Beatles with Records – Part Fifteen

Posted on January 29, 2013 by beatlesblogger

Masses of photos sent in recently – especially from Andrey in Russia. This series is about finding photographs of the Beatles actually holding the product they sold so prolifically – either their own records or those of other artists. We also accept photographs of those close to the Beatles in the proximity of records or CDs.

Back in Part 8 and in Part 10 we identified a very early photo of the band playing on a stage that had a backdrop consisting of a black curtain with LP covers pinned to it. Turns out these were taken in 1961 at a hall with the very grand title of The Palais Ballroom in place called Aldershot in the south of England. Pete Best is still their drummer and this was the band’s first foray to the south of the country. A mere 18 people turned up for the gig! Despite that, the Beatles look to be giving the performance their all. These were the photos we had so far:

From these we were able to identify the following records:

Well, Andrey has sent a couple more photos from that same 1961 Aldershot show:

(Click on some images to see larger versions)

From these its possible to identify at least three more LPs pinned to the backdrop. From the first photo, just above Paul’s microphone you can see this one:

And in the final photo, hanging upside down at an angle just behind Pete Best and above the guitar amp:

Just below the Bobby Darin, also on an angle, is one called Sing It Again No.2. I can’t find an image of that exact disc, but did find Sing It Again No.4 which has very similar artwork:

Also in Part 8 we had a small photo which was taken in 1963 at EMI headquarters for the launch of the Please Please Me LP. The band is on a stage with lots of album covers behind them:

Here are a couple more from that same day – and much larger, too:

This one below is also a fairly early photograph. Adoring fans seeking autographs on their Beatles singles. Maybe they are copies of “From Me To You”, the first 7″ single released in the plain green Parlophone paper sleeve?

These next two show the Beatles arriving back in the UK in 1964 after their tour to America – with Ringo, George and Paul each having records under their arms. To identify just what they are though will need your help:

If you can help identify Paul and Ringo’s records (its hard with George because his are in a paper bag!) please post a comment below or email me here

Once the band started to sell some records and earn some money they purchased the latest gadgets to play records – including in their cars:

Dick James formed the music publishing company Northern Songs (with Brian Epstein, John Lennon and Paul McCartney) and became the publisher of all the Beatles songs. As the photo caption says – he kept a close eye on the fortunes of his key partners:

(That’s some letter opener he has there!)

Finally, a photo of Klaus Voormann, the man who designed the Beatles Revolver cover art in 1966. Here he is more recently signing a copy of the CD for a fan:

As usual thanks to all those who have sent in content and further information. You can see the other parts in “The Beatles with Records” series here: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17.

COMING SOON – The Beatles with Gold Records – and believe me there are LOTS of those.

(Click on many of the images above to see larger versions)

Different Markets, Different Covers

Posted on January 27, 2013 by beatlesblogger

I know Christmas is well and truly over, but one more thing on the Holidays Rule release before we move on.

This CD came out with the title Holidays Rule in the US – but for the European, UK and Australian markets we got a CD called Christmas Rules. This is because we don’t use the term “happy holidays” when talking about the Christmas break.

Here’s what they both look like, beginning with the US version which comes in a sparkly, metallic, dark red and white gatefold cover:

And in the UK/EU/Australia it is called Christmas Rules and comes in a bright red, matt finish gatefold:

The 8-page booklet (above) for both the US and the Australian/European versions appears to be the same. There is an odd website address on the rear of the booklet though. In large type at the bottom of the page of both versions it says: SEARCH PARTY, and then gives this address in smaller type: searchpartymusic.com

This is strange because it’s the website for a Boston-based wedding and functions band. Not sure what’s going on with that….

Both Holidays Rule and Christmas Rules come with the non-strings version of the “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”. To get the strings version you need to download the iTunes version.

