LABEL STYLES - ALBUMS
NZ CONTRACT
NZ CONTRACT
The nature of vinyl production in Australia was such that it was common for the pressing of popular newly-released records to monopolise vinyl production lines. This scenario naturally compromised the production of other vinyl, including back-catalogue records that still sold in sufficient numbers to warrant ongoing pressing. A standard practice in the record industry was to contract the production of vinyl out to other manufacturers, either domestic or abroad, and EMI (Australia) was no exception.
The most prolific outsourcing of Beatles vinyl production was to His Master's Voice (New Zealand). Between 1966 and 1987, HMV (New Zealand)—renamed EMI (New Zealand) on 1 May 1972—regularly supplemented Australian vinyl supplies.
The first heavy reliance on HMV (New Zealand) came in mid/late 1967. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had just been released and EMI (Australia) was committing most of its press-time to it. When The Rolling Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request came out in early 1968, it simply became too much for EMI (Australia) to handle. From late 1967 into 1969, HMV (New Zealand) pressed a considerable amount of titles for EMI (Australia), including the Beatles back-catalogue and almost every 'best of' compilation still in print; roughly 30 titles but potentially more. By mid-1969, EMI (Australia) once again had things under control and seemed to rely little on HMV/EMI (New Zealand) throughout the 1970s.
The next major use of EMI (New Zealand) was in 1981, when John Lennon's death sent sales of Beatles and related albums into a frenzy. Demand for Lennon and Beatles titles was such that EMI (Australia)'s computer system temporarily broke down under the strain. And even with its recently updated fully automated pressing plant, EMI (Australia) simply couldn't keep up. Almost all Beatles and many related albums were pressed by EMI (New Zealand) throughout 1981 and into 1982. By mid-1982 demand had settled and EMI (Australia) could once again cover in-house.
All vinyl was pressed at HMV/EMI (New Zealand)'s pressing plant in Lower Hutt, Wellington, using domestic New Zealand stampers (with the exception of Greatest Hits Volume 1, which utilised mothers supplied by EMI (Australia)) and label stock. Labels were printed with the same typesetting as domestic New Zealand labels, but with the New Zealand LP catalogue number replaced by the Australian number. The typesetting was adjusted in the early 1980s to more resemble that used on Australian labels. To coincide with this adjustment, the New Zealand matrix numbers were replaced by the Australian matrix numbers, even though the vinyl was still pressed using New Zealand stampers.
The records were placed in New Zealand-made inner sleeves and boxed and shipped to EMI (Australia), where they were placed in Australian-made outer sleeves and distributed for sale. The public would never know!
Records pressed in the 1960s specifically mention being manufactured for EMI (Australia), whereas records from the 1980s simply state that they were made in New Zealand. Records from the 1960s are considerably rarer than those from the 1980s.
The most prolific outsourcing of Beatles vinyl production was to His Master's Voice (New Zealand). Between 1966 and 1987, HMV (New Zealand)—renamed EMI (New Zealand) on 1 May 1972—regularly supplemented Australian vinyl supplies.
The first heavy reliance on HMV (New Zealand) came in mid/late 1967. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had just been released and EMI (Australia) was committing most of its press-time to it. When The Rolling Stones' Their Satanic Majesties Request came out in early 1968, it simply became too much for EMI (Australia) to handle. From late 1967 into 1969, HMV (New Zealand) pressed a considerable amount of titles for EMI (Australia), including the Beatles back-catalogue and almost every 'best of' compilation still in print; roughly 30 titles but potentially more. By mid-1969, EMI (Australia) once again had things under control and seemed to rely little on HMV/EMI (New Zealand) throughout the 1970s.
The next major use of EMI (New Zealand) was in 1981, when John Lennon's death sent sales of Beatles and related albums into a frenzy. Demand for Lennon and Beatles titles was such that EMI (Australia)'s computer system temporarily broke down under the strain. And even with its recently updated fully automated pressing plant, EMI (Australia) simply couldn't keep up. Almost all Beatles and many related albums were pressed by EMI (New Zealand) throughout 1981 and into 1982. By mid-1982 demand had settled and EMI (Australia) could once again cover in-house.
All vinyl was pressed at HMV/EMI (New Zealand)'s pressing plant in Lower Hutt, Wellington, using domestic New Zealand stampers (with the exception of Greatest Hits Volume 1, which utilised mothers supplied by EMI (Australia)) and label stock. Labels were printed with the same typesetting as domestic New Zealand labels, but with the New Zealand LP catalogue number replaced by the Australian number. The typesetting was adjusted in the early 1980s to more resemble that used on Australian labels. To coincide with this adjustment, the New Zealand matrix numbers were replaced by the Australian matrix numbers, even though the vinyl was still pressed using New Zealand stampers.
The records were placed in New Zealand-made inner sleeves and boxed and shipped to EMI (Australia), where they were placed in Australian-made outer sleeves and distributed for sale. The public would never know!
Records pressed in the 1960s specifically mention being manufactured for EMI (Australia), whereas records from the 1980s simply state that they were made in New Zealand. Records from the 1960s are considerably rarer than those from the 1980s.
BLUE (1965-67)
YELLOW/BLACK (1968-69)
DARK GREY EMI 1-BOX (1981-1987)
