SUPERTRACKS 2
Company: Contra Band Music
Matrix Number: TB 1018-A / TB 1018-B
Release Date: November1973
Country: USA
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SIDE A
1. PAPERBACK WRITER
2. RAIN
3. PEACE OF MIND
4. LET IT BE
5. HEY JUDE (incomplete)
6. ST. LOUIS BLUES
7. HEY JUDE
8. GET BACK
SIDE B
9. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
10. IF I FELL
11. AND I LOVE HER
12. Medley: TELL ME WHY / IF I FELL /
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
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Sound Quality: VG-mono
Source:
1, 2: CBS TV “Ed Sullivan Show’’, June 5, 1966
3: unknown group, from PEACE OF MIND (F)
4: Apple studios, Jan 31, 1969
5 to 7: from L.S. BUMBLE BEE
8: from “Let It Be’’ soundtrack
9 to 12: from “A Hard Day’s Night’’ soundtrack, 1964
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COMMENTARY
In October 1973 the producer of the CBM records moved from Norfolk, Virginia to Charlotte, North Carolina. In his new location he changed the matrix number style: the previous 3xxx sequence that started, for the Beatles, with 3316 assigned to DON'T PASS ME BY and completed with 3922 assigned to BYE BYE BYE SUPERTRACK 1 was replaced by the 1xxx series, preceded, for the Beatles records, by the letters TB. This is the first Beatles master cut at the new pressing plants in Charlotte, whose products were characterized by the inner ring at 12 mm from the hole and another, lighter ring at 32 mm.
The record contains tracks from the Get Back promo LP (track 4) and from the Let It Be movie soundtrack (track 8), plus excerpts from A Hard Day’s Night. The Ed Sullivan appearance features the soundtrack to the Rain and Paperback Writer promo clips, which were simply mimed to the officially released versions. The Hey Jude Session is the same as on L.S. BUMBLE BEE, apart for a few seconds of difference, but it is here in better quality.
RELEASES
1. November, 1973 (photo below the title). The first pressing used the same jacket the first issues of BYE BYE BYE - SUPERTRACKS 1, with a large sticker with the new title pasted over the old one; the labels were yellow, with side indication in lower case, probably to avoid confusion with copies of the other record that was simultaneously repressed.
Early 1974. All subsequent copies that were seen have an insert cover similar to that used for the repressings of SUPERTRACKS 1, printed in green paper and titled SUPERTRACK 2. Those released in spring and summer, 1974 had the drawing by J. Fish printed on the back side of the jacket and the green label with pirate or a white blank label. Copies with different labels may exist as well, but do not seem to be very common.
INTEREST. Surely the first pressing is interesting for collectors, also considering the history of the CBM company (***). The subsequent releases have less value (**/*).
SUPERTRACKS 2 was joined with BYE BYE BYE SUPERTRACKS 1 on the 2-LP set BACKTRAX SESSIONS, released in early, 1975.
THE TMOQ-SMOKIN' PIG RELEASES
In early 1974 a copy of the original TB-1018 masters was given to the TMOQ-Smokin' pig group. The stampers had the old TB-1018 numbers crossed and the new numbers 102-A / 102-B were added. Throughout the seventies and early eighties several pressings were realized.
Spring 1974. Ths record had a new insert featuring a picture of the Beatles in a doorway, with HHCER 102 written on bottom right, printed red, and the records had yellow Highway HiFi labels.
Summer and late 1974. The subsequent releases had the TMOQ-Smoking pig labels, usually light blue or orange. One pressing had yellow labels with 3 / 4 side indications.This last was realized at the Lewis plants (1 mm wide groove at 31 mm from the spindle hole)
1975-1976. Usually cream insert, or insert printed on red paper. Blank white or blue labels, sometimes with SIDE ONE / SIDE TWO indication printed in small fonts.
1977. Many titles of the TMOQ-Smokin' pig records were repressed in 1977 with a new, cheap insert and a new title. In this case, the LP was titled FAB RAVER SHOW, and used for copies with the plain blue label.
1982-1983. This record reappeared in the early eighties with a new insert insert partially folded over the back and colored TMOQ-Smokin' pig labels.
In 1984 the last release had a further different insert, and the labels reported FULL TILT Records. This last copy was pressed at a different plant, as seen from the markings on the label, and the stampers were derived from the original masters, so the matrix number is the original TB 1018, not scratched and without the 102 number added.
INTEREST. These versions have no particular interest, excepting for real completists. *