Hello! You are about to bid on a Beach Boys 45 Surfin' / Luau Candix 331 label with matrix CD TS 1 / CD TS 2 and trail off matrix matching - read on below to see why this is truly the first Beach Boys record ! Also this is graded at VG with some light marks, label hole has small chip from adaptor and owners name stamp on label both sides -Thanks for looking.

Candix numbers

By Phlip (Phlip) on Thursday, January 3, 2002 - 01:54 pm:
I am attempting to determine the relative rarity (and value) of the various versions of the record “Surfin’” b/w “Luau” manufactured circa 1961.

According to Stephen McParland in his book “Our Favourite Recording Sessions,” there were three distinctly separate pressings/matrix designations, and FIVE distinctly separate labels:

MATRIX:

1. CD-TS-1 (“Surfin’”) b/w CD-TS-2 (“Luau”);
2. CD-TS-1-R (“Surfin’”) b/w CD-TS-2-R (“Luau”);
3. CD-TS-1R (“Surfin’”) b/w CD-TS-2R (“Luau”).

NOTE: The Candix matrix designations indicate:

CD=Candix Records
TS=The Surfers (the name Candix originally intended to give to the
Pendletones)
1=side of the record
R=reissue

LABELS:

1. “Candix 331” (matched with matrix #1)
2. “X 301” (matched with matrix #2)
3. “Candix 301” (matched with matrix #2)
4. “Candix 301” (matched with matrix #3)
5. “Candix 301 - Dist. by Era Record Sales” (matched with matrix #3).

1. “Candix 331” was the first pressing (first version). There was apparently a problem with the pressing plant getting paid.

2. “X 301” was one of two things: EITHER a Hite Morgan label, created after Murry Wilson naively gave the master to Candix (resulting in the manufacture of Candix 331), OR an attempt by the Dix brothers (the owners of Candix) to hide the identity of the label from the first pressing plant;

3. “Candix 301” was (apparently) the one and only time Candix reissued a previously-used catalogue number, probably to keep the same number as the one used on the previously-manufactured “X 301.” A number of sources show the release date of “Candix 301” to be Friday, December 8, 1961. So
then “X 301” (and probably “Candix 331” as well) MUST have been manufactured (and released) PRIOR to December 8th?

4. Collectors books show “Candix 301 - Dist. by Era Record Sales” to be the version released nationally, while Stephen McParland speculates that “Candix 301 - Dist. by Era Records” was for release in the L. A. area, to show the local radio stations and record companies that Herb Newman’s money was now behind the record. So which was it?

In my collector’s records books, the value of the various versions are ranked as follows:

1. “X 301” (most rare/most valuable)
2. “Candix 301”
3. “Candix 331”
4. “Candix 301 - Dist. by Era Record Sales” least rare)

NOTE: There is no distinction made between "Candix 301" with matrix #2, and "Candix 301" with matrix #3).

Here are some questions:

1. Since "Candix 331" was the “original” pressing of the record, how many copies would Candix have normally ordered?

2. If “Candix 301” (with matrix #2) was “officially” released on December 8, 1961, then “X 301” and (probably) “Candix 331” had already been released. So was “X 301” released in November, and “Candix 331” in November (or maybe even October)? Or were none of the records "formally released" until the record was provided to KFWB on December 8?

3. Was the "Battle of the Bands" won by "Surfin'" on December 9? Or December 16?

4. How many copies of the pressing with the second matrix were manufactured, and what percentage of these received the “X 301” label,
and what percentage received the “Candix 301” label?

5. How many copies of the pressing with the third matrix were manufactured (probably a lot, since Herb Newman was now involved, and the record was certainly known to be a “hit” and ready for national distribution by this time), and what percentage of these received the “Candix 301 - Dist. by Era Record Sales” label?

Let’s try a survey...

All of you who have a copy of “Surfin’” b/w “Luau” manufactured circa 1961, please check the record carefully for matrix and label, and determine which “version” you have. We’ll total it up, and find out at least which are the most rare amongst ourselves.

Thanks in advance.

