in late 1961 stigwood had made a record production deal with sir joseph lockwood, the chairman of emi, who proved to be the crucial link between the record company and the budding entrepreneur, just as lockwood had been in the 1950s for larry parnes, and just as he would be a couple of years later for brian epstein and the beatles. from that time on, all john leyton's singles were released on the hmv label, distributed by emi.