BEATLES, Revolver (1966 MONO PRESSING)

	£		45
	$		60

ARTIST: THE BEATLES

TITLE: ‘REVOLVER’

FORMAT: VINYL LP

YEAR OF 1ST RELEASE: 1966

PRESSING: 2ND MONO (1966)

LABEL: PARLOPHONE

CAT. NO: PMC 7009

MATRIX NO. SIDE A: XEX 605-2

MATRIX NO. SIDE B: XEX 606-3

RECORD CONDITION: VERY GOOD+++

Can it possibly be the case that, some 38 years after it’s original release, there are still people around unaware of the pop perfection that is to be found on the Beatles greatest album ‘Revolver’?. I would like to think that surely not, for it seems that some time ago the general consensus of opinion shifted away from ‘Pepper’ and towards this previous years long player as being the collection that truly attains the kind of musical stature that has remained the standard barer for all pop music that’s followed. If there is such a thing as the uninitiated, the reasons for 'Revolver's' greatness are simple; as Paul McCartney understated in a recent interview “the Beatles were an interesting mixture of characters” and just as all the players in a football team performing to the peak of their capabilities can produce a beautiful spectacle so it was in 1966 that all four Beatles were on the top of their respective games, blending together to produce a work that perfectly combines their fascinating mixture of personalities and talents.

Not only did George Harrison throw into the ‘Revolver’ melting pot a couple of mid-sixties guitar-pop gems with ‘Taxman’ and ‘I Want To Tell You’, but he was also starting to properly spread his musical wings in the direction of India as best evidenced on ‘Love You To’, this was really the first Beatles album on which George Harrison made his presence felt. Meanwhile John Lennon, who in the early years had been a solid rock & roll leader of the band, was drifting further into his acid-head dreamweaver psychedelic phase that gave the Beatles their experimental cutting edge during this 66-’67 period, and it’s on ‘Revolver’ that the loop-frenzy quantum-leap of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ can be found – a track that still sounds futuristic today and has inspired whole careers by the likes of sampling DJ duo the Chemical Brothers. So John Lennon was pushing down the musical barriers but Paul McCartney had simply responded by composing the best songs of his career, ‘Revolver’ contains five McCartney originals that touch a level of song-writing, both lyrically and melodically, that he has never really bettered – but that’s not to knock McCartney for neither has anyone else and songs like ‘Here There And Everywhere’, ’Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘Good Day Sunshine’ remain the greatest in his long career. And that leaves Ringo, proving all over this record that he is in fact one of the most under-rated drummers in music, while his vocal on the children’s classic ‘Yellow Submarine’ highlights a wonderful group effort showing four musicians on peak creative form still pulling 100% in the same direction. That’s why this is the greatest album by the worlds greatest ever pop band….simple!

This is a sought after 1966 pressing in fantastic shape. The vinyl is a delightfully heavy-duty piece and the labels are correctly displaying the exact 1966 design – that is the ‘Gramophone Co.’ & ‘Sold in UK…’ text and the yellow on black logo with low matrix numbers listed above. These original pressings of the Beatles greatest album are certainly the ones to own, and they are becoming increasingly scarce in a well preserved state like this. The sound of the music is hard, full on and meaty and as the opener ‘Taxman’ kicks in to fill out the room, you'll know you're in for a real aural treat! This is the kind of audio clarity that can only come from early pressing vinyl, and the whole record doesn't disappoint. There are a few light pops and clicks but these are minimal and un-intrusive, in fact my visual inspection revealed only some general paper scuffs and brush marks, certainly no serious marks or damage. The spindle wear is minimal, it reveals that the record has been played but only a few times, not over-used. The side two label has had a small sticker removed at some stage but luckily this has not caused a tear and it is only noticeable close up. To put it simply, this original pressing rarely turns up in this sort of shape, the VG+++ grade is conservative and reflects the fact that the album has been used but not abused, yet still opportunity's to buy it like this are few and far between!

COVER CONDITION: EXCELLENT

A stunning example of the original 1966 album cover, printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. This is a front laminate flip-back cover which is printed on seriously good quality mid-sixties card and remains in really good clean shape. Both the top and bottom edges are pristine, the spine has pinched ends with clearly legible text, there are no unsightly folds, marks, scuffs or tears and the whole package has remained intact. Other than a few light, laminate creases (all very small and minor) there are no real signs that this is 38 years old or that it has been handled much. All the colours of the artwork look bright and clean, it is quite simply an album cover that has been handled with care.

ANY OTHER DETAILS: MONO

TRACKLISTING:

Side One

‘Taxman’

‘Eleanor Rigby’

‘I’m Only Sleeping’

‘Love You To’

‘Here There And Everywhere’

‘Yellow Submarine’

‘She Said She Said’

Side Two

‘Good Day Sunshine’

‘And Your Bird Can Sing’

‘For No One’

‘Dr. Robert’

‘I Want To Tell You’

‘Got To Get You Into My Life’

‘Tomorrow Never Knows’

Postage & Packing is UK £2.00 / Europe £3.00 / US £5.50 / rest of world £6.00. Payment is by Paypal, cheques or postal orders payable in UK Sterling only, well concealed cash in UK Sterling only or International Money Order payable in UK Sterling only.