Description:
Author: Serge Pelletier
Number of pages: 496 pages
Size: 9 X 6.5 in
As a record collector myself, this book is the tool I always hoped to find: a guide as detailed and accurate as any serious enthusiast would need it, but also very comprehensive for new collectors who want a glimpse of this exciting quest from the inside, helping to understand what it’s all about. Unable to find such a book anywhere, I decided to work in collaboration with my fellow hobbyists and build from scratch a reliable reference guide for anyone interested in Canadian Beatles vinyl records.
This guide has therefore been designed with the hardcore Beatles collector in mind, of course, but also for the inexperienced collector who simply wants to know more about the records he has kept in his garage for years, or might be looking for in record shops today. Simple discographies are often a great start, but not very informative in terms of the different available versions of a same album. This book, on the other hand, serves as a reference guide for all variations of all Beatles albums originally released in Canada during the Beatles’ active years in the 1960s, up to their last 1980s reissues. Mostly, it allows for a better comprehension of the evolution of the different generations of record reissues, from label changes, pressing rings, matrix numbers and these odd pressings that still puzzle collectors today.
This guide is built in a logical and intuitive manner allowing anyone to quickly find their way through its content, and use it right away. Designed as a small format, this guide will accompany you in your hunt for new Beatles albums through record shops across the country. Keep in mind though, this is not a price guide for Canadian Beatles records, but a detailed account of every version that exists, so that you can understand which records are available, which ones are missing from your collection, which ones are hard to find and why.
This guide covers all albums originally issued during the band's active years (1963-1970), covering every pressing, from the very first issue of each album, to their retro rainbow reissues of the 1980s. The Next installement of this series should cover the 45 RPM singles and is planned for late 2016)
Q&A
Question:
Does this book replace or overlap your previous Beatles Canadian Discography books?
Answer:
NO!
Not at all, the Beatles Canadian Discography series covers in depth history of all first pressings, from their release information, to cultural and historical settings, charting history and record recollections. This new Variations series, on the other hand, covers instead record collecting as a hobby, and technical information about all pressings of Beatles Canadian records, from their first pressing to their last reissue.
Read this testimonial from one of our readers who explained quite clearly the difference between the two series of books, and how it can appeal to different types of readers and collectors:
"The books compliment each other. I'll give you my perspective.
I was born in 1970 and missed it all, however my Dad being only 20 years older, he had a great love of music, and had an amazing record collection (which i "borrowed" most of)!
of course loaded with Beatles and a lot of the Capitol stuff.
Coming from England in '63, he loved Cliff Richard, The Shadows & all the English stuff.
Playing my Dad's records, I started to notice the different colors the Beatles albums had, and i wondered why. Why did the ones I was buying or getting for presents Orange one year,
but Purple the next? To make it more complicated my Dad had the original rainbows & brought some British pressings over with him too!
The books are therefore important as companions: The Beatles Discography series goes into amazing detail regarding the Marketing, Promotion, Hype, Charting and my favorite part:
Record Recollection. I was not there, so reading what was going on at that time with each release is fascinating. Piers' recollections of hearing or studying each new Beatles release
is just fantastic. Especially when it relates to us is Canada. Some of the places he mentions, I actually know. Piers tells us how, why & when the records were released.
An account of what it was like being there, at that time. Listening.
This is what I call BEATLE RECORD HISTORY.
The Variations series, on the other hand, details how these records Piers has written about, have changed physically and visually over time. Of what they have been composed of
and how they vary in dynamics. Anyone can now understand why there are all those different labels and why. The hardcore collectors can find things in their collection they didn't know
they had or thought they had.
This is what I call BEATLE RECORD GEOLOGY.
Two subjects that go very well together. And all... wait for it... and all from a Canadian perspective. How many books cover that!
The Test:
1. Put on a copy of Beatlemania (in Stereo)
2. Read The Discography series to revisit or to learn about what was happening and what it was like when those recordings were new.
3. Read the Variations series to find out why the version they're listening to isn't really Stereo at all, or is it?. Did you really just hear George sing "Don't" twice?
I love The Beatles. They have been everything to me since iI was 5.
The truth is, I have never enjoyed reading a set of books more.
No material has related so much to my collection and my personal history. I thank you guys.
Gord J."
Table of Content
Section 1
56 pages
Foreword by Piers Hemmingsen
Avant-propos par Gilles Valiquette
Introduction
A word on value
What is a variation and what is not
Identifying your records
Matrix information
Pressing rings
Dynaflex pressings
Label generations
Monaural vs stereophonic
Narrow and wide stereo mixes
Cover construction
Inner sleeves
Various timelines for Beatles records
LP Variations chart
Newly discovered variations
How to use this guide
Section 2
440 pages
Variations guide (over 400 variations detailed)
Great Canadian record shops
Acknowledgments
Important Notice
The PDF eBook purchase of this book is not an automatic download, instead, we send you a personalized download link, so please keep in mind it might take a short while to receive the instructions (usually under an hour, and no more than 24 hours in very rare instances, in which case we send an email to let you know your order is being processed).
Thank you, and we hope you will enjoy your new book!
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Copyright © 1999 - 2018
Capitol6000 & Hemmingsen Publishing
Piers A. Hemmingsen & Serge Pelletier. All Rights Reserved.