Beatley Tone discusses the pros and cons of the 1980 Beatles Box containing alternate mixes and anomalies and asks, Is this the best value Beatles box Set Ever? #thebeatles #beatlesfan #vinylcommunity
Thanks Tone for reviewing this excellent boxset. I purchased mine online on eBay from a seller in the UK a few years ago that claims to never played it and I believed him as it is in near mint condition. The audio is fantastic. The only minor gripe is that it's pressed on thin vinyl but sounds very clean. I also recommend anyone to buy it as it's more affordable than the Beatles BC13 box, mine was £90 with shipping included.
Sounds like you got it at a decent price Tony. Glad you enjoyed the video. It's so great when you buy something blind and it turns up in mint condition - it feels like a little victory. I guess the vinyl thickness was standard for the time - all the Uk albums that I bought back the mid 70s were that sort of thickness too. It hasn't detracted from the sound quality of this box though. Thanks as always for your comment.
You do an excellent job of giving us insight into the Beatles. Your comments and knowledge of Beatle music is most appreciated for you to take your time. Thank You
Great video as always, I am very lucky as I have 3 copies of this box set, some very interesting mixes on this, It is getting harder to find in good condition now days, but like you say it is still quite cheap and great value, cheers, Dave
Glad you enjoyed the video Dave. Yes ive noticed your 3 copies on your shelves lol. Was very lucky to pick up mine in excellent condition,. I really looked and sounded like its never been played (although it has now). Thanks as always for your comment mate
One of the greatest Beatles box sets this & i remember getting it as a present as a 12 year old in 1980 & i didn't realise it contained several rare mixes until years later & because i played it to death i had to replace my worn out copy years later as most discs were scratched & the box had fallen to bits..... The joys of youth eh Tone!!! I'm surprised it hasn't been re-released on CD & one for the future maybe ?
Oh yes Stevie, the joys - I remember them well. I great box set for sure and I was glad to finally pick this up. I would imagine that a CD release of this is probably unlikely now as I think this set has largely been forgotten by EMI ... but you never know. Thanks very much for your comment
So glad you decided to do a video on this collection Tone! I bought this last year as well off discogs for 140 pounds from a seller in the UK. The records were in excellent shape and sound great. I love the alternative mixes of some of the tracks. You gave some wonderful insight to this set. Glad that I own it now. Thanks for such great content Tone. please continue making these !!
Thanks very much for this great comment Bill, I really appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the video and the content on the channel as well. Glad you managed to pick one up in great shape - it's always great when this happens when you buy second hand. I was delighted with mine too.
Hi from New Zealand and thanks for the great video. This box set was also released here in 1980. I have just purchased a second set for NZ$60 (GBP 31) on trademe for my Grandson to enjoy on his new turntable.
Hi from the Uk Nigel. Thanks very much im glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for this info, none of my research said that this was released in NZ to good to find that out. Excellent price to pick this up for your Grandson and great grandparenting to pass this onto the latest generation. I hope he enjoys the set.
Thanks Tone, for reviewing this super box set. I remember it from years ago, but never bought it. I got it on eBay this week from Japan in near perfect condition for a reasonable price. Thank you again. It is wonderful!
You're welcome Bonnie. Glad you enjoyed the video and managed to pick one up in great shape and for a decent price. Enjoy it and thanks very much for your comment
I bought the Beatles Box Set from Liverpool in audio cassette for £35 on EBay in November 2023, in superb condition so is a valuable addition to my Beatles collection. I have a copy of the advert taken from a Beatles Fan Club magazine.
Ahh I did wonder if there was a CD version out there so thanks for confirming that there is. Glad you enjoyed the video and yes its a great box set and fabulous value for money
Great video Tone, never have seen this set before and have just finished ordering it from E-bay. Looks great and like you said the price is still reasonable. Thank you for taking the time to show each album I will be anxiously awaiting mine ( coming from the U.K.) Take care!
