▁journey ▁to ▁England ▁on ▁ 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁with ▁O ss ie ▁By r ne ▁trav elling ▁with ▁them . ▁While ▁at ▁sea ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁Gib bs ▁learned ▁that ▁" Sp icks ▁and ▁Spe cks " ▁had ▁been ▁awarded ▁Best ▁Single ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁by ▁Go - Set , ▁Australia ' s ▁most ▁popular ▁and ▁influ ential ▁music ▁newspaper . ▁▁ 1 9 6 7 – 1 9 6 9 : ▁International ▁fame ▁and ▁tour ing ▁years ▁ ▁Be e ▁Ge es ' ▁ 1 st , ▁Hor izontal ▁and ▁Ide a ▁ ▁Before ▁their ▁departure ▁from ▁Australia ▁to ▁England , ▁Hugh ▁Gib b ▁sent ▁dem os ▁to ▁Brian ▁Ep stein , ▁who ▁managed ▁the ▁Beat les ▁and ▁directed ▁NE MS , ▁a ▁British ▁music ▁store . ▁Ep stein ▁passed ▁the ▁demo ▁t apes ▁to ▁Robert ▁St ig wood , ▁who ▁had ▁recently ▁joined ▁NE MS . ▁After ▁an ▁aud ition ▁with ▁St ig wood ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁Be e ▁Ge es ▁signed ▁a ▁five - year ▁contract ▁where by ▁Pol yd or ▁Records ▁would ▁release ▁their ▁records ▁in ▁the ▁UK , ▁and ▁At co ▁Records ▁would ▁do ▁so ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁Work ▁quickly ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁group ' s ▁first ▁international ▁album , ▁and ▁St ig wood ▁launched ▁a ▁prom ot ional ▁campaign ▁to ▁co inci de ▁with ▁its ▁release . ▁ ▁St ig wood ▁proc laimed ▁that ▁the ▁Be e ▁Ge es