Weird “Concert for Bangladesh” LP

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Every so often you come across a CD or LP where you just can’t identify the country it was released in. Its kind of frustrating because collectors usually like to know this kind of detail…especially when you come across unusual or different packaging of a release you think you know well.

That’s the case here with this three-LP set from 1971 of George Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh”.

Every copy I’ve seen to date comes in a hard cardboard box, with a lid that lifts off and looks like this:

The usual "Concert for Bangladesh" box

The box contains the three vinyl discs, and the white-covered 64-page book of concert photos, text and credits for the album. The rear of this box is plain and has no writing on it.

However, I have a copy in the collection that’s a bit different. Its a box, but made of soft cardboard that doesn’t have a lid. The front cover looks familiar enough:

Front cover "Concert for Bangladesh"

So far so good. But this release has flaps on the back which you pull out to get access to the records and book inside:

The flaps in the closed position

You flip open these flaps and the “box” looks like this:

"Concert for Bangladesh" open

From what I can tell the US, UK and Australian versions all have the lidded box, and not this top-opening, slide-out style box. Also the US and UK versions have dark khaki brown inner sleeves in which the records sit (the Australian release doesn’t have any paper sleeves).

Inside this box  though the LPs are in light yellow colored thin paper sleeves:

The LPs are in yellow paper sleeves

The place you can usually tell the country of origin is in the small print on the labels of the records themselves. This one has no hints – with no mention of a country of origin. However, it does have a lot more copyright information on each disc, located just near the record number information (see top the left-hand side in the pics below as compared to the Australian release):

The label of the "strange" version - with copyright info top left

Compare this to the official Australian release:

The Australian release label - note no copyright info

The final main difference is that the words “Sole Distributors, Gramophone Record Company, Ltd” are written on the labels and prominently across the back of the box. The image below is from the rear of the box:

"Sole Distributors, Gramophone Record Company, Ltd" printed on the rear of the box

So, a weird one.

Being a huge worldwide Apple release, this concert disc set would have been issued in a large number of countries. I have my suspicions that this one here could be either the New Zealand or the Indian release.  But I don’t have anything to prove that.

If anyone has any information on this release please let me know by submitting a comment. Cheers for now.

10 thoughts on “Weird “Concert for Bangladesh” LP”

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  2. What’s a US release of this set worth? Have a complete set with the box, the book and all three record in mint condition. Book has not been looked through only one of the records has been played.

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  3. Hi, I have seen one or two of these in the past at record fairs in the UK, and I’m sure I saw it listed as an Indian release. I know that’s not concrete evidence lol, but maybe a hint. Also, have you ever seen a Taiwanese copy of this, in the box? There’s a guy at work keeps saying he had one and later found it to be rare, but too late as he had given it away. I can’t find any trace of one on the net to get a valuation….my suspicion is he’s either talking crap or it was a bootleg. Any hints on finding it’s value? Cheers 🙂

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    • Hi, Thanks for that information. I reckon you’re correct that it’s an Indian pressing. I was thinking possibly New Zealand as well as locally they often did their own thing with packaging in slightly different ways, but Indian is much more likely. As for the Taiwan release, I’ve not seen it in the box. I think I might have occasionally seen it in a typical Asian single sleeve (holding all three LPs) and this was most likely a non-official release. Not sure of the value – although some people really like collecting these. Cheers.

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    • Hi Rinzo,
      I think you have cracked the riddle of this one! Yes, it does have the word “interpak” on the bottom. It was actually obscured by the bottom folding flap and I had never seen it before as I had not opened that end of the box. Also, now that I look at the labels again more closely Side 2 of Disc 1 has in small print some copyright info for the song “My Sweet Lord”. It says “Ardmore & Beechwood S.A.”. Ardmore and Beechwood is/was EMI’s publishing company and the “S.A.” probably stands for their South African office administering this song.
      Thanks for the information and I will now update my collection database and call this as being a South African pressing. Its the first South African Beatles-related disc I have. It opens up a whole new world of collecting!

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  5. I just bought a vinyl in a thrift store that is odd. It has a misprint, where both sides have the track list for side two printed on the album. However, when played, one side is side 2, the other side 5 with all of Dylan’s songs. Anyone know of anything like this, or a value? I’ll likely never sell it, but interested to hear from people who would know much more than I do about this. Thanks

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