A Guide To 'Fine Tuning' Pressing Dates
Unlike UK Beatles releases, in which both 'mother' and 'stamper' codes are accommodated within the runout-matrix information, the bulk of Australian vinyl only has a matrix number. The lack of stamper codes, or other vinyl-dating information, makes it near on impossible to date pressings/labels beyond the approximate date of a label-style transition or knowledge of when a new cut became available. Compounding the problem is the habit of label typesetters of informally altering font-size, font-style, leading and kerning of one or all of the non-permanent text blocks, meaning that a title label with an italicised-tracklist text has nothing at all in common, date-wise, with an italicised-tracklist label of any other title.
However, with some interrogation of individual labels, one can roughly determine a range in which a title was pressed. This page provides some contextual history and outlines some key content changes that will help you find tune the dating of your pressings. However, one caveat remains: existing stock on hand could mean a title with certain label features may have been pressed much later than the label would otherwise suggest.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN MECHANICAL ROYALTY COLLECTION SOCIETIES
Although music publishers had operated in Australia and New Zealand for many years, it was not until April 1956 that they combined to form the Copyright Owners Reproduction Society Limited (CORS). CORS was formed primarily to promote and protect the interests of parties owning or controlling rights of mechanical reproduction in Australia and New Zealand. Mechanical reproduction included such means as records, tapes, video recordings and cinematograph films. The J. McFadden Agency operated as the agent for the members of CORS in the licensing and collection of royalties for sundry usages of mechanical rights.
In November 1973, CORS changed its name to Australian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL) and for the first time formalised the existing licensing and collection practices. In January 1975, AMPAL formed its own division, the ANZ Music Copyright Agency (ANZMCA), taking over the activities formerly carried out by the J. McFadden Agency. The responsibilities and duties of ANZMCA included: the licensing of mechanical rights and collection of royalties in respect of sundry mechanical usages; the supply of information to various members of the public and industry, particularly in regard to the identification of owners of copyright in particular works; and, the direction of enquiries to the relevant music publishers. In January 1980, AMPAL established Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Limited (AMCOS) along the lines of overseas mechanical copyright societies such as the UK's aptly-titled Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS). Existing ANZMCA funds were transferred to AMCOS. To this day, AMCOS controls the right to reproduce musical works by mechanical means and collects royalties for the mechanical reproduction of its members' works. The amount of money paid is either the statutory mechanical rate or a rate as negotiated between the record company and music publisher. It's worth noting, though, that unlike many overseas societies that collect and distribute all of the royalties derived from mechanical reproduction, local major music publishers insist on direct payment from the major record companies of royalties payable in respect of the manufacture and sale of records/tapes/discs, meaning that for these publishers AMCOS collects only the secondary sources of mechanical income that the publishers find uneconomic to collect themselves.
ROYALTY STAMPS
Historically, once an Australian record company decided to reproduce a recorded work, it was obligated to locate the appropriate copyright owner and purchase stamps representing the amount of royalty payable for each record it planned to produce. Prior to 1957, the copyright owner would generally provide adhesive paper royalty stamps that the record company would adhere to each record label (or pianola roll or cylinder box) to signify that the royalty had been paid. Commencing 1957, most Australian record companies printed the stamps direct on the record labels, with the J. McFadden Agency collecting the royalties (for sundry usages of mechanical rights) on behalf of members of the Copyright Owners Reproduction Society Limited (CORS).
Where a copyright owner could not be located in time to meet the production schedule, the record company would apply a "Copyright Control" stamp, or, in the case of Beatles releases, a "Parlophone Control" stamp. If/when ownership was subsequently claimed, the correct copyright owner would be credited when the labels were next reprinted.
Labels printed for EMI (Australia) generally displayed the royalty stamp(s) to the left of the spindle hole.
In late 1967, Castle Music (one of EMI's two music publishing subsidiaries, the other being Belinda Music) replaced its text-based royalty stamp with a new royalty stamp, shaped, coincidentally, like a castle. The first 'new' Beatles release with this logo was the (stereo) Greatest Hits Volume 1 LP in February 1968.
Following the introduction of the Copyright Act 1968 and Regulations on 1 May 1969, EMI (Australia)—and all other record companies—ceased printing royalty stamps on labels from 1 July 1969, the start of the new financial year. The requirement to print the name of the copyright owner beside each track, however, continued until the end of local vinyl production. It should be noted that EMI (Australia) didn't always get it right, and examples of a number of LPs exist (most notably Please Please Me) where label reprints were required due to incorrect publisher details.
Between July 1969 and September 1969, EMI (Australia) labels had nothing printed to the left of the spindle hole. Commencing October, labels would have the speed and matrix number moved to fill the 'gap'. See image below for illustration.
In mid-1963, Dick James and Brian Epstein obtained Australasian representation for their UK music publishing companies Northern Songs and Jaep Music through a deal set up by Jack Argent, head of the local Leeds Music. Leeds Music already had the publishing rights for the two Dick James Music titles 'Please Please Me' and 'Ask Me Why'—which, by request of Epstein, James did not transfer to Northern Songs when he and Epstein formed the company in February 1963—and through this new deal inherited the rights to the rest of the Lennon-McCartney and (future) Harrison catalogues (with the exception of 'Love Me Do' and 'P.S. I Love You', which were both published in the UK by Ardmore and Beechwood and in Australia by the EMI-controlled Castle Music, and 'From Me To You', which was published by Essex Music of Australia before the Leeds Music arrangement was finalised).
In April 1965, Jack Argent formed Dick James Music Pty Ltd followed by Northern Songs Pty Ltd. Commencing May 1966, Beatles titles were published direct by the relevant publishing house, rather than through the parent, Leeds Music. This change is reflected on record labels, with new releases and reissues of the pre-May 1966 catalogue displaying the updated publisher arrangements (except, intriguingly, Rubber Soul, which displayed both Leeds Music and Northern Songs until 1969). Sheet music, however, referenced both Leeds Music and Northern Songs well into 1968.
After their contracts with Northern Songs expired in March 1968, new George Harrison and Richard Starkey-penned titles were published in Australia by Apple Corps Pty Ltd, on behalf of their respective UK publishing companies Harrisongs Ltd and Startling Music Ltd. Commencing November 1968, Apple Corps was administered here by Essex Music of Australia.
In late 1978, Chris Gilbey formed ATV Northern Songs Pty Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of ATV Music Limited. Northern Songs titles appearing on new Beatles records released from this time—including major label reissues—were published by ATV Northern Songs. After Michael Jackson purchased the ATV Music catalogue in August 1985, worldwide publishing was taken over by CBS Songs. Finally, after SBK Entertainment World Inc purchased CBS Inc's music publishing interests—including ATV Music—in October 1986, publishing rights were taken over by SBK Songs.
SUMMARY
In summarising the key aspects above, and notwithstanding the one caveat, if the label:
- has royalty stamps (generally printed left of the spindle hole) then it dates before July 1969.
- has a 'Northern Songs', 'Dick James' or 'JAEP' royalty stamp then it dates after May 1966.
- has a Castle Music logo rather than just text then it dates after late 1967.
- does not have anything printed to the left of the spindle hole then it dates July to September 1969.
- references 'ATV Northern Songs' then it dates after late 1978.