Category: Interesting Finds

We thought we would spend a few words on some of the rare Beatles records that have recently come in the shop. One that most people know is the Butcher Cover. And since you are probably already familiar with the story, we will just quickly summarize it here. The cover, featuring the wholesome Beatles Four in lab coats covered in raw meat while holding baby dolls, proved too gruesome for the public. Consequently, Capitol recalled the record. They pasted the new, much tamer “Trunk” cover on top of the “Butcher.” Then they sent the records back to stores for sale.

Butcher States

There are 3 states of the cover. 1st: the original cover on top of which Capitol never got the chance to apply the new one. The rarest version since someone hung onto it when they weren’t supposed to. 2nd: the unpeeled cover where the second cover remains pasted on top of the original. 3rd: when someone has peeled off the second cover to reveal the original Butcher cover. If you do have or find a second state and want to sell it, we recommend leaving it as is. If you want to keep it and unveil the Butcher, we recommend sending it to a professional for the cleanest peel.

We’ve seen many a customer (not only at our shop but in others as well) hit The Beatles section, pull out a copy of “Yesterday and Today,” and lose their gaze in the cover hoping to find the Butcher underneath. Like people used to do in front of those 3-D images at the mall. There are those who actually try to lift the paper off the cover themselves, usually starting at the corners. Typically, people carry this out at home but, as incredible as it may sound, we have seen some attempt it right in front of us in the shop. Prior to purchase, we might add. So to save time, eye-ball strain, and countless “Yesterday” covers from being mangled, we’d like to offer some tips and visual examples to help quickly identify the Butcher.

Tips to Quickly Identify a Butcher

One of the ways you can quickly rule out a butcher is if the cover sports the gold medal record award insignia. Capitol added this to the cover long after they stopped re-pasting the covers. So if you see that award, it’s not a butcher and you can move on.

If you come across an early version, Ringo’s turtle neck should be easy to spot as it bleeds through the white portion of the second cover. As you can see above. Just to the right of the steamer trunk. In all the examples we’ve had, the turtle neck has been glaringly apparent. Of course, the more stark white the cover, the cleaner the outline of the turtle neck. But you should nevertheless see it. If you don’t, if you have to strain your eyes too long, the mythical creature has escaped you. It isn’t a Butcher. For those who still may hold out hope in this regard, we offer a visual example of a cover riddled with dirt and mold. Even here you can still clearly see the turtle neck.

Furthermore, if a copy of “Yesterday” is sitting in the bins of record store and not on the wall or behind the counter, it is unlikely it is a Butcher. Store owners typically know what to look out for when it comes to this record. You’ll have better luck stumbling upon this at flea market, garage sale, or thrift than you would in a retail environment.

Actual Rarity

While the Butcher cover is rare, it is not by any means the rarest Beatles record. One should keep in mind that the Beatles were, and in many ways still are, the world’s most popular band. As such, their records were pressed by the thousands. And the same applies to the Butcher cover. Remember, Capitol recalled, pasted, and redistributed the record. It’s not like they destroyed it and started over, which would make the record extremely rare to own. So the probability of finding it is actually quite high. We ourselves have had many copies of it in our six years of business and have had even more opportunities to buy them.

We do not intend to burst anyone’s bubble with this last bit of information. Rather we try to keep expectations realistic in the “collector” realm of the record world. Don’t get us wrong: the Butcher cover is still rare, collectible, and valuable. However, you’re not going to retire early if you own one. It’s more about the pleasure of having one of the more interesting records by pop’s most influential bands.

To go further down the rabbit hole, click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesterday_and_Today

Have a rare Beatles item to sell? Visit us here: https://originalsvinyl.com/los-angeles/

Growing up in the 80s, New Wave music was always in our ears. Either from the stereo in mom’s Volvo or the rooms of older, much more musically dialed in, cousins. Joy Division, The Smiths, O.M.D. and especially The Cure. Therefore, it’s always exciting when Cure items walk in the door of the shop. Like this gorgeous UK only 45 single of Boys Don’t Cry, which had never appeared on our radar before. The B-side contains Plastic Passion. The Cure released the single in 1979 (#5 in their catalogue); one year before the release of their second LP of the same name.

We love everything about this two track release. From the gorgeous cover art to the provocative song titles. The black-and-white, masculine military photo clashes with the purple and blue color scheme of the background. Perfectly underscoring the song title itself. 5’2″ Helga, on the other hand, reads like an advertisement in the back of naughty magazine. This also give the single that sort of do-it-yourself feel – typical of the post-punk, zine reading aesthetic. This rich texture is somewhat lost on the New Zealand version of the single, which opted for an all black-and-white look: https://www.discogs.com/The-Cure-Boys-Dont-Cry/release/1045052

From the same collection came a picture disc version of The Cure’s Disintegration. The packaging in and of itself is a work of art. The translucent inner sleeve is laced with light blue flowers. The disc is also translucent with the original cover art on one side while the other is a negative image of the flower layout on the sleeve. When you insert the disc inside the sleeve, you actually create another art piece. Unfortunately, the cover makes no mention of its designer but it’s safe to say they knew what they were doing. This has to be one of the most stunning cover packages we’ve seen on any album.

“Up the Hill Backwards” is the fourth and final single from Bowie’s 1980 LP release Monsters. The B-Side features an unreleased instrumental track entitled “Crystal Japan.” Particularly special to this 12inch is the accompanying bonus material. A 12 x 12 sheet of stamps designed by Bowie himself. The fact that the perforations holding the sheet together are still in tact is a miracle. Typically things like this don’t survive 40 years of handling.

