Why are the Italian Beatles first mono pressings so good and hard to come by ? PMCQ

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Gerbaby, Apr 12, 2014.

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  1. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    I don't know if I can post any photos,but Ill try. I have a wealthy neighbor and he has Rubber Soul,Revolver and the White Album,all first pressing Italian. These are hands down the best sounding Beatles albums I have ever heard. Each has the date stamped in dead wax. The labels are to die for. Apparently there were red labels on the first two albums,then everything went to black and silver.
    Anyone ever heard any of these first pressings made in Italy ? beatles italy revolver 009.jpg beatles italy revolver 006.jpg beatles italy revolver 009.jpg beatles italy revolver 006.jpg beatles white italy 021.jpg beatles italy revolver 009.jpg beatles italy revolver 006.jpg beatles white italy 021.jpg beatles italy revolver 009.jpg beatles italy revolver 006.jpg beatles white italy 021.jpg beatles italy revolver 009.jpg beatles italy revolver 006.jpg beatles white italy 021.jpg italy beatles e bay 034 rub s.jpg beatles italy revolver 009.jpg beatles italy revolver 006.jpg beatles white italy 021.jpg italy beatles e bay 034 rub s.jpg
     
  2. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Wow that's a quite a statement. I always just assumed they'd sound like the French which usually are really sub par. Viva Italiano!
     
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  3. Muzyck

    Muzyck Pardon my scruffy hospitality

    Location:
    Long Island
    I'm with chac ha. I have never heard or even seen an Italian first press. They sure do look purty, but would be surprised if they top an original with U.K. stampers sound wise.

    By the way, welcome back, Jake. Haven't heard much from you in these parts for some time.
     
  4. TLMusic

    TLMusic Musician & record collector

    Neat looking record labels.

    :cool:
     
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  5. WalterDigsTunes

    WalterDigsTunes Forum Resident

    During the great spatula shortage of 1970, Florentine pizzaiolos commandeered most of Italy's quality Beatles pressings. These were subsequently adapted into spatulas which helped save pizzas throughout the peninsula. Starvation averted, the Southern European nation then went onto create some of the greatest prog rock in existence on recycled wax.
     
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  6. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    Wow, thanks for the pics--very nice indeed. I have some 70s Italian pressing Beatles albums but they are certainly nothing special aurally (nice to look at). Nice to see you here again.
     
  7. googlymoogly

    googlymoogly Forum Resident

    Is it possible there are regional variations from the era, depending on pressing plant? I've only heard one Italian Beatles pressing - "Abbey Road", in fact - and I didn't find it particularly special.

    However, the mono Italian labels sure do look cool!
     
  8. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
  9. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    I have not heard the Rubber Soul and Revolver Mono albums in question but I saw some copies... are they the ones on thick vinyl and with laminated heavy covers?
    The Italian 1968 "White Album" sounds nice though.

    And welcome back, Jake :wave:
     
  10. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    I dont know italy beatles e bay 033 rub s.jpg what is happening here ? beatles white italy 19.jpg beatles white italy 054.jpg beatles white italy 050.jpg
     
  11. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Take fifteen... italy beatles e bay 035 rub s.jpg italy beatles e bay 033 rub s.jpg italy beatles e bay 032 rub s.jpg italy beatles e bay 035 rub s.jpg italy beatles e bay 033 rub s.jpg italy beatles e bay 032 rub s.jpg
     
  12. AaronW

    AaronW Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    What specifically about these sounds better, less compression, more transparency, etc.?
     
  13. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    I don't have a clue why all the same pictures are coming up? In any event. The ONLY Italian pressings,I am referring to are the originals BIEM ... Anything else is a reissue. They also have to have the S-PMCQ (stereo ) or PMCQ ( mono ) on labels. I am NOT referring to any of the SIAE labels with the stamp,those are all reissues and sound nothing like the originals.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Stefano G.

    Stefano G. Ab alto, speres alteri quod feceris.


    For collectors: the first real Italian press of "Revolver" (which is really ultra-rare) has an error on the B side of the label, error soon corrected in later copies: the sixth track is referred to as "gott to get you into my life ":



    2 copiaFDSDFBB.jpg




    For audiophiles: the first Italian press is a tube-cut and the date on the trail-off most likely indicate the date on which there were the mastering-job, so it is very likely that in Italy the album "Revolver" was mastered starting from a copy of the original master-tape, copy sent from the UK.

    For the rest, I'm glad you like the first Italian release of "Revolver" ...
     
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  15. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Right you are my man. He has three copies of this record,two mono,one stereo. I asked if I could see them all. Check it out.
     
