Btw, Andrew, did you know that czech pressing plant GZ pressed many records for UK budget labels like Sounds Superb, Music For Pleasure, Reddiffusion and many more in 1970's?
There was a festival in Bratislava called Bratislavská lýra (Bratislava Lyre), which run from 1966 until 1989 (and then occasionally until 1998) and there were many western artists and groups having live performances, like Sandie Shaw (1967), The Shadows (1968), Tremeloes (1968), Julie Driscoll (1968), The Easybeats (1968), Beach Boys (1969), Cliff Richard (1970, 1971), Boney M (1977), Smokie and Donovan (1983), Amanda Lear (1982), Stevie Wonder and Joan Baez (1989), and many more. Even band Cressida was in Bratislava in 1969, performing on Slovak Beat festival as a special guest. And both Supraphon and Opus have released many western albums as well, including CSN&Y, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Styx, Paul McCartney, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Talking Heads, Bon Jovi, Status Quo, The Who, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Byrds and many many more.
@@Parlogram Bratislava Lyre was a big event. There is a TV series about that festival, showing also snippets of performances. I saw a Beach Boys documentary and there was a scene shot in front of Hotel Carlton in Bratislava where they were giving autographs to people.
I've been in Prague myself in 2019 and enjoyed it very much. I was able to buy a Beatles band T-Shirt there with the front cover photo of With The Beatles in a very nice music shop. Unthinkable in the 60s I guess. Something similar was going on in Hungaria at the time. I've read stories from members of The Nashville Teens and Spencer Davis Group who witnessed people getting hit with sticks by the police during a gig when they got up from their chairs and tried to dance. Maybe a topic for a future contribution?
It's a shame you can't play samples of the music without fear of RU-vid algorithms. Nevertheless, another well-produced and informative video. Thanks, Andrew! 😊
I would love to hear the 1960s music in the Prague language and will be great to hear stuff from The Beatles in different languages Another great video that you’ve done Andrew I loved it it is really fantastic and hi also loved how the curtain went down and now that everyone can get a Beatles music it is great I think you should do Sweden and Russian that would be great.
I can imagine the prohibition. I had relatives in Cuba who loved the Beatles and couldnt buy or listen to them in the 1960s, 70s even 80s. The shortwave radio was Jammed even owning an album or playing them got you time in jail or worse. Many of my relatives suffered because they loved the Beatles. I also had relatives who were with the system and worked with the system as secret police who repressed those who loved the Beatles. I had letters from both sides of the so called fight. I finally met one of my relatives during their trip to Miami(1990s) who did the repressing (still defending what she did), I gave her a piece of my mind by playing CDS of Beatles and Rolling Stones when we were in my car
Awesome video! I've always loved Supraphon records. I don't have any of their Beatles LPs, but I've several other awesome records - Bessie Smith "The Empress of Blues" original 20s recordings, a Jimmy Smith compilation, a blues compilation featuring Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon etc, and a boogie woogie LP with original recordings from the 30s and 40s. The most interesting record, however, is by American jazz clarinetist Albert Nicholas. According to the sleeve notes he visited Prague in 1972 and recorded a full album there, "Albert's Blues", backed by a Czech jazz band. That record is awesome! Not only is the music amazing, but the sound quality is enviably good.
Supraphon managed to keep up technically too, at least by the 1970s. I have a Supraphon LP of Bohuslav Martinu's orchestral pieces, and it's in Quad. Whether the hardware was available in Czechoslovakia is another matter.
@@martinfenton1275 State operated company Tesla made quad decoder AZQ 100 and Supraphon was releasing new quad albums (mostly for export) until 1982 and GZ made represses of quad records until 1991.
Hi Andrew, Thank you for this amazing episode. I remember suggesting to you this very idea...I'm glad you did it as its a place that's important to me. My parents defected from Czechoslovakia in the 60's when the Russians invaded...so I've heard lots of stories about Czechoslovakia but not about the Beatles and the impact they had. Thanks again and i hope you are doing well. Mark Anthony K Projekt Gemineye
I have some 33 1/3 rpm 7" records with the Beatles from probably sometime in the 70s, on the Melodiya label. It would be fun to know more about the Soviet Union releases of the Beatles.
There’s the John Lennon Pub next to the wall in Prague? Visited it and breaks your heart that John is not alive to witness it! Loved your connection with the country, visited many times and got to know the people and see how the country changed over the years! I remember when I was in Argentina when the Beatles released Anthology 1, there were posters everywhere and was surprised how important the Beatles and other English bands are loved in the country!
