One very unique and rare Beatles item is up for grabs at the moment – but you’d better be quick and have your wallet ready…
It is a fine, sealed, mint example of the legendary “Butcher Cover” – which is the generic name given by collectors for the original cover of the Beatles US release called “The Beatles Yesterday and Today”.
No need to go into great detail here because most Beatles collectors know the story – but Capitol had to quickly withdraw the cover which was considered offensive at the time by most American consumers. It was a shot of the band smiling at the cameras while holding cuts of butchered meat and baby dolls….not a good combo:
Original "Butcher Cover" in good shape
Because they detected public outcry and took the record off the shelves so fast this particular cover has become one of the most sought after and rare items. Finding one in good condition is rare. Capitol Records initially pasted over thousands of existing withdrawn pressings with a new, safer picture that looked like this:
The Capitol paste-over and the image used for all later releases
Well, one original, un-pasted-over copy – still sealed in it’s shrink-wrap – has come up for auction on Ebay here.
To give you some context of what copies of this item in good condition can sell for have a look at this YouTube item from the US version of Antiques Roadshow.
Thanks to Web Wire for pointing to this item. Also to ivegotneatstuff.com for some more detail and the YouTube link.
No trip to Newcastle (the one in Australia on the New South Wales north coast) can go without a visit to one of my favourite second-hand record store haunts – Antique Sounds on King Street. Its a tiny little shop that is literally chock full with a wide range of second-hand items – from clocks, to clothing, bakelite radios, trinkets, toys….you name it and its probably there.
Up the back of the shop are racks and racks of old vinyl and amongst them many Beatles and Beatles-related collectables. To be perfectly honest most of these are not in the best condition or what you might call at the high-grade end of the collectable spectrum. And for the condition that some of the items are in the owner is usually asking an inflated price. But, the thing about this store is that you just never know what you might find.
The other day I had to pass through Newcastle briefly and so dropped in.
While there I discovered a nice clean copy of an interesting Beatles-related 12-inch vinyl disc I have had on my “should get” list for some time: Harry Nilsson’s “Son of Dracula”, which is the soundtrack to the Apple film of the same name.
Way back in 1974 Apple Corps, the Beatles’ company, was still operating its soon to be defunct Apple Film division. When they first set up Apple the Beatles always envisioned a film arm and, while not prolific, some films they made include the well-known “The Concert for Bangladesh” and the lesser known “Born to Boogie”, a concert film featuring T-Rex and Marc Bolan – directed by Ringo Starr.
Well ahead of the present-day fascination with vampires, “Son of Dracula” was billed as “the first rock-n-roll Dracula movie musical”. It starred Nilsson, Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton, John Bonham and Keith Moon….
A film poster from the 1974 Apple film "Son of Dracula"
Apparently it wasn’t much of a film – but the soundtrack and songs provided by Harry Nilsson (still relatively fresh and marketable from his huge, world-wide hit album “Nilsson Schmilsson”) along with contributions from legendary orchestrator Paul Buckmaster, had some really great songs – all largely taken from the LP’s “Nilsson Schmilsson” and its follow-up “Son of Schmilsson”).
I already had the Australian release of this record – which came out here with a very plain, single sleeve cover, and on the standard orange-coloured RCA record label. However, the original US pressings were released with a unique cover, complete with opening bat wings (see pics below):
Front cover - "Son of Dracula" US pressing
The "bat wings" gate-fold cover
Cover with the "bat wings" open
“Son of Dracula” is also interesting to Beatles collectors because it was on something of a unique hybrid label called Rapple Records. There isn’t a lot of detail about this but I can only assume that as Nilsson was contracted to RCA at the time, and this was an Apple film, they decided to combine RCA and Apple and came up with the name Rapple! Its the only time this label was ever used to my knowledge. I like it because they also created a custom record label for the project, complete with a half-eaten apple….perhaps a sign of things to come as the company slowly self-destructed:
The very unusual "Rapple" label
So, another junk shop treasure to add to the collection: an original US pressing (in great condition) of 1974’s “Son of Dracula” – on the intriguing Rapple Records.