By Brad on Thursday, January 3, 2002 - 10:48 pm:
Phlip,

A lot of the information Stephen included in his book came from me. I'm the one who figured out that "TS" stood for "The Surfers," and I'm the one who (working with Derek Bill) figured out that there were two different masterings of Candix 301 and that they matched up to the X and Era-distributed copies, respectively. Since I talked to Stephen, though, I've continued to research the Candix releases and have uncovered a considerable amount of additional information.

A couple of points:

- The X label was not a Hite Morgan label. I've talked to the Dix brothers (yes, they're still alive!) and it was their label, designed to get around the fact that their Candix label owed money to the pressing plant that handled Candix 331. The apparent reason the single needed to be repressed was that Candix had negotiated a distribution deal with a company called Alco Research and Engineering Inc.

- Murry did not naively give the master of "Surfin'" to Candix. Hite Morgan was directly involved in the dealings with Candix.

- The Candix 301 designation for the single seems to have come about when Candix negotiated a second distribution deal, with Pacific Record Distributors. After several months, Era Record Sales was brought in by Pacific, apparently to handle national distribution of the single (Pacific was primarily a local L.A. operation). The three parties (Candix, Pacific and Era) agreed that Era would operate under the terms of the contract that Pacific had with Candix. The "Era Record Sales" notation likely was added at that time to copies distributed nationally.

A reasonable sequence of events looks like this:

1. The record receives its first mastering (CD-TS-1 and CD-TS-2) for release as Candix 331, which is self-distributed by Candix.

2. A distribution deal is negotiated with Alco. Unable to return to the pressing plant used for the first pressing, Candix remasters the single (CD-TS-1-R and CD-TS-2-R) for a new pressing, to be released as X 301.

3. Candix arranges a distribution deal with Pacific Record Sales and uses the same plates from the Alco remastering to press discs to be sold by Pacific. The new pressings again carry the Candix label (the bill with the original plant presumably having been paid), but are numbered 301 to retain conformity with the X release.

4. At some point, the plates either wear out or break. A second remastering is done (CD-TS-1R and CD-TS-2R), which is used to press more copies of Candix 301.

5. Era assumes national distribution of the single, and the notation "Dist. by Era Record Sales" is added to the copies Era will distribute.

Now, to try and answer your questions ...

** 1. Since "Candix 331" was the “original” pressing of the record, how many copies would Candix have normally ordered? **

The Dix brothers no longer have those kind of detailed records, but their recollection is that they sold 12,000 copies of Candix 331.

** 2. If "Candix 301" (with matrix #2) was "officially" released on December 8, 1961, then "X 301" and (probably) "Candix 331" had already been released. So was "X 301" released in November, and "Candix 331" in November (or maybe even October)? Or were none of the records "formally released" until the record was provided to KFWB on December 8? **

Based on information provided by the Dix brothers, the Dec. 8 release date probably should be attached to Candix 331. The best date I can put on X 301 is Dec. 19, which is the date on a telegram confirming the deal between Candix and Alco for the latter to distribute "Surfin'" on the X label. Realistically, though, it's doubtful that copies would have been available the same day as the deal was reached, so figure it would have been at least several days later.

Strangely, the deal with Alco seems to have fallen apart very quickly, because a new distribution deal with Pacific was negotiated and signed before the end of the year. Era assumed national distribution beginning in early February 1962.

** 3. Was the "Battle of the Bands" won by "Surfin'" on December 9? Or December 16? **

I really have no documentary evidence, but if 12,000 copies of Candix 331 were sold before X 301 was issued, then I'd lean very heavily toward Dec. 9 as the date of the "Battle of the Bands." That would allow more than just a couple of days for the record to sell that many copies.

** 4. How many copies of the pressing with the second matrix were manufactured, and what percentage of these received the “X 301” label,
and what percentage received the “Candix 301” label? **

Given the very short duration of the deal with Alco, it's reasonable to assume that there were very few copies of X 301 pressed and sold.

I can't break down the Candix 301 sales by mastering, but by June 1962, Pacific had sold a total of 33,000 copies of Candix 301 (some would be the second mastering, some the third).

