Beatles Capitol Masters...you wont believe this....

I'll be amazed if we actually do see this....it'll be like "Sessions" and the mono Sgt. Pepper CD....announced for release, then squashed at the last minute by the Fabs.


Evan

 

I think I can help here:
JMNSHO = Just My Not So Humble Opinion

 

Thanks, David ...

I have a "novel idea" ... why don't they release the US Beatle LPs ... in mono and stereo (where available) mastered with the most "life-like" sound ... adding bonus tracks for uniquely sounding and/or non-LP singles ...

 

Chip, they cant do that...it makes too much sense!!

 

You got it mikey, if it makes sense,they are not going to do it....we are talking about Apple here...thats it.......not Capitol, not EMI, the shots are called by Apple....sense would be the first 4 in stereo(at least BFS and AHDN)...mono Help!,Rubber Soul,Revolver,Sgt Pepper,White Album,there are plenty of other "original UK releases" that we have not yet seen on CD....what's the point of these US Capitol versions.....I wonder how many people are in favor of these Capitol mixes/versions that bash the new Lennon remixes(or any other new remixes for that matter). After all these years we should understand that these Capitol versions/mixes were not what The Beatles intended for us to hear.

JF

 

IMO this is nothing but a complete waste of time as the US LP's are nothing more than nostalgia and a curiousity, and time and money should be focused on the UK remasters, however Apple wants to do them. This just doesn't make sense to me, and I still don't see it happening.

 

I still won't believe it until I see it. This is APPLE'S call.

 

Dave, it may be (nostalgia and curiosity), but how much of what we do and collect here on this forum is just that? Nostalgia and curiosity. We want the exact sound, the exact mix we grew up with. Or we read about and discover an anomoly, like a rare mix with an extra 4 seconds (!) that we didn't know about yesterday, but just have to have today.

I have to agree with an earlier poster who said, what's logic got to do with it? This is all very emotional stuff, after all, isn't it?

 

Very true. I was trying to think from the point of view of Apple rather than members here. To Apple I don't think it's anything more than a curiousity and something I don't see them investing in, especially when they don't even care enough to remaster the UK catalogue. But you're completely right, it is a nostalgia thing, at least for some of us (not me, I'm too young!).

 

I didnt know that mono/stereo 97 remaster of Pepper even made it past the prototype stage. It would be nice to hear what Geof did with it 30 years later. Was any reason ever given as to why they didnt release that remaster of Pepper? Didnt they think it would sell?

 

I read an article by a writer who tried to follow up on this. He interviewed a contact at EMI, not Apple, and the contact refused to answer his questions about why it was cancelled and told him that if he wrote a word about the cancellation or existence of the planned CD that he would be cut off from receiving any interviews, promo copies or anything else from EMI forever. It is on the web somewhere, I've seen it, but I can't seem to find it right now.

It wasn't a mono/stereo remaster; it was just mono. The reason they didn't release it was because Apple killed it. I hope everyone understands Apple is Olivia, Yoko, Paul, Ringo and Neil. If one of them says No to a project and the rest all say Yes then the project is cancelled. A decision must be unanimous for it to go through. Sometimes they will all say Yes and then later someone will say they changed their mind and then a project that EMI may have been working on dies.

 

http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/pepperbox.htm

 

It is true that it's Apple's call. But don't forget that Macca gave in to the "Naked" title against his own personal desire for the "Get Back" title! Which would have been much better! All because of marketing. Marketing that had corrupt roots at it's foundation. The Apple Gang, Dumpling and all are starting to sound more like Sony Exec's rather than the protectors of the world's most coveted musical legacy in our history. Thank God for P.y/b, Hor Zu and all the rest. We will NOT be happy with what's coming.
As far as the mono Pepper goes, I was told that it was in fact not cancelled by Apple but stalled out by some Cap. guru for lack of intrest because research focus groups in
the target demo yeilded results that Cap. concluded meant slumped sales. If this is true I assume that the testing was not done in the 25-54 demo but in a much younger one. Same reason we have NAKED instead of GET BACK.

 

I think a lot of it has to do with the remaining living members, who have solo careers of their own that, naturally, they would like to see take a front seat to any Beatles stuff. Then again, not going along with "the team" could also be a feud or a power or ego thing...like, "You all want this to come out? Fine, I say no..."

It's tough to get inside their heads. I wonder if a "no" must come with an explanation to the others, or if "that's just that."

 

The Beatles core money tree is generated from the First, possibly second generation fan...How do they expect to gear the catalog towards children who could care less about a band that broke up years before they were born???? They should START pleasing us as we pleased them financially for the last 40 YEARS! Are you listening APPLE????

 

This is the first I heard of this. The explanation I heard (and bought) was that the "Nekkid" title was Ringo's idea. Not true?

 

This was something that Capitol was trying to push through. I've have numerous conversations with Capitol executives over the years about making the American albums available and they would love it. You keep the UK versions in print (although they could use an serious upgrade) and you make the American versions available either in a box or at a premium price. The people that want them will pay. This isn't rocket science. Let's face it these guys including Neil A don't need the money. Also let's not forget that the ten's of thousands cd's that the Beatles sell every week is pure profit. Any expenses they had in making those original CD's is way burned off at this point so they think why bother? Also once this lawsuit with Apple computers is finished (settled) these guys will be rolling in even more coin.

 

Can someone tell me what the "Dexter Tapes" are?

 

We could, but why spoil your day?

The 'Dexter Tapes' is a catch-all description for the early Beatles Lp's & 45 tapes that have added reverb, echo, Eq, and(where applicable)duophonic rechanneling. Dave Dexter was the guy who supervised the work on these albums, and his name turns up on them(and elsewhere), hence the reference.

Others may wish to elaborate, but that's as much as I can handle....

 

I don't have the issue here at work, but in the new TWBF magazine (The World Beatles Forum) there is an interview with a man who has just authored a couple of Beatles related discographies. One is about Ring O records and the other is about Dark Horse records, if memory serves. In his interview with Brad Howard, the publisher of TWBF, he mentions that he was in contact with Mark Lewisohn recently and that Mark Lewisohn is working on the Beatles Capitol CD box set.

I'll post the exact quote this evening when I get home and can dig out the magazine.

 

That's the first good news I've heard about this box yet. I'm glad ML is getting involved again after Yoko's previous objections. Guess she changed her mind