The Beatles "Remastered"

[The Pagemeister]

On September 9, 2009, digitally remastered versions of all of the Beatles studio albums will be released. Each album will feature the track listings and artwork as it was originally released in the U.K. and come with expanded booklets including original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited time, each of the Fab Fours 12 proper albums will be embedded with a brief documentary about its making. The re-releases will include the Beatles 12 studio albums and Magical Mystery Tour as well as Past Masters Vol. I and II, which will be packaged as one collection. All 14 discs will be available with DVDs of the documentaries in a stereo box set, and a set titled The Beatles in Mono featuring 10 discs will also be released.

The Beatles "Remastered" 2009 Promo Video

[zosodude13]

I've been waiting for these for so long! Remastered Beatles albums will replace my parents' copies from the early 1990's.

I won't get them all at once, but I'll get a few at a time. I think I'll get Abbey Road first

[The Pagemeister]

Exciting new details of Beatles Remasters announced in Chicago

by David Haber, Beatles News Editor

On August 15 at the 2009 Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago, syndicated Rock n' Roll writer Matt Hurwitz and acclaimed Beatles author Bruce Spizer gave a presentation to the large audience of Beatles fans about the remastering of the Beatles catalogue, which will be released this September 9th, 09-09-09. Both Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Spizer have had the privilege of hearing some of the remasters. Here, thanks to them, and courtesy of EMI/Capitol Records, is everything we now officially know about the 09-09-09 Beatles remasters, including some new, exciting details that have not been released to the public before.

The Beatles music was first issued on CD in 1987, with the release of the original British albums. The technology has improved significantly in the 22 years since Beatles CDs were first issued. The 09-09-09 remasters take full advantage of the latest technology.

The Beatles music was recorded on high quality analog audio tapes that have not deteriorated over time. For the 09-09-09 remasters, each song was transferred from analog tape to digital at Abbey Road using the latest technology. Electrical clicks, microphone vocal pops and bad edits were improved where possible, if doing so did not affect the original integrity of the music. De-noising technology was used to reduce some of the original tape hiss, but only sparingly. Out of the 525 minutes of Beatles music on the CDs, only 5 minutes were treated with a de-noising program. That's less than 1%.

For the stereo remaster CDs, the overall volume was increased, but this was done in moderation so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings. Each song was carefully reviewed to ensure any sound imperfections were corrected. For the mastering of the CDs, the individual songs were placed in their proper running order on each album. The banded albums then went through the equalization process, with comparisons made to the original vinyl albums. They were carefully reviewed by the engineers and EMI employees, further tweaked and reviewed until all involved were satisfied with the remasters.

The 13 core catalog albums, the UK albums from 1963 through 1970, "Please Please Me" through "Let It Be," are included in the remaster series, plus the "Magical Mystery Tour" album, supplemented by the "Past Masters" collection to provide the recordings not found on the core catalog albums. Because The Beatles issued several singles that were not included on their British albums, "Past Masters" was put together to fill in the gaps by containing all non-album singles and a few miscellaneous recordings that also were not on the core catalog albums, such as the four tracks from the "Long Tall Sally" EP, the German language recordings of "She Loves You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Bad Boy" and the version of "Across The Universe" that appeared on a charity album. While many of those songs were on U.S. albums, they were not on the U.K. albums.

When The Beatles music was first issued on CD back in 1987, "Past Masters" was issued in two separate volumes. That is no longer the case. For the remasters, "Past Masters" is now a 2-CD set with all of the songs that appeared on the two volumes first issued 22 years ago. And it has new and expanded liner notes.

For the most part, all of the albums will be available in stereo and mono. The primary version of each album is the stereo version. The stereo albums may be purchased individually or in a stereo box set. The mono versions of the albums are not being sold separately, they will be available in a mono box set. The last few albums are not available in mono because separate mono mixes were not prepared for those albums.

When The Beatles CDs were issued back in 1987, the first four albums were available only in mono. The 09-09-09 remasters mark the stereo CD debut of the these four albums. "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles" were recorded on two-track, with vocals on one channel and instruments on the other.

The next two albums, "A Hard Day's Night" and "Beatles For Sale," were recorded on a four-track recorder and do not have the vocals on one side, instruments on the other side mix. For most songs on those albums, the vocals are mixed into both the left and right channel, giving the impression that the vocals are coming from the center space between the speakers. Some instruments also sound centered, although most are heard either in the left or right channel.

