Beatles Introducing the Beatles (Blank Back, Promo, Version 1)
This is an EXTREMELY RARE “PROMO-STAMPED” ORIGINAL “BLANK BACK” copy of Introducing the Beatles See Jay VJLP 1062 (63-34030, VERSION 1 with P.S. I Love You and Love Me Do).
YET, here it is! The blank back is stamped top center with PROMOTIONAL COPY. Amazing! Below that is the name of the store the record was given too, presumably as a listening copy.
Examining the inks of BOTH stamps closely with a magnifying glass, it’s clear the stamps were NOT places at the same time and that the inks are different in nature. Supposition: The store placed its stamp on the record to prevent theft. After all, Beatlemania was contagious!
OK: More: This a VERY VERY VERY EARLY VERSION 1, dated 6-29-63. It comes with the rainbow banded OVAL label and features both The Beatles and Introducing the Beatles above the center hole, with VLP-1062 and 63-3402/3 on the left, and the Side 1/2on the right, all in Silver ink.
The Dead wax Trail off includes AUDIO MATRIX stamped on BOTH sides and the date 6-29-63 etched on both sides. Side 1 has a triangle mark 5702, an inverted A, MR with a circle around it (Monarch Records) followed by 64-3402. Side 2 has the MR circled and a triangle mark, an inverted A, 5702-X followed by 64-3403, This is a VERY VERY EARLY copy pressed before the US release date of Jan. 10, 1964.
It is an incredibly rare item. Don’t miss your chance to obtain a copy, maybe the ONLY KNOWN PROMO COPY for your collection.
Doing some internet digging, here is what I could find out (thanks to some previous listers of similar pressings!) about the Blank Back:
Work on what would ultimately become Introducing The Beatles started in the summer of 1963. Given Vee-Jay's ongoing financial difficulties and initial failure of the Beatles singles to catch on in the US market, this effort lied dormant for the remainder of the year. Yet, by the end of 63, Vee-Jay caught wind that the US market might just be ready for The Beatles after all. Production of Introducing The Beatles was rushed into production to piggyback off of Capitol's massive promotional budget and the initial copies of this record were prepared for release. The initial release date of Introducing The Beatles was January 10th 1964 in both stereo and mono.
Initial copies of Introducing The Beatles were issued with the “ad back” as the rear cover. This was likely the most expedient option to rush this title to market, the rear art was created by simply copying the art from a contemporary Vee-Jay inner sleeve.
In this short space of time, once printing plants had exhausted all the “ad back” slicks stock, a small number of blank back slicks were created. This is the version you are bidding on. There’s much speculation on why the blank back was chosen, though it likely was a quick stop gap measure to ensure Beatles product could be flooded into the market.
Almost immediately these copies were replaced. Bruce Spizer's Goldmine article provides in depth information why a brand track listing, and 3rd rear cover design was created with the first week of release. This version with proper title back sleeves, began printing in January 1964.
Soon after what is now considered the VERSION 1 title back cover was released, Beechwood Music, which owned the US rights to Love Me Do and P.S. I Love You, issued a restraining order against Vee-Jay on 1/16/64. Vee-Jay was ordered to cease use of those 2 tracks. Vee-Jay quickly modified the running order eliminating these two tracks and replacing them with Ask Me Why and Please Please Me. Lacquers with this change were created almost immediately on 1/22/64, with their corresponding stampers created 1/24/64. The release date for the revised version is listed as 2/10/64, an auspicious date as this was the very next day after the Beatles groundbreaking Ed Sullivan Show debut on Sunday 2/9/64. Thus all copies created with this initial track order predated the explosion of Beatlemania in the U.S.!
CONDITION: Cover has heavy seam wear top and bottom on the verge of splitting. Uper right corner has heavy wear; all corners have some wear. Back cover has a few light spots, some hazing/ringwear, but PROMOTOIONAL COPY stamp is clean. Front cover has heavy hazing, scuffing and scattered spidering off edges. INTRODUCING THE BEATLES and VEE JAY still visible on the spine.
DEEP GROOVE vinyl has numeorus surface scuffs, nothing I can feel, and actually plays well overall with some minor background noise in spots. Grade is for visual appearance.
AGAIN, this is an incredibly rare item. Don’t miss your chance to obtain a copy, maybe the ONLY KNOWN PROMO COPY for your collection.
Email if you need more photos.
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THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!
Genre: Rock
Condition: G+
Cover Condition: G+Label: Vee Jay
Reference Number: VJLP 1062
Date: 1964
Country: US
SKU: 12311
Music Formats > LP