Ahh that's great Sharon. I hope you enjoy the box when it arrives and its good shape and the shipping wasnt to extortionate. It always feels quite rewarding when doing this channel when someone says, 'I haven't seen this before' and I did think that some of my American friends may not have seen this before and want to. Thanks as always for your comment and glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks Sharon
Thanks for this vid Tone. I now own two copies of this box set, one from 1980 and one from '82. It is, as you say the greatest and cheapest of all the box sets in respect of mixes and of value. I picked up a copy recently for £70 off ebay and was pleased with it. A great one to play on a rainy summers afternoon, but those photo's chosen for the album covers really are puzzling. But a great box set at a reasonable price and well worth getting if you haven't already.
Yes I was very pleased to pick this up Terry - it's a great set at a great price and you got yours at a great price too. The sleeves are definitely strange choices for sure :-)
Hi Beats!!! Thank you so much for this video on the Beatles Box.... I've been on the fence about it and happy to learn of the varied mixes. I've got my sights on a mono Rubber Soul -5/-5 and will pass on this one. Have a splendid day !!!!
Hi Tone great video. I knew of this set but paid it no attention until Andrew at Parlogram did a review on his channel telling us of the alternative mixes. Got a near mint copy for £45 and I love it. Always funny that any variation makes you jump when you hear it as you are so used to the standard Uk mixes
Hi Edward. thanks very much, glad you enjoyed the video. This one also passed me by and I picked one up last year. Sounds like you got your for a really good price. Yes variations are very strange when you been used to hearing something a certain way for so many years. thanks as always for your comment
Great video Tone.. Nice to see this overlooked box set given its 5 mins or should that be 29 minutes of fame. Looking forward to more reviews of Beatles box sets and the Archive series....Cheers
Hi Tone, Nice, accurately presented video. It would be good if a proper CD package containing all of the alternate mono and stereo mixes could be collected together as there are still quite a few scattered about.
Thanks very much Norman. Glad you enjoyed the video. Nice idea - It looks like the way they are going is to include alternative versions in with the SDE of each of the albums though. Maybe we'll finally see the hi-hat intro for All My Loving in the With The Beatles package - who knows? Thanks for your comment
Hi Tone, This is roughly what I meant. This is a list of 40 international variations. I may have missed a few.....Love Me Do (Ringo drums) Please Please Me (UK 45) From Me To You (UK 45) Thank You Girl (UK 45) I want to hold your hand (Australian stereo mix) All My Loving (Germany Hi Hat Intro) Roll Over Beethoven (US Rock n Roll Music) Money (UK mono) Long Tall Sally (German Stereo Mix) Slow Down (UK Long Tall Sally EP) I Call Your Name (UK Long Tall Sally EP) A Hard Day's Night (Shorter mono version) I should have known better (US Stereo Reel Music "repaired" version If I Fell (UK mono) And I Love Her (UK mono) Tell Me Why (UK mono) I'll Cry Instead (US mono extra verse) When I Get Home (UK mono) I Feel Fine (Germany whispering intro) Help! (UK mono) Day Tripper (US) We can Work It Out (US) Drive My Car (UK 1965 stereo) I'm Looking Through You (US) Paperback Writer (Hey Jude reversed stereo image) I'm Only Sleeping (France EP full backwards guitar) Yellow Submarine (UK mono) Penny Lane (US Rarities) All You Need Is Love (UK 45) Baby, You're a Rich Man (UK 45) I Am The Walrus (US Rarities) Revolution UK 45) Don't Pass Me By (UK mono) Piggies (UK mono) Ob la di, Ob La Da (UK mono) I Will (UK mono) Helter Skelter (UK mono) Honey Pie (UK mono) It's All Too Much (Movie version extra verse) The Ballad Of John & Yoko (UK 45 End drums mixed up)
@@normansaunders6891 This sounds fantastic Norman, thanks very much for taking the time to list these out. I dont think ive ever heard I 'll Cry Instead with an extra verse. Superb comment thanks
Really interesting and well researched video Tony thank you. I ordered mine through the leaflet (sadly no longer had the leaflet or the flexi) but was thrilled when it came with the promise of rare records and remixes. It’s a brilliant set to own. I also remember the day it arrived because I got the offer of a job I wanted in the same delivery. It was a good day! Thanks again Tony all the best, Mick
Thanks very much Mick, glad you enjoyed the video. Great story about how you remember the day it arrived. Also I imagine a thrill of just getting records through the post must have been quite something as that didnt happen very often back then and something that we totally take for granted these days. It's interesting that the leaflet mentions the different mixes because none of the sleeve notes on any of the albums do. You would have thought they would have really pushed that as a selling point. Thanks very much for a great comment . All the best Tone
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel I looked at prices on eBay even after watching. Seems most coming from Japan on there. Will hold off for awhile before going for this one though.
