Love Me Do: Ordinary People Making Wonderful Music

50 years ago today, on 5th October 1962, The Beatles' debut single, 'Love Me Do', was released by Parlophone. It only reached number 17 in the charts but for Genesis's late founder Brian Roylance - as recalled in a 2002 interview with subscriber and Swedish television producer, Rolf Hammarlund - the impact of this single was life altering.

'I remember we used to listen to Radio Luxembourg. The music would fade in and out and come and go and I remember one day, lying in the bath with my Bakelite radio, listening to Radio Luxembourg and they played 'Love Me Do'. I couldn't believe when they said this record is by four young lads from Liverpool. I just couldn't believe it.

'I remember being taken by that record very much. I was astounded that it was a British record. And then it just seemed from that point onwards, everything exploded... Show business was always something that happened to other people, some kind of gods who were not really from the same planet as you or I. And then, suddenly, it seemed as though ordinary people like us were making wonderful music and changing things.'

Since Brian Roylance founded Genesis in 1974, the company's authors have created what we believe is one of the most extensive oral histories of The Beatles. Over the course of 38 years, nearly 30 editions have each explored another unique facet of the band's inspirational story. Today, fewer than 10 of these books remain available.

To celebrate 50 years of 'Love Me Do', Genesis is offering free shipping on all remaining Beatles titles (shown below). To redeem this reader offer, enter the voucher code LOVEMEDO with your online order. Offer ends midnight, Monday 8th October 2012.