George Martin tweaked both "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" when the albums were issued on CD back in 1987. Although "Rubber Soul" was recorded on a four-track machine, most of its songs have severe stereo separation with vocals on one side and instruments on the other. George Martin completely remixed the album to bring the vocals down the center. The stereo remasters use the 1987 George Martin stereo mixes rather than the original 1965 mixes. But for those who want to hear the original 1965 stereo mixes, they will be available in the mono collection.

Sgt. Pepper's 09-09-09 Remaster

"Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper," "The White Album," "Yellow Submarine," "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" use the original stereo mixes.

"Magical Mystery Tour" is different from the 1967 Capitol stereo release. On the 1967 LP, some songs appeared in fake stereo. For the remastered CD, stereo mixes were used for all of the songs.

The Capitol Albums box sets were released in 2004 and 2006. The CDs for the Capitol Albums box set were mastered from tapes prepared by Capitol Records in the sixties for their uniquely configured Beatles albums. Although they used the same mixes as those found on the British albums, they were mastered differently in the sixties, sometimes with echo added and sometimes using fold-down mixes for mono. The Capitol Albums box set accurately captures what the U.S. albums sound like.

The 09-09-09 CDs were remastered at Abbey Road from the original tapes in the EMI vaults used for the British albums, so they sound like the British albums. They were mastered from tapes that are a generation earlier than what Capitol had in the sixties.

Abbey Road 09-09-09 Remaster

The packaging of the 09-09-09 remasters is a significant upgrade from the original CD issues. Each CD comes with a good-sized booklet with informative liner notes and pictures. The liner notes have two components, historical and recording.

The historical notes were written by Kevin Howlett, who prepared radio documentaries on The Beatles for the BBC and wrote the liner notes for the "Live at the BBC" Beatles album, and Mike Heatley, who joined EMI in 1973, working extensively on Beatles projects. These notes place the album in context with what was going on in the music industry and in the Beatles lives at the time the album was recorded and released. The recording notes were written by Allan Rouse, an Abbey Road engineer and project coordinator for the remasters, and Kevin Howlett. They discuss how the albums were recorded and provide examples of recording techniques employed by focusing on a few of the songs.

The booklets come with a generous number of photos, all in color or original black and white. The booklets are attractively laid out with print that can actually be read without a magnifying glass. The CDs are packaged in multi-panel folding pacs. The booklets are not glued to the flaps, so they can be removed for easier reading.

The CD labels mimic the original label designs of the sixties. "Please Please Me" has the classic black and gold Parlophone label found only on the early pressing of the album. "With The Beatles" through "Sgt. Pepper" have the black and yellow Parlophone label. "The White Album" through "Let It Be" have the classic U.K. version of the green Apple label. "Magical Mystery Tour" has the Capitol rainbow label as that album was first issued on Capitol. The people involved with the project paid careful attention to both major and minor details to ensure the remasters are entertaining and historically accurate.

In addition to all of the new materials, all of the original liner notes and original extras are included in the CD booklets. So for the first three albums you get Tony Barrow's original liner notes plus the new liner notes. For "Beatles For Sale," you get Derek Taylor's original notes plus the new notes.

For "Sgt. Pepper," you get expanded notes from the 1987 CD release plus a new introduction from Paul McCartney. The Sgt. Pepper cutout sheet and the lyrics are also included in the booklet.

For "Yellow Submarine," you get both the U.K. and the U.S. original liner notes plus the new notes. The "Magical Mystery Tour" booklet is reprinted in its entirety in the CD booklet. The "White Album" poster and portraits are included in the CD booklet, as are all of the song lyrics.

Each of the core catalog stereo CD albums come with a mini-documentary. They were directed by Bob Smeaton, who served as writer and director for the "Anthology" video. They contain archival footage, rare photographs, interview clips with the group and George Martin and studio banter. Being limited to a few minutes, these are not intended to be definitive documentaries. They are brief, informative and fun. They will be embedded into the stereo CDs for a limited time, so be sure to get the CDs early to avoid missing out on the mini-documentaries.

The videos are in the QuickTime format and will play on computers. They will not play on DVD or Blu-Ray machines. But if you buy the stereo box set, you will get a DVD that contains all of the mini-documentaries on one disc. You can play that disc on your DVD or Blu-Ray player. This will enable you to watch the documentaries on a big screen as opposed to a small computer screen.

Later pressings of remastered CDs will not have the mini-documentaries.