The images are of Bowie in his Pierrot clown costume. It appears that Bowie took the photo sheet and colored them in with felt pens, adding some text to a few while crossing others out with an X, which gives the sheet a feel of a “work in progress.” The front and back of the single’s cover bear the same aesthetic with a dulled pastel variation. A must for any Bowie fan.

Released in 1989, John Lee Hooker’s “The Healer” was the first of a series of his later albums that reached chart success in the U.S. and U.K. It featured big names like Carlos Santana, Charlie Musselwhite, and Bonnie Raitt. The band backing Hooker for the session includes the jazz drummer Ndugu Chancler. If you’re into Jazz-Funk you’ve definitely heard this man on one of your favorite LPs. Check his featured performance credits on Discogs.

Shortly after releasing this record, Hooker started hanging out in San Francisco. In particular, he could be seen at a club here in the Fillmore at what was then called Jack’s Tavern. As the story goes, Hooker liked the house band and came whenever he could to hear them play. When one of its longtime bartenders purchased the club, he changed the name to the Boom Boom Room after Hooker’s most famous song. Some say the blues man was part owner of the club but it appears the rumor is untrue – Hooker’s manager wouldn’t let him do it out of fear that the association might besmirch his name.

For further info on John Lee and the Boom Boom Room check the article http://newfillmore.com/2011/08/01/was-it-really-john-lee-hookers-joint/

This is one of those unbelievably rare jazz records. Freddie’s first album as a leader and his first on Blue Note. 1960. The players accompanying him and his trumpet are the best-of-the-best. Tina Brooks on Tenor Sax, who also wrote two of the six compositions on the album. McCoy Tyner on piano, who would soon become part of Coltrane’s outfit. Sam Jones on Bass and Clifford Jarvis on Drums. Here everyone brings their A-game and the energy of young talent on the session is palpable to the ear from the very first note.

Adding to its rarity is the fact that Blue Note did not repress the record as often as it did other titles in its catalogue: https://www.discogs.com/master/view/177623 This original has all the indicators of the first mono: 47 West 63rd. address, deep groove on both sides, RVG stamp, “ear” mark. The cover is split but since it’s laminated, the image has held up nicely. It plays a weak VG with some crackle and a few ticks but no distortion. Sounds even better after an ultrasonic cleaning. Might sound better yet on a true mono cartridge.

The fact that it has held up so nicely is a testament to the quality Blue Note put in to both their covers and pressings. This thing looks rough but sounds astonishingly rich, as if you’re in the studio with them. Some say it’s because of the “deep groove,” but this is a misconception often supported by collectors / fanatics. The sound quality of Blue Note persisted well into the 80s. Van Gelder, the recording engineer for all the early sessions, continued on to remaster the various pressing as technology changed. For more on the Deep Groove check out: https://londonjazzcollector.wordpress.com/record-labels-guide/labelography-2/blue-note-deep-groove/

What is it that attracts collectors to the White Label Promo? The promo is even earlier than the coveted first press. An advanced, demonstration copy sent out in anticipation of the record’s release. To create some buzz or drum up a few nice reviews. Some say they sound better. Pressed with extra care so the record sounds its best when it hits the air waves or the reviewer’s hi-fi. Maybe it’s the label itself? Something different from the normal pressing. Some labels have cooler promo variations than others. Columbia’s red and white variation is particularly striking.

This copy came from a large collection we bought a few years back. We thought we had unpacked all the records from the buy but apparently there was one box we missed, which happened to be comprised entirely of Monk and Mingus – the “M” section of the collection. Turns out there were two copies of Ah Um: one first press, one promo. Both Six-Eye labels. Both unplayed. Crazy to think that these were so well preserved after close to 60 years.

Recorded in 1959, this Mingus title is one of the most popular jazz records in our shop, next to Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. Not a surprise given that this record was also ahead of its time, merging hard bop and big band in a unique way. And just like that other jazz classic, this has experienced different presses, even absurd ones like a 4 LP single sided, 45 rpm press. A necessary addition to any jazz collection on any format.

This is the first time we’ve had this format in our shop. A two-track 4 inch flexi disc inside a printed paper sleeve. Philco, a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company, released these little hip pocket records between 1967 and 1969. They advertised them as the first truly portable record. Since you could easily slide it in your hip pocket.

The catalogue consists mainly of pop tunes, given that it was a sort of novelty item. There are, however, a few soul gems. These retailed for 69 cents. At the time, prices of 45s were probably a lot cheaper and you could surely get a lot more plays out of those. Still pretty cool nonetheless.

This last week, a gentleman brought in a box of jazz records to sell and kindly gifted us this photo of Miles to hang in the shop. We thought what better way to share it with everyone than on the anniversary of his birthday, May 26th. Happy birthday, Mr. Davis! 93 candles on the cake! Back of the photo is dated 1977; possibly a show he did here in San Francisco. https://originalsvinyl.com/we-buy-records/

We’ve seen plenty of Taiwanese bootlegs of rock records, but rarely jazz titles. Lee Morgan’s “Sidewinder.” This album was Blue Note’s biggest selling record. One of the tracks was covered for use in a car commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r73X2NxyGk. So it’s no wonder it made bootleg status, after a few changes to the cover scheme and a removal of the Blue Note catalog number. The run out groove actually has the Van Gelder stamp. It remained from the wax imprints of the originals to reproduce the bootleg. The sound quality here is pretty good overall.