I spent 5 years living in Morava 1998-2003 and most of that time I was hunting for records. Not only were Beatles albums available during the 60's but MANY Czech artists covered them. The Moody Blues and The Stones were in Prague in the 60's. There's film footage of all the Western artists that were there and many of these clips are in the series "Big Beat" that ran in the mid 1990's.
I never thought I would ever find a video about my favourite band and my favourite city. I’ll be in Prague again in a few months on the hunt for old Czech vinyls. Last time I was there I only bothered to buy Egypt Station lol
By the amzing amount of comments I guess you have hit the target!!!! Great job man! Do a video abbout italian's releases...it's plenty of variations and details. Cheers!
Absolutely fascenating. I was wondering what direction you might go with this channel, and you've just opened your scope up to literally the whole world. I will be following closely👍
The correct pronounciation of the artist mentioned at 4:20 is “Fausto Leh-AH-lee”. His first proper hit was an Italian version of “Hurt” by Timi Yuro and he still performs to this day.
Wow, this was really interesting!! The only record from this country I’ve already heard of, was the mono abbey road of course. But now, I kind of want to collect all of their releases... haha. Very informative and interesting video! I really love your work. Every time I see one of your videos pop up in my notifications, I always go around thinking what the video may be about etc. And later, in the evening, I sit down and watch it... and loves it! And as always, please cover the Norwegian Beatles records (haha), and please please (me) keep up the absolutely outstanding work!!
I'm currently writing an MA dissertation on the subversive politics of Jazz and I never thought this channel would give me so much perspective! Thanks Andrew!
Like the piece on the Beatles 78s in India and elsewhere, a fascinating look at how the Beatles were experienced in other countries. Would love to see more like this on other areas like South America. I'll put in my vote for something on the unique Canadian Beatles releases, it wouldn't have to be a long one, but we were ahead of the U.S. in appreciating the Beatles and have a few unique items to our credit. Plus, the little-known story of the Canadian Butcher Covers, which apart from a handful of copies, never escaped the Capitol office or pressing plant.
I too have visited the Czech Republic many times since the early 90s. It’s a marvellous country with many curio shops that have ‘rare’ & bootleg Beatles CDs, albums & singles. I hadn’t really realised on my first visit how much the music of The Beatles had meant to the ‘Prague Spring’ generation. On subsequent visits and through chats with locals I became more aware of the freedom The Beatles represented to Czechs. The John Lennon wall is a must visit when in Prague. Czech artist Karl Gott covered many Beatles and other artists songs in Czech and German language versions. I was told that like in the Soviet Union Beatles singles were often illegally pressed on X-ray slides and were highly prized. Might be something that you could look into Andrew. Great channel for all Beatles fans. Keep up the great work.
Very interesting history! I'd love you to make a Greek history. Especially during the coup of army forces period (1967-1973). But even prior to that, during the 60s teenagers faced very strict standards and were often beaten up by policemen because of their appearence, style, political ideas, and of course music choices.
What a cracking video this is. I love you telling the history of the country as well as what people could get their hands on western music. Prague is a most interesting city after visiting there around three years ago. Well done Andrew
Great video Andrew....nice to see the Beatles history in Eastern Europe. Nice to see the difference from the 1960s to current day and the power and impact of the Beatles and western culture in general. Looking forward to more videos. Keep up the great work!
I have some Czech and Slovak ancestry in my mixed Slavic ancestry. My late, maternal great grandmother was born in Prague. Her husband was from Slovakia. This mini documentary shows how we take music for granted. Now, we can get music at our fingertips. In certain countries, long ago, they had to try hard to get music that people in places like Canada, America and the UK could get. I saw Paul McCartney live in 2012. I saw Ringo Starr And His All Star Band, live in 2015. Thanks for sharing this. Cheers! ✌️
I got Czech edition of hard day's night. Bought it in 1986 somewhere in Czechoslovakia! It deformed on car rear window but it plays well undulating on my turntable! 🙂
Really interesting, thank you. I really enjoy collecting vinyl from the 1950s and 1960s. It is interesting to find out finding out details of how record companies outside the US and the UK produced local variations of famous singles and LPs. In my hunt for records I occasionally find records pressed in the far east. It would be interesting to find out about the quality of pressings from countries like Taiwan and the Philippines.