New McCartney Song Features in “Sound City” Documentary

Posted on January 21, 2013 by beatlesblogger

On December 13 the WogBlog site featured a video of a brand new Paul McCartney song performed for the first time at the big fundraiser concert for Hurricane Sandy held at Madison Square Garden. Paul called out former Nirvana members Dave Grohl, Krist Noveselic and Pat Smear to back him on a brand new and rocking song called “Cut Me Some Slack”:

Turns out the song will also feature in a new, feature-length documentary and album directed and coordinated by Dave Grohl called “Sound City”:

It’s about the legendary recording studios called Sound City, in the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley, which was (as the press release says): “….home to countless legends, capturing their magic on two-inch tape, decade after decade. It was witness to history. It was rock and roll hallowed ground. And it was our best-kept secret.”

“Sound City was state-of-the-art when it opened in 1969. It soon became known for churning out one rock and roll classic after another. Featuring a legendary, one-of-a-kind Neve recording console, and arguably the best tracking room in America, many of the seminal albums of the ‘70’s, ‘80’s and ‘90’s were put on tape within these walls: classics by Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Metallica, Nirvana… The list is staggering.”

McCartney’s “Cut Me Some Slack” will feature in the film and on the soundtrack CD release – both out in February:

You can download the Australian press release about “Sound City”. The US dates are here. And there’s a cool poster for the film:

Beatles Memorabilia – The Julian Lennon Collection

Posted on January 17, 2013 by beatlesblogger

Had this amazing find yesterday. Just near where I work there’s a discount bookshop that sells lots of remainders. Over the years I’ve picked up quite a few things here (see: The Beatles Second Album; “The Beatles” book; Beatles Books Abound; etc.)

Yesterday I went in for the first time in weeks and saw about five copies of this sitting on a shelf:

I’ve seen this book around the traps but never purchased a copy, but at just A$14.99 how could I refuse?

John Lennon’s son Julian has turned his Beatles memorabilia, previously sitting in storage, into a travelling exhibition and a book – all to raise funds for his charity The White Feather Foundation.

There are lots of gold record awards – all of them from the US and all of them genuine (that is, the actual records that were presented by the RIAA – the Recording Industry of America – to the Beatles). In fact Julian says that his is the only full collection of the American gold discs. How can you tell they are all original? Well the book explains that official presentations are identifiable by the “…white-matte style, so named because of the white linen background used in the construction of the award. These types of awards were produced from 1963 to 1974 and were strictly limited to the artists only.”

Interestingly, Julian says in the text that despite being the only person to own a complete set of Beatles US gold records, he doesn’t own any of the Beatles vinyl albums at all. Extraordinary.

There are a couple of great guitars pictured in the book – some of which were given to him by his father and others acquired later (like this one):

Julian says that nearly everything he now owns he had to buy at auction. When his father passed away in 1980 he didn’t inherit any mementoes or keepsakes. Which is incredibly sad for himself and for his family.

If you want to have a peek inside just click here, and here’s a video of Julian Lennon talking about the book and exhibition.

A Minor Wings Find

Posted on January 13, 2013 by beatlesblogger

I have posted very rarely on Wings in this blog, but of course collecting records and CDs by (or related to) the Beatles and Paul McCartney means that the band is well-and-truly included. During a recent visit to Canberra (the capital of Australia) I came across a second-hand shop I’d not visited before in the city’s downtown area. They mostly specialise in CDs, DVDs and games, but on the floor there was a large amount of unsorted vinyl where I found a small but interesting addition to the collection.

I already have a German pressing of the Wings single “Good Night Tonight” (1979). It’s the 12″ full version (7 minutes 15 seconds) of the song, on a green EMI Electrola/Odeon label:

As you can see, the cover is not in great shape but the vinyl is in mint condition. Anyway, in the Canberra store I found the Australian release of this same disc. It came out here with an orange Parlophone label:

The two releases have pretty much identical exterior artwork throughout with the only real difference being the colour of the inner sleeves. The German inner sleeve is made from thin paper and is printed in black and white:

While the Australian inner sleeve is made of thicker cardboard and is more deep blue in colour:

I also have the 7″ 45rpm edited version (4 minutes 18 seconds) of “Good Night Tonight” on an Australian black and silver Parlophone label:

It’s nice to have the orange Parlophone version, and at the cost of just A$3.00, a small but worthwhile addition to the collection.

