BEATLES REVOLVER 2 x SINGLE SIDED RED LABEL MONO TEST PRESSING LPs. Rare find
£
800
$
1,060
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Description
Unusual and possibly the only opportunity to possess a true Beatles rarity.
There are few Beatles test pressings that ever come on to the market and this one may be even rarer than anything before it!
Revolver was first released in the UK in August 1966. This test pressing has a complex story behind it.
At some point in the early 1980's Parlophone/EMI chose to release all of the Beatles mono back catalogue. These releases were not originally intended to be part of the later Beatles in Mono box set and they were produced from the earliest possible original stampers that EMI could use. Therefore, these reissues are not the same as the Harry T Moss remasterings. They are as close to the original master as EMI could get. At that point in time, most of the Beatles albums were beginning to lose sales volume and although every album had, essentially, been reissued constantly ever since it's original release, EMI decided to attempt to re-ignite interest by releasing a back catalogue in mono only.
The main selling point was that these releases would go back as far as possible to the original valve cut masterings using the earliest metal possible.
As with any production a test pressing would be required. As there was, obviously, no need for any promotional copies the test run would be extremely short. Essentially, just to make sure the stampers could go ahead and produce. However, what we have here is two singled sided LP's with "Untested Pressing" stamped on the labels. So, what would they be used for?
This particular single sided press has very early matrix numbers XEX 605-2 & XEX 606-3. This tells us Side A is from the same cut as the very first Side A of Revolver in 1966. Side B lacquer is a little later but still very early and both are "G" stampers! This is getting very close to the original master tape.
Also, by this time, the Harry T Moss remastered versions had been on sale for a few years so it was a clear decision by EMI to choose these earlier masters for a new push on sales. As it turned out, the sales did not improve as EMI had hoped and it seems that many of the LPs were recalled and then placed in to the Beatles in Mono box.
From several months of research since buying this album at auction it seems there is very little information on the internet. What does appear fairly certain is that there only seems to be one of each of the red label test presses from all of the mono albums. There is 'half of one' in Russia I believe (may be Rubber Soul), "Help" surfaced at the same auction (which I failed to get !!). "Please Please Me" is referenced on the Yokono website and that's about all. There are very few indeed and never more than one of the same title.
All in all it seems to make this item almost unique amongst Beatles productions.
Buyers welcome from outside of UK but please bear in mind that any Import taxes and insurances will be at the buyers expense.
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