The Stereo Box Set

The stereo box set contains the remastered stereo CDs of the 13 core catalog albums, which are the UK albums from 1963 through 1970, plus the "Magical Mystery Tour" album, and the "Past Masters" collection. These CDs are exactly the same as the stereo CDs that can be purchased separately, complete with booklets and mini-documentaries. Also, the stereo box set includes a DVD containing all of the mini-documentaries. It comes in a classy looking black box.

The mono collection comes in a classy looking white box. It contains the core U.K. albums starting with "Please Please Me" and running through "The White Album." The box set marks the mono CD debut of "Help!," "Rubber Soul," "Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper," "Magical Mystery Tour" and "The White Album."

The mono box set will be a limited pressing. There are no plans at this time to issue any of the mono CDs separately.

The mono box collection was made with collectors in mind. Each album is packaged in a mini-cardboard jacket mimicking the original album sleeves from the sixties. The mono albums faithfully duplicate the original packaging. "Beatles For Sale" is a gatefold jacket. "Sgt. Pepper" is a gatefold jacket and comes with the cut-out insert. "Magical Mystery Tour" is a gatefold jacket with the booklet. "The White Album" comes in a gatefold cover that opens at the top and comes with the poster and portraits. All of the CDs are packaged with replicas of their original protective inner sleeves. "Sgt. Pepper" comes in its psychedelic red, pink and white sleeve. "The White Album" has black sleeves like the original U.K. vinyl pressings. There is also a special essay on the significance of these mono mixes, which was written by Kevin Howlett.

The first four albums were issued in mono back in 1987. All four of these albums sound significantly better in the 09-09-09 remasters than the 1987 CDs and, of course, the packaging is much nicer.

The mono discs for "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" have the original mono mixes, plus, as a bonus, the original 1965 stereo mixes, which are making their CD debut with these remasters. Remember, the stereo 09-09-09 remastered CDs use the 1987 George Martin remixes for "Help!" and "Rubber Soul." It is on the mono "Rubber Soul" remaster where you can hear the original 1965 stereo mix with vocals on one side and instruments on the other.

The Mono Box Set

Many people are looking forward to hearing "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper" in mono. "Revolver" is considered by many to be The Beatles best album. Some of the mono mixes sound different than the stereo mixes. The backwards guitar part on "I'm Only Sleeping." The effects and piano on "Tomorrow Never Knows." As for "Sgt. Pepper,"

The Beatles often said you really hadn't heard "Sgt. Pepper" until you hear it in mono. Some of the songs have extra effects not present on the stereo mix, such as applause at the beginning of the "Sgt. Pepper" reprise. "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" sounds significantly better in mono. In some cases, the stereo mixes are better, but you really need to listen to both the stereo and mono versions of the album.

"The White Album" was never issued in the U.S. in mono, and there are some songs that are significantly different in mono. For example, "Helter Skelter" and "Don't Pass Me By" have different sound effects and the timing of the jet effects in "Back In The U.S.S.R." varies.

"Yellow Submarine" was issued in mono in the U.K., but it isn't included in the mono box, because the mono "Yellow Submarine" album was merely a fold-down of the stereo LP. There were no subtle differences between the stereo and mono versions of the album as they both came from the exact same mixes, so there was no reason to do a mono CD remaster of the "Yellow Submarine" album for the box. And besides, there were only four new Beatles songs on the album, those recorded specifically for use in the "Yellow Submarine" movie. To allow us hear those four songs in mono, they are included on a special 2-CD set prepared for the mono box called "Mono Masters."

"Mono Masters" is the mono equivalent of the stereo "Past Masters" set. It was designed to fill in the gaps by containing all of the mono masters that are not on the mono albums. Its track listing is similar to the stereo "Past Masters" 2-CD set, but it does vary slightly from the stereo set. As for the singles that weren't on albums, it includes the singles up through and including "Get Back," which was the last single mixed for mono. Although "Get Back" was issued as a stereo single in the U.S., it was a mono single in the U.K. So Mono Masters doesn't have "The Ballad Of John & Yoko," "Old Brown Shoe" or the single version of "Let It Be" because these songs were never mixed for mono, although "You Know My Name" is included because it was issued only in mono. It has the four songs from the "Long Tall Sally" EP, which was only issued in mono. And, it has the four songs recorded specifically for the "Yellow Submarine" movie, "Only A Northern Song," "All Together Now," "Hey Bulldog" and "It's All Too Much."

As has been previously reported in Beatles books, in January, 1969, The Beatles considered issuing an EP with the four new "Yellow Submarine" songs plus "Across The Universe." Although that EP was never issued, a mono master for the five-song EP was put together. The five songs were given true mono mixes for the mono EP. These five songs will make their true mono debut on the Mono Masters set prepared exclusively for the Mono Box.

