Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    I picked it up new at Strawberies almost 2 years ago. It was sitting
    on a shelf behind the counter and I asked if it was for sale and
    the lady said yes for $26.00. 
    
    I dont know or care what the price goes to after the new release
    it is worth all 26 big-ones to me.  
         
    Paul
    

    	There is an article on the Japanese cd's of Beatle albums in
    this month's Audio. They are of superior quality it said. I want
    Abby Road too. Will it be one of the Japanese cd's becoming available?

    I think the version being released is from the same folks who have
    been bringing us the rest of them.
    
    Someone in another note mentioned Tuesday, Oct. 20th as the release
    date.  "Let it Be" is listed for the same day also.  Can anybody
    verify the date?
    
    I also have listed "Magical Mystery Tour" for Sat., the 26th of
    this month.
    
    How maney minutes is the Japanese "Abbey Road"?
    
    			- Why don't we do it in the road?
    			- Nobody will be watching us.
    
    			(entire lyrics to the song)

    I think that the title of this note is misleading.  The Japanese
    issue of Abbey Road is not "bootleg", it was distributed as a demo
    disc and was not intended for sale outside Japan.  It was authorized
    for its intended purpose.  To me, the term "bootleg" means a completely
    unauthorized edition.  Perhaps "gray market" would be more appropriate?
    
    			Steve

    I heard the Japanese release of Abbey Road a few years ago
    and was only impressed by the fact that it didn't sound as
    good as my Mobile Fidelity vinyl copy.  There was too much
    hiss at the beginning.  The lack of a break between the
    "sides" didn't seem to work well.  Hopefully there will be
    a gap of a few seconds.

    The releases mentioned a few notes back by the Japanese studio are
    a result of the fact that Japan recognizes copyrights for a period
    of 20 years.  After that, it appears that the works are available
    to anyone.  The new release is not "Abbey Road", but a compliiation
    of several hits, most notable including the original hits the Beatles
    had in this country which are not planned as EMI releases in the
    near future.  The poinmt of the article in "Digital Audio" was that
    since these were the songs that introduced us to the beatles, these
    are some of the songs which we are anxious to hear.  If Capitol/EMI
    would understand this and respond to the customer desires, they
    wouldn't be worrying now about these releases cutting inot their
    profits.  They are trying to ban the import of these releases to
    both the US and Great Britain (I think!)
    

    Re:.7
    
    I hope that you can read through my typos and get my meaning.  Looks
    like my fingers are still asleep.
    

    
    
       MAGICLE MYSTERY TOUR  is out and in the stores already read note
    # 907.
    
                             now I see I should have put it here
                                         oh well
                                          Charlie
    

>        How maney minutes is the Japanese "Abbey Road"?
>    
>    			- Why don't we do it in the road?
>    			- Nobody will be watching us.
>    
>    			(entire lyrics to the song)
>
    Are you getting the White Album confused with Abbey Road?

>    How long have you had "Abbey Road"?
>    How much did you pay for it? (New in package, or used)
>    What do they think of the quality of the sound?
>    What do you think will happen to the value once the *Official* is
>    released?

    I guess I've had it for almost 3 years.
    
    About $23, new.
    
    I thought it blew away anything else; including the MoFi.
 
    I suppose it will always have some premium associated with it, though
    the days of $250/copy are probably behind us.
    
    
    Jon Levy 

    I found my copy in Tower Records here in Seattle, Wa. about this
    time of year either 2 or maybe 3 years ago. Paid something like
    $20.00 for it and thought it was too high a price until I started
    talking about it at work a few months later and one of the guys
    said they were going for $300.00. At the time I thought the sound
    was great but I had only had my CD for about a three weeks and hadn't
    bought any DDD disks yet. I play it about once every 2 or three
    months. 
    
    tom 

    
    There has been several articles/reviews that tend to confirm that
    the Japanese Abbey Road is not of the quality that would be expected
    from a Japanese pressing (if we can use that term). I also think
    that the MoFi version sounds better - just listen to Paul's bass
    on "Something" - it's incredible. Lost quite a bit on the CD, and
    there is definite hissing, too. The Japanese CD was strictly prohibited
    from distribution elsewhere in the world, but so many made it over
    here, I'd expect the price to drop significantly once the U.S. version
    is out. Keep in mind that all of the Beatle CD's so far have been
    mastered by EMI Records, and NOT by Capitol Records - thus insuring
    that the original masters are used. I was quite afraid that the
    U.S. Magical Mystery Tour CD would be mastered from the U.S. masters
    - which are TERRIBLE. Luckily, they're the original true stereo
    masters. Expect the official Abbey Road CD to sound SUPERB.

