Capitol Beatles Box Set Vol 2 - Apr 11 Release Date? *

The UK MMT was a double EP, containing the 6 film songs. It was Capitol's idea to couple the 6 songs with the 5 remaining 1967 singles. It is and was, a brilliant concept. In the US it sold 1.5 minllion copies in less than 3 weeks!!! The US LP is also quite elaborate...the enclosed booklet looks much nicer in the larger format than the one in the UK EP set. While not the original intent, this album is now considered part of their official canon.

Both mono and stereo Capitol LPs differ greatly from the current CD. Of course the current CD has all 11 songs in true stereo, similar mix and feel as the famed German MMT LP. The US stereo LP has duophonic mixes of Penny Lane, Baby You're A Rich Man and All You Need Is Love...and before one criticizes Capitol, they only had mono mixes to use....stereo mixes had not yet been done for these songs. AYNIL was first mixed into stereo 29 October 1968. Surprisingly, PL was first mixed into stereo, 30 Sept 1971 and BYARM, not until 22 Oct 1971. Lastly, the stereo mix of Strawberry Fields Forever is an original 1966 mix and is different to the mix used on the official CD. Ron

 

My original theory about these sets has certainly been shot down. Frankly, I was surprised to see "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" included in Vol. 2 (even though I really like the US version of RS), because I didn't think that Apple would allow Capitol to do the albums that had the same titles as the "official" British ones. I thought maybe they had said, "OK - you can do anything that was a uniquely marketed title in America...but you can't do 'Rubber Soul', 'Revolver', 'Pepper', etc." The fact that they skipped "A Hard Day's Night" re-enforced this in my thinking. Yes, I know that it technically wasn't a "Capitol" album...but they certainly owned the rights to market & sell it for years after acquiring United Artists...and I didn't think the general public would make that distinction.

Now that we see that we are getting "Rubber Soul", it will be interesting to see (& speculate) where they will go from here. It appears that Vol. 1 was indeed 1964 Capitol...and Vol. 2 will be 1965 Capitol. Looking ahead...while the US "Revolver" certainly has different song content than the UK, "Pepper" doesn't..."The White Album" doesn't..."Yellow Submarine" doesn't...nor do "Abbey Road" or "Let It Be". As far as "Magical Mystery Tour" is concerned, sure, it was initially an American album...but now it's part of the official catalog. So, who knows? With rumored re-masters of the UK catalog coming, I just can't see them doing the US versions of any of those titles.

Personally, I would like to see "Yesterday & Today", because I grew up with it & enjoyed it a lot. Even "Hey Jude" would be neat. But what else do you include? All the post-breakup releases were the same in both countries (even the long wished for "Hollywood Bowl")...except for "Rarities".

Dexter

 

I think the next set will be Yesterday & Today, Revolver, MMT(American mix/version), and Hey Jude.


Evan

 

So they're skipping Sgt Pepper? And why would anybody want the Hey Jude album? Is there something unique to the USA on there?

 

I picked up a copy of Vol.1 short box edition at the Circuit City here in Downers Grove IL. They had one copy and it was mixed in with the rap section

 

Sorry to re-ask this, but is it gonna be really hard for me to find the short version of Box Set 1? If it is, then I will probably end up getting the long version of 2 just so they match.

 

Not sure as far as mixes/masterings, etc. One of the real experts here will need to chime in. But it was a US release, with no British counterpart.

Dexter

 

How come the titles of this set have not been released? Is it supposed to be a surprise or something?

 

I'm certainly no expert, but here goes. The original LP was essential in 1970 because it contained stereo mixes for Can't Buy Me Love, I Should've Known Better, Rain, Paperback Writer, Revolution, and Hey Jude, previously unavailable in the US. I believe LM, HJ, Revolution and Rain were specifically mixed into stereo for this LP. These mixes were done at Abbey road by George Martind the first week of Decmeber 1969. Ron
This mix of Revolution is unique, it has some extraneous guitar sounds at the end of the track not on any other versions, and the click track as heard on Past Masters 2 is not evident at all.

 

I'm not sure what the status is regarding A Hard Day's Night. Perhaps there was some legal reason behind them not issuing it. I know Capitol did eventually get around to releasing the US version of AHDN on vinyl, but maybe something now prohibits them from releasing that title on CD...I don't know, I'm just guessing of course. Or perhaps they're able to release it now but are lining it up for a later box set, after all Capitol didn't release it on vinyl until 1980 so - chronologically speaking - one could argue that it wouldn't have counted as a 1964 Capitol release for Vol.1.

