Historically, discovering new artists was an incredibly inefficient process, which required artists to send demo tapes to record producers and then audition in person.

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Chalk up another great advance in the music industry to the record labels, who are already paid plenty to reject artists who submit demo tapes for free.

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In 1962, after two years spent hawking their demo tapes around reluctant record companies who said that guitar groups were finished, he got the Beatles their first big deal.

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On the long drive home from the studio after recording his show, he would listen to demo tapes that unknown bands had sent him, throwing the ones he didn't like on the floor and the ones he did on the back seat.

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He was persistent in sending off demo tapes to radio stations in the North West, eventually getting the chance to present for Red Rose Radio in Preston where he stayed for almost 13 years, and presented every programme on the station from the overnight graveyard shift to the former five hour 'all speech' sports programme.

BBC: Lancashire - Presenter profile: John Gillmore