There are rumors that the mono box set will be limited to 10,000 units worldwide, but that is not true. The mono box set is only limited in that there are no future production runs planned. There should be sufficient copies available initially for those who want to buy it. But don't wait too long, because once it's gone, there are no plans for future manufacture. To play it safe, you can pre-order from places like Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble or Best Buy.

The 09-09-09 remasters are the same albums that were issued on CD back in 1987. Many Beatles fans already own those CDs. So why should they re-buy those albums on CD now?

Bruce Spizer said, "These new CDs sound significantly better than what was first mastered 22 years ago. You will notice the difference. And, if you think about it, re-buying the same albums is something we, as Beatles fans, have been doing all our lives. I bought the albums when they came out in the sixties. I re-bought many of the albums in the early seventies because I had worn out my old copies from excessive play. Many fans re-bought the albums in the cassette and eight-track format. In less than 20 years, many fans had purchased the albums three to four times. Now, for the first time in 22 years, it's time to re-buy these albums again. And remember, you will be getting enhancements beyond dramatically improved sound, such as better packaging."

Mr. Spizer, who has heard the actual remasters, added, "I was impressed with how great everything sounded. Of course I expected the remasters to sound better the releases from 22 years ago, but they exceeded my expectations. The engineers at Abbey Road captured the spirit of the original recordings. They resisted the temptation to drastically boost the bass to make it sound more contemporary. There is none of the harshness and muddiness that was often found on CDs mastered in the eighties. The vocals and instruments have stunning clarity. You'll hear details in the music that you've never heard before. The remasters provide a fabulous listening experience."

[MisterMcLov1n]

The stereo remasters use the 1987 George Martin stereo mixes rather than the original 1965 mixes.

Wait... WHAT? The 2009 Rubber Soul release is just the 87 master and not remastered at all?

Edited August 17, 2009 by MisterMcLov1n

[The Pagemeister]

All the CDs are remastered, but the mixes are from '87 rather than '65.

[MisterMcLov1n]

All the CDs are remastered, but the mixes are from '87 rather than '65.

Oh I see. It's just that the instruments are in the same channels. Thanks.

[Evster2012]

Oh I see. It's just that the instruments are in the same channels. Thanks.

Yes, remastering shouldn't be confused with remixing. Remastering (these days) is part of the process of digital transfer and the use of compression, equalization, noise reduction, etc. Other things such as leveling, fading in and out, and other restoration and enhancement processes can be part of remastering, but the mix remains the same.

[The Pagemeister]

Long and winding road for remastered Beatles albums

Chris Brown felt he was hearing what the Beatles wanted him to hear.

In June, Brown was at the annual convention of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers in San Diego when an executive from EMI played him 13 song snippets from the remastered versions of the Beatles' U.K. studio albums. The remastered CDs are due in stores Sept. 9.

For more than 20 years, the Beatles' albums have been circulating on CDs that were made hurriedly, when CD technology was still relatively new. So for Brown, head of marketing for the 10-store Bull Moose Music chain in Maine, hearing the remastered songs was like hearing them for the first time.

"They basically went back to (producer) George Martin's original tapes and did a much better job of getting what the Beatles had wanted you to hear," Brown said from his office in Portland. "It's a big difference. The rock tunes, like 'Taxman' and 'Sgt. Pepper,' rock harder now, and the beautiful songs, like 'Yesterday' and 'The Long and Winding Road,' are just gorgeous now.

"The (old) CD versions were like looking at something through a dirty window; now that's been cleaned up."

Brown was one of about five people attending the convention who got to hear the snippets on a high-quality sound system. A larger group got to hear them on a conference-room sound system, with poor quality. But after that listening session, Brown asked the EMI executive if he could hear some of the work on a better system, and his request was granted.

Brown thinks the remastering of the Beatles studio albums – originally released between 1963 and 1970 – is a much bigger deal than the release of some other hyped remastered discs. The Rolling Stones' 1960s recordings have been remastered more than once, for example, so the most recent remastering didn't represent such a big difference.

But it's been 20 years since the Beatles works were remastered, and technology has improved significantly. The albums were remastered over a four-year period at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London.

"In a lot of people's minds, the original Beatles CDs didn't sound as good as the record, as the vinyl," Brown said.

The remastered CDs will go on sale at first for $12.97 each. Each comes with original album art and expanded booklets with new liner notes and rare photos. For a limited time, the discs will be embedded with a brief documentary about the making of the albums.