  16. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Stefano ...
    I don't know why EVERYTHING is being truncated and duplicated ? In any event. Stefano. Your in Italy,how hard is it to find Italian Beatles first pressings on the red and black BIEM labels in EX condition ?
    These albums I listened to were amazing. The White Album was so different than the UK mix and the sound quality was to die for. Quiet and they sounded like everything was boosted,like a loud-switch on your amp. The highs sounded higher without be compressed and the bass on the White,I couldn't explain.
    For some reason the weight of each album differed even on the White,one very heavy,the other maybe 130. Rubber Soul VERY HEAVY and thick vinyl. One of the Revolvers was heavier than the other. I took a tom of pix,but don't have the records here now,so I don't know which Revolver was the extremely heavy one. The labels are the most aesthetic you would ever see. I think as I mentioned before,these sound like you would imagine a UK 1/G pressing. I would think they were pressed in such small numbers opposed to the UK and indeed they were from the master EMI tapes. ( I did a bit of homework and the making of these records in Roma/Milano was actually romantic. There are pictures of the pressing plants and Carish himself )
    You are not THAT Stefano ,are you ? If so,you know everything there is about Italian Beatles albums,hence the book. One last thing. The White was picked up at the factory,I believe in Milano (Long story ). Translate flip backs,please.
    Best
    Jake Gerber
    S.F.CA.
    USA
     
  17. EasterEverywhere

    EasterEverywhere Forum Resident

    Location:
    Albuquerque
    Maybe Stefano can tell us if all of the pre Pepper Beatles albums were first issued in Italy in mono only?I notice yours here are all mono.I have a copy you might call VG+ of the first issue Italian Rubber Soul,with the 30.12.65 date,I bought once for $5.It is the only original 60s Beatles LP from Italy I ever found.It is mono,too.
     
  18. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    They were issued in stereo as well. There is an S before the PMCQ. Fact is the Italian White I have shown has the PMCQ catalog,but it deleted the S ,it is stereo. I wonder if it possible that the mix of TNK on this mono Revolver could in any way possible have the recalled version ? As I don't have that pressing 2/1 Parlophone,I have no frame of reference .
    Assuming the tapes were shipped to Italy ASAP ,would it be possible ?
    The White Album I believe was released in Italy before the UK ...
     
  19. Gerbaby

    Gerbaby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Thank you first of all for your kind words. Indeed vinyl is very thick on three of these four records and the laminated covers are beautiful ...
     
  20. MrRom92

    MrRom92 Forum Supermodel

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    I have the stereo white album on Italian vinyl, not a fan of the sound at all. Just my personal opinion of course.
     
  21. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

    Wait, there was Italian Beatles?
     
  22. Stefano G.

    Stefano G. Ab alto, speres alteri quod feceris.


    I can confirm that Italian Beatles first pressings in ex conditions are very rare: at that time, there were no internet and all other sources of information that we have today and a holder (now he's 87 years old!) of a record store who lives near my house, once told me that the Beatles became in Italy famous a few years later than in the UK; so in Italy were printed a few copies of the albums of The Beatles, at the time of their first release on the market.

    The weight of the various albums could vary from copy to copy, because here in Italy the pressing process was much more craft than in Hayes Middlesex pressing-plant one!

    Then: the real Italian first press of the "White Album", had the insert with the picture of Paul McCartney censored with a "X": later copies did not have this censorship; also here the first real Italian press of the "White Album" is very very rare ....


    posterA.jpg


    In general, we can say that the true first Italian issues of the 60s are very rare and very often it is difficult to recognize the first real Italian press: almost always, even experienced salespeople here in Italy do not know how to recognize them!

    A few days ago, I posted a thread that may be useful to all those who are interested in Italian releases: I recommend you all read it! Italian pressings are often very rare and expensive: Inquire before you throw your money away! http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ctors-this-thread-is-dedicated-to-you.348345/

    If you have doubts, ask: if I can, I will help you.
     
  23. Stefano G.

    Stefano G. Ab alto, speres alteri quod feceris.

    No, they were not in mono only; this website can be useful for your research http://www.beatlesinitaly.it/
     
  24. MMM

    MMM Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Lodi, New Jersey
    Are you sure it was the mono mix, and not a fold-down of the stereo? I see "YEX" on that "White Album" label - indicating the stereo version - instead of XEX.
     
  25. Jae

    Jae Senior Member

    Parlophon vinyl (inc Beatles) released pre-August 1968 was generally pressed at Carisch's plant, although evidence suggests that from time to time both Ricordi and the EMI-affiliated VCM plants were also used.

    VCM built a new modern factory at Caronno Pertusella which was "officially" opened in January 1967. To operate the factory, and record marketing organisation, a new company - EMI Italiana SpA - was formed.

    The new EMI Italiana factory was capable of pressing 40,000 records per day, although none were by The Beatles until EMI Italiana formally took over the Parlophon rights on 1 September 1968.

    There's a thread on another forum with more info on Italian pressings, include some nice photos I found in my archives... http://z10.invisionfree.com/BeatlesCollecting/index.php?showtopic=2020&st=0&
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2014
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