@@BeatleDustino The Japanese one is a good one, has an obi strip across the top and notes in Japanese (hopefully in English as well). Quite a few available from the UK as well
I've seen pictures of this one before but never come across one here in the US. It looks really cool, I'll have to put it on my list of things to look for when I'm dong some online shopping. Thanks for the overview, Tone!
Hi Joseph, thanks very much for this comment, Im glad you enjoyed the video. Yes it's a cracking solo from George on Let it Be - makes the song for me.
Thanks Tone for discussing this box. When my father passed away, my mom gave me his copy, which I do have vague memories of him getting from her as a birthday gift when I was probably 11 or 12 years old. It struck me as odd when you mentioned the territories where this was made available, because I'm in the U.S. so I'm wondering where our copy came from. I'll have to ask my mother if she has any recollection as to how she came about getting it for my dad (which I doubt haha). At any rate, nice to see this set getting the spotlight; I think I'll give mine a spin soon.
Hi Gary, thanks for posting your story. Im sure there were plenty of these that snuck into the US as these things tend to do. It wasnt officially made available for US residents to order but I would imagine plenty turned up in record stores across the US via unofficial sources. Going by your estimation of you being 11 or 12, would this have been in 1980 or later? Thanks very much for an interesting story Gary
Thanks, Tone, for this very interesting video. I learn so much about the differences between our countries and releases. I saw this set come through in 1981/82 as the latest "hard to find import from UK" ($129 US) and passed. I realize now that I shouldn't have but when you buy the Blue Box LPs then add Blue Box Singles and Blue Box Ep's, I was boxed out by 1982. This box with mixes and wrong time period photos is interesting to say the least!
Thanks very much russ, glad you enjoyed the video. Well you weren't alone, I let it pass me by too until recently and after buying all the blue boxes nobody could blame you for giving this one the swerve. Thanks as always for your comment and support
Agree this is a great box set - my parents got it just after Johns death - it was my introduction to the Fab 4 - I taped it and played it to death in my 1st car and from there brought the catalog when the CDs came out - I still have my parents version and it’s my go to set - perfect blend - enough to give you a great overview and missing the odd key track to make exploring the albums further worthwhile- the bonus alternative mixes are an added extra - the extra trumpet on penny lane is way better than the proper ending
Thanks for this great comment Gavin. Really good point about the missing tracks forcing people to explore the full albums and also interesting that this box was your gateway to The Beatles. Once you've heard that Penny Lane trumpet ending, it's hard to hear the song without it and you kind of hear the trumpet ending in your head when it's not actually there lol
Another top episode. The Beatles Box set is a really good collection and I am very glad to own it. Some of the tracks are definitely different to those on EMI UK albums. 🎉🎉🎉😢🎉🎉
Thanks very much, Im glad you enjoyed the video. Yes Im very happy to finally own one of these and get all those weird and wonderful alternative versions. thanks very much for your comment
I appreciate your reviewing the box sets I hope you continue to review them all whether they be vinyl or cd. I like your showing everything and I really learn a lot.
Thanks very much Patricia, Im glad you enjoyed the video. Yes there will be plenty more to come from me, both CD and Vinyl. if there's anything specific that you would like me to do a video on, I would be happy to oblige if it's something that I have or know about. Thanks for a great comment
If you have the ep collection I would appreciate putting on that list of things to do. I have recently been watching a channel called vinyl meets needle. If you don’t know it you may find it interesting. All Beatles.
@@Patricia-kp9wx Unfortunately I dont have the EP set. I have a few of the Eps (maybe 4 or 5 ) - a couple of them 60s originals that I bought a long time ago. Because most of the songs are on albums I never bothered getting the rest of the set but Im looking for a decent priced set but these ar really expensive at the moment Patricia. I do know the needle meets vinyl channel and have watched some of Brian's videos but thanks for the tip off anyway
Excellent review of this box set , Hi all have this album and many other vinyl box sets , where in U.K. trusted websites can get best prices as Need to downsize collection as have no one to pass them down to, thanks
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed the video. if you're looking to sell your collection I would start with Facebook marketplace as you wont pay any commission on your sales
Good video Tone! Its a good box set/track listing. I bought this box set (on tape casette) at a record fair a few months back for.....£3!!.....BUT!!... Sadly its missing tape no.1 so i'm on the look out for that. Im hoping to find a loose/spare one - second hand someday!
