Red label Parlophone 45 of Beatles' LOVE ME DO sounds amazing...Show us your rare Beatles labels!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004.

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  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    I received from Gort Joel Cairo a new old stock LOVE ME DO on Parlophone. This thing has maybe been played once in 42 years. Still had the mint "triangle" Parlophone sleeve. It is dead mint. Even though I don't collect I had to have it so I traded him something he wanted more.. :righton:

    Begin rant:


    Well, the reason I wanted it so much wasn't the neat red label or old Parlophone sleeve but the SOUND. This is the rare early version of the song with Ringo on drums. It went out of print not long after. The bass, attack and tonality of this record is so much better than the CD version of the same take that is used on PAST MASTERS, etc. WHY? How hard is it to make a needle drop that sounds good? Heck, EMI should have hired our Grant to do it. He would have got it right at least.

    I always scratch my head at stuff like this. The 45 is so amazingly dynamic and tuneful that in order to turn it in to the crappy dull and lackluster sounding "reissue" CD and 45 version that came out in the 1980's must have been really hard to do; compress the bass, filter the top end, add extra compression and No-Noise the whole mess... Why?

    I mean, geez, this old record sounds so good and no one gets to hear it like this; that really stinks. Even if the master tape was razor-bladed in 1963 the 45 itself sounds like magic.

    Why didn't they do this right? Did someone think it sounded better like that? I'm constantly befuddled about stuff like this. Sigh.

    Rant over.

    Rant postscript:

    I still prefer the "remake" version of LOVE ME DO with Ringo on percussion 'cause that is the one that I heard all of my life but still....

    Put 45 on turntable. Turn on turntable. Combine channels to mono. Dub to tape. Edit out pops and tics. THAT'S IT!!!!!!! EMI what is the big deal about doing a good sounding needle drop?

    The big picture is from the Internet and is a more beat up record with a later more generic EMI sleeve. The record sleeve I got from Joel Cairo looks like the small picture with the nifty triangles except this is a picture of PLEASE PLEASE ME...The other sleeve with the generic stripes probably came after?
     

    Attached Files:

    Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004
    #1
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  2. Ryan

    Ryan That would be telling

    Location:
    New England
    It's been awhile, but I also remember the CD Past Masters 'Ringo' version sounded kinda dull and muffly. Maybe that's why I don't listen to it that often.
     
    Ryan, Dec 22, 2004
    #2
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  3. John Carsell

    John Carsell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northwest Illinois
    The 1982 12" single reissue isn't too bad, but the original's gotta sound better.

    Neat looking 45 sleeve there Steve.
     
    John Carsell, Dec 22, 2004
    #3
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  4. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Location:
    Somewhere in the middle
    The needle drops of goodies I got from loud listener are amazingly good - I'd like to hear yer 45 to get the real deal blast...
     
    indy mike, Dec 22, 2004
    #4
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  5. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    If I could put up just the first 10 seconds of the original 45 and then the lackluster 1982 version you would be amazed at the difference. Grrrrr..Starting to rant again.. Sorry.
     
    Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004
    #5
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  6. John Carsell

    John Carsell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northwest Illinois
    I probably would.

    I've got nothing else to compare the '82 version with except for that god-awful version on Past Masters.
     
    John Carsell, Dec 22, 2004
    #6
  7. Leppo

    Leppo Forum Librarian

    Steve, it would be neat if you could put some .wav clips up for comparison.
    Unfortunately, I only have Past Masters. :shake:
     
    Leppo, Dec 22, 2004
    #7
  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    I can't put any clips up, sorry. Not allowed for me. Anyone else?
     
    Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004
    #8
  9. -=Rudy=-

    -=Rudy=- ♪♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♪♪ Staff

    Location:
    US
    OK, wasn't there also a really good Parlophone "Please Please Me" that somebody posted clips for several months ago...? I'd love to hear these things, but with the way pricing goes, I'll never afford 'em in MY lifetime... :shake: Maybe one day, someone at EMI will wake up and decide to do it right.

    Good rant, Steve.
     
    -=Rudy=-, Dec 22, 2004
    #9
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  10. Stateless

    Stateless New Member

    Location:
    USA
    Me too. It's a much stronger performance...and Ringo is still on the record at least. I would be nice to hear the original in all it's glory though. Then again, it would be nice to hear the whole catalog in all........... :sigh:
     
    Stateless, Dec 22, 2004
    #10
  11. monkboughtlunch

    monkboughtlunch Senior Member

    Location:
    Texas
    Steve, does the metal (mother or master thingy) of Love Me Do still exist?

