US Capitol reissue with unusual label

Hi all, I have in my collection an inusual copy of an US resissue of "The dark side of the moon" by Capitol.
This seems to be a Capitol reissue with purple label.
The Capitol reissue have normally a purple label with cat.nr. SMAS-11163.
This secon version have the same purple label, but the cat.number is different, it shows C1-46001.
I have both of these LPs.
Someone told me that is could be a 90-91 reissue from Capitol, it circulating in USA together with the CD (cat. C2-46001) and the tape (catalog C4-46001). We know that purple Capitol label were made from the middle of the '80s, with different versions of Capitol logo (large or not). At the end of '80s and at the beginning of '90s, Capitol changed some catalog numbers, as we see in Beatles albums like "Meet The Beatles" (C1-90441), "Second Album" (C1-90444), "Something New" (C1-90443), "Beatles '65" (C1-90446), "Beatles VI" (C1-90445), "Help!" (C1-90454), "Rubber Soul" (C1-90453), "Yesterday And Today" (C1-90447), "Revolver" (C1-90452) e "Hey Jude" (C1-90442). We note that the catalog number is the same of CD, with prefix "C1". I don't know if there are others Pink Floyd albumbs with this "C1" catalog number. I also know that I see TWO copies of "The dark side of the moon" (one in mine).
Some other news?

 

In the Vernon Fitch's site it is reported: http://pinkfloydarchives.com/DUSLPPF.htm#DSOTM5
But what is his story?

 

The user @Mrpinky refers to these pics:

 

Capitol didn't start using the "C1" prefix for LPs until 1988, so it's from no earlier than that.

 

The C1 prefix signifies a digital sourced LP. Same for The Beatles examples cited in the opening post.

 

Can you read the matrix numbers of the C1 edition, please?
Thanks

 

Matrix:
Side1) C1-1-46001-61 SMAS-1-11163 (written and scratched out) G-85 SRC 1-4 MASTERED BY CAPITOL
Side2) C1-2-46001-61 SMAS-2-11163-G67 (written and scratched out) I3 0-1 SM 1-2 Gene 0 MASTERED BY CAPITOL

all written, except 'MASTERED BY CAPITOL' , '0' stamped.
On backcover shows a white bar-code with 0 7777-46001-1 8

Additionasl news, acccording with TPFA:
"G" means "Neumann lathe", used by Capitol Mastering in Hollywood, California (1975-1988)
"Gene" means "Gene Thompson", the Mastering engineer at Capitol's New York Studios (until the mid-1970s), and later in Hollywood, California, generally worked with the "G" Neumann lathe in California
"0" indicates that the record was pressed at the Jacksonville, Illinois plant.
"SRC" means Specialty Records Corp. , a pressing plant located in Olyphant, Pennsylvannia.

 

Now you have the solution: Mr. Neely told us that "Capitol didn't start using the "C1" prefix for LPs until 1988": if the Neumann lathe was used by Capitol in the period 1975-1988, for sure your C1 copy was mastered and cut in 1988 (and pressed in 1988 or later..).

 

So, finally...
1) it was cut from Neumann lathe
2) it was pressed and masterd in 1988 or after
3) it was pressed in Jacksonville (or maybe in Olyphant) pressing plant
4) it was mastered by Gene Thompson in Hollywood
5) is was released after the first purple Capitol label (catalog SMAS-11163), probably after 1988, when Capitol changed some catalog numbers in "C1" using the CD prefix.

 

ok

It was mastered and cut surely in 1988; the pressing process started surely in 1988 but we do not know how long this edition was pressed: the pressing process can last a few days or even a few years.

The first side was pressed using metal parts plated at Specialty Records Corp. (Olyphant, Pennsylvannia).
The second side was pressed using metal parts plated at the Capitol Jacksonville, Illinois pressing plant.
There is nothing strange: in the United States often it happened that the various pressing plants between them exchanged metal parts (mothers and stampers), according to the need of the hour.

It was mastered by Mr. Thompson at Capitol Mastering Studios in Hollywood, California in 1988.

 

Indeed. It was easier to get parts from another plant if needed than to have new lacquers cut, and plated and mothers and stampers made. Simple logic. So, if another plant had extras they could be shipped or messengered over to the plant and production continue on.

 

Surely.
In this specific case, it isn't possible to know exactly if this copy was pressed at Specialty Records Corp. using metal parts sent from Jacksonville, or if this copy was pressed at Jacksonville using metal parts sent from SRC.

 

Might be difficult, could come from either plant. But by 1988 and later, I would say Specialty Records Corporation would be the most likely pressing plant.

 

Strange song credits too...

 

If I recall correctly, by 1988, Capitol had stopped pressing its own records, instead farming it out to other plants. I know this better from 45s, as the last of Capitol's distinctive 45s with the 360 "ridges" along the outside of the label were issued in early 1986. Capitol closed its Winchester, Va. facility in 1988 and retrofitted its Jacksonville, Ill. pressing plant for CD manufacturing (it was already used for tapes). The Jacksonville plant closed in 2004, but for several more years it served as a distribution center. Capitol Christian Distribution is still in Jacksonville, Ill., in a much smaller building than the behemoth plant Capitol formerly used.

Capitol used Specialty almost exclusively for its U.S. vinyl from 1988 through 2001, when Specialty stopped manufacturing records.

