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White-label test pressing (on dark red 'Everclean' vinyl) of Odeon's 1966 release of With the Beatles by the Beatles. This Japanese version of the band's second studio album has a vivid full-color portrait on the cover (in stark contrast to the iconic black-and-white faces shot of the UK version), with an accompanying 8-page color booklet, and the record carries a re-ordered track listing as compared to the standard UK issue. Pressed on gorgeously dark red vinyl with fantastic sound quality, the cover is in VG condition with some dings and wear, but with a beautiful VG++ disc.
Throughout the 1960s, it was customary for record companies to release Beatles promotional test pressings prior to the official album release. These pressings were created mainly as manufacturing samples, intended to check the quality of the record before it was mass-produced. Additionally, they were sent out for radio station and music critic review. In the UK, Parlophone released white/black label test pressings, in the U.S., Capitol released standard albums with "Promo" drilled into the cover, and in Japan, Odeon released custom red vinyl test pressings. Of all three, the Japanese test pressings are by far the rarest of all Beatles original LP test pressings.
Produced in minuscule numbers, these Japanese test pressings play wonderfully, often with a different EQ than the US or UK issues (resulting in a brighter sound, especially the drums). Toshiba pressed the records on beautiful red translucent 'Everclean' vinyl which was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl. The record information, song titles, and catalog number are manually stamped on custom Odeon labels. It should be noted that Japanese test pressings came in standard fabricated covers, but without inserts or obi bands, as is the case here.
Provenance: David Swartz Vintage Vinyl Collection, Heritage Auctions, March 2022.
From the Mark Erbach Collection.