Beatles with Records – Part Fourteen

Posted on January 10, 2013 by beatlesblogger

Since the last instalment we’ve been swamped with some great content – enough for at least two or three more posts featuring the Beatles (or people close to them) photographed or filmed with records or CDs – either their own or those of other artists.

This first one comes from beatlesblogger.com reader Ariel, who sent in this great YouTube clip of John Lennon and Yoko Ono strolling past a crowd of reporters and photographers:

The footage was clearly taken in 1970 when John and Yoko were publicising this Plastic Ono Band album:

The footage comes from a 1977 film by French film-maker Gérard Courant, whose website says of the film: “The year punk music exploded, Courant gave his most avant-garde outburst by relating for the first time the shattering experiences that took place in the second half of the 20th century…with the rock culture that clamored that same idea of rupture…”. Lennon and Ono can also be seen publicising the same LP in Part Five and also in Part Two.

Staying with John Lennon for a moment here’s an image sent in by Andrey in Russia of the Lennon’s in New York – holding court with assembled media and hangers-on in their apartment in February, 1972 in Greenwich Village:

There’s obviously a record you can see sitting there at the foot of the bed:

But what and who is it? I was having real trouble identifying this one. Well, thanks to Andrey’s Russian-speaking friends we’ve been able to find that LP. He asked one of the Beatles.ru forums for some help. Which artist could it be? Andrey says he got the answer in about ten minutes:

The Power Pop website says that the group Soup was from Wisconsin in the USA and the members were Doug Yankus, Rob Griffith and David Faas . The band released a self-titled album in 1970, however what we can see here is the bands second LP, The Album Soup, from 1971. How it came to the attention of John Lennon, and what he thought of it we’ll probably never know.

Continuing on the Lennon theme – this time with Yoko and a gentleman named Kristofer Englehardt, author of the book “The Beatles Undercover“, holding a copy of her solo LP from 1971 called Fly:

In Part Six there’s a terrific photo of George Harrison in the back of a limo holding up a copy of his All Things Must Pass LP. Here’s another good one from around the same time:

Could it be that this photo below was taken on the same day and location? It looks very much like the same shirt George is wearing above. Perhaps he’s playing one of the sides from All Things Must Pass on his record player at home?

One final shot of George taken in 1972 according to the caption, this time with his triple LP from 1971 The Concert for Bangladesh:

When you are Paul McCartney, just getting into a building you are visiting can have it’s challenges. The photo below shows the type of crush which can eventuate when everyone wants a photograph or an album signed – including one fan bravely holding up a copy of the 1988 Russian release Снова в СССР:

Here he is again – this time with fans thrusting forward copies of (amongst other things) Help! and Tug of War (you can see the cover of Tug of War at the very bottom right-hand side of the photo):

One other final shot of Paul holding a 45 single, this time with Ringo and John. It is what is reported as a test acetate recording (printed in limited quantities and used by the band and engineers for checking the quality and the mix) – it is supposedly of a song from Sgt Pepper:

There’s another photo from the studio on the same day below – from a different angle with George also in attendance and more acetates lined up on the piano:

One final photo for this instalment – again of the Beatles as a group and possibly arriving in Rome. I say that because the gentleman in the light coloured jacket, moustache and glasses (who is a fellow named Alf Bicknell – the Beatles chauffeur between 1964-1966) is holding a copy of the Italian version of A Hard Day’s Night. You can tell it’s the Italian cover of the LP because the large type across the top saying “The BEATLES” is distinctively different to the standard UK release:

Thanks to all those who have sent in content and further information. You can see the other parts in “The Beatles with Records” series here: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17.

There will be more “Beatles with Records” soon….