There will also be two box sets released on Sept. 9. One will have the 12 original studio albums, plus "Magical Mystery Tour" (originally a TV film soundtrack) and the two-volume "Past Masters" compilation of singles and B-sides. That set's price is listed at $189.97.

Another box set will feature the 10 Beatles albums that were released in mono, the prevailing technology of the early 1960s. That one has a listed retail price of $224.97.

Brown said hearing high-quality remastered versions of the mono recordings is exciting, because the Beatles were present for the mixing of the mono albums. The stereo mixes were done later, by Martin alone.

"If you're a collector or serious fan, you have to hear the mono versions that's what the Beatles spent time on, that's what John Lennon was present for," Brown said.

[Gospel Zone]

Long and winding road for remastered Beatles albums

Brown said hearing high-quality remastered versions of the mono recordings is exciting, because the Beatles were present for the mixing of the mono albums. The stereo mixes were done later, by Martin alone.

I remember seeing an interview with George Martin where he said those early stereo mixes are "the bain of my life", because he only recorded them that way to get a good mono mix.

Kind of what I've heard is that the British bands thought the mono mix was more important in those early days while the US bands would over-see the mixes for their stereo LPs. I know with The Who's Quick One LP, I'd rather hear the mono version. There's some nice howling feedback at the end of the guitar break on the first song, "Run, Run, Run" that you don't hear as much of with the mono version.

[ZeppFanForever]

Exciting new details of Beatles Remasters announced in Chicago

by David Haber, Beatles News Editor

On August 15 at the 2009 Fest for Beatles Fans in Chicago, syndicated Rock n' Roll writer Matt Hurwitz and acclaimed Beatles author Bruce Spizer gave a presentation to the large audience of Beatles fans about the remastering of the Beatles catalogue, which will be released this September 9th, 09-09-09. Both Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Spizer have had the privilege of hearing some of the remasters. Here, thanks to them, and courtesy of EMI/Capitol Records, is everything we now officially know about the 09-09-09 Beatles remasters, including some new, exciting details that have not been released to the public before.

The Beatles music was first issued on CD in 1987, with the release of the original British albums. The technology has improved significantly in the 22 years since Beatles CDs were first issued. The 09-09-09 remasters take full advantage of the latest technology.

The Beatles music was recorded on high quality analog audio tapes that have not deteriorated over time. For the 09-09-09 remasters, each song was transferred from analog tape to digital at Abbey Road using the latest technology. Electrical clicks, microphone vocal pops and bad edits were improved where possible, if doing so did not affect the original integrity of the music. De-noising technology was used to reduce some of the original tape hiss, but only sparingly. Out of the 525 minutes of Beatles music on the CDs, only 5 minutes were treated with a de-noising program. That's less than 1%.

For the stereo remaster CDs, the overall volume was increased, but this was done in moderation so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings. Each song was carefully reviewed to ensure any sound imperfections were corrected. For the mastering of the CDs, the individual songs were placed in their proper running order on each album. The banded albums then went through the equalization process, with comparisons made to the original vinyl albums. They were carefully reviewed by the engineers and EMI employees, further tweaked and reviewed until all involved were satisfied with the remasters.

The 13 core catalog albums, the UK albums from 1963 through 1970, "Please Please Me" through "Let It Be," are included in the remaster series, plus the "Magical Mystery Tour" album, supplemented by the "Past Masters" collection to provide the recordings not found on the core catalog albums. Because The Beatles issued several singles that were not included on their British albums, "Past Masters" was put together to fill in the gaps by containing all non-album singles and a few miscellaneous recordings that also were not on the core catalog albums, such as the four tracks from the "Long Tall Sally" EP, the German language recordings of "She Loves You" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Bad Boy" and the version of "Across The Universe" that appeared on a charity album. While many of those songs were on U.S. albums, they were not on the U.K. albums.

When The Beatles music was first issued on CD back in 1987, "Past Masters" was issued in two separate volumes. That is no longer the case. For the remasters, "Past Masters" is now a 2-CD set with all of the songs that appeared on the two volumes first issued 22 years ago. And it has new and expanded liner notes.

For the most part, all of the albums will be available in stereo and mono. The primary version of each album is the stereo version. The stereo albums may be purchased individually or in a stereo box set. The mono versions of the albums are not being sold separately, they will be available in a mono box set. The last few albums are not available in mono because separate mono mixes were not prepared for those albums.

When The Beatles CDs were issued back in 1987, the first four albums were available only in mono. The 09-09-09 remasters mark the stereo CD debut of the these four albums. "Please Please Me" and "With The Beatles" were recorded on two-track, with vocals on one channel and instruments on the other.

