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The Beatles are planning three special gifts for collectors, just in time for the Christmas season: a vinyl box set of the band's beloved Christmas messages to fans, plus new editions of this year's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band remix and reissue on vinyl and hi-def digital audio. All three titles hit stores December 15!
If you were a Beatlemaniac during the band's original heyday, nothing could be better than getting a special present from The Beatles Fan Club. Seven original flexi-discs released each December between 1963 and 1969 in England featured short bits of holiday greetings, skits, jokes and the odd tune from John, Paul, George and Ringo. The audio has reappeared sparingly ever since: in 1970, after the band broke up earlier that year, a full LP of all the material from the seven original discs was issued (called The Beatles Christmas Album in the U.S. and From Then to You in the U.K.). While it was an official release, it was not a high-quality one, sourced from the original flexi-discs themselves and not the master tapes. An edit of "Christmas Time is Here Again," an original song from the 1967 disc, was to be included on a scrapped 1985 Beatles outtakes compilation called Sessions, but later appeared as a B-side to the "Free As a Bird" single when The Beatles Anthology was released in 1995. Part of the 1963 single was even included as bonus content on The Beatles Rock Band video game.
Now, everyone can experience The Beatles' good cheer on The Christmas Records, a seven-disc box set featuring colored 45 RPM vinyl recreations of the original flexi-discs (all single-sided except for the last two in 1968 and 1969). The original sleeve artwork has been recreated for each title, and an enclosed 16-page booklet offers recording notes plus reproductions of the newsletters sent with each disc!
Fans fell in love with Sgt. Pepper all over again this year with a stunning new stereo remix overseen by Beatle producer George Martin's son Giles. It was, of course, part of a deluxe 50th anniversary box set packed with unreleased session outtakes and video footage that will undoubtedly make a great holiday gift if you haven't treated yourself already! But if you're looking for a little something different with the material, a high-definition audio edition of the box set will be available at all digital retailers. A standalone vinyl edition of the remix will also be available in time for Christmas, on either 180-gram black vinyl or a limited picture disc featuring the album cover image on one side and the iconic Sgt. Pepper drum head on the other.
Pre-order all these titles now and they should arrive just 10 days before Christmas, on December 15!
The Christmas Records (Apple/Capitol/UMe, 2017)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada (TBD)
- The Beatles' Christmas Record (originally released as Lyntone LYN-492, 1963)
- Another Beatles Christmas Record (originally released as Lyntone LYN-757, 1964)
- The Beatles' Third Christmas Record (originally released as Lyntone LYN-948, 1965)
- The Beatles' Fourth Christmas Record - Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas (originally released as Lyntone LYN-1145, 1966)
- Christmas Time is Here Again! (originally released as Lyntone LYN-1360, 1967)
- The Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record (originally released as Lyntone LYN-492, 1968)
- The Beatles' Seventh Christmas Record (originally released as Lyntone LYN-1743/4, 1969)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 2017 Remix LP (Apple/Capitol/UMe, 2017)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada (TBD)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 2017 Remix Picture Disc (Apple/Capitol/UMe, 2017)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada (TBD)
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About effing time this was officially released. Translates to $10 per disc, and no convenient CD version? I guess I'll have to stick with my bootlegs. This is a cash grab, and they'll get it. A single CD at a normal price would be a perennial seller.
Totally agree. These recordings deserve so much more than this. At the very least, there should be a fully annotated, fully remastered digital release, with transcriptions of the speeches and incisive commentary that places the recordings in their proper context (including references to "the Goon Show"). Instead, we get this silly eye candy, which relegates the stuff to collectors-only oddities rather than key parts of the Beatles' legacy.
I would love to have the Christmas collection, but I am not paying over $85 for it. Sheesh.
This needs to be released on CD!! C'mon! I don't collect vinyl. They have to know there would be a demand for this material, even on CD.
Hey Mike,
Wasn't the 2017 remix released as a stand alone LP the same day as the box? I am confused.
Thanks,
Sal
The Vinyl edition that was released was a double album, with the remix on one vinyl and an "alternative" album made of outtakes from the box on a second album. I would have gone with the stereo remix only, if I knew then...
I passed on Pepper, but the single lp sounds good. As far as the xmas box, that is priced about twice what it should be. Perhaps if it included a cd of the material that would make it more appealing. Of course in a year I may be kicking myself if it sells out...
If anything is a cash-grab it's the reissue of the Pepper 50 mix from 6 months ago. Very happy to see the Xmas recordings! Music that hasn't been officially available since 1970? Nice! Thanks for the update. All the best! --Sam
I too will stick with my bootleg Christmas CD. For all the times I've played it (once) and will play it (???) in the future, it'll do me just fine.
Universal has done more for The Beatles legacy in 5 years than EMI did in 40.
Universal is trying to make as much money as EMI did, but in a shorter time. They really shouldn't try manufacturing so many artifacts. Most of us are content buying the core items many times over.
In the future when I'm gone and there are but two majors left The Beatles catalogue will still be selling in all of the futuristic formats we can't begin to imagine.
Still no Let It Be DVD/Blu-Ray (and CD box set of sessions/outtakes/Rooftop Concert), nor Shea Stadium (In spite of it being shown theatrically with the Eight Days a Week movie) or any other live video available (Tokyo, for instance?), nor “Carnival of Light.”
Adding another voice to the crowd, saying "I'll stick with my bootleg Christmas CD until they can do an official release..." How could they not figure out that a CD would sell?
I have a nasty hunch the music label is holding a CD release back for next year. They want collectors double-dipping.