Harry Nilsson’s own site has some further reading and pictures from the project if you are interested.
(By the way, the record cost me $8.00 Australian).
For some reason today I started to think about all the different label variations there must be of Beatles LP and single vinyl discs – released over time and from a wide range of countries around the world.
Different countries have different labels of course, but there have been many label artwork changes over the years – from the original issues to the more recent re-releases. For some collectors this is a never-ending fascination. How many different label variations can they possibly find of a particular album or single?
For me as a collector it’s not the primary reason I’ll purchase an item – but for certain titles I already have it can be a factor. For some reason if browsing a stack of second-hand Beatles LPs I’ll always go looking for different labels or covers for Sgt. Pepper, Abbey Road and Let It Be. Don’t know why – I guess they where formative in my initial collection and mean more to me as records than the other titles in the collection.
As a result, over many years, I have accumulated a few variations which I’ll share with you over the coming few weeks. (To see larger images just click on each picture).
First up – Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. My very first copy of this on vinyl was the Australian pressing. Originally all Australian pressings were on Parlophone. By the time I was old enough to buy it the Parlophone label was a bright orange colour and looked like this:
Australian pressing – Orange Parlophone
However, there where a couple of other Australian variations on the Parlophone label prior to it becoming orange like the one above. I think when Sgt. Pepper originally came out it was on a black and silver label like this:
Australian Parlophone – Black and Silver
After the black and silver there was a further Australian variation (seen below) which was very much like the original UK release. It’s a black and yellow Parlophone label. Note in the picture below that this is the Mono version (denoted by the catalogue number PMCO-7027. The stereo versions are all PCSO-7027):
Australian Parlophone – Black and Yellow variation
Across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand they had their own range of variations. An early NZ Parlophone was quite different to both the British and the Australian:
New Zealand Parlophone – Blue and White variation
As you can see, the New Zealand version was unique. New Zealand later went on to release the entire Beatles catalogue on the Apple label, and again there are differences here to the “usual” Apple look – quite distinctive in its way and I reckon collectable for that very reason:
New Zealand – Apple label
This Apple has some unusual features – most prominent among them the large STEREO lettering on the right hand side.
Back to Parlophone – on which most versions of Sgt. Pepper were/are released. This is how the current UK version of the label looks today:
United Kingdom – the current Parlophone LP label
As you can see in the picture above, the Parlophone name and logo is in a large box, and the EMI label is also present twice on the label in smaller boxes. This is the label you will see if you go out tomorrow to buy a vinyl UK release of this classic Beatles record.
A couple of years ago EMI Australia re-issued Sgt. Pepper on the Parlophone label – and the label looked like this:
Australian Parlophone – Black and Silver c. 1987
The label above comes from 1987 when a special 20th Anniversary commemorative edition of Pepper was released. The pic above is of the more common black vinyl edition, but the record was also released on limited edition red vinyl (same label though!):
Australian Parlophone – Red vinyl edition 1987
OK. On to the US now – and I only have two label variations – which is not that impressive as there are many, many more. In the USA Capitol Records, as an EMI/Parlophone US subsidiary, is the principal label you’ll find Sgt. Pepper released on. This version below is the traditional black and “rainbow” surround Capitol label:
US Capitol – black and rainbow label
Later there were other Capitol variations. This one is the orange Capitol, which I bought originally in the late 1970s or early 1980s:
US Capitol – orange label
Another unusual US variation is the Sgt. Pepper released as part of the MFSL (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab) company’s high fidelity “Original Master Recording” series. This has a different label, but also quite a different cover image as well. The series was released in a big boxed set of all the Beatles records given the MFSL treatment – which you occasionally see come up on Ebay for many thousands of dollars. I don’t have the box set – but I do have an individual copy of Pepper – picked up at a second-hand shop for a few bucks!:
Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs edition
Finally, two foreign releases worthy I think of a pic of the labels. The first is from Singapore – interesting because it is so similar to the UK “black and yellow” edition:
Singapore Parlophone – black and yellow
And a very different Sgt. Pepper label from Odeon, the subsidiary of EMI that released the Beatles’ records in countries like Germany and France. This one comes from Germany and is an early version fo the Odeon label there:
German Odeon label
I hope you’ve enjoyed a peek at some of the label variations for Sgt. Pepper from my collection. These really only touch the surface of some of the different labels out there. If you have any other information or pictures or scans of Sgt. Pepper labels please leave a comment, or email me at: beatlesblogger@gmail.com
See also: Label Variations – Part Two – Let It Be
See also: Label Variations – Part Three – McCartney’s Choba B CCCP
I stumbled across a website that I think you might be interested in seeing.