The next two albums, "A Hard Day's Night" and "Beatles For Sale," were recorded on a four-track recorder and do not have the vocals on one side, instruments on the other side mix. For most songs on those albums, the vocals are mixed into both the left and right channel, giving the impression that the vocals are coming from the center space between the speakers. Some instruments also sound centered, although most are heard either in the left or right channel.

George Martin tweaked both "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" when the albums were issued on CD back in 1987. Although "Rubber Soul" was recorded on a four-track machine, most of its songs have severe stereo separation with vocals on one side and instruments on the other. George Martin completely remixed the album to bring the vocals down the center. The stereo remasters use the 1987 George Martin stereo mixes rather than the original 1965 mixes. But for those who want to hear the original 1965 stereo mixes, they will be available in the mono collection.

Sgt. Pepper's 09-09-09 Remaster

"Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper," "The White Album," "Yellow Submarine," "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" use the original stereo mixes.

"Magical Mystery Tour" is different from the 1967 Capitol stereo release. On the 1967 LP, some songs appeared in fake stereo. For the remastered CD, stereo mixes were used for all of the songs.

The Capitol Albums box sets were released in 2004 and 2006. The CDs for the Capitol Albums box set were mastered from tapes prepared by Capitol Records in the sixties for their uniquely configured Beatles albums. Although they used the same mixes as those found on the British albums, they were mastered differently in the sixties, sometimes with echo added and sometimes using fold-down mixes for mono. The Capitol Albums box set accurately captures what the U.S. albums sound like.

The 09-09-09 CDs were remastered at Abbey Road from the original tapes in the EMI vaults used for the British albums, so they sound like the British albums. They were mastered from tapes that are a generation earlier than what Capitol had in the sixties.

Abbey Road 09-09-09 Remaster

The packaging of the 09-09-09 remasters is a significant upgrade from the original CD issues. Each CD comes with a good-sized booklet with informative liner notes and pictures. The liner notes have two components, historical and recording.

The historical notes were written by Kevin Howlett, who prepared radio documentaries on The Beatles for the BBC and wrote the liner notes for the "Live at the BBC" Beatles album, and Mike Heatley, who joined EMI in 1973, working extensively on Beatles projects. These notes place the album in context with what was going on in the music industry and in the Beatles lives at the time the album was recorded and released. The recording notes were written by Allan Rouse, an Abbey Road engineer and project coordinator for the remasters, and Kevin Howlett. They discuss how the albums were recorded and provide examples of recording techniques employed by focusing on a few of the songs.

The booklets come with a generous number of photos, all in color or original black and white. The booklets are attractively laid out with print that can actually be read without a magnifying glass. The CDs are packaged in multi-panel folding pacs. The booklets are not glued to the flaps, so they can be removed for easier reading.

The CD labels mimic the original label designs of the sixties. "Please Please Me" has the classic black and gold Parlophone label found only on the early pressing of the album. "With The Beatles" through "Sgt. Pepper" have the black and yellow Parlophone label. "The White Album" through "Let It Be" have the classic U.K. version of the green Apple label. "Magical Mystery Tour" has the Capitol rainbow label as that album was first issued on Capitol. The people involved with the project paid careful attention to both major and minor details to ensure the remasters are entertaining and historically accurate.

In addition to all of the new materials, all of the original liner notes and original extras are included in the CD booklets. So for the first three albums you get Tony Barrow's original liner notes plus the new liner notes. For "Beatles For Sale," you get Derek Taylor's original notes plus the new notes.

For "Sgt. Pepper," you get expanded notes from the 1987 CD release plus a new introduction from Paul McCartney. The Sgt. Pepper cutout sheet and the lyrics are also included in the booklet.

For "Yellow Submarine," you get both the U.K. and the U.S. original liner notes plus the new notes. The "Magical Mystery Tour" booklet is reprinted in its entirety in the CD booklet. The "White Album" poster and portraits are included in the CD booklet, as are all of the song lyrics.

Each of the core catalog stereo CD albums come with a mini-documentary. They were directed by Bob Smeaton, who served as writer and director for the "Anthology" video. They contain archival footage, rare photographs, interview clips with the group and George Martin and studio banter. Being limited to a few minutes, these are not intended to be definitive documentaries. They are brief, informative and fun. They will be embedded into the stereo CDs for a limited time, so be sure to get the CDs early to avoid missing out on the mini-documentaries.

