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Capitol Records mono master reel-to-reel tape of the Beatles' album Revolver, created for and licensed to King Features for use in their 1960s Beatles cartoon series. This rarity was transferred from the Capitol Records master onto Scotch brand ¼” audio tape in mono at 15 i.p.s. Housed in the original box with an affixed Capitol Records track listing filled out in type, applied by masking tape. Masking tape along the cover's bottom edge is annotated in black felt tip: "Beatles (Songs) Reel #11." The sheet is annotated in black ballpoint "8-19-66," about two weeks after the album's official release.
The reel contains eleven tracks from the album Revolver, missing only 'I'm Only Sleeping,' 'And Your Bird Can Sing,' and 'Doctor Robert.' There are unique five-second gaps between tracks featuring 'voice slate' introductions of each song recorded by the Capitol mastering engineer.
The box cover also carries the following notice: “The recorded performances in the tapes in this reel are the property of Capitol Records, Inc. They may only be used for the limited purposes set forth in the letter of July 16, 1965 from F. M. Scott, III, Vice President of Capitol Records, Inc. to King Features Syndicate.”
In fine condition, with toning to the masking tape and small tears to the track listing's upper corners. Accompanied by a high-fidelity digital transfer (.wav file) of the tape's contents on a USB stick.
Some background on the Capitol Records/King Features masters:
In February 1964, just weeks after the Beatles’ mesmerizing performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, Al Brodax—head of film and television development at King Features—approached Brian Epstein with the idea of producing a Beatles cartoon series. The concept envisioned short, adventurous stories built around popular Beatles songs, complemented by 'sing-along' segments featuring on-screen lyrics.
Each cartoon ran approximately 8 to 10 minutes, with two included per weekly episode. The sing-along portions were a highlight of the show, inviting audiences to learn and sing the songs along with the Beatles. Music selections were drawn from the U.S. Beatles albums—from Meet the Beatles through Revolver—along with non-album singles up to 'Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane.'
The series premiered on September 25, 1965, and concluded on October 21, 1967, spanning 39 episodes and featuring a total of 78 Beatles songs.
As production ramped up in 1965, a meeting was held between King Features and Capitol Records to determine how the music would be integrated into the weekly sing-alongs. Capitol’s initial plan was to provide direct copies of their original U.S. master tapes so King Features could pull songs as needed. However, this proved impractical—technology at the time did not allow for precise tape stops between the one-second song gaps typical on standard master reels.
To overcome this challenge, Capitol Records created a custom set of master tapes specifically for King Features. These reels incorporated a five-second gap between tracks and featured a 'voice slate' introduction recorded by the Capitol mastering engineer. In some cases, the song formats differ slightly from the official releases, making these tapes truly unique.
The lots offered in this auction comprise nearly the entire King Features cartoon music library from the show’s three-year run. Each reel is presented in mono, offering exceptional sound quality sourced directly from the original Capitol master tapes. Notably, several reels predate the official album releases, underscoring their historical significance and rarity.
From the Mark Erbach Collection.
