The Beatles Across The Universe RARE 1-SIDED 33RPM TEST PRESSING RECORD

$

36

In this auction is a RARE ONE for sure!

• “ACROSS THE UNIVERSE” by The Beatles

• This is World Wildlife Fund 5Q3-MONO.

• This is a 7-inch UK Pressing that plays at 33RPM.

• It is a VERY RARE ONE-SIDED TEST PRESSING of “ACROSS THE UNIVERSE”.

• The Price Guide for the Beatles American Records 6th Edition by Perry Cox and Frank Daniels provides the following information about test pressings on page 10:

“Prior to the start of a production run, a few test copies of the record are pressed. These are sent to the record company for review. Once approval is received, the factories begin pressing the records. Because test pressings are often made prior to the labels being printed, they often have blank white labels with handwritten information. They should not be confused with promotional discs, which are manufactured in greater numbers after approval of the test pressing.”

“Because test pressings are scarcer than promotional discs and commercial copies of the record, they sell for a premium. Value is determined not only by scarcity, but also by the desirability of the title.”

• This TEST PRESSING has WHITE LABELS with PRINTED INFORMATION on one label, and the other label is blank.

• The Printed Label reads:

(Available only to technical and
other authorized personnel for the
unlimited purpose of testing and re-view.
NOT TO BE PUBLICLY PERFORMED,
REPRODUCED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE
DISTRIBUTED BY PHONE, MAILS,
OR OTHER MEANS, OR ELSE)

• SIDE 1 has a 3:38 version of “Across the Universe”, and SIDE 2 has Technician's Test Signals.

• This is the VERY RARE earlier (pre-Spector) mix produced by George Martin and recorded in 1968. It is distinguished by different production elements such as speed changes, sound effects, and female background vocals. This is NOT the standard and most-familiar version on the Phil Spector-produced “LET IT BE” album.

• The version of the song on this test-pressing is the one that appeared (PRIOR to the “LET IT BE” album) on the UK charity compilation album entitled “NO ONE’S GONNA CHANGE OUR WORLD”. That LP, issued for fundraising purposes, was released by Regal Starline (catalog number SRS 5013) on December 12, 1969 for the benefit of the World Wildlife Fund.

• The LP’s title was, of course, adapted from one of the lines of lyrics in “Across The Universe”: "Nothing's gonna change my world".

• In addition to The Beatles, other artists contributed tracks to this benefit World Wildlife Fund LP including Spike Mulligan, the Bee Gees, Cilia Black, The Hollies, Lulu, Cliff Richard & The Shadows and others. The LP’s liner notes were provided by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

• The Fab Four Collectibles website provided this interesting chronology of how “Across The Universe” came to be on the World Wildlife Fund charity LP:

  During The Beatles recording sessions in February 1968, Spike Mulligan stopped by the studio, heard the song and suggested it would be ideal for release on a charity album that he was organizing for the World Wildlife Fund. Sometime during 1968 The Beatles agreed to the idea, and in January 1969 the best mono mix was remixed for the charity album. In keeping with the “Wildlife” theme of the album, sound effects of birds were added to the beginning and the end of the track. The ORIGINAL MONO MIX from February 1968 is 3:37 minutes in length (actually 3:38 according to the record label). After the “bird” effects were added, the track was sped up so that even with the 20 seconds of added effects, it was only 3:49. Speeding up the recording also raised the key to E-Flat. By October 1969 it was decided that the song needed to be remixed in Stereo. This was done by Geoff Emerick (EMI/Abbey Road Recording Engineer) immediately prior to the banding of the World Wildlife Fund charity LP.

• It’s interesting to note that the song appeared in two different versions during the Beatles' lifetime, and in different third version on the “ANTHOLOGY 3” LP.

• But the most familiar version by far is the one on the “LET IT BE” LP that was produced by Phil Spector.

• The VINYL is in VERY STRONG VG to VG+ CONDITION with just some very light/slight surface hairlines/scuffs. (None of these are “feel-able” at all and, really, not even close to being “feel-able”.) The vinyl has LOTS of GLOSS. (I want to mention that there is a very small ½-inch slightly raised area on the edge of the vinyl on the “blank label” side. This appears to be a vinyl fault/vinyl flaw caused at the time of production. It is not a warp, and I do not believe it was caused by edge of the vinyl being exposed to any heat after its production. It is UNDECTABLE, both by visual and by touch, on the edge of the vinyl on the side with the printed label and song track. But most importantly, it DOES NOT AFFECT PLAY AT ALL ON EITHER SIDE. I played it on my Technics direct drive turntable tracking at ½ gram to be certain. To me, the vinyl flaw on the edge is not significant, but I want to put your mind at ease with the assurance that it has NO EFFECT on the performance of the vinyl when played.

• The LABELS are CLEAN and WHITE, as you can see in the images, with just slight aging. There is NO soiling, NO tears and NO writing on the labels.

• It’s a fact that BEATLES TEST PRESSINGS are VERY HARD TO COME BY.

• What makes this Beatles Test Pressing so special is that the vast majority of Beatles Test Pressings were produced by Capitol Records, Apple Records and Parlophone Records for singles and LPs produced by those record companies. BUT THIS ONE WAS NOT!

So, don’t pass up the opportunity of adding this VERY RARE TEST PRESSING of THE BEATLES’ FIRST RECORDED VERSION of “ACROSS THE UNIVERSE” to your Beatles vinyl collection!!!

Thanks to the Price Guide for the Beatles American Records 6th Edition by Perry Cox and Frank Daniels for information about test pressings.

FYI: I used the COVER/SLEEVE GRADES and RECORD GRADES listed and described on page 8 of the Price Guide for the Beatles American Records 6th Edition. These are Poor (P), Fair (F), Good Minus (G-), Good (G), Good Plus (G+), Very Good Minus (VG-), Very Good (VG), Very Good+ (VG+), Near Mint Minus (NM-), Near Mint (NM), Mint Minus (M-), and Mint (M) to VISUALLY GRADE this record, so please know the descriptions of these grades before bidding. Please ask any questions BEFORE bidding. And please check my other auctions for more Beatles and Beatles-related vinyl you may want to add to your collection. Be high bidder on several and combine shipping on auction items that finish the same day. Winning bidder must remit payment within 5 days of auction close. Add $4.50 for shipping to a U.S. address via USPS Media Mail with tracking. Expedited shipping is available at additional cost.