The videos are in the QuickTime format and will play on computers. They will not play on DVD or Blu-Ray machines. But if you buy the stereo box set, you will get a DVD that contains all of the mini-documentaries on one disc. You can play that disc on your DVD or Blu-Ray player. This will enable you to watch the documentaries on a big screen as opposed to a small computer screen.

Later pressings of remastered CDs will not have the mini-documentaries.

The Stereo Box Set

The stereo box set contains the remastered stereo CDs of the 13 core catalog albums, which are the UK albums from 1963 through 1970, plus the "Magical Mystery Tour" album, and the "Past Masters" collection. These CDs are exactly the same as the stereo CDs that can be purchased separately, complete with booklets and mini-documentaries. Also, the stereo box set includes a DVD containing all of the mini-documentaries. It comes in a classy looking black box.

The mono collection comes in a classy looking white box. It contains the core U.K. albums starting with "Please Please Me" and running through "The White Album." The box set marks the mono CD debut of "Help!," "Rubber Soul," "Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper," "Magical Mystery Tour" and "The White Album."

The mono box set will be a limited pressing. There are no plans at this time to issue any of the mono CDs separately.

The mono box collection was made with collectors in mind. Each album is packaged in a mini-cardboard jacket mimicking the original album sleeves from the sixties. The mono albums faithfully duplicate the original packaging. "Beatles For Sale" is a gatefold jacket. "Sgt. Pepper" is a gatefold jacket and comes with the cut-out insert. "Magical Mystery Tour" is a gatefold jacket with the booklet. "The White Album" comes in a gatefold cover that opens at the top and comes with the poster and portraits. All of the CDs are packaged with replicas of their original protective inner sleeves. "Sgt. Pepper" comes in its psychedelic red, pink and white sleeve. "The White Album" has black sleeves like the original U.K. vinyl pressings. There is also a special essay on the significance of these mono mixes, which was written by Kevin Howlett.

The first four albums were issued in mono back in 1987. All four of these albums sound significantly better in the 09-09-09 remasters than the 1987 CDs and, of course, the packaging is much nicer.

The mono discs for "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" have the original mono mixes, plus, as a bonus, the original 1965 stereo mixes, which are making their CD debut with these remasters. Remember, the stereo 09-09-09 remastered CDs use the 1987 George Martin remixes for "Help!" and "Rubber Soul." It is on the mono "Rubber Soul" remaster where you can hear the original 1965 stereo mix with vocals on one side and instruments on the other.

The Mono Box Set

Many people are looking forward to hearing "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper" in mono. "Revolver" is considered by many to be The Beatles best album. Some of the mono mixes sound different than the stereo mixes. The backwards guitar part on "I'm Only Sleeping." The effects and piano on "Tomorrow Never Knows." As for "Sgt. Pepper,"

The Beatles often said you really hadn't heard "Sgt. Pepper" until you hear it in mono. Some of the songs have extra effects not present on the stereo mix, such as applause at the beginning of the "Sgt. Pepper" reprise. "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" sounds significantly better in mono. In some cases, the stereo mixes are better, but you really need to listen to both the stereo and mono versions of the album.

"The White Album" was never issued in the U.S. in mono, and there are some songs that are significantly different in mono. For example, "Helter Skelter" and "Don't Pass Me By" have different sound effects and the timing of the jet effects in "Back In The U.S.S.R." varies.

"Yellow Submarine" was issued in mono in the U.K., but it isn't included in the mono box, because the mono "Yellow Submarine" album was merely a fold-down of the stereo LP. There were no subtle differences between the stereo and mono versions of the album as they both came from the exact same mixes, so there was no reason to do a mono CD remaster of the "Yellow Submarine" album for the box. And besides, there were only four new Beatles songs on the album, those recorded specifically for use in the "Yellow Submarine" movie. To allow us hear those four songs in mono, they are included on a special 2-CD set prepared for the mono box called "Mono Masters."

"Mono Masters" is the mono equivalent of the stereo "Past Masters" set. It was designed to fill in the gaps by containing all of the mono masters that are not on the mono albums. Its track listing is similar to the stereo "Past Masters" 2-CD set, but it does vary slightly from the stereo set. As for the singles that weren't on albums, it includes the singles up through and including "Get Back," which was the last single mixed for mono. Although "Get Back" was issued as a stereo single in the U.S., it was a mono single in the U.K. So Mono Masters doesn't have "The Ballad Of John & Yoko," "Old Brown Shoe" or the single version of "Let It Be" because these songs were never mixed for mono, although "You Know My Name" is included because it was issued only in mono. It has the four songs from the "Long Tall Sally" EP, which was only issued in mono. And, it has the four songs recorded specifically for the "Yellow Submarine" movie, "Only A Northern Song," "All Together Now," "Hey Bulldog" and "It's All Too Much."

