Beatles German record labels

In (West) Germany The Beatles' records were published by Electrora, Hörzu and Odeon, as far as I know.

Does anybody know the reason why they weren't released by one label?

Who decided a label for a particular record and how the decision was made?

 

Wouldn't a label change be release-date dependent? (for example, the Magical Mystery Tour usually says Horzu-Apple, not just Apple)

 

Odeon was part of Germany's EMI-Electrola, the Beatles' releases up to summer 1968 (Hey Jude) were released on Odeon, then on Apple. HörZu was (and is) a German TV mag, which put their logo on regular releases (e.g. an Odeon Revolver) in some way of cross-advertising, then featured these LPs in their mag. Most were regular releases, some like the Rolling Stones' "BRAVO!" http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=6997843&postcount=181 were unique, in this case a sampler. For more info, see http://yokono.co.uk/collection/beatles/germany/lp/ger_lp2.html or similar sites.

 

Thanks for the info, Mlle. Aurora.

But according to the Joe Brenna site, some records were released with HörZu label prior to '68.
http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beatles/german.records.html

The famous "Die Beatles", Help! (re-issue), Revolver (3rd issue), and Sgt Pepper (re-issue?).

And Electrola released the "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" single.

I guessed HörZu was tied to Electrola (as you can see the Electrola name in the HörZu logo).
Wasn't it?

 

HörZu / Odeon issued "Die Beatles" as first and later pressings with the "standing in the studio" cover shot, Revolver, Pepper in their first pressings on white/gold and later blue labels, MMT when it was re-released as an 12inch album with Apple label, plus Wonderwall, Beaucoups Of Blues. Note that there are als two different HörZu logos (red, yellow). Confusing? Yes.
The German single was first issued on Odeon, (very) later repressings may have an Electrola label, I am not sure. HörZu labeled also Teldec (Telefunken/Decca) albums (see Stones).

 

Thanks again, Mlle. Aurora.
That's helpful.

Based on your explanation Odeon was the main label for the Beatles German records. OK?

Even "Die Beatles" was an Odeon product although the printed label on the cover was HörZu/Electrola?

I hope someone let me know the reason why some of the records issued by Electrola.
I think Odeon and Electrola were different companies under the EMI group.

 

Yes, Yosi, Odeon was the main label for German Beatles records until 1968, when the records were given the Apple labels, still distributed by Electrola. As an example, see the pictures of my LP "With The Beatles", with a green Odeon label (being a MONO LP), as opposed to white/gold labels for the stereo counterparts. The excerpt from the back cover shows the Electrola GmbH imprint. Please note that HörZu was not a label, but a distribution deal the TV magazine did with Teldec and Electrola, (like TWEN magazine did for Philips albums, to make things more complicated). These records could be bought in record stores as well as ordered through the magazine (which had a huge circulation in those days) so these were not rare in Germany. Besides Odeon, Electrola licensed Beatles recording to book clubs (labels like S&R, Deutsche Buchgemeinschaft) but these albums could only be ordered via book club catalogues, thus making them rare, and regarding the two Impression LPs http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=7379270&postcount=249, scarce.

 

"Die Beatles" (and Revolver, Pepper etc. for that matter) was an Electrola product, released on their Odeon label, with HörZu's logo being stamped on the cover and the labels. Odeon and Electrola were not different companies, but "mother and child".

 

Danke Schön!
That's very informative!

One more question, if I may.
In your analogy, was "mother" Electrola and "child" HörZu?

I thought they were sisters but I was wrong!

 

No, HörZu being just a distribution deal with Electrola (the mother) regarding Odeon (the child) - so would that make it the nanny?
A informative article from DER SPIEGEL's archive regarding these distribution deals can be found here http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46274251.html. It details the percentages the HörZu magazine got from Electrola for the advertising.

 

There is an analogy:

UK:EMI----Parlophone
Germany:EMI/Electrola(Electrola as German subsidiary of EMI)-----Odeon
USA:EMI------Capitol

HÖRZU:A TV magazine(owned by the Springer Group of Companies)got rights from the major German record companies to advertise(in their mag) and sell selected product through their mail-order department to make it easier for people to buy product as in those days a lot more people lived outside/a fair distance away from the bigger cities with their record shops.

So all in all a classic example of cross-marketing to expand customer base for the mutual benefit of both(NO cross ownership!!)companies.

 

Exactly.

 

Vielen Dank!

My bad. I meant Odeon not HörZu.
Your explanation for HörZu was clear. So that's my fault, sorry.

Many thanks again, Mlle. Aurora.
The German labels were confusing for me. That have been cleared up thanks to your explanation.

Thanks too, joachim50.
Your explanation is also very good!

 

The women's magazine "Constanze" did it with some CBS albums:
http://www.gemm.com/item/REVERE%2CPAUL%20AND%20THE%20RAIDERS/GREATEST%2BHITS/GML1454045045/
http://www.ebay.de/itm/LP-Paul-Reve...er_Unterhaltung_Music_CDs&hash=item1c204731b8

 

Thanks John, that was new to me.

 

Here are two Spiegel charts from 1965 and 1966 which show how successful the combination of record labels and magazines were:
http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46275562.html
http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46415498.html

 

The interesting question (from my perspective) is whether the co-branded Hoerzu versions were de facto the standard versions (i.e. no non-Hoerzu versions sold in parallel).
The LP-sales charts in Germany (links posted above) seem to suggest that only Hoerzu versions were sold initially.
Later German pressings as far as Beatles are concerned are
in most cases are better (Revolver) or comparable (PPM,MMT) anyway