This is a detailed look at The Beatles Japan Box CD box set, released June 25, 2014. This set contains 5 unique Japanese releases of The Beatles’ albums, presented on the Odeon label between 1964 and 1965.
The three CDs in Mono replicate the original 1960s Japanese vinyl LPs. Those three albums were only available in Mono. Even the 1970s reissues on the Apple label were Mono only. They sold at a slightly cheaper price than Stereo albums. The CD inner sleeves with the fold over tops replicate the original vinyl LP sleeves also. The Bahamas photo insert included with the 'Help!' CD replicates a larger one that was included with the original vinyl LP. All Japanese Beatles albums came with lyric sheets in English and Japanese. As with the 'Beatles in Mono' box set and the 'US Albums' box set, this 'Japan Box' features perfect CD miniatures of the original 1960s albums.Thanks for the beautifully presented video!
The Japanese are massive audiofiles. There were a few official Radiohead b side compilations released in Japan in the late 90s that were not released anywhere else in the world. Their Beatles & Prince bootleg CD series are of the highest production quality.
This is one set I never picked up. I suppose I figured it was pretty redundant with all the other collections I have. I'm thinking if I happen to see it somewhere for a decent price I might get it. But I'm not going to go out of my way to sell it out at this point. I appreciate the detail you went into on the video. Love you mention, I haven't really seen a video about it before this.
I think I've only seen one other video of this item in English. I am very surprised, but that goes to show it wasn't too popular. It's definitely redundant, as far as audio is concerned; by the time this was released, it contained nothing special. It's just another very well done collectable. I'm glad i picked it up, 'cause it's unlikely I'll ever attempt to track down the original Japanese LPs.
Yeah I got one of those, I dig mine. I didn’t know about the The Beatles For Sale needed to be with the box set. I would like to see a Canadian box set release. Thanks another 👍
I really like this. The Japanese stereo mixes were always a bit different and I wasn’t disappointed. Mono was fine. These were comps for the most part too, for the Japanese market.
I got this box set and I added a Beatles Live in Japan 1966 Japanese CD to the collection. I noticed with this set the song “Can’t Buy Me Love” is included on two different albums while “I’ll Get You” is not included at all.
Yeah, not all that interesting when it comes down to it, unless you grew up as a Beatles fan in Japan with these albums, I suppose. Great packaging though!
I picked this up a year or so after it was released. I believe I purchased through a third-party seller. It was a decent price, and it’s a cool little item... honestly, they could have released a Beatles Zimbabwe Box, and I probably would have bought that too.
I picked this up at a used records/cd store for 100 , it included everything except the resealable plastic bag. I guess it was a good deal being I haven't seen it since 2015. Thx!
asked my japanese friend about this, it didn't make sense for her as well to exclude 'beatles 65' / beatles for sale as well, and also this is the beatles vol. 1 and 2 (aka, please please me and with the beatles). she thought they were gonna make a second boxset with those albums. the book was apparently a nice read. the mono and stereo mix is just how those were released at the time, toshiba / odeon apparently got a mix of mono and stereo sound sources for albums so they decided to just mix down the stereo ones and release it as a mono album for consistency.
I have vinyl copies of Meet The Beatles and The Beatles' Second Album and still have the real Obi strips that wrap them. I bought them in Canada in a now-gone records store in the import section. I bought them in 1978.
Were they reissues or original Everclear red vinyls?!??The '82 mono box set was also red vinyl,keep in mind.The regular titles were in stereo on original Odeon reds,(OR prefix)The Japan exclusives (OP prefixes) were monos.
Tempted to pick this up for the physical reproduction sleeves, box & booklet alone. Already have the music content across the 2009 stereo & mono boxes and the 2014 US Albums set. Also picked up the Capitol vol 1 box which I'm loving - the sleeves and box pale next to US Albums but the music, especially Second Album, is different enough to the other sets to be worthwhile. I am a sucker for the sheer detail and beauty of the mono & US Albums sets, so the Japan box looks to be more of the same to enjoy. Great video, fantastic look at the small details (insert sheets, the unique Japanese flick back style on the backs of the replica mini vinyl sleeves.
there is a weird difference when it comes to help from this set and from the 2009 mono box the 2009 has additional dithering noise, wich the japan CD lacks. It might also be the case with the other tracks.
