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| Beatles 71-74 Uk Albums Emerald Contract Press? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 12 2014, 01:16 PM (4,011 Views) | |
| Jae | Feb 16 2014, 03:03 AM Post #31 |
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Won't be pressed by Polydor - Polydor (nor Phonogram) had pressing facilities in Kenya back then. Could only be one of four manufacturers (at the time): Assanand & Sons - sole distributor for Polydor/Phonogram. Associated Sound - authorised East African manufacturer for both Polydor and Phillips (and FWIW Decca). E.A. Records - record manufacturer, and appears to be linked to Phonogram from around 1972/3. Sapra Ltd - manufacturer and distributor for *both* EMI and Phonogram from 1973. Not sure how far back the history between Sapra and EMI goes, but I have a photo here of the "formal" signing of the licensee contract, from mid-1973. Sapra claimed an ability to press 9,000 records a day. What's intriguing here is that the mould appears to be the same before the confirmed 1973 changes (Hey Jude) and after (Love Songs). In any event, I concur, the LPs appear to be pressed with machinery either residing at, or sourced from, a Polydor/Phonogram connected manufacturer. |
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| Jae | Feb 16 2014, 03:08 AM Post #32 |
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Quite possible as well - perhaps on a low-use press that pressed smaller numbers...although I doubt it for LPs such as the one above that specifically states "Made in Kenya"...and given it has the same moulding as the earlier copies, I doubt the earlier ones were pressed outside of East Africa, but only the deadwax will tell, as even if the LPs were pressed locally from UK metal parts, they won't have stamper codes. |
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| Jae | Feb 16 2014, 03:14 AM Post #33 |
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Reminds me of the NZ contract (Phonogram) pressing of "The Essential Beatles"... Posted Image Albeit not *quite* the same, but very similar. The inner ring dimensions appear to match. |
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| muffmasterh | Feb 16 2014, 09:49 AM Post #34 |
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it is also not a million miles from the polydor contract oldies i have listed.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MESE:IT it could be argued these are polydor UK contracts although i am still inclined still to go with the Kenyan press UK label theory for now as the Caribbean precedent is all but proved now I think |
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| servi | Feb 16 2014, 10:40 AM Post #35 |
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Wow, that's a great record you have, rsinige ! It confirms my Kenya theory. The HJ matrix markings indicate that this is not a UK pressing, right ? |
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| servi | Feb 16 2014, 11:17 AM Post #36 |
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Yes, I agree that the machine used must be the same as those used at Polydor plants. The Polydor ring appears pressing from many other countries around the world, and on Kenyan LPs on the Polydor label. Was Assanand a pressing plant or solely a distributor ? Furthermore, Rsinige's HJ LP proofs that the record was sold in Kenya and Uganda. Jae, do you have any info on pressing facilities in Uganda ?? Or do we have to assume that Uganda imported records from Kenya ? What about Uganda Record Agencies Ltd (URA) in Kampala ? A thing we don't know yet for sure is whether the HJ LP is from 1970 (or later) and which Beatles LPs were sold in Kenya before 1970 ("Polydor" pressings, imported LPs/UK export pressings ?). The 5 Kenyan pressings I identified thus far: - Hey Jude - UK export label - Let it be - UK export labels, one box label - idem, two box label "made in Kenya" on label - Love songs, made in Kenya, "haf EMI" label - 20 golden hits, made in Kenya, "half EMI" label Does anybody know of other Kenyan LPs ? The fact that LIB exists as 2 box pressing, could indicate that there are other LPs on that label, but I have never any others. Below pictures (from discogs) of a 1972 pressing from Kenya, a Kenyan Polydor/Phonogram single pressed by E.A. records ("Mfd by E.A. records for Phonogram") and a Uganda URA single. I am not a single collector, but it would be interesting to figure out which of the 4 plants that Jae mentioned pressed those singles... Posted Image Posted Image Posted Image |
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| servi | Feb 16 2014, 11:29 AM Post #37 |
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Maybe I misunderstand your comment, muffmaster, but my theory now is 1) Kenyan pressings with UK export labels, 2) Barbados pressings with UK export labels or UK standard labels that were not printed in the UK however (these labels have poor paper quality and a lighter colour). These pressings have the small label rim and 3) Jamaican (???) false Decca pressings with UK export labels or UK standard labels printed in the UK. These labels have the deep groove. The conclusion, which is astonishing IMO, is that many UK export pressings are not export pressings at all but actually are foreign pressings; and that a country like Kenya, of which we previously assumed it never pressed Beatles LPs with the exception of compilations, released Beatles records after all. |
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| rsinige | Feb 16 2014, 01:12 PM Post #38 |
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Thanks Servi, I'm 99.9% sure the HJ is not an emi, what convinces me above all else is the scratched cat.no.p-cpcs 106, I've not seen emi pressed records with that. Good thread, keep the comments coming. |
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| muffmasterh | Feb 16 2014, 02:22 PM Post #39 |
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I do not argue with this theory at all, i also agree that many export pressings may not be technically exports but that does not dimmish their value imho. I also point out that there is a similarity to these UK oldies polydors which some also have hand etched matrices ( they seem to have either polydor style matrices or hand etched or one of each style on either side ) but that i agree with you that these Kenyan's are probably locally pressed, however the similarity to the UK polydor cannot be totally dismissed, even though i do not think they are that.... I even came across just the other week a Hollies on Regal which is also an export in UK sleeve with a Nigerian pressed disc...usually these Regals are UK pressed discs so this would be another export that is ..well not an export !! |
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| rsinige | Feb 16 2014, 02:35 PM Post #40 |
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I think the top line of the ink stamp on my Pepper above starts E.A. MUSIC.... Could it be East African Music?? |
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| servi | Feb 16 2014, 02:51 PM Post #41 |
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That would make sense, because the EA Records single shown above, looks very similar to Kenyan Beatles singles (see picture below) !! The Kenyan Get back single has a similar centre, Hey Jude looks a little different. EA Records is a very likely candidate IMO... Great to discover these things together ! What Pepper is inside that cover ? It's remarkable that the HJ disc was pressed in Kenya, while they imported the Pepper disc.... Posted Image Posted Image |
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| G&L | Feb 16 2014, 03:41 PM Post #42 |
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Now this is a great thread and getting better all the time. Please keep sending. |
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| servi | Feb 16 2014, 04:15 PM Post #43 |
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Kenya Columbia mispressing..... Posted Image The singles confirm what Jae noted: Manufactured under license in Kenya |
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| rsinige | Feb 16 2014, 04:23 PM Post #44 |
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This is the label of the Pepper in the "Nairobi" sleeve, the disc is a standard UK one with correct emi stampers. Also a picture of my "Ballad" label made in Kenya, same as lib above I think. Posted Image Posted Image |
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| servi | Feb 16 2014, 04:26 PM Post #45 |
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That's a good point Frank. Below is a McCartney export pressing with such ring (from discogs; matrix- Side 1: YEX 775 A-2U stamper TG ; matrix- Side 2: YEX 776 -3U stamper GDR) and here is rsinige's Oldies. IMO these rings look a little smaller and more shallow then the Kenya ring on Love songs, but it's hard to compare without holding the actual records.... Posted Image ETA: rsinige confirms HJ is different from Oldies (lighter vinyl, more shallow rim), see his post on the next page. Thanks rsinige |
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6:56 PM Jul 11