** 5. How many copies of the pressing with the third matrix were manufactured (probably a lot, since Herb Newman was now involved, and the record was certainly known to be a “hit” and ready for national distribution by this time), and what percentage of these received the “Candix 301 - Dist. by Era Record Sales” label? **

That information doesn't seem to be available any more. None of the documents still in the possession of the Dix Brothers show sales numbers from Era. However, based upon my 25+ years of collecting, I think there are a lot less Era-distributed copies than you might think. Copies of Candix 301 with the Era notation are a LOT rarer than those without!

By Phlip (Phlip) on Monday, January 7, 2002 - 12:35 pm:
As a sort of review of, and/or appendix to, some of the items mentioned by Brad...

"Surfin'" received its world radio premiere on KFWB ("Channel 98") by way of the station's "Battle of the Bands" (in which three new records were faced off against one another, and the one that received the most votes from listeners, got added to the KFWB play list for the following week). However, there is some question as to exactly when "Surfin'" won the contest. According to a radio interview with Dennis Wilson in 1975, "It was on a Saturday, I think..." And as Brad pointed out, Murry Wilson is quoted in the Tom Nolan "Rolling Stone" interview in 1971 as referring to "... the record "Surfin'" of December 8th, 1961..."

Brad also mentioned that the mastering lab ("delta") stamp on "Surfin'" points to a date in "late November 1961", and that the Dix Brothers remembered "Surfin'" as being released (that would be the "Candix 331" version) in "November 1961." So if the "Battle of the Bands" did indeed occur on a Saturday (as Dennis remembered), then the most likely Saturdays for the event would be:

December 2, 1961 (in which case "Surfin'" would have been added to the KFWB playlist "for the week ending December 8th"... which might be the date Murry was remembering in the 1971 interview),

or

December 9, 1961 (if "Surfin'" had been officially released for local distribution by Buckeye Record Distributors on that unforgettable-for-some-reason "December 8th" date as remembered by Murry).

December 16, 1961 would be seem to be a lot less likely, but only because the date of the telegram confirming the "X Records" deal between Candix and Alco Engineering was dated December 19th, and it seems unlikely that the need for such a deal would have been both apparent AND consummated only three days after the world premiere of "Surfin'" on KFWB.

What IS certain is that "Surfin'" first appeared on the KFWB "Fabulous Forty" Survey for the week ending December 29, 1961. Here is how the record progressed...

#33 - week ending December 29, 1961
#19 - week ending January 5, 1962
#11 - week ending January 12, 1962
# 6 - week ending January 19, 1962
# 6 - week ending January 26, 1962
# 4 - week ending February 2, 1962
# 4 - week ending February 9, 1962
# 3 - week ending February 16, 1962
# 9 - week ending February 23, 1962
# 9 - week ending March 2, 1962
#19 - week ending March 9, 1962
#25 - week ending March 16, 1962

As can be noted, "Surfin'" enjoyed its greatest popularity in L. A. from mid-January through the end of February 1962.

And what two records kept "Surfin'" from getting to #1 on KFWB for the week ending February 16? "Duke of Earl" (Gene Chandler) and "The Wanderer" (Dion).

"Surfin'" (as Candix 331) was first noted by national magazine "Billboard" (at position #118) in its January 13, 1962 issue (two weeks BEFORE it was mentioned "Cash Box"), but did not enter the magazine's "Hot Hundred" (at #93) until the week ending February 17th (one week AFTER it entered the "Cash Box" Top 100). "Surfin'" PEAKED at #75 on the "Billboard" charts for the week ending March 24th (one week AFTER "Surfin" had slipped completely off the KFWB "Fabulous Forty"), and left the "Hot Hundred" in April.

Meanwhile, "Surfin'" (as Candix 301) first was mentioned in "Cash Box" magazine as a "Hit Pick of the Week" for the week ending January 27, 1962, and entered the "Cash Box" Top 100 (as Candix 331) at position #96 for the week ending February 10th (one week BEFORE it made the "Billboard Hot Hundred"). "Surfin'" peaked at #85 in "Cash Box" during the week ending March 10th (ten positions lower than it would peak in "Billboard" two weeks later), and made its last appearance in the "Cash Box" Top 100 for the week ending March 31st.

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