Hi Tone, thanks a lot for this great presentation. I do not own it yet, but your video awoke my interest on it. I checked at ebay and it is also available in Germany. If I can get one cheap I will buy it. 50 pounds is a very fair price. Congratulations on that.
Hi Armin, yes the Internet makes everything available everywhere now and we should all be grateful for that. I was very pleased to pick this up really cheap and in excellent shape. good luck for the search for yours, I hope you find a good one. glad you enjoyed the video and thanks as always for your comment
Great video on this nice box set, not sure in all my years that i never bought one but just picked up a near mint one for $100 which is a great deal i think
Thanks very much Peter, glad you enjoyed the video. That's great that you have those 2 variations. Ive not seen wither of those in the flesh so to speak. You should give 'em a spin, they sound great
This was really interesting to listen to as I am from NZ and I was employed by EMI they had an office in Lower Hutt NZ and a family friend was an accountant there and he helped me get a a holiday job in the World Record Club Packing Department around 1980 and I picked many of these records for people. The orders back then were from newspaper clippings and I would get a trolley and pick and pack the records for customers orders. I remember this version being very popular and picked and packed many of them to customers. I even purchased a set for myself however I do not still have this as I was in-between houses at one stage and trying to reduce clutter and looking for things that were sellable and I sold my record collection an d my daughter who us now an avid record collector 25 years later tells me I should have kept my collection. It is informative to listen to your review of this item - should I come across one again I will know what its value is now. Thank you for reviewing and sharing
You're welcome. Your story is familiar as so many people have sold their record collections over the years - collections that are probably worth a fortune these days.
Hi Tone, I also picked this up last year here in Australia - mine came with a poster. Great box set despite some of the song choices and omissions. A nice analogue alternative to the recent remixes and remasters. Cheers Matt
Hi Matt, not seen one with a poster. Do you think that was exclusive to the Australian box or maybe the the seller just bunged the poster in as a little bonus. Ive not read anything about a poster being included. But yes a nice set, that is easy to find and at a reasonable price. Thanks very much for an interesting post
Hi Matt, hope you don’t mind me reaching out to you. I have an EMI Australia (orange Parlophone) pressing of the Beatles Box. No poster came with mine but on the cover of LP 7, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Piggies and Don’t Pass Me By are all erroneously credited to Lennon-McCartney. I am wondering if yours has the same error?
@@jasonardler8373 Hi Jason, thanks for reaching out. Yes same, orange label and those 3 songs have the wrong authorship, well spotted. Some of the selections are a bit random - but an enjoyable listen all the same. Cheers Matt
@@jasonardler8373 Great that you guys are chatting. There's a new comment from a fellow Aussie further down , he's called Gazzap and talking about the Australian box differences.
While George and Ringo were seemingly silent during ‘80, they were actually busy working on projects: Ringo started recording what became the “Stop And Smell The Roses” album, with contributions from Paul, George and John (who never saw the release of the album), all of whom contributed material to (and, with McCartney, also Produced his track) the album, and George who was recording Somewhere In England, and the few replacement tracks Warner asked for on the album, which for one song, had a (for the wrong reasons) Beatles reunion on the track “All Those Years Ago” (which also features Linda McCartney and Denny Laine).
Thx for this review. I picked up a French pressing, which doesn’t bear Harry Moss’ initials but sounds superb anyway. I was amazed. My set was also in pristine condition.
This box set kind of changed my life. In summer 1982 my mum bought the Beatles Ballads record and I was captivated. I'd heard lots of their early songs care of the 'Red' album but these were something else! Then I saw a catalogue advert for this set and persuaded my parents to buy it. I was nearly 14. It arrived in August 1982 and I became totally besotted by The Beatles from that day on...