Would love to see a video on Peruvian LPs, since my parents and ancestors were born in Peru. Incredible video, Andrew. Your content NEVER ceases to amaze me.
Hi Andrew, Another great video! I enjoy all your videos. And I have purchased 2 German box sets and MMT album from you, all amazing. Thank you for helping me and other Beatle fans discover great vinyl collectibles.
Excellent! Sorry to be late to watch, but never disappointed to say the least. Very informative! Between the Czechs and Hong Kong (and early Russian Flexi discs), I was always hoping the people got to hear The Beatles music. Great job in handling a subject where there was not a lot of western music around. 👍👍
The worst thing any government can do - limit or censor music outright. Music is the most important and sacred human activity and should never be limited or controlled in any way. But uptight out of touch government officials are barely human to begin with.
The good thing about it though was that in back in those days, governments on either side of the iron curtain were still largely opposing rock music because it was either promoting Western decadence and/or ideologies or Satanism, or fighting against Apartheid, depending on their persuasion, so at least you were still able to tell good from bad and knew which side to stand on. Not like today, where governments and corporations of all kinds (except for Iran and North Korea maybe), are appropriating and co-opting everything pop culture related, thus making it part of the establishment and rendering any sense of rebellion null and void. Nowadays you have far-right and arch conservative politicians listening to AC/DC or the Stones, or a guy like David Cameron listening to the Jam, the Smiths or Radiohead while still being as much a Tory c*nt as one can possibly be. And to add insult to injury, people like Morrissey, John Lydon or Ian Brown are becoming populist, conspiracy crap promoting jackasses themselves.
@@mondegreen9709 Wrong,Yugoslavian communists where more democrats than you in west ever where,we could listen everything,and we had best record contracts in Eastern Europe,we pressed all Beatles records ourselfs,and many more,very good quality,except record sleeves,they where rubbish.
the gentleman is right here-experienced it all-i am a year 1959-almost nothing was allowed-but everything was done -including long hair -wearing jeans-buying LP board on the black stock exchange -and the associated problems with the police and the offices-BUT THEY DID NOT OUR-Jerry from the Czech Republic -Prague
Fantastic information Andrew.. I went to Prague on a Stagg do. As you say it's a beautiful city. Unfortunately I was to worse for wear to go looking for Beatles Vinyl.
A really nice video, Andrew. In my collection are those two unique comps plus A Hard Day's Night and Abbey Road (the second pressing, on the orange Supraphon label). Looking forward to your next video. Cheers, Nelio.
This is great! Can you do a video about the Yugoslavian Beatles LPs? It would be very enjoyable 😉. I too go to the antiquaries to buy me some LPs and there are billions of things and a lot of Beatles thingies!
Bravo!! Now I understand how the dicography of Beatles are make in others countries,with Andrew comment.Best Regards.I see you again in new video.Uchino of Japan.Thank you.
I actually just recently listened to an unofficial Mono mix of Abbey Road by Mirror Spock, it was rather weird at first but it was really punchy and I could tell it was not a simple fold down. I would be really interested in listening to a needle drop/rip of that Czech pressing to hear the comparrison.
@@BrytonBand Argentina was the first one I'd heard of years back (and a friend gave me a ripped copy), and didn't know about the Czech one until Parlogram mentioned it in this video. Out of curiosity, I went to Discogs, and it showed a mono release for Brazil as well. Argentina is definitely a fold-down, not sure about the Brazil.
Great intro to the video.. but I'm quite shocked and disturbed on that billboard with that lady with the gun in her mouth. Different times. Despite that, excellent video! Will there be any other videos on other bands or even the solo works of the Beatles vinyl variations? It's great to see The Beatles variations throughout the world (Canadian pressing even puts a weird edit or outtake of "Don't Bother Me") but I'm still weirded out on the many.. many mixes or outtakes released throughout the world on The Who.
Great job as usual, Andrew! Although I have been living in the United States for a long time, I was born in Argentina, and it is a country that is still hugely into The Beatles (Los Beatles there). EMI Argentina was, and I believe still is, a huge label and I imagine the Argentine Beatles releases would make an interesting video as well. I would be happy to translate and give you cultural background should you wish to tackle it.
Yeah, I had the Revolver and Abbey Road albums from there, grew up with the Argentine LPs but was shocked that Come Together fades out earlier than the UK/US release.