It would make sense, to me anyway, for Vol. 2 to include The Early Beatles, Beatles VI and the Capitol configurations of Help! and Rubber Soul - as you imply, a Capitol '65 set of albums. I also believe, if a Vol. 3 does come, it would make sense to have Y&T, Revolver, Hey Jude and Rarities. Or maybe AHDN istead of one of those latter two...

At this stage, I'm just glad that we ARE getting a Vol.2

 

I have not seen the short box versions anywhere but circuit city and the ones around here only had 1 and they have been going quick

 

I never had the same affinity for the "Hey Jude" album as I did for similar albums like "Yesterday & Today", or even "Beatles VI". It's not that I didn't like it...but by the time it was released in 1970, it seemed like such a weird collection: a couple songs from the luvable mop-top days mixed in with songs like 'Revolution', 'Old Brown Shoe' & 'Don't Let Me Down'. It just had a weird feel to it. Even back then, I remember thinking , "Ohhh - this is what they're doing here...gathering up stray songs that have never been on a Capitol album before!" At only 10 songs, I wondered why 'Don't Let Me Down'...and not 'Get Back'? Why 'Lady Madonna' & no 'The Inner Light'? I mean, if you're going too go back & grab stray left-overs from "A Hard Day's Night"...why not choose the title song, which you've never had on an album? (And then there was the matter of the still "missing" early songs...'Misery' & 'There's A Place!) Wouldn't that have made an interesting mix?

Dexter

 

I hope that is not the case since the point of (or should I say justification for) this series of releases is to present here-to-fore unavailable mono and stereo US Capitol versions of the Beatles albums on CD. Since the mono version of Sgt. Pepper is not currently available, it makes perfect sense to me for Capitol to include it in this series.

Also, on a somewhat unrelated note... around the time that volume 1 came out, I remember reading something about The Beatles Story and a Capitol spokesperson indicating that they had plans for its release, too. Obviously that never happened. Does anyone know if the project is still alive? I am glad it is not part of these box sets, because when all is said and done, it is pretty much a waste. But, if it was available as a single stand-alone CD, and at a decent mid-line price, I might be tempted to pick up a copy for the sake of nostalgia.

 

Hmmm, I am from DG, which circuit city? The one off of butterfield or off of 75th street? I come home for spring break in two weeks so I am gonna have to go look.

 

Absolutely!

Dexter

 

Isn't the "other" Beatles rumor saying that the UK catalog remasters will have both the mono & stereo versions...or have I confused logic with common sense?

Dexter

 

Believe it or not, Can't Buy Me Love and I Should've Known Better had never been released by Capitol. The Inner Light was mixed into stereo in Jan '70 reportedly for this album. No reason has ever been given why Allen Klein demanded a skimpy 10 track LP....when adding The Inner Light, and the two remaining missing US Capitol songs, Misery and There's A Place would have added less than 7 minutes of music and made the collection more complete. One can only surmise he wanted to keep these remaining tracks "in the can" for some future release. Ron

 

Not in stereo, but the mono mixes were released on Capitol 45's.

 

The only reason the "Inner Light" didn't make the cut I can think of is that it just didn't "fit" with the rest of the songs. Just my theory mind you.

Why "Misery" and "There's A Place" didn't make it is anybody's guess.

 

Does this make it official?
http://www.capitolrecords.com/artists/discographyDetail.aspx?artistId=901441&releaseId=094635771626&type=

 

Of course, but the point of the album was to have stereo mixes of every track....that's why George Martin mixed them the mono-only tracks into stereo in December 1969 and Jan 1970.

 

On the link above there are 3 other CD's in the works.

COMPACT DISC SINGLES

BEATLES COMPACT DISC (EP)

"MULTISELECTION BOX SET "

 

This is great news. I wonder how they manage to make this a "secret," I mean we know of other albums from other acts which will be coming out several months in advance.

 

The CD singles on a 2-disc (or 3) set I hope? The EPs on a 2-disc (or 3) set I hope? If so I can finally afford to buy them. Woohoo!

 

The UPC #'s on these selections are the same as the previously released sets. I don't think these are new...just the old sets listed without details or artwork.

Dexter