Great story Chris. It's really true that records change lives - it was the same with me but with the Red and Blue albums. This is a great sounding box set that gives a decent overview of their career and for you Im guessing a gateway to some of the later stuff in their catalogue. Thanks for a great comment
Hi Tone Another excellent review, thank you. This was one of my earliest Beatle purchases and I played it constantly throughout the early 80s. Not so much since then though. The back cover of my pressing - EMI Australia on orange Parlophone - erroneously credits While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Piggies and Don’t Pass Me By to Lennon-McCartney. Curiously I have never heard anyone else mention this, so not sure how common it was or how quickly (if at all) it was corrected. As always, hope you’re well. It’s 39 degrees here in Sydney today, so I’m off to the beach. 😓
By the way, I also have a copy of the readers digest promo flexi disc. Can’t for the life of me remember where I picked that up but am curious to give it a spin now.
Thanks very much Jason glad you enjoyed the video. That's odd about the Harrison song credits. Out of interest was there a poster in your box. There were some errors on the Uk box sleeve notes but these were mainly to do with dates I think. Someone else in the comments said they had the Australian box and it had a poster in it. Great that you found a flexi disc - Im looking for one. Wow 39 degrees, it's been about 6 degrees here and raining today. Enjoy mate. Thanks as always for your comment.
I bought this from the Daily Mirror advert in November 1980 and played it relentlessly. One rather dark story - upon hearing how I much I paid for it a friend quipped as just a throwaway remark that "it'll be worth a fortune one day when they're all dead". At that time only John and Ringo had reached 40 so the prospect of any of them dying seemed way off in the distant future.
Yeah that does seem a bit dark especially in light of what happened a month later. But with 2 beatles gone the price of this hasn't really gone up too much to be fair
Great and educational video mate.Nice research.Tone need your expertise.Hearing that The "BFL" is all analogue, like the BC13? Just got myself a copy of that, and wondered if you think they are comparable sound wise and worth going after? I hear they are supposedly quieter, and compressed more, due to the number of tracks on each side?
Thanks very much , glad you enjoyed the video. The box is certainly all analogue but I dont have the BC13 box to compare it against. I would say the sound on this is as good as the stereo Beatles albums that I bought in the 70s when I first became a fan but obviously those albums I played to death and have seen better days now , whereas this box ive only had for a couple of years and was near mint when I got it. I play it when I fancy hearing the songs in a different order to the regular albums. Its not a perfect box but for the money it sounds great and is great value
Had mine for years. Even has the flexi disc with it. A great set and great video. Ref The Rock And Roll albums on MFP. They use the George Martin US remixes that EMI rejected for the original UK release
Thanks very much Phil, glad you enjoyed the video. Yes a great set and fantastic you have the flexi disc. Did you buy yours back in 1980? or second hand and the seller also had the flexi disc and passed it on with the set? The story of the flexi disc seems a bit murky and I wouldn't mind knowing if the flexi disc was also included in early copies of the box because I think it was just sent out to Reader's Digest subscribers. Yes that's right about the MFP Rock n Roll Music and I think they also used the US remixes for the proper Rock n Roll Music album that was used in the US . I may have misremembered that but Im sure I read that somewhere. Thanks for a great comment
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel I can't remember where or when I got the box. Think I paid around £25 at a record fair years ago. My friend had the flexi which was sent out, as you said, as a promo with Reader's Digest and he's gave it to me years ago. If you want a rip let me know
@@philsalter8006 Thanks for the follow up Phil. That was a great price you picked it up for. Thanks for the offer of the rip, I'm actually trying to find an actually disc but appreciate the offer.
Hi Tone i too bought this fairly recently and i too have the Paul is right handed version. I do have a tore out Sun advert for the set from December 12th 1980 so clearly a cash grab period. its a great item and as you say great value for money
That's really great that you have an original ad pulled from the Sun from the time. I think because the box was released before John was murdered, we can assume that intentions were initially good, but obviously the thrashing of it to death after John died leaves a bit of a bitter taste and was definitely an attempt to cash in. Sounds like you picked up a 1980 version of the box too. Thanks as always for your comment
Always great when you buy something blind and it turns up in great shape - it always feels like a mini victory. Nice work Stephen and thanks for your comment
This was a very good video. Thanks very much. I'm kicking myself as I live in Hong Kong and saw a near mint version of this box set 2 years ago in a used vinyl shop for 600 HKD, ...about 100 Canadian dollars. Not knowing what it was, and thinking (wrongly) that it was an unofficial rip off, I didn't buy it. Damn. I've not seen it again since. I'll keep looking, but a 'no postage required' deal like that here is very hard to come by. I'll keep looking though...