Its a site called PopMatters that describes itself as a “…magazine of cultural criticism. Our scope is broadly cast on all things pop culture, and our content is updated daily, Monday through Friday. We provide intelligent reviews, engaging interviews, and in-depth essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, sports, theatre, the visual arts, travel, and the Internet. Since 1999, PopMatters has been providing smart readers with sharp, entertaining writing on a wide range of topics in pop culture, offering a refuge from the usual hype and gossip.”
Well, in November they went all-out and produced a fascinating series of articles about The Beatles called “Re-Meet The Beatles – PopMatters Salutes the Still Fab Four”.
Between November 9 and November 24 they produced twenty one different online essays. I’m still wading my way through these, but they cover many aspects of the band from the very early days and hits, buried treasures, the best (and the worst) of the Beatles, as well as personal observation pieces and in-depth reviews and revisits of the key albums and records.
Thought you’d like to know.
OK. As I mentioned in the last blog post, a new book has come into the collection. It was only released in November.
I don’t know if you’ve seen these types of books before but they are like a box set in that the book itself sits inside a hard outer casing. The hardback book slides out and, as well as the usual text and photographs, on certain pages inside are pouches that contain replicas of memorabilia associated with the topic. I’ve got one of these already about Bob Dylan. Its called “The Bob Dylan Scrapbook”. I saw another of these books in a store the other day – it was a history book all about the Vietnam war.
Anyway, this new release is all about The Beatles. Its called “Treasures of the Beatles” and it follows the history of the band from the early days in Liverpool and Hamburg, up through each album, the creation of Apple Records, and on to the perhaps inevitable break-up and briefly the solo careers beyond.
It is written by Terry Burrows. He’s a fairly prolific music author and you can see some of his long list of other things he’s written here, including some other Beatles-related titles.
Terry has written a loving tribute to the band and there are lots of great photos inside – some of which I’ve never seen before. But the great part about discovering this book is opening up the little pouches which are full of surprises like publicity and concert posters, replica concert tickets, contracts, hand-written set lists, tour itineraries, postcards, and even a 1967 invitation to The Magical Mystery Tour.
What does it all look like as you browse through the book? Below are some photos, an “unboxing” of the book with a few pages on display and some of the facsimiles of rare memorabilia that are contained within. Enjoy.
“Treasures of the Beatles” Terry Burrows 2009 Hardback Published by Crows Nest Books
Front Cover (Outer Box)
Back Cover (Outer Box)
Front Cover (Book)
Pages example 1 - showing one of the pouches
Treasures example - including (burned) replica contract document, etc.
Pages example 2
Treasures example - including posters
Replica concert ticket
Book spine
As noted in a previous post, the only digital release of the entire Beatles catalogue remastered will be a specially designed USB stick. It comes out this week on December 8, and there are some photos of the packaging to be used emerging:
The Apple USB Box
It’s in keeping with the black-and-white theme used for the stereo Remasters box set. This next pic gives you an idea of the size of the packaging – the USB is obviously a similar size to other USB devices so clearly the booklet that accompanies it is about the size of a standard CD booklet:
The USB, box and booklet
Here’s a closer look at the Apple USB:
The Beatles USB Apple - due December 8
(Thanks to Selectism for posting these pics!)