This is an interesting notice. I got this box more as a collector’s piece. Don’t really listen to it, as it’s another project which used the 2009 remasters as the source.
I've got this and was also puzzled by the omission of "For Sale". So I just looked on eBay to see if you could buy a Japanese mini LP version of the Odeon release on CD with Obi. Seems you can buy a Japanese 1987 CD with the Odeon cover but it is a jewel case version. You can buy a Japanese mini LP version on CD with Obi, but it is replicating the British EMI version. So what I couldn't find was a Japanese mini LP version of the Odeon release on CD with Obi. So that kills that idea for now.
It's still a mystery why they presented this box the way they did...If they were going for unique Japanese track listings only "Meet", "Second" and "No 5" should be included...If they were going for unique front album covers then "For Sale" with the red logo deserves to be in that box set more than "Help"...Even the 1969 Japanese pressings of "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles" deserve to be included with their unique album covers... As for the discs only being presented in mono or stereo I guess it's because that's how the respective albums where presented upon original release back in the 60s... I haven't heard these cds...But I am most definitely sure that they sound like the 2009 remastered ones...
It is a bit of an enigma, as far as the presentation. Not sure it sold too well. Glad to have it in my collection. You are correct that it uses the 09/09/09 remasters.
The Japanese album is in mono. Thank you girl sounds the same as the US mono version. Stereo is different, as there is added harmonica. I'm not sure if that's the difference you heard, or this box set just didn't use a unique mix used in Japan.
Actually I have read the reason why the extra harmonica was not added to the single because that was not necessary. But that suggests the stereo version was meant to be an album song, in stereo. Singles were not issued in stereo until the Get Back single. Get Back was the first stereo single available to me. Mono singles are of a different world from stereo albums.
For a look at the actual vinyl records that were reproduced for this box set, check out this video by @Beatlevinyl85 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-d5vqzAUArsw.html He's got an amazing Beatles collection!
@@MagicalMysteryMike You have no idea what's involved with this project,Mike.It is a mind Lower.Ask Andrew of Parlogram Auctions (youtuber),Ask Bruce Spider,Beatle book writer.They know what it's about.Its awesome!!
@@MagicalMysteryMike Bruce Spizer is the noted Beatle US and UK label book authority-his book detail on labels is second to none.Andrew gets amazing Beatle records and memorabilia to put up for his auction site.
@@ronmartin4212 of course, I’m very familiar with Bruce Spizer, and I watch Andrew’s channel frequently. I’d be interested to hear more about this project you’ve mentioned.
I work as a high rise windows draftsperson in Australia & proposed buildings owned by Chinese interests do not have 4th floors. They go from 3rd floor to 5th floor. Confusing when you are just starting in the industry: Why are there drawings missing of the 4th floor?
A set for collectors. Incomplete, incoherent, random (some disc are in mono, others in stereo). Why don't we have a German Box set - since the albums issued in Germany were of high quality, and sometimes with some variations compared to UK pressings. Certain German pressings of Magical Mystery Tour on Hor Zu label are considered even better than the UK issues. And mixing tracks from Please, Please Me with With The Beatles to make Meet The Beatles just doesn't fit well. :-)
I suppose there's just not a market for boxes that niched. I don't believe this Japan box sold very well. The versions of the US albums were certainly justified, but otherwise not enough interests to make these releases worthwhile.
The Capiphone project changes all that!!!!Everything in mono and stereo!!!Lots of mix differences,but only the nominal ones.No "clipped lyric"Mexican Penny Lane,etc.
If this just uses the 2009 remasters instead of the audio from the original Japanese pressings, then this box set is a RIP-OFF!! all you're paying is for the packaging. Not worth it.
I'm surprised the Japanese didn't release Please Please Me and With the Beatles since they kept the UK track listings after their version of the Beatles Second Album.
I believe they did release a lot of the UK and US albums in Japan. The Japan Box singled out the unique albums included. A Hard Day's Night and HELP!, just for the LP artwork. I believe I heard that Japan had more releases than any other country in the world.
The 'Please Please Me' and 'With The Beatles' albums (each 14 song sets as per the the UK originals, but with different playing order) were first released in Japan in 1966 to coincide with the Beatles' concerts in Tokyo. The sleeves were entirely different though - each had gatefold covers and 8 page full sized booklets inside.
