On The Path To Vinyl Glory

“WTF” The Mystery of the Beatles: Sgt Peppers 1978 – On the Path to Vinyl Glory #2

/ ds barrett / 3 Comments

 

Just before Christmas I was flipping through the pages of e-bay, day dreaming about all the expensive things that I neither need nor can afford, when I came across a listing for one of the greatest albums ever released – The Beatles: Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Now ordinarily I might not have stopped to look seeing as I already have a couple versions, but this was a grey marble style vinyl, and it was priced ‘under’ thirty dollars.

“WTF”

sgtpeppers

I placed a bid, not expecting to actually win and the family and I left to spend a couple seasonal days with my in-laws.

Upon my return I found out I won…, again  – “WTF”

So now I need to find out what I’ve bought and why it was worth owning.

Well, this particular piece of wax was a limited version put out in Canada only in the year 1978. At first this seemed really damned strange. Why Canada only? Why 1978? Why Sgt Peppers?

A little research, a bit of conjecture and two of the questions are answered. 1978 was the year one of the worst music based movies ever was released… Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. A movie so bad it pretty much killed the careers of both the Bee Gees and Peter Frampton.

sgtpepperframpton

Anyway, it seems the record execs thought the movie would garner renewed interest in the Fab Four, and so different parts of their catalogue were re-released in ‘special editions.’ However, things get a little weird after this. In the U.S., Peppers was released as a picture disc and then varying colours in different countries.

$_86

Abbey Road was also released in picture disc form in the U.S. while the White Album was released in the U.K. on white vinyl. From what I can tell, it seems that each countries own division of EMI was putting out something a little different in each place.

The final result seems to be a virtual plethora of Beatles vinyl coming out of 1978. The unfortunate part of this is that while the music is on a solid vinyl (140 gram I think), it doesn’t hold up against the CD or the recently re-mastered vinyl editions in both stereo and mono.  It is definitely a cool collectible that can be found at a decent price, but it isn’t anything more than that.

The Mystery of Elastica (and Alan Cross) – On the Path to Vinyl Glory

/ ds barrett / 1 Comment

So, I’m driving in the car the other day when an episode of Alan Cross’ Adventures in Vinyl pops on the radio featuring Elastica. (http://www.edge.ca/2014/12/11/adventures-in-vinyl-elastica-line-up-1995/) I think cool, I enjoy listening to Cross and I love this little piece of 90’s nostalgia with a band I quite enjoy. Towards the end of the episode he mentions that Elastica ‘may’ be releasing a heavyweight vinyl edition of their debut for Record Store Day 2015. News of this was pretty damn perky to my ears, so I was excited to hear about it. The very next day, I’m in my local record store looking through the bins for a re-issue that I had yet to get my hands on, when “BANG” there is the Elastica debut. I immediately flip it to check the record company and date, and it is marked 2014 Kanine Records. Beyond that, it doesn’t say much. So, I buy it… with some trepidation as I don’t want to be shelling cash out again in April for the same thing I am now. I mean the heavyweight vinyl with booklet or extensive liner notes sounds awesome, but it also makes this piece of wax a little redundant. Elastica-1995-Elastica http://kaninerecords.com/product/elastica-elastica/ At home I open it to discover this very cool translucent red vinyl that would have been perfect for… you guessed it, Record Store Day. So, as the turntable spins and the first notes of “Connection” start sending vibrations through the floor, my youngest (6) starts doing his interpretive dance and I begin to google. Elastica-vinyl-shot-e1400267158906 From what I could piece together, Kanine Records was supposed to have issued the Elastica eponymous album for Record Store Day 2014 (April), but it was delayed. Instead this edition was released a month later in May of 2014. It is a pretty slick looking record that sounds great, but… What about 2015? The Kanine web site has no mention of their 2015 releases for Record Store Day (but it is still early), and a quick note to Alan Cross via ‘102.1 the Edge’ (I’m sure he is very busy) hasn’t resulted in any answers. So, is this it for the Elastica debut, or is some better edition coming down the pipe in April? Seeing as Kanine has this version as ‘sold out’ it might make for a decent second run… Guess we’ll have to wait and see.