No. 3 ABBEY ROAD NW 8
Company: Hörweite Stereophonie
Matrix Number: AR-8-69-A / AR-8-69-B
Release Date: April 1979
Country: USA
SIDE A
1. GOLDEN SLUMBERS / CARRY THAT WEIGHT
2. HER MAJESTY
3. YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY / JAM
4. OCTOPUS’S GARDEN
5. MAXWELL’S SILVER HAMMER
6. OH! DARLING
7. SOMETHING
SIDE B
8. HOW DO YOU DO
9. INSTRUMENTAL / BLACKBIRD
10. BLACKBIRD (reprise)
11. THE UNICORN
12. LALENA / INSTRUMENTAL
13. HEATHER
14. MR. WIND
15. THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER (incomplete)
SOUND QUALITY: EX-mono
SOURCE:
#1: EMI Studios, July 2, 1969, edit of takes 13 & 15 (backing track)
#2: EMI Studios, July 2, 1969, take 3 (with uncut finale)
#3: EMI Studios, July 11, 1969, take 30 (backing track)
#4: EMI Studios, July 17, 1969, take 32 (different vocals)
#5: EMI Studios, July 10, 1969, take 21 (backing track)
#6: EMI Studios, Apr. 26, 1969, take 26 (different vocals)
#7: EMI Studios, July 11, 1969, take 37 (backing track)
#8 to 15: Paul with Donovan Leitch, late 1968.
​
​
​
​
​
​
COMMENTS
This is a very fine LP, which included unreleased tracks when appeared. Side A features interesting ABBEY ROAD tapes; the backing tracks are the final ones, but many overdubs are missing and in many cases the lead vocals are different. Side B includes a studio jam session, mainly featuring Paul with Donovan Leitch, Mary Hopkin, Linda & Heather McCartney, possibly recorded between November 1968 and January 1969, during the POSTCARD sessions.
RELEASES
April 1979 (photo below the title). The LP appeared with a full color laminated jacket, with the title only in the spine. ​The front and back covers had two of Linda Eastman's photographs, shot during the session for the LP ABBEY ROAD. The disc was in black vinyl, and the label was the green Hörweite Stereophonie, with white or yellow "head" design and writings.
1980. Same jacket as the first pressing, POD labels.
1982. New stampers were cut on February 22 (date written on the stampers' sleeve). The records were distributed with the same jacket, on black vinyl, with colored dog and gun labels.
1984-1986. A large number of copies were pressed between 1984 and 1986. According to the notes written on the sleeve of the stampers, these are the dates and the number of copies pressed: 1.16.84: 350; 3.14.85: 175; 12.17.85: 200; 12.20.85: 180; 2.21.86: 200; 2.24.86: 200; 4.30.86: 200; 5.29.86: 500; 6.23.86: 151; 8.25.86: 200. The same set of stampers was used for all the records, regardless of some defect that was already detected in March 1985. Therefore, for having the best quality, a copy pressed before 1985 should be preferred.
These records were released under the BoxTop series, with the typical sleeve with a photo on the front, the rubber-stamped title, a sticker with the titles on the back, white or black. Most of the vinyls were pressed on colored wax, and the labels were usually colored with the TMOQ logo; some were on black wax and white blank labels. One of these versions was distributed in a folder-type sleeve, with a piece of a film, and a printed setlist added to the back, as Savage Records, with the "Annuit Coeptis" label. This had a further rubber stamp "FILE COPY" in addition.
A copy of this LP, with the BoxTop jacket, was included in the two boxes THE BEATLES TMOQ COLLECTION and FROM THE VAULT.
INTEREST. When this record was released, collectors were quite excited since it was the first bootleg featuring different mixes from the ABBEY ROAD sessions. It is still an enjoyable LP to listen to. The first releases have generally a good pressing quality, the later copies are sometimes more scratchy, depending on the quality of the stampers. ***/**
THE JAPANESE COPY
Early eighties. In Japan this record was quickly copied and released with a different cover, with custom labels, on machine-printed matrix AR 8 64 A 1Y1 830 04 / AR 8 64 B 2Y1 830 04.
INTEREST. Only interesting for the Japanese market, and for completists. */**
