Beatles 1966 tour cassette tapes up for sale

Three rediscovered 1966 cassette tapes containing music and conversations by The Beatles are being auctioned.

They were made on Sir Ringo Starr's own tape recorder and include clips from the band's tour of Germany, Japan and the Philippines.

The tapes include a discussion by the band about their famously short and punchy song structures.

They are estimated to fetch between £10,000 and £15,000 at next month's sale in Newton-le-Willows, Cheshire.

Among the recordings is a demo of The Beatles' song Don't Pass Me By and the sound of Sir Ringo performing on the piano.

Manager Brian Epstein is also heard discussing how to import valuable goods from Japan to the UK without paying high taxes.

Another recording is from the group's first trip to India where they experimented with traditional instruments.

Omega Auctions manager Dan Muscatelli-Hampson said: "These tapes are truly a remarkable discovery.

"Hours of previously unheard material from such a pivotal period will be of huge interest to Beatles experts, fans and collectors and the fact that they were made by Ringo himself, and contain such intimate scenes with the band from the tour, is just incredible."

He said the tapes include the band "simply messing around and having a laugh during what was a famously difficult tour".

"They have to be heard to be believed."

The group embarked on their last tour in 1966.

The tapes from this period had not previously been published and the current owner only recently investigated their content after purchasing them during a sale several years ago, according to Omega Auctions.

The sale is due to take place on 26 March.

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