COLLECTOR'S ITEMS
Company: Capitol records (Fake)
Natrix Number: SPRO-1-9462 / SPRO-2-9462 (first version)
release date: August 1979
Country: USA
SIDE A
1. LOVE ME DO 2:18
2. FROM ME TO YOU 1:50
3. THANK YOU GIRL 1:57
4. count-in ALL MY LOVING 2:01
5. THIS BOY 2:10
6. SIE LIEBT DICH 2:13
7. dialogue I FEEL FINE 2:12
8. SHE'S A WOMAN 2:53
9. HELP! 2:13
10. I'M DOWN 2:25
SIDE B
11. PENNY LANE 2:52
12. BABY YOU'RE A RICH MAN 2:53
13. I AM THE WALRUS 4:29
14. THE INNER LIGHT 2:28
15. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE 3:38
16. YOU KNOW MY NAME (LOOK UP THE NUMBER) 4:09
17. SGT. PEPPER'S INNER GROOVE :02
sound quality: EX-mono, EX-stereo
source:
1: UK single version, with Ringo on drums (mono)
2, 3: UK mono mixes (mono)
4: with hi-hat intro
5, 8, 10, 12: stereo mixes
6: German version (mono)
7: with whispers during intro
9: UK mono mix, with different vocal track (mono)
11: US promo version, with trumpet finale
13: uncut version (UK mix, with interlude from USA single)
14, 16: not available on any US album (mono)
15: WWF version
17: from UK copy of "Sgt. Pepper's'' LP
COMMENTS
This is actually a pirate LP, that we analyse here due to its high historical importance. It included the special remixes specifically done at Capitol for the RARITIES project, plus other tracks not available in the USA. This record was remarkably similar in content to Randall Davis' compilation (Mr. Davis was Capitol's Merchandising and Advertising Director), and it prompted Capitol to stop releasing their own version of RARITIES (originally similar to the English one) and change the line-up. Capitol press spokesperson Stephen Peebles said in a 1980 interview for Beatlefan magazine that he thought that "some collectors/bootleggers in New Jersey had put the album together" (actually, this LP was made in Hollywood and a North Hollywood Beatle dealer supplied the memorabilia for the front cover photo). He also said that "we thought it was highly coincidental that it has so many similarities with our record. We had been very close-mouthed about all the details of our album six weeks before it came out". According to a rumor, the producers of this LP had contacts at Capitol who secured the Capitol's tapes and labels.
RELEASES
1. August 1979 (photo below the title). The first pressing had a deluxe color cover, featuring, on the front, a collage of Beatle memorabilia and, on the back, liner notes on the origin of each track along with black and white photos of all the Beatles' previous Capitol Albums, displayed in best "Capitol style". The title appeared only on the disc labels, which were the original purple Capitol labels. This first pressing had 1,000 copies.
September 1979. The LP was reissued as a limited edition box set of fifty copies. The box had the same graphics as the first pressing, while the record sleeve reproduced the LP's front cover on both sides. The package also included a small color badge with the front cover.
Late 1979. Further repressings used white labels with pale purple Capitol printing, or white blank labels.
December 1979 - NEW VERSION. A new version from a new master, numbered SPRO-1-9463 / SPRO-2-9463, was released by the same manufacturers. It had the same front cover and Capitol disc labels, with the SPRO-9462 number replaced with SPRO-9463, slight differences in the back cover, which has the title, and some variations in the track listing of side A: tracks 2 and 3 are inverted, Sie liebt dich is replaced by the stereo version and I'm down is substituted by an echoed mix of Paperback writer. There are small differences also in the labels, i.e., the numbers of the side indications are bigger, and the title is COLLECTORS ITEMS rather than COLLECTOR'S ITEMS as in the first version, so they are probably counterfeit Capitol labels. This version was pressed in 2000 copies.
INTEREST. Even though this record is technically a pirate, it has extraordinary historical importance, and both versions should be in any collection. The first version is rather scarce (***), and the boxed set with yellow Capitol labels, only pressed in 50 copies, is almost impossible to find (*****). The SPRO-9463 version is still relatively common in the market (***).
THE 9463 COUNTERFEIT
The second version of COLLECTORS ITEMS was copied in 1982 with noticeably decreased sound quality, on matrix 9463-A / 9463-B, yellow blank labels, and pressed on poorer vinyl. The disc was slipped inside a reproduction, with a slightly lower definition, of the 9462 cover, so that the songs on side A do not correspond to the track listing printed on the back cover.
This counterfeit was also distributed in a limited edition of 50 copies on blue wax, released in 1982, with the copy number printed on the back cover and on the yellow label.
INTEREST. BEWARE!!! Why buy this crappy counterfeit in poorer sound quality? Avoid this record, only useful for completists. *. The version in blue wax, pressed in only 50 copies, is of course interesting for collectors of colored LP's. ***.
NOTE. COLLECTORS ITEMS was copied in Japan and distributed together with a copy of CASUALTIES as a 2-LP set. This set is shown in the analysis of CASUALTIES.
THE STRAWBERRY RECORDS COPY
In 1985 Strawberry Records included the second version of COLLECTORS ITEMS in their colored vinyl series of releases. It was from matrix SPRO-9463-RR A / SPRO-9463-RR B and the vinyl was blue.
INTEREST. For completists looking for the entire series of the Strawberry Records. **