Kwai]]'', being based on the 1957 ''Goon Show'' episode "An African Incident". It was intended to have the same name as the film, but shortly before its release, the film company threatened legal action if the name was used.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sikov |first1=Ed |title=Mr. Strangelove: A Biography of Peter Sellers |publisher=Hachette Books |isbn=978-0-7868-6664-9 |date=2003-11-01 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rZGZAAAAQBAJ&q=%22The+Bridge+on+the+River+Kwai%22+%22George+Martin%22&pg=PT314}}</ref> Martin edited out the 'K' every time the word ''Kwai'' was spoken, with ''Bridge on the River Wye'' being the result. The [[River Wye]] is a river that runs through England and Wales. The album featured Milligan, Sellers, [[Jonathan Miller]], and [[Peter Cook]], playing various characters.{{sfn|Lewis|1995|pp=205–206}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Description of ''Bridge on The River Wye''—scroll down page |publisher=Thegoonshow.net |url=http://www.thegoonshow.net/facts.asp |access-date=22 September 2011 |url-status=dead  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813071442/http://www.thegoonshow.net/facts.asp |archive-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>

Martin scored a major success in 1961 with the ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]'' show cast album, which starred [[Peter Cook]], [[Dudley Moore]], [[Alan Bennett]], and [[Jonathan Miller]]; the show catalyzed Britain's [[satire boom]] in the early 1960s.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=49–50}} In early 1963, he produced the accompanying soundtrack album for [[David Frost]]'s satirical BBC TV show ''[[That Was the Week That Was]]'', recorded in front of a live audience.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=213}}

Martin frequently used comedy records to experiment with recording techniques and motifs used later on musical records, such as recording [[magnetic tape]] at half-speed and then playing it back at normal speed.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=48}} (Martin used this effect on several Beatles records, such as his sped-up piano solo on "[[In My Life]]".){{sfn|Lewisohn|1990|p=65}} In particular, Martin was curious to see how tape offered advantages over existing technologies favoured by EMI: "It was still in its infancy, and a lot of people at the studio regarded tape with suspicion. But we gradually learnt all about it, and working with the likes of Sellers and Milligan was very useful, because, as it wasn't music, you could experiment. ... We made things out of tape loops, slowed things down, and banged on piano lids."{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=50}}

===Rivalries and tensions at EMI===

====Salary and royalty disputes====
By the time he signed a three-year contract renewal in 1959, Martin sought—but failed—to obtain a royalty on Parlophone's record sales, a practice becoming common in the U.S.: "I reckoned that if I was going to devote my life to building up something which wasn't mine, I deserved some form of commission", he reflected.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=51–52}} The issue continued to linger in his mind, and Martin claimed he "nearly didn't sign" his spring 1962 contract renewal over this issue—even threatening EMI managing director L. G. ("Len") Wood that he would walk away from his job.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=629}} At the same time as the contract dispute, Martin took a work trip in late March 1962 to [[Blackpool]] with his secretary, Judy Lockhart Smith.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=629}} This trip led Wood to discover that Martin had been having an affair with Smith, which further irritated Wood. With their relationship strained, Wood exacted a measure of revenge by having Martin sign [[the Beatles]] to a record contract to appease interest from EMI's publishing arm, Ardmore & Beechwood.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=629–630}}

Martin was also infuriated by EMI's refusal to give him a [[Christmas bonus]] at the end of 1963—a year in which he had produced seven no. 1 singles and dominated the albums chart—because his £3,000 salary disqualified him from receiving one. "I, naturally, had a chip on my shoulder", he admitted later.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=156}} He also advocated that the Beatles' penny-per-record royalty rate be doubled; Len Wood agreed to this, but only if the Beatles signed a five-year contract renewal in exchange. When Martin countered that EMI should raise the royalty without conditions. Wood grudgingly acquiesced, but Martin believed that, "from that moment on, I was considered a traitor within EMI".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=157}}

====Rivalry with Norrie Paramor====
During Martin's tenure at Parlophone, he also maintained a rivalry with fellow A&R director [[Norrie Paramor]], head of EMI's prominent [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] label. Before Martin became one of Britain's most in-demand producers thanks to his work with the Beatles, he was envious that Paramor had produced highly successful pop acts, such as [[Cliff Richard]]. He admitted to looking with "something close to desperation" for similar success.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=52}} Martin also believed that Paramor's habit of forcing Columbia artists to record his own songs as B-sides (thus giving Paramor, who used more than 30 pseudonyms in this practice, a royalty on the single) was unethical.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=272}} In March 1962, Martin met with a young [[David Frost]] to share insider information on the shady business practices of A&R men such as Paramor; this scoop aired in an episode of London AR-TV's ''This Week'' public affairs programme in November, causing Paramor great embarrassment.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=628, 785}}

====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}}

===Separation from EMI and start of Associated Independent Recording===
After his repeated clashes over salary terms with EMI management, Martin informed them in June 1964 that he would not renew his contract in 1965.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=212}} Though EMI managing director Len Wood attempted to persuade Martin to stay with the company, Martin continued to insist that he would not work for EMI without receiving a commission on record sales.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=275–276}} Wood offered him a 3% commission minus "overhead costs", which would have translated to an £11,000 bonus for 1964—though, in doing so, Wood revealed to Martin that EMI had made £2.2 million in net profit from Martin's records that year.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=278}} "With that simple sentence, he cut straight through whatever vestige of an umbilical cord still bound me to EMI. ... I was flabbergasted", Martin observed.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=278}} As Martin exited the company in August 1965, he recruited a number of other EMI staffers, including [[Norman Newell]], [[Ron Richards (producer)|Ron Richards]], [[John Burgess (record producer)|John Burgess]], his wife, Judy, and [[Decca Records|Decca]]'s [[Peter Sullivan (record producer)|Peter Sullivan]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=279}} Artists associated with Martin's new production team included [[Adam Faith]], [[Manfred Mann]], [[Peter and Gordon]], [[The Hollies]], [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], and [[Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)|Engelbert Humperdinck]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=279}}

Martin conceived of his new company as being modelled on the [[Associated London Scripts]] cooperative of comedy writers in the 1950s and 1960s, offering equal shares in the company to his A&R colleagues and expecting them to pay studio costs proportionate to their earnings. He named it [[Associated Independent Recording]] (AIR).{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=279}} Short of startup capital and with many of AIR's associated acts still under contract to EMI, Martin negotiated a business arrangement with EMI that would give EMI the [[right of first refusal]] on any AIR production. In exchange, EMI would pay a 7% producer's royalty on any AIR record by an artist not signed to EMI, and a 2% royalty on records by artists who were signed.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=280}} A special arrangement was made for Beatles records, wherein AIR was to receive 0.5% of UK retail sales and 5% of the pressing fees EMI generated from licensing records in the US.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=280}}

Martin's departure from EMI and foundation of an independent production company was major news in the music press, with the ''[[NME]]'' calling it a "shock to the recording industry".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=282}} Wood attempted to lure Martin back to EMI in 1969 with an offered salary of £25,000, but Martin rejected it.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=371}} Martin and Wood's working relationship ruptured for good in 1973, with Martin vowing to negotiate with EMI only through legal representatives from then on.{{sfn|Womack|2018|p=415}}