It would be great to mention Yugoslavian Beatles releases. First record released by Yugoton (Yugoslavian record company) was same as in Czechoslovakia Collection of Oldies but it was much earlier -1967. Yugoslavia was some kind of bridge between East and West at the time. Such a shame that due to shortsighted politicians this country broke up on many pieces and survived a series of military conflicts.
Well, compared to the actual Eastern Bloc states, Yugoslavia was in fact relatively liberal. I would always call it a dictatorship on a long leash - but a dictatorship nonetheless. There were a handful of record labels, most of which had licence agreements with all the major Western companies for distribution on the Yugoslav market, and all major Western artists and releases were widely available there. For instance, PGP RTB, the associated label of Belgrade Radio and Television, were distributing releases of the Phonogram group - including A&M, Island, Philips, Vertigo or Mercury, which means if you were buying a Police, U2, Tears for Fears, Dire Straits or - God forbid - a Bon Jovi record, it was coming from Serbia. Diskoton from Sarajevo had the rights to the Motown catalogue, while Suzy from Zagreb were distributing the CBS releases (at least until about 1990, right before the very end of Yugoslavia, when ZKP RTVL, the label of the Slovenian state broadcaster, acquired the rights to the CBS catalogue). Incidentally, RTVL also put out Rough Trade releases, which I remember because my brother still has a Smiths record, "The World Won't Listen" with an RTVL imprint. But the biggest label of them all, not just for domestic but also for international releases, was indeed Jugoton from Zagreb (now called "Croatia Records", just in case you might forget the name of the country you were now living in). They had the rights not just for EMI/Capitol, but also for the Warner group (or WEA, Warner/Elektra/Atlantic) and Virgin Records. Hence everything Beatles related was to be found on Jugoton. I remember buying a whole bunch of Beatles on vinyl on our family visits to Bosnia during the summer holidays (plus a cassette copy of McCartney's "All the Best"), because they were rather cheap - unfortunately so was the quality of the pressings and cover sleeves. Rubbish card stock, just like the Czech ones. One thing that was notable though was that even the first four albums were released in their stereo versions, while elsewhere they were only available in mono until 2009, when the remasters came out.
"I first visited the Czech capital Prague back in 1993 and was captivated by its beauty..." ...while zooming in on a woman in a Baywatch swimsuit on a billboard ad... 😉
You'd have been a right hit with the chicks if you could have smuggled Beatles records [ and also done alright as well with other Western acts ] into Czechoslovakia and the rest of the Soviet Bloc during the Cold War. You'd have been a peer amongst both genders over there. They'd have been mad keen to put them on the turntable right away combined with full-on wariness with it. They'd have been up for whatever you had of it. They'd pore all over the album covers. With the Beatles Oldies album cover it would be " Wow ! Would you look at that. Can you believe it ! ".
I enjoyed all of this. It was a good primer for a more in depth awareness of Czechoslovakia/The Czech Republic. Though at 5.35 you say 'the company line' was what Western performers had to conform to when touring. Surely it was 'The [Communist] Party line'? I liked the story about The Beach Boys playing live, they must have got a few releases behind the Iron Curtain to be able to play there.
Great video! I didn't know any western albums made their way legally behind the iron curtain. Have you made a video on the late Soviet-early Russian AnTrop pressings?
"Czechoslovakia, or the Czech Republic as it's known today, broke free from Russia after the Velvet Revolution, and then split from its neighbour Slovakia in 1993". Wrong! Czechoslovakia split into two countries, one of which is the Czech Republic and the other is Slovakia. And Russia wasn't a separate country in 1989 - the whole Soviet bloc was undergoing transformation, including the USSR, which Russia was a part of until 1991 when the USSR was dissolved. Anyway, interesting to find out about the Beatles covers by Pavel Sedláček, the various Beatles albums released in pre-89 CS, and the Western pop bands that performed there. But the video doesn't mention Marta Kubišová's excellent Czech-language version of "Hey Jude" from 1969.
Ahoj & dobrý den. I've been living in the Czech Republic for the last 15 years, albeit out in the sticks away from the capital, I'm English. I bought my Czech wife a CD mix of the top songs from her birth year (1978) all songs were in czech language, but all were covers of western songs from that era. I found it interesting but couldn't understand how it could be allowed?
Any interest in covering the USSR? The Melodiya singles without naming the band's name, the two officially licensed albums and a plethora of Antrop bootlegs in the early 90s... :)