Produced by George Martin – DVD, BluRay and Six CD Box Set

Posted on December 29, 2012 by beatlesblogger

We’ve really been enjoying the newly-released BBC-Arena documentary “Produced by George Martin“. And it has been getting some very good reviews too. You might recall a little while ago we gave away a copy of the DVD to a lucky Beatlesblog reader, Eric Leon in France.

The DVD and BluRay contain the extensive documentary, plus over 50 minutes of extended interviews with Martin, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and many others. But it is not just Sir George’s work with the Beatles which is featured. “Produced by George Martin” is a history of Parlophone Records, which is a division of the huge recording conglomerate known as EMI. George Martin was the boss of Parlophone and so alongside the Beatles (by far his most famous signing) he was responsible for recording some of the top hit-makers in Britain (and the world) including Cilla Black, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Rolf Harris, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer, Matt Monro, Shirley Bassey, and of course Wings. Many who see the doco will be wondering if there’s a way to get hold of some of the great music and comedy featured which Martin produced. There is – it’s a six CD box set of his work that came out way back in 2001. Interestingly, although it was released more than ten years before this latest documentary, it carries a very similar title to this year’s DVD and BluRay: “Produced by George Martin – 50 Years in Recording”:

Each CD set is individually numbered (mine is 08750) and comes in a fold-out, long-box length holdings which holds the six CD’s and a book. Here’s the rear cover and some of the inside fold-out panels:

The CD’s themselves contain tracks that date back to Sir George’s earliest work, beginning in 1955 and then traversing his entire career up to his post-Parlophone days recording acts like America, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Webb and John McLaughlin. Whoever designed the set decided to give each CD an authentic and historic Parlophone label. It’s a design idea that the Beatles themselves decided to copy in the their latest series of remastered re-issues of their own work, both for the 2009 CD remasters (mono and stereo), and for the LP box set which has only just been released:

Glued inside the fold-out package is a 35 page book, with liner notes by Mark Lewisohn (who will be well-known to Beatles fans as the band’s most knowledgable and respected biographer). In it Lewisohn details the background to Sir George’s life and the multitude of artists and styles he produced over a 45-year span in the business:

For those who were not able to fork out the considerable outlay for the full 6 CD box set, EMI/Parlophone also produced a “Highlights” single CD version containing 24 tracks:

And there was also a promo CD produced. It came in a simple cardboard slipcase with a further reduced selection of material (14 tracks). This would have been sent to radio stations, and reviewers at magazines and newspapers to promote the box set:

This 2001 box set from 2001 forms a great companion to the filmed “Produced by George Martin” DVD and BluRay documentary released in 2012.

Christmas Eve – “Christmas Kisses” Rare Vinyl and More…..

Posted on December 24, 2012 by beatlesblogger

On this Christmas Eve a post to mark the time of year. Paul McCartney always seems to have ways of making his releases just that little bit collectable and sometimes very difficult to keep up with…

Take his holiday release “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)“.

For those completists among us you’d think it’d be a simple thing to secure a copy for your collection. It’s just one song after all – done in the same crooner style and the light jazz instrumentation of Kisses on the Bottom, Paul’s LP from earlier in the year.

The first we heard of this song’s existence was that it was coming out on a compilation CD called Holidays Rule:

Christmas Rules front US

Easy. Just order a copy of the CD, or download the song from iTunes and you are up-to-date. Not so because then comes the news that it is also to be released as a vinyl single. But not just any vinyl single. There will only be 5000 copies made, it will be on coloured vinyl, it will have custom labels, and will only be available from independent record stores… Oh, and in the Christmas spirit some of the vinyl will be red, and some will be green:

Thanks to Andrey in Russia for sending through these scans. He got them from a mate in Germany who ordered the single from two different sources and was lucky to get one copy of each colour. Apparently one of his friends in the USA ordered five copies but got all of them in the red colour. Another collector in Japan ordered four copies and got all of them in the green….As the covers are all sealed in heat-shrink plastic nobody knows what colour vinyl will arrive until they open them. And, given it’s limited release status, the single has been for sale on Ebay at very inflated prices…..