As has been previously reported in Beatles books, in January, 1969, The Beatles considered issuing an EP with the four new "Yellow Submarine" songs plus "Across The Universe." Although that EP was never issued, a mono master for the five-song EP was put together. The five songs were given true mono mixes for the mono EP. These five songs will make their true mono debut on the Mono Masters set prepared exclusively for the Mono Box.

There are rumors that the mono box set will be limited to 10,000 units worldwide, but that is not true. The mono box set is only limited in that there are no future production runs planned. There should be sufficient copies available initially for those who want to buy it. But don't wait too long, because once it's gone, there are no plans for future manufacture. To play it safe, you can pre-order from places like Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble or Best Buy.

The 09-09-09 remasters are the same albums that were issued on CD back in 1987. Many Beatles fans already own those CDs. So why should they re-buy those albums on CD now?

Bruce Spizer said, "These new CDs sound significantly better than what was first mastered 22 years ago. You will notice the difference. And, if you think about it, re-buying the same albums is something we, as Beatles fans, have been doing all our lives. I bought the albums when they came out in the sixties. I re-bought many of the albums in the early seventies because I had worn out my old copies from excessive play. Many fans re-bought the albums in the cassette and eight-track format. In less than 20 years, many fans had purchased the albums three to four times. Now, for the first time in 22 years, it's time to re-buy these albums again. And remember, you will be getting enhancements beyond dramatically improved sound, such as better packaging."

Mr. Spizer, who has heard the actual remasters, added, "I was impressed with how great everything sounded. Of course I expected the remasters to sound better the releases from 22 years ago, but they exceeded my expectations. The engineers at Abbey Road captured the spirit of the original recordings. They resisted the temptation to drastically boost the bass to make it sound more contemporary. There is none of the harshness and muddiness that was often found on CDs mastered in the eighties. The vocals and instruments have stunning clarity. You'll hear details in the music that you've never heard before. The remasters provide a fabulous listening experience."

How's it going "The Pagemeister?" I hope all is well with you. Thank you for the info on both the Stereo and mono Boxsets that are going to be released on 9 September 2009. I will be buying both of these boxsets and am dying to hear what they both sound like. I will also have the rare opportunity in conducting my own personal experiment by listening to several BEATLES collections where I can judge for myself which one sounds better. The Collections that I am going to listen to and compare are as follows:

THE BEATLES REMASTERS (Stereo Boxset)

THE BEATLES REMASTERS (Mono Boxset)

THE BEATLES MILLENIUM REMASTERS COLLECTION (Upgraded bootleg MFSL Audiophile Archival Recordings using the 24 Bit Mastering and transferred onto Compact Disc.

THE BEATLES BLUE BOX REMASTERS COLLECTION (Upgraded bootleg remixed from THE BEATLES original MFSL master tapes by Dr. Ebbetts and transferred new mixes onto CD.

THE BEATLES MFSL BOOTLEG CD COLLECTION (While in a highly advanced recording studio, using all perfectly brand new BEATLES MFSL Vinyl/LP albums and a highly advanced top of the line turntable, someone recorded all of THE BEATLES MFSL Vinyl/LP albums onto new master tapes in order to release the MFSL albums in a bootleg genuine original CD format. NOTE: When I heard this collection, my jaws dropped! You could not even tell that the source was Vinyl/Lp's. There were no pop sounds, scratches, skips or static of any kind to be heard anywhere on the recordings.

THE BEATLES MFSL/DR. EBBETTS UPGRADED BOOTLEG CD COLLECTION (This is the most recent Dr. Ebbetts upgrade to date using today's Digitally Remastered advanced technology. This collection was released in Japan and in my opinion, it is by far, without a doubt, THE GREATEST SOUNDING BEATLES CD COLLECTION TO DATE! This collection will push your stereo system beyond its limits unimaginable into unchartered territory. This collection truly brings THE BEATLES back to life and gives THE BEATLES rejuvinated tweaked sound a new refreshed life that will floor you with amazement.

From what I've read from music critics on the internet, while some of their opinions may differ on this subject, some critics truly believe that the new Stereo and Mono Remasters Boxsets will not even come close soundwise to the four bootleg MFSL CD collections that I mentioned above. However, I am looking forward to hearing and comparing all