In My Life > George Martin

George Martin

Longtime Beatles producer George Martin was the head of Parlophone Records - a division of EMI based in London which specialized in comedy records. George agreed to an audition with Brian Epstein after the Beatles had been rejected from Decca and several other labels.

George Martin is responsible for the firing of original drummer Pete Best, whom he described as "not good".

After cutting "Please Please Me", Martin told the band that they had just recorded their first number one. He was right - the song was a huge hit in England.

In 1965, after being refused a raise by EMI, Martin formed Associated Independent Recording with partner John Burgess.

Martin was also responsible for writing the string and orchestral arrangements to many Beatles songs - notable "I Am The Walrus" and "Strawberry Fields Forever".

Recently, George Martin was knighted by the Queen of England. He worked extensively on the Live At The BBC and Anthology projects although he refused to produce sessions for "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" due to hearing loss. He worked with his son Giles Martin on the 2006 remix album Love.

Read George Martin's 1971 interview with Melody Maker (a British music magazine) in which he talks about the makings of several of the Beatles songs and albums, as well as what it was like to work with the band.