The Beatles Collection

The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan – The Early Years, Contour 2870-111.

zorkos — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:21:46 +0000

Contour Records is UK label from the 1960s and 1970s owned by Polydor Records’ British branch specializing in budget reissues from its catalog plus childrens’, soundalike and easy listening recordings. “The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan – The Early Years”, Contour 2870-111, was released in 1971. Album “The Early Years” is a reissue of the British version of “The Beatles’ First” (Polydor 236 201) using a redesigned cover.

1. First pressing, early 1971. White and blue labels with red lines and red perimeter text. Matrix numbers: Side 1: 2870111 ~~2870125~~ A//1 420; Side 2: 2870111 ~~2870125~~ B//1 420.

2. Second pressing, 1971. White and blue labels, with the same matrix numbers.

The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan, Pickwick CN(A) 2007.

zorkos — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 10:20:09 +0000

Pickwick Records was an American record label and British distributor known for its budget album releases of sound-alike recordings, bargain bin reissues and repackagings under the brands Design. It was the first UK company to put in place exclusive licensing deals with the major record companies (for many years it was the official budget reissue outlet for labels such as RCA and CBS.) Pickwick was sold in 1977 to American Can Company, who relocated their corporate headquarters from Long Island City, New York to Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the 1970s the label changed direction, and began reissuing LPs that had been deleted from catalogs of the major record labels, in particular the RCA Records subsidiary RCA Camden, itself a reissue label. Pickwick also reissued numerous LPs from the Motown catalog during the 1970s. Pickwick’s assets were purchased by PolyGram Records in the late 1970s. Pickwick’s catalog is now owned by Universal Music, which merged with PolyGram in 1998.

1. First pressing, 1973. The Beatles Featuring Tony Sheridan, Pickwick presence Contour, CN(A) 2007. This album is a reissue of the British version of “Early Years” (Contour 2870 111). At the same cover design was again changed and the name of the album cut. Text appears “Collectors item original recording” in the upper right corner. Has also been modified catalog number.

Variation A. Album were sold in Britain still has the Contour logo on both sides of the cover. Cover is front laminated. Includes plain white paper inner sleeve.

Dark orange labels with “Pickwick presents” text and Contour logos. Matrix numbers: Side 1: CN 2007 A//4 420; Side2: CN 2007 B//3 420.

Variation B. The export version of the album was released on the Pickwick label and thus has the Pickwick logo on both sides of the cover. In addition, the cover has an image of the British flag with the “British Import” text on the front side. This version was imported in United States. Cover is front laminated. Includes plain white paper inner sleeve.

Orange labels are “Pickwick” logo and catalog number with CNA prefix. Matrix numbers: Side 1: CN 2007 A//4 420; Side2: CN 2007 B//3 420.

In Commonwealth countries the album was exported as “Pickwick presents Contour” c Contour logos. Cover has a “Half British Flag” sticker with rounded corners and with “direct import” text.

2. Second pressing, 1970s (probably in 1976-th). Matrix numbers: Side 1: CN 2007 1Y//1 420; Side 2: CN 2007 2Y//1 420.

The Beatles Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962, Lingasong LNL1.

zorkos — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:18:51 +0000

Lingasong Records was a record label formed by Paul Murphy of Buk Records for the sole purpose of producing and marketing The Beatles’ “Live album Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962″. The album was released in 1977 after The Beatles lost a court case to block it. Lingasong teamed up with other record labels for distribution of the album in various countries, and the songs themselves were later licensed to other record companies.

Twist And Shout / Falling In Love Again, Lingasong NB 1. Both tracks taken from the album The Beatles’ “Live! At The Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962″. Single was released to promote the album on May 25, 1977. It was released in a plain white sleeve.

Variation A. Promotional copy.

Variation B. Standard copy.

Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962, Lingasong LNL 1, is a double album featuring live performances by The Beatles, recorded in late December 1962 at the Star Club during their final Hamburg residency. The album first appeared in Germany in April 8, 1977 in association with Bellaphon Records, and was released in the UK on May 25, 1977. The album has a gatefold sleeve and plain white inner sleeves.

Matrix numbers: Side 1: LNL1-A-2E; Side 2: LNL1-B-1E; Side 3: LNL1-C-2E; Side 4: LNL1-D-1E.

The Beatles’ Christmas Record, Lyntone LYN 492.

zorkos — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:31:25 +0000

The first Beatles Christmas record was distributed by the Official Beatles Fan Club on December 9, 1963. Beginning in 1963, the Beatles started a holiday tradition of recording Christmas messages for their fans. The first Christmas recording from the Beatles featured several renditions of the traditional carol “Good King Wenceslas” and individual messages from the four, ending with a closing chorus of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo”. The recordings were edited and issued on flexi-discs through the Official Beatles Fan Club in England. The records were not available for sale, but were distributed free to Fan Club members. Tony Barrow came up with the concept for the Christmas records and scripted the initial efforts.

The record was packaged in yellow paper gatefold cover. The open gatefold contains the Fun Club’s National Newsletter No. 2.

Lynton Recordings pressed 25,000 copies of the one-sided seven inch discs, which have white labels with dark blue print. Disc plays at 33 1/3 – rpm. Total time: 5:00. Matrix number LYN 492-1U.