# Lawsuit Over Beatles’ ‘First Known’ Recording Heads to Trial After Judge’s Ruling

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/lawsuit-over-beatles-first-known-recording-heads-to-trial-after-judges-ruling/
- Published: 2026-10-28T19:05:03+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T19:15:02+00:00
- Original publisher: Billboard
- Original article: https://www.billboard.com/pro/beatles-tape-lawsuit-judge-rules-universal-rare-recording/
- Topics: Business, Entertainment, Markets, Music

## Key points

- UMG can continue its claim for the rare Beatles tape.
- A trial is expected early next year.
- The case will examine whether Abbey Road abandoned the tape.

## Summary

A Los Angeles judge has ruled that Calderstone Productions, a Universal Music Group company, has legal standing to seek the return of a rare 1962 Beatles demo tape from the estate of Abbey Road engineer Geoff Emerick. The decision clears a key hurdle in an eight-year dispute and sets up a trial early next year over whether the studio had abandoned the physical tape.

Emerick’s estate says he rescued it after it was discarded, while UMG says it remained company property and was stolen. The tape was found after Emerick’s death in 2018 and features Pete Best on drums; both sides agree UMG owns the music rights. The estate has asked the judge to reconsider his ruling, and that motion is still pending.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.