Ahh that's a shame and when I thought about doing this video, I did think it would have appeal as people outside of the UK might not be aware of its existence. Keep looking there are plenty on ebay at a reasonable price but I guess shipping to Hl may be expensive. Thanks for your comment on the video , Im glad you enjoyed it.
Thanx for the vid! I don’t own it, was too young in 1980/81 to be able to buy it (and wrong country…). My introduction to the beatles was BC13, and I loved Rarities, they were certainly rarities to me then. I might get it some day, just for fun. Pity they used odd pictures era-wise, would be great to have relevant ones. Take care!
Hey you're welcome, glad you enjoyed the video. The BC13 is a great box and yes Rarities had some great B sides on it and sure if you didnt have them (and back in 1979 most of those b sides could only be found on the actual singles) then rarities was a great way to get them. Definitely worth seeking out this box because of the unusual mixes and the decent price. Thanks very much for a great comment
The box said that you’re talking about is that The Beatles from Liverpool box that because that’s the boxer that I have. oh that must be a different one.
Hi Tonny, how are you doing my friend I do hope all is well:). I do have the ones that you did show first off.. Rarities is just FANTASTIC...... YAH lol right rip off .. But yes, I bot it too lol!!! It was a lot of fun to see this Beatles box set (nice) Ok ok lol well I think you are going to pass out win I say this!!! But you know I don't have this box set........ Ok lol I will give you time to take that in. You know it just never did appeal to me lol yes. I do see it all the time at my record show and at my shop as well!! So, cool I do like the ad that you showed. you know if I did get it, I would get the UK pressing I do like that one better Tonny!!! I did enjoy this one. Well done thank you so much my friend and see you later and take care!!!!
Hey Brad sorry for late reply - Mrs Beatley Tone had to administer the smelling salts after I passed out :-) Yeah Ive got the Uk and US Rarities albums, both pretty disappointing but at least the US one had some stuff that I didnt have back in the day. I also let this box set pass me buy right up until last year when I picked it up. it's a good set, very reasonable price too, some nice unusual mixes and great sounding. I would recommend it. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks very much for being here and your comment as always mate. All the best
Ok well I am glad that see was there to help you up off of the floor mate lol!! But you know in a few weeks here in the US the BIG Fest for Beatles fans. Is in NY and yes, I am going, and I will look for that + lol you know me I will be doing a few videos there as well Tonny!!! So, I will look with both eyes lol for the UK :) box set!!! Well, you know you are the first to know that I am going my friend!!! Take care from your brother in the USA South!!!!
@@beatlebrad5339 Ahh I thought you would probably going to the Fest so will look forward seeing your videos of it like last year. I d love to come over one year and meet all you guys but sadly not this year. I am however going to Liverpool in a couple of weeks so hope to do some videos from there. All the best to you my brother in the US from your brother in England
I bought the boxset st the fest for Beatles fans for a very reasonable price . The thing I really enjoy about it are album covers plus occasional alternate versions of some songs . It definitely is made with giving fans lots of value .
Glad you managed to find something at the fest that was reasonably priced. From what I saw from last year's fest everything looked really pricey. Are you going this year - its a couple of weeks I understand. But yes, I think the best Value Beatles box set on the market currently. Thanks for your comment
Thanks you , glad you enjoyed the video. Not got any info on Do You Want to Know A Secret being a different mix. What have you noticed that's different?
Thanks as per Tone for showing us an interesting 'sidebar' album set, but an especial thanks for explaining the details about John on MFP. For years I've had something in the back of my noddle that Rock 'N Roll and Mind Games were available on that budget label, but thought I must be mistaken... a Beatle on a cut price label? That'll never happen!
Thanks Rob, glad you enjoyed the video. Yes that was a very odd thing to have those 6 albums come out on MFP. I didnt ever buy any of them as I had the normal versions, but I think it tells a story of how The Beatles stock had dropped off by then. Then John dies and it all picks up again. Interesting that there were no Paul releases but out as budget items - his stock was obviously still riding high. Thanks as always for a great comment Rob
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel I've now gone back and read the Wikipedia page on MFP and it is quite fascinating to learn about some of their more notable releases, including Pink Floyd's Relics and The Beach Boys Pet Sounds!.If memory serves, I think that MFP records were 99p in Woolies!
