LIVE IN TOKYO
Company: OG Records
Matrix Number: OG-545-A 1B / OG-545-B 1B (machine-inscribed)
Release date: early 1972
Country: Japan
SIDE A
1. guitar riffs ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC 1:31
2. SHE'S A WOMAN 2:44
3. Paul intro IF I NEEDED SOMEONE 2:25
4. John intro DAY TRIPPER 3:00
5. BABY'S IN BLACK 2:21
6. George intro I FEEL FINE 2:11
SIDE B
7. George intro YESTERDAY 2:04
8. Paul intro I WANNA BE YOUR MAN 2:06
9. John intro NOWHERE MAN 2:07
10. Paul intro PAPERBACK WRITER 2:05
11. Paul intro I'M DOWN 2:23
Sound Quality: EX-mono
Source:
1 to 11: Tokyo, Budo-Kan Hall, June 30, 1966
COMMENTS
A well-known Beatles concert, frequently misdated on July 2, 1966. This Japanese bootleg was probably the first release of the show, and sparked a large number of subsequent records.
RELEASES
The original japanese version had several releases between early 1972 and 1980.
According to a japanese collector, LIVE IN TOKYO was produced in late 1971 or, more likely, early 1972 by the Beatles Cine Club from a stolen tape. The bootlegger sold it out of his record shop. He sent copies to American bootleggers, who later released their versions. Several pressings are reported. For each repressing, the company used to create new masters.
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1. Matrix number OG-545. Early 1972. The very first pressing was said to have had blank labels, and the records were sold without any cover. They had a small number on the label, handwritten in pencil so it could be erased later. This was done to avoid paying a 15% tax: with the blank labels, the records were considered samples and the tax was only 5%.
Other sources report that all the records came with the red label and the insert described in #2 here below. However, it cannot be excluded that only a few pre-release copies were sold at the record shop, and that then the regular pressing with the red label and insert (#2 here) was produced.
2a. Matrix number OG-545. Early 1972 (photo below the title). The records were distributed with a red label with the track listing , in a white jacket with an insert with shots from their visit to Japan, and the track listings. The machine-inscribed matrix is OG-545-A 1B / OG-545-B 1B.
2b. Some copies were released with a different insert, with the track listing folded over the back part of the sleeve. Same red label as #2a.
3. Matrix number OG-569. 1972. White blank label and insert as #2.
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4. Matrix number OG-640. 1973. White blank label and insert as #2.
5. Matrix number OG-733. 1980. Black label, limited edition of 150 copies. This version included All you need is love (from the "Our world" TV broadcast) as track 12 as well as the complete announcements by E.H. Eric. Its sound quality is excellent. This was not released by the original OG producer. The machine-inscribed matrix is OG 733 A 1N / OG 733 B 1N.
INTEREST. This is one of the most interesting records for the collectors, because of its absolute historical interest. The supposed first pressing, if it exists, is of course impossible to find (***** plus), but subsequent releases are also quite rare, even in Japan. **** (#2), *** (other releases).
Another Japanese issue was released by “The Official Beatles Fan Club” in the mid seventies. It was titled LIVE IN JAPAN, and the disc was on red vinyl, no label, matrix S 3005 A 1W / S 3005 B 1W.
INTEREST. Another very rare record. ****
A further Japanese issue was released, probably in the mid seventies. It had an insert printed on greenish paper titled TOKYO LIVE; the disc had red labels with the title and track listing. The machine-inscribed matrix is ASA 002A 1L / ASA 002B 1L.
INTEREST. This is probably the rarest of the Japanese releases of this concert. *****