 

So... How does that record sound? Do you like it?

I have a similar album - Linda Ronstadt S/T SN-16132 (Original #SMAS 635)
It's on a dark green old style Script Capitol Dome logo label just like your purple one
Jacksonville, Ill "O" stamp
MASTERED BY CAPITOL stamped; Gene in script
Heavy weight vinyl

This is a fantastic sounding record IMHO
Dead clear and Linda just jumps out of the speakers

These Gene Thompson re-issues from Capitol just might be some hidden gems

 

Maybe after 1979 - my copy of John Stewart's "Gold" 45 on RSO has his signature, and the trademark "MASTERED BY CAPITOL" stamp in the deadwax.

 

That is very interesting but there was the probability that the C1 prefix was really added in 1988 as stated by Mr. Neely and so, this strange "C1 copy" was pressed in 1988 or later re-using old metal plates (metal plates are made of strong materials and they can be re-used even after many years, provided they are not coming to the complete wear) and adding the C1 prefix etched in the trail-off (of the metal plates). So we can say that this copy was mastered by Mr. Thompson in the 70s and pressed in 1988 or later: there is nothing strange.

 

According to the VinylBeat label guide that label started being used in various colors in 1977

 

I don't think that is true. The C1 prefixes were applied to The Beatles US albums. Some even had the weird fake stereo tracks and alternative mixes. These never had digital sources and were deleted as soon as the digitally mastered UK sequenced albums were released in 1987.

This is one of the reasons that Abbey Road on Capitol with the C1 prefix was so great. It was still in print (oddly) and was not digitally sourced. At least that's what I read.

 

Would you cite some titles and their catalogue numbers as examples.

I have some Beatles Lps issued in the late 1970s and '80s, just before the digital age. All of their catalogue numbers begin with the letter 'S' - for example, 'Abbey Road' : So 383.

I have a couple of the digital mastered LPs (Sgt. Pepper & Abbey Road) that were released to co-incide with the initial Beatles CD releases (1987). 'Abbey Road' has the catalogue number C1 0777 7 48446 1 7. (I bought this upon its re-issue. Although `Mastered By Capitol` is stamped in the matrix, I wasn`t impressed by the SQ. I haven`t listened to it in years. The re-issue that has been selling in recent years may or may not be of the same mastering. I am certain that the copy I have is digitally mastered.)

All of the albums on CDs [which followed the UK Beatles canon] also have catalogue numbers beginning with the letter 'C'. The 'Abbey Road' CD is C2 46446.

I don't believe any of the pre-digital US Beatles albums had catalogue numbers starting the letter 'C'. The only original released USA LP I have left in my collection is `Hey Jude`. Its catalogue number begins with the letter `S`.



See this link:

http://www.capitol6000.com/labels.html

Go down to the Retro Rainbow Label section. Confusingly, the retro rainbow Capitol label was used during the `80s on Beatles Lps, both before and after the change to digital (1987). In the examples shown, you`ll see pre-digital, pre 1987 albums with catalogue numbers begining with `S`. The last example, a 1987 digital release, has a catalogue number beginning with the letter C - and also has the Parlophone logo on the label.

 

The Capitol albums were all reassigned catalog numbers for the small logo purple label release ca 1988. For example, The Beatles' Second Album went from ST 2080 to C1 90444. This was not a digital master. None of the U.S. Albums from this period ever carried the Parlophone logo. The Beatles' Story never received a new catalog number or reissue on the purple label

Abbey Road is unique in that it's US and UK versions were the same. The version on the small logo purple Capitol label is the U.S. Master while the subsequent Apple issues were the UK mastering (digital). It was also unique in the fact that it got a 2006 pressing when no other catalog albums did. It's unclear if that is the U.S. Master or the UK. I'm sure someone round here knows for sure.

The website you shared pertains to Canadian uses only I believe of which I know little. I'm speaking specifically of the U.S. Issues.

I hope this helps clarify things.

 

I came across a website - which, of course I can't find now - that discussed the switch over of the catalogue numbers of the US issued Beatles Lps from numbers starting with 'S' to numbers starting with 'C', circa 1988. It seems to have been a bit of mix-up with some titles changing and others staying with 'S' and later changing to 'C' numbers - so that there were two different catalogue numbers for the same mastering of the same titles. Whoever wrote it thinks that some of the titles released at this time on the small dome Capitol label were digital and some were analogue sourced. I'm positive that the two C1 titles I have (Sgt. Pepper - a 20th Anniversary edition, IIRC - and Abbey Road) are digital sourced. While it's possible, I'd be very surprised if any C1 catalogue albums are analogue.

BTW, this website stated that 'The Beatles Story' and 'The Early Beatles' were assigned C1 catalogue numbers in the planning stage, but weres never used or issued.

And, when you write "small logo purple Capitol label", I'm assuming you mean the small dome Capitol label as opposed to the larger dome Capitol label.

 

Yes correct, the latter day purple label label - small dome is the one I'm referring to.

As far as digital masters, I find it hard to believe that Capitol would go through the trouble of digitizing theirs masters since 1987 was the first time any of the Beatles masters were digitized and even then only the UK albums (with the exception of MMT).

Interesting about The Beatles Story and Early Beatles being assigned catalog numbers....I guess those being the lowest selling albums they didn't merit a repress. Just as well, I was able to find a black label Early Beatles in the late 80s.