@@Robutube1 Well I had no idea that Relics and Pet Sounds were on MFP so thanks for the info. Yes I said in the video they were 99p I wasnt specific about Woolies , I just assumed they were 99p everywhere lol.
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel Oh, I'm sure you're right and that they were available in lots of places (WH Smith gets a mention in the Wiki article) but I have a memory of Woolies being my particular 'dealer of choice' 😁... or was that for Pickwick LPs?😅
@@Robutube1 Pickwick as well. The used to do the Top of the pops albums I think - those dreadful albums where all the songs from the charts were done by cover bands and not the original artists. I had a few of them lol
Hey Tone I bought mine at a record show for a $110.00 US. I think its the best set out there! I think it made sense to put the LIB recordings before Abbey Road.
The set was released here in NZ. On the reverse of each sleeve it reads "Released by World Record Club New Zealand 1981". The pic on Record 2 correctly shows Paul as being left-handed. The sleeves have more of a matt finish, not the gloss apparent on your copy. The record label has no reference to EMI or Parlophone. The label is the standard (for NZ anyway) WRC/World Record Club label with an orange outer and yellow inner. Only reference to an album title (on the label) is the group name, it does not read The Beatles Box. Each side has a bold black number indicating which side it is, e.g. Record 7 shows 13 on one side and 14 on the other. It does appear quite frequently in used record stores and would usually be priced around NZ$70.00 (about 35 pound)
That's really interesting to read about the differences with your NZ box Arthur . And a good price there too. Sounds like a slightly later box than ones issued here on the first run with the left/right Paul being corrected. Thanks very much for this great and informative post my friend
I bought the box set in the early 1980s at a record store in the US for $119. It contains probably all of the unique versions of songs around the world, which is why I bought it. It is on high-quality Japaneese vinyl. i'm surprised at low little it sells for today.
Yes Im surprised that it is so cheap 2. Even if you take out the fact of the alternate mixes, just the fact that there are 8 LPs in the set should price it at around £200 ish. Records out of Japan always sound really great I've found. Thanks very much for your comment
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel An interesting thing about the $119 price, the cash register at the record store would not ring up more than $99.99, so they had to split the price in two.
I purchased this back in 1980. Simon Sinclair ran my local record shop called Record House in Aylesbury in the 80’s and 90’s. I think I paid £29 Maybe the reason the record had All together now is that Simon is a Paul fan.
This box asumes that the order of the songs in a record is not important. That you can hear Yesterday, Two of us and Love me do one after the other…I think a record was made on purpose in a particular order.
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel yes, it was some example…but this box has that problem. They decide that the order of the songs in an album is nothing of importance but for me it is. If you start hearing something a few seconds after something else ended, well, it makes a difference. Specially for the second piece. Of course, Beatles made mistakes also. I think its terrible to listen to Dizzy miss lizzy after Yesterday. I always hated it. But in general many songs are in a very good order. The most extrem example is the B side of Abbey Road. You cant change anything on that side. Its like changing the pages of a book.
@@leonardoiglesias2394 But we always have the proper albums for this. Think of this box set as a kind of sampler like a greatest hits but much bigger. With compilations it's impossible to include everything so this is really what this is. I dont really think this box is anything more than a collectable for hard core beatles fans who have all the albums, this box was mainly aimed at casual fans of the beatles
‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ is the best audiophile sounding pressing that ever exists on any pressing. Check out my ‘MR Stickermania’ RU-vid video channel for all my RARE Beatles memorabilia.
