MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
WRC S-4574 / Capitol SMAL 2835 (US import) / Parlophone PCSO 3077
WRC S-4574 / Capitol SMAL 2835 (US import) / Parlophone PCSO 3077
| FORMAT | RELEASE DATE | SIDE 1 MATRIX | SIDE 2 MATRIX | PARTS |
| STEREO | Jun 1969 | SMAL-1-2835 B24 IAM | SMAL-2-2835 A23#4 IAM | US |
| STEREO | 23 Sep 1974 | SMAL-1-2835 H29.2 | SMAL-2-2835 H31.2 | US import |
| STEREO | 16 Jul 1979 | PCSO.3077A | PCSO.3077B | AU |
| STEREO | ~1982 | PCSO.3077A-2 | PCSO.3077B | AU |
| STEREO | 14 Nov 1988 | PCSO3077D-A PB EMIDISC DMM |
PCSO3077D-B PB EMIDISC DMM |
AU |
MATRIX INFORMATION
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
| ORIGIN | CODE | CIRCULATED | SLEEVE DETAILS |
| AUST | A1 | Jun 1969 | Front cover taken from page 10 of the US LP/UK EP booklet; non-gatefold. Rear has two yellow stripes. Titled Magical Mystery Tour And Other Splendid Hits |
| USA | US1 | Sep 1974 | US import |
| AUST | A2 | ~1974 | Second yellow stripe on rear cover replaced with green (mouseover sleeve image above) |
| AUST | A3 | Jul 1979 | Locally-produced (gatefold) version of US1 but without booklet (although some copies have been observed with a loose, unglued booklet included) |
| AUST | A4 | Nov 1988 | Same as A3 but with "DIGITALLY REMASTERED" footer on interior left g/fold |
SLEEVE INFORMATION
WORLD RECORD CLUB
AU4574S1
Jun 1969
AU4574S1
Jun 1969
APPLE - EMI IMPORT
AU2835S3
23 Sep 1974
AU2835S3
23 Sep 1974
ORANGE 1-BOX C
AU3077S4
16 July 1979
AU3077S4
16 July 1979
WORLD RECORD CLUB
AU4574S2
Aug 1972
AU4574S2
Aug 1972
GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION
In 1969, the Australian arm of the World Record Club (WRC) decided to enter the pop music field. In doing so, they wanted a strong flagship title and there was no better album to start with than, as the WRC called it at the time, "a fabulous album never before available in LP form in Australia!". Thus the album was released, with customary unique artwork (using the image on page 10 of the 24-page EP/US album booklet), slightly modified title (adding "And Other Splendid Hits") and pressed from mothers imported from the US (courtesy Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Scranton, Pennsylvania) by WRC, in June 1969. By all accounts it was a huge seller for the club.
WRC's co-founder John Day recalls: "My Repertoire Director Dianne Ellis was in Sydney on a routine visit and took delivery of a pile of EMI LPs - mainly classical - from their A&R man for us to consider for Club release. Flipping through them she discovered to her astonishment the Beatles album. She immediately queried its inclusion and EMI confirmed they did not intend to release it - it was ours if we wanted it."
An 8 track cartridge release followed as part of the WRC's first batch of cartridge releases in March 1970.
A cassette release followed as part of the WRC's first batch of cassette releases in November 1970. Cassettes came in the hard plastic cases that were in use at the time, and, of course, contained the same 'duophonic' tracks as the LP. The LP, cassette, 8-track and reel formats (the latter released in May 1973 - please visit the "Reel-To-Reel Tape" page under "Other Formats..." for further information) were reissued ad nauseum by the WRC throughout the seventies.
In parallel, EMI (Australia) was experiencing considerable consumer demand for the album. One could order the US LP, 8-track or cassette through EMI's international ordering system, although only the US cassette (4XT 2835) was listed in local catalogues.
Following EMI UK's lead, EMI (Australia) commenced local manufacture of the album on cassette in September 1974. In doing so, they finally added the album to their catalogue (using the UK title, which added "And Other Titles"), although vinyl and 8-track copies would continue to be imported from the US for many years to come. The cassettes were manufactured from new production master tapes compiled by EMI UK in the early 1970s, which had replaced Capitol's duophonic tracks with true stereo mixes. WRC cassettes, 8-tracks and reels manufactured from this time would also use these newer tapes.
In July 1979, EMI (Australia) finally commenced pressing vinyl copies domestically, not surprisingly with an inferior gatefold sleeve and without the 24-page booklet (although some copies did come with a loose booklet included). Until the digital era, all vinyl copies have the duophonic versions of 'Penny Lane', 'Baby, You're A Rich Man', and 'All You Need Is Love'.
The album would remain available through the WRC until the club commenced winding down in 1982, with copies from late 1979 using the domestic Parlophone cut and copies from 1981 being the standard EMI (Australia) release with a small WRC sticker applied over the catalogue number on the rear of the cover (see zoomable image, below).
WRC's co-founder John Day recalls: "My Repertoire Director Dianne Ellis was in Sydney on a routine visit and took delivery of a pile of EMI LPs - mainly classical - from their A&R man for us to consider for Club release. Flipping through them she discovered to her astonishment the Beatles album. She immediately queried its inclusion and EMI confirmed they did not intend to release it - it was ours if we wanted it."
An 8 track cartridge release followed as part of the WRC's first batch of cartridge releases in March 1970.
A cassette release followed as part of the WRC's first batch of cassette releases in November 1970. Cassettes came in the hard plastic cases that were in use at the time, and, of course, contained the same 'duophonic' tracks as the LP. The LP, cassette, 8-track and reel formats (the latter released in May 1973 - please visit the "Reel-To-Reel Tape" page under "Other Formats..." for further information) were reissued ad nauseum by the WRC throughout the seventies.
In parallel, EMI (Australia) was experiencing considerable consumer demand for the album. One could order the US LP, 8-track or cassette through EMI's international ordering system, although only the US cassette (4XT 2835) was listed in local catalogues.
Following EMI UK's lead, EMI (Australia) commenced local manufacture of the album on cassette in September 1974. In doing so, they finally added the album to their catalogue (using the UK title, which added "And Other Titles"), although vinyl and 8-track copies would continue to be imported from the US for many years to come. The cassettes were manufactured from new production master tapes compiled by EMI UK in the early 1970s, which had replaced Capitol's duophonic tracks with true stereo mixes. WRC cassettes, 8-tracks and reels manufactured from this time would also use these newer tapes.
In July 1979, EMI (Australia) finally commenced pressing vinyl copies domestically, not surprisingly with an inferior gatefold sleeve and without the 24-page booklet (although some copies did come with a loose booklet included). Until the digital era, all vinyl copies have the duophonic versions of 'Penny Lane', 'Baby, You're A Rich Man', and 'All You Need Is Love'.
The album would remain available through the WRC until the club commenced winding down in 1982, with copies from late 1979 using the domestic Parlophone cut and copies from 1981 being the standard EMI (Australia) release with a small WRC sticker applied over the catalogue number on the rear of the cover (see zoomable image, below).
BLACK 1-BOX A
AU3077S5A
Apr 1982
AU3077S5A
Apr 1982
BLACK 1-BOX B
AU3077S5B
Jul 1987
AU3077S5B
Jul 1987
NZ DK GREY 1-BOX
AU3077S6
1981
AU3077S6
1981
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 10 MARCH 2023
