BEATLES - "ABBEY ROAD "/ " HELP " - 1ST UK CASSETTE RELEASES - 1969/1970
£
100
$
132
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Description
Two Beatles very good condition examples of the first cassette releases of "Abbey Road" (Nov 1969) and "Help!" (October 1970). Both played throughout. Perfect and clear sound with no faults.
The cassette tapes and shells are in great condition with minimal raising to the paper labels. The inlays have no writing, pen marks or stains, intact Norelco cases.
Unususal to see these (or any other first release Beatles UK cassette albums) for sale on E Bay. You will see similar REissues from 1972 onwards with the all-gold inlays and white paper labels or ink-impressed tracklistings. Markedly rarer than the vinyl counterpart, Beatles cassettes were only introduced in small numbers into the market place by a wary EMI from 1968 to end of 1971, until it became clear that the cassette had mass market "music on the move" appeal from 1972 onwards. Now you could listen to The Beatles "on-demand" on car stereo players when previously you could only hear them at home on record players. Quite a novelty.
The paper labels, the circular 1&7/8ths inches per second logo on the spine, the presence of the cat no on the spine, the tracklisting on the inside of the inlay, the other Beatles music advertising on the foldover, the album front cover picture extending to the very bottom of the inlay, the elementary "newspaper-like" design, the grey or white cassette shell - all indicative of the first release cassette design. Look under my other items for a Beatles first release UK cassette guide 1968-71 for further detailed info.
EMI were not quite sure how to present the new cassette music format, which resulted in varying unique artwork designs (and paper label variations) up to Autumn 1970. The standard "all gold" reissue design was introduced in Jan 1972, but by this time, these first release Beatles cassettes had been manufactured, making them ideal items for collectors, today, nearly 50 years on. Look at any other "Abbey Road"/"Help!" cassette album on E Bay carefully, and you will notice the differences, both in the inserts and labels. EMI's slow start in taking up the new format was indicative of its worry of the effect it might have on its lucrative vinyl market.
See also "Guide to Beatles UK Collectible Cassettes 1968-71" under my other items. (Covers the very early, experimental marketing, "prototype" EMI musicasettes which were released while the outgoing reel to reel format was being phased out by EMI)
Posting in the UK and Worldwide.
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