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel Yes, that is correct. Harry T Moss did a great job of recutting the box set from the original analog master tapes with less bass roll off than the 1960’s original cuttings with a better lathe & better sounding vinyl. Better Records & Parlogram Auctions say these 1980’s pressings are the best audiophile sounding ever. Thanks Frank
@@Stickermania2853 Hi Frank, I must admit I often find myself disagreeing with Andrew at Parolgram when he does his what sounds best videos, and in a recent video he revealed what gear he uses to listen on and he's using a mid priced orofon blue MM cartridge which doesn't give the kind of detail that good MC cartridge would deliver. Of course sound is so subjective - everyones ears are different and of course everyone is listening on different gear. if I was to stick my neck out, I would probably plump for the SFF on the 2017 Pepper box set as the best sounding version. Not analogue but analogue doesn't aways mean best and to me this sounds best to me on my (fairly high end ) system.. but like I say sound is subjective. Interesting comment though.
There is nothing wrong or weird in putting the Get Back songs before the Abbey Road songs. That is the way I have my Beatles CDs and LPs- Let It Be, Let it Be Naked and then Abbey Road.
Hi, I have the Australian version which is different in terms of how it is packaged. Whilst your outer box opens as you've shown, the Aussie version has an inner box containing the LP's, which slides out (in a similar fashion to the latest Beatles' box set releases). All the best. GAZ (Melbourne/Australia). If you're interested, here's an old clip I did of some of my Beatles collection.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MCbDSmLvR9I.html
Thanks Gaz for the info , will certainly check out your video this evening. There's a few other Aussies talking about the Australian box in this thread too. Great to hear from you
Hey Gaz, interesting. I have the 1981 EMI Australia pressing with orange Parlophone labels. It has the flip lid as shown by Tone. I haven’t seen the sliding box you’ve described but assume it is the 1982 Readers Digest release?
Complilations like this are aimed at general music fans and so they will always pick the most accessible tracks. Tomorrow Never Knows probably isnt one of those. There’s always Revolver
Good video. My older sister had this box set. In the mid 80s I had seen The Compleat Beatles and decided I wanted to make a compilation tape of Beatles songs. My sister had been a Beatles fan since the 60s so I asked her if I could borrow her albums. She gave me The Boxset and a few others including the White Album.
Thanks very much , Im glad you enjoyed the video. Interesting that the Compleat Beatles video was your gateway to The Beatles. With this box set and the White album at your fingertips, I have no doubt that the compilation tape that you made was an absolute belter . Thanks for your comment
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel exactly that. The songs in Abbey Road are put in a particular order for some reason. Abbey Road is not only the songs in it but its ONE work of art. One could say Please Please me is a collection of singles. I just dont think its the same with Abbey Road.
@@leonardoiglesias2394 yes of course track sequencing is important but I guess for something like this where they are just taking a few tracks from each album it's not possible, and we have the Abbey Road album for the full masterpiece
@@beatleytonesbeatleschannel I mean, I BOUGHT the box. Still, I think that is a problem with this box. Only that. I wont be hearing the abbey road, sgt pepper and white album tracks though. I dont like the change of order and selection on those three albums. I guess for the rest is mostly ok.
“Don’t Pass Me By” is stereo on mine. But I have the Japanese pressing, so I don’t know if some of the mixes varied by country. An older Wikipedia entry for the set listed “Help!” as being in mono! I’d also like to note that “Thank You Girl” and “This Boy” are mono (as on the Rarities LP), and the four Long Tall Sally EP tracks have their channels reversed (as on the U.S. and MFP versions of Rock ‘n’ Roll Music). “And Your Bird Can Sing” is the standard U.K. mix (again, at least on the Japanese pressing). “Rain” being in stereo and “Paperback Writer” having the channels reversed would indicate both of those tracks being sourced from the U.K. version of Hey Jude. “All You Need is Love” in mono already has a long fade, but it seems to be even longer on here. The 1965 mix of “Day Tripper” was also on the U.K. Red album - the 66 remix was pretty much exclusive to the Oldies comp and didn’t become the standard mix until 1988. The fake stereo “P.S. I Love You” and “She Loves You” were more or less standard at the time - something they thankfully did away with when they did the 2009 remasters (although that particular fake stereo version of “She Loves You” has never been released on CD). And as for “Bungalow Bill”, I think that was a mistake. As we all know, most of the tracks on the White Album all run right into the next. They probably just misjudged how to do the indexing. The “Hey O!” at the end is also missing. A couple of the other WA tracks have their fades lopped off a little early as well (“I’m So Tired” for example). Lastly, it is a travesty that no songs from the second half of the White Album were included. A mistake that has recently been repeated on the new Blue album.