    I got done here on my calendar that it is just 8 more days til
    Abby Road and Let it Be are released.  Considering that MMT was
    released at least 5 days early and w/out any fanfare, I am going
    to keep my eyes open.
    
    Can anybody confirm/deny this?
    
    ps: 8 more days == Tuesday, Oct. 20th

    I can confirm it.  Oct. 20 is definitely 8 days from Oct. 12.
    
    By the way, I don't think Magical Mystery Tour was released ahead
    of schedule.   It was not originally scheduled at all.  I don't
    know why it was added.  (I find it hard to believe that the record
    companies actually succumbed to popular demand!)  In any case, I
    think because of this, there was some confusion about the release
    date.

    Rockit Records has Oct 20 listed as the release date for the
    next two.
    
    --- jerry

    
    Strawberries has also confirmed the Oct. 20th release for Abbey
    Road and Let It Be.
    For the record, I have a friend who has a pretty reliable contact
    at Capitol Records - and according to him, the only other planned
    Beatle CD releases (besides the Oct. 20th releases) will be the
    red and the blue greatest hits albums. These are likely by Christmas,
    though not confirmed. These two will allow us to finally here songs
    like We Can Work It Out, Day Tripper, I Feel Fine, From Me To You,
    I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You (mono likely), Paperback Writer,
    Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Revolution, Don't Let Me Down, Old Brown
    Shoe, Ballad of John and Yoko, and the single versions of Get Back
    and Let It Be. The only problem is that we'll have to pay $50 to
    get these - and have a LOT of songs previously available on CD.
    George Martin had said in an interview that they had talked about
    putting out a special CD of the rest of the unreleased stuff - but
    this isn't confirmed, and frankly, George Martin probably has very
    little to say as to what goes out and when. 
    Some great stuff still won't be available - including She's A Woman
    (which the only known stereo version is off the Australian Beatles
    Greatest Vol. II - and is GREAT), The Inner Light (which is available
    on a boot in true stereo), Rain (Ringo's best drumming), etc.
    It'll be very interesting to see what comes out.
     
    p.s. George martin has also said that they will eventually release
    the first four CD's in stereo - but not for quite some time. Don't
    hold your breath.

    	Now to add my ten cents worth.
    
    	The first four albums were released in mono because that is
    how they were originally mastered. The stereo stuff was created
    by Capital who did not want the stuff in the begining anyway.
    
    	The Magical Mystery Tour is not how the original was. Magical
    Mystery Tour was released in the UK as two 45s in a cute package.
    Capital added the other stuff. Don't know if the artwork for the
    booklet was theirs or not.
    
    	Now to add more rumers to the mill, I heard on a radio station
    in Boston that the "BEATLES AGAIN" (or Hey Jude) will be released
    on CD, which means you will not have to buy the red and blue sets.
    I understand over in the UK they may see the Rarities album but
    there is nothing to confirm that. Does anybody know anything about
    that one. Remember that there are Two versions of Rarities.

    re:.19
    
    Even if they release THE BEATLES AGAIN/HEY JUDE, one would
    *still* have to buy the red/blue CD's to get the early singles
    hits.
    
    --- jerry

And, in fact, "Hey Jude/Beatles Again" is ENTIRELY redundant, whereas "Magical
Mystery Tour" contains one song that was elsewise never available on either 
an LP or an EP in Britain; "Baby, You're a Rich Man" (wasn't even on 
"Rarities"!).  Since "Flying", "Your Mother Should Know" and "Blue Jay Way" 
(not positive these are the ones) are not on the Blue Album, one would still 
have to buy the MMT CD as they clearly aren't releasing the EP version on CD.

I do not plan to buy "The Beatles Again", although I bought MMT and Yellow 
Submarine since I doubt those few nonredundant tracks will be available 
elsewhere.

				Mark

    October 20th is here.... Has anyone been able to find either "Abbey
    Road" or "Let it Be" for sale? None of the stores in the Pheasant
    Lane Mall in Nashua, NH have them yet. Lechmere does have all of
    the previously released CDs on sale though.
    

    
    I called the new Worcester Lechmere's. They said they have the
    Let It Be CD, and expect Abbey Road in this afternoon.
    
    

    Will someone please post if/when and where the latest releases will
    be on sale?  Thanks.
    
    JSS (who's broke from too many full price cd's)

    Abbey Road and Let It Be are both available here in Burlington,
    VT.  The lowest price I saw at lunch time was $14.97.  Other
    places said they would price it as low as $13.99, but they don't
    have it in stock yet.
    
    Don

    Lechmere is advertising 11.98 for *all* Beatle CDs inc. AR and LIB
    in todays's Globe.

    Leachmere in Framingham has it IN for 11.95!!!  I'm on my way as
    soon as work lets out!!  I called to make sure and it just came
    in!!