    Couldn't EMI dub from that too and get even better sound?
     
    monkboughtlunch, Dec 22, 2004
    #11
  12. Pug

    Pug The Prodigal Snob Returns!

    Location:
    Near Music Direct
    The Please Please Me isn't too expensive. I picked on up late last year for under $20. It's somewhat noisy, but once the music starts... :eek:

    A definate essential rekkid! :thumbsup:
     
    Pug, Dec 22, 2004
    #12
  13. Tristan

    Tristan Member

    Location:
    Asheville, NC
    Steve,
    Given the master tapes (let's just fantasize a little here) would you be able to produce sound quality comparable to your Parlophone 45?
     
    Tristan, Dec 22, 2004
    #13
  14. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here

    Trust me, folks, you don't appreciate mint original 45's until you listen to all the crappy sounding reissues that turn up later!

    :ed:
     
    Ed Bishop, Dec 22, 2004
    #14
  15. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    I've never seen that "triangles" sleeve.
     
    Lord Hawthorne, Dec 22, 2004
    #15
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    I'm sure they had a "Parts Destroy" memo back in 1963. Common, because they didn't want the old "rejected" version to be pressed later on by mistake. I'm sure they destroyed everything.
     
    Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004
    #16
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  17. Leppo

    Leppo Forum Librarian

    Here's a clip of Love Me Do (Single Version) from the Past Masters - Volume One original Parlophone UK CD.

    How do you think it sounds?
     
    Leppo, Dec 22, 2004
    #17
  18. Greatest Hits

    Greatest Hits Just Another Compilation

    Location:
    Somewhere in Oklahoma
    I think if it did still exist, they would have used it for the Past Masters CD or any reissue.
    I also think that if it exists and they used a vinyl copy instead, it was the biggest goof-up ever.
    I've heard the source for all commercial CD versions of the 'Ringo' version of LMD is a 45 that was in the hands of some collector.
     
    Greatest Hits, Dec 22, 2004
    #18
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  19. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Location:
    Overland Park, Kansas
    Steve,

    Thanks for sharing this. The best "Love Me Do" that I have heard is from a 12" 45 rpm [Japanese Import, packed away in storage]. However, I remember my original Tollie 45 sounding better than the versions on CD.

    Another botched CD mastering job on The Beatles...

    Bob :eek:
     
    Bob Lovely, Dec 22, 2004
    #19
  20. RJL2424

    RJL2424 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicagoland/Mount Prospect, IL USA
    I totally agree that the transfer of that tune on PAST MASTERS isn't very good. But IMHO the WORST transfer on that Beatles compilation is the German-language version of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" called "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand." What the f**k with those wacky engineers playing back the MONO tape of that tune on a STEREO machine, and then folding in the channels, during the transfer to digital? (Or, was it that they used a "mono" mix which had been folded down from the stereo mix?) With phase problems abound throughout that song, to boot! :realmad: Even the mono version on the BEATLES CAPITOL ALBUMS boxed set sounds much better than that steaming PAST MASTERS pile of crap!
     
    RJL2424, Dec 22, 2004
    #20
  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    Good rant, I agree! Total crappy mastering job. Geez, most SH Forum members were doing better work than this when making cassette dubs of LP's back in the 80's. Grrrrrrr.
     
    Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004
    #21
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  22. Green Tea

    Green Tea Sweet Soulful Sounds

    Location:
    ϟ
    Green Tea, Dec 22, 2004
    #22
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  23. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here

    Don't hold back, guys....let it all out! :laugh:

    Then send the entire thread along to EMI for a few giggles.....:winkgrin:


    :ed:
     
    Ed Bishop, Dec 22, 2004
    #23
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  24. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    You know, the main reason I started this place is to let people know what a bad mastering job sounds like and why. Since we've stopped mentioning people's names directly I see no reason to hold back when talking about absolutely sh**tty mastering. I mean, 90% of our Forum members would be able to at least walk in to Abbey Road and explain that this stuff sucks and WHY. You guys (and girls) hear stuff that the highly paid Abbey Road engineering staff didn't even NOTICE. I'm proud of our group!
     
    Steve Hoffman, Dec 22, 2004
    #24
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  25. Ed Bishop

    Ed Bishop Incredibly, I'm still here



    Yeah, we're something all right....:)

    Depending on where you go, the names are more colorful than at others....:D

    :ed:
     
    Ed Bishop, Dec 22, 2004
    #25
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