The set, which will include art and expanded liner notes, is a 16-gigabyte USB with audio and visual contents in FLAC 44.1 Khz 24 bit and MP3 320 Kbps format for PC and Mac. Only 30,000 of these USBs will be produced.
Regarding my previous post about the new Beatles radio special distributed to radio stations around the world, the Beatles official site today announced they are streaming Part One from their own site.
Click here to read more about the series and to hear Part One, which is called “Meet the Beatles!” , streamed in full.
The Beatles site will start streaming Part Two (which is called “Ask Me Why”) the week beginning December 7th, and Part Three (which is called “The Beatles on the Record”) the week beginning December 15th.
Just to keep you ahead of the game, here’s a short preview extract from Part Two – “Ask Me Why”:
Coming soon to a radio station near you – a new radio special about the Beatles as a musical phenomenon.
Officially sanctioned and distributed to radio stations by Apple and EMI Music, The Beatles: Here, There and Everywhere is a three-part radio special featuring exclusive new interviews with a variety of artists and producers talking about the influence of the The Beatles on their individual careers. Brian Wilson, Tom Petty, Dave Grohl, Jeff Lynne, Anne and Nancy Wilson, Peter Asher, Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, T-Bone Burnett, Cameron Crowe and Rick Rubin all take part. The series is narrated by veteran British presenter and music writer Paul Gambaccini.
Written and produced by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett (he researched and wrote all the liner notes for the new Remastered CDs), the three 48 minute installments each take a different thematic approach. The website eil.com has this summary of each episode:
Part One: Meet The Beatles!
The interviewees recorded exclusively for this series reveal the impact made upon them by The Beatles’ records from throughout their career. We hear Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, Tom Petty, film director Cameron Crowe and Ann & Nancy Wilson (of Heart) talking about their first-hand experience of The Beatles’ phenomenal 1964 breakthrough in the United States. Dave Grohl, Mark Ronson and Slash discuss the enduring influence of albums such as Rubber Soul, Revolver and Abbey Road.
Part Two: Ask Me Why
The interviewees focus on the various elements within the group that combined to make The Beatles so musically powerful: their strengths as performers – both instrumentally and vocally – plus the brilliance of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison as songwriters.
Part Three: The Beatles On The Record
We hear how The Beatles’ music was captured on record with the help of innovative arrangements and adventurous production by George Martin. Some of today’s leading record producers – Peter Asher, Joe Boyd, T-Bone Burnett, Jeff Lynne, Mark Ronson and Rick Rubin – marvel at the dazzling creativity evident in recordings made more than 40 years ago.
If you didn’t get to hear it over the Thanksgiving holiday, or its still to come to a radio station nearby, here is a short extract from the opening sequence from Part One:
The Beatles Rock Band Poster
“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” is the second full album available as a download in its entirety for The Beatles Rock Band since the video game’s launch on 09.09.09.
Last month Apple released “Abbey Road” as the first full downloadable album for use in the game.
“All You Need Is Love,” the first downloadable track available for the game, has had more than 100,000 downloads to date, with all proceeds benefiting Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
With “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” “Getting Better,” and “Good Morning Good Morning” already included on The Beatles Rock Band game disc, players will now be able to complete the entire Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
The download is available for Xbox 360 and Wii from Nov. 17 and for PlayStation 3 from Nov. 19.
Individual Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band singles: “Fixing A Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!,” “Within You Without You,” “When I’m Sixty – Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “A Day In The Life” are down-loadable as individual tracks.
“Rubber Soul” (1965) will be released as downloadable content in December.
For the full details and to see a short video featuring songs available in the download visit The Beatles official site.
Beatles Blog 