    
    Rock 'N' Mania in Framingam has copies of both (sorry, I didn't
    check the price).
    
    And to echo what someone else said, I just heard a radio ad that
    stated "the entire Beatles line is on sale at Lechmere's for $11.98".
    
    Wonder if that includes the White CD?  (Hey you!  Ever hear of 
    deceptive advertising practices?  ;^)  ~/~)
    
    								-rjk

    I picked up Abbey Road at Lechmere in Nashua today.  $12, 17 tracks,
    47 minutes of great music.
    
    I didn't pick up Let it Be yet as I don't recognize most of the
    tracks by name so it isn't a "Must Have" (the only other one I don't
    have is Please Please Me).
    
    I called up Strawberries to see how much they are these two for,
    and it is the same price.  Obviously I chose Lechmere because of
    there return policy, and Lechmere doesn't OVERCHARGE on the other
    beatle Cd's (strawberris has the previous ones mark for $16, and
    Lechmere regular is $13).

    On track 6 ["I want you (she's so heavy)"] of my copy of Abbey Road,
    it seemed to end abruptly, so I requeded it several times, and each
    time when the track timer went to 2 seconds, it jumped to the next
    track (at about 7:44 if you don't have countdown mode).
    
    Does anybody else have this?  Does anybody not have this?
    
    I'm thinking about exchanging it for another copy if I'm the only
    one, so thanks in advance for all replies.

    I picked up both today at the Harvard Coop for $12.99 each.
    BCD didn't have them in (by 13:00). Both sound really good.
    
    re:.30
    
    That's the way it's *supposed* to be. I know a number of people
    that return the LP a few times because of this, back when it
    was first released, until it was revealed to be intentional.
    
    --- jerry

Acton Music Centre has all Beatles for $10.98 each, though as of yesterday 
they did not yet have let it be or abbey road.  they also have lots of other 
good cd's for 10.98 each

re .32

I was in Acton Music Center on Saturday; all the new Beatles disks they had
were priced higher than $10.98; only the first seven were at the lower price.

/john

    
    
    Lechmere in Framingham had lots of Abbey Road and Let it Be
    CD's on Tuesday night.  ALL Beatles CD's are 11.98 till
    Saturday!!  We picked up Abbey Road, and Seargent Rutter... 
    Awesome sound!!                    
    
    Bob
    

Haven't had a chance to listen to my copies yet.

Note that Strawberries finally decided to compete and lowered their Beatles 
prices to $11.98 this week for the entire catalogue.

I would be happier if people bought their copies at Lechmere, however.  I 
would probably get into trouble if I said why in this notes file, as my 
statement would probably be perceived as a call for a Strawberries boycott.


				Mark

    
    
    I know why I boycott Strawberries, 15-16.99 for EVERY disc in the
    store... RIP OFF!
    
    Bob
    

    
    	I bought the Abbey Road cd on friday at the new Lechmere in
    Worcester, 11.98. I also thought that it sounds great! Now
    I need to go back and get "Let it Be"!
                          
    			Paul

re .28 GNUVAX::KARLSON
    
>    And to echo what someone else said, I just heard a radio ad that
>    stated "the entire Beatles line is on sale at Lechmere's for $11.98".
    
>    Wonder if that includes the White CD?  (Hey you!  Ever hear of 
>    deceptive advertising practices?  ;^)  ~/~)

If that's really what they said, stand by with your tape recorder so you can 
prove to Lechmere's that they have to sell you all N cds for a total of 11.98!

						     
							- JP

    Re: .28, .38:
    
    The newspaper ad clearly stated "$11.98 per disc", and therefore
    the "White Album", at two discs, would be $23.98.  I didn't hear
    the radio ad.  However, even if the radio ad did omit the "per disc",
    they could easily claim it was an error on the station's part, and
    Lechmere is not responsible.  Even printed ads carry a "not
    responsible for typographical errors" notice.
    
    					Steve

    I finally borrowed a copy of the new Abbey Road CD and compared
    it with my Japanese copy. In my subjective opinion the Japanese
    copy sounds "better". The new version seems to have had the midrange
    artifically expended and just dosent sound as "natural" as the original.
    I then lent my copy to the person who purchased the new one and
    he reported that there was a difference similar to effects he hears
    using his DBX expander. Although he can't say which he likes better.
    
    I am glad I purchased the Japanese copy even at over twice the cost.
    
    Paul

RE: .40

Which version did your friend think sounded companded?  Did the Japanese
version or the new version sound like it had been run through DBX?

--PSW

    The new version is the one that sounded companded. 
    I like the Japanese version better but then again I have listened
    to it a lot...
    
    Paul