You’d think that would be the end of it. But no. There are two different versions of Paul McCartney’s rendition of “The Christmas Song” (and thanks to the WogBlog site for this information).

One version comes with strings and is only available as a bonus track on the digital download album called Complete Kisses. This is an iTunes exclusive, digital-only album released in conjunction with the DVD/BlueRay of Paul performing all the songs from Kisses on the Bottom live.

However, the song on the vinyl singles above and on the Holidays Rule CD are without the strings, just Paul singing backed by a small jazz ensemble.

So, if you want every version of just this one McCartney song you have to hunt around – and reach deep into your wallet – this Christmas.

Happy Christmas, happy collecting, and happy holidays everyone.

More McCartney Christmas News

Posted on December 1, 2012 by beatlesblogger

Paul McCartney is to release a vinyl single of “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”, from the Holidays Rule compilation CD and the Complete Kisses iTunes-only Christmas release.

The coloured vinyl single will be backed with McCartney’s original 1979 version of “Wonderful Christmastime”, or is it the version of the song on the Holidays Rule CD by The Shins? That is still to be confirmed. A label spokesman quoted by Beatles Examiner said the record comes out in the U.S. on December 4 and will be available through independent record stores.

McCartney – “Complete Kisses” Announced

Posted on November 24, 2012 by beatlesblogger

Paul McCartney has announced a special Christmas release – an exclusive iTunes-only album called ‘Kisses On The Bottom – Complete Kisses’. It will be available for download only on November 26th in the UK and internationally, and on November 27th in the US.

‘Kisses On The Bottom – Complete Kisses’ will feature the standard edition of the album ‘Kisses On The Bottom’ along with the entire 13 tracks from the ‘Live From Capitol Studios’ concert performance.

There’ll also be four bonus tracks including a special festive recording of ‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)’, which Paul recorded at Avatar Studios in New York in September. The album will also feature a previously unreleased version of ‘My Valentine’ arranged by Johnny Mandel, and the tracks ‘Baby’s Request’ and ‘My One And Only Love’ (both previously available only on the “Deluxe” edition of the CD or via iTunes).

There has also been a behind–the–scenes look at the recording of ‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)’ put up on a couple of sites.

“Complete Kisses” TRACKLISTING:

‘Kisses On The Bottom’:

01. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter 02:36
02. Home (When Shadows Fall) 04:04
03. It’s Only A Paper Moon 02:35
04. More I Cannot Wish You 03:04
05. The Glory Of Love 03:46
06. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) 03:22
07. Ac–Cent–Tchu–Ate The Positive 02:32
08. My Valentine 03:14
09. Always 03:49
10. My Very Good Friend The Milkman 03:04
11. Bye Bye Blackbird 04:26
12. Get Yourself Another Fool 04:42
13. The Inch Worm 03:43
14. Only Our Hearts 04:21

Bonus Tracks:

15. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) 03:35
16. Baby’s Request 03:30
17. My One And Only Love 03:50
18. My Valentine (Johnny Mandel Original Arrangement) 03:12

Live From Capitol Studios:

19. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (Live) 02:44
20. Home (When Shadows Fall) (Live) 04:26
21. It’s Only A Paper Moon (Live) 02:55
22. More I Cannot Wish You (Live) 03:28
23. The Glory Of Love (Live) 03:53
24. We Three (My Echo, My Shadow And Me) (Live) 04:14
25. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive (Live) 02:51
26. My Valentine (Live) 03:31
27. Always (Live) 04:21
28. My Very Good Friend The Milkman (Live) 03:14
29. Bye Bye Blackbird (Live) 04:45
30. Get Yourself Another Fool (Live) 07:48
31. My One And Only Love (Live) 04:16

‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)’ is also featured on a new holiday CD compilation called “Holiday’s Rule”. It features a variety of artists performing Christmassy-themed songs. The project is coordinated by Paul’s record companies Hear Music/Concord Music and MPL. You can hear the song in full if you visit the MPL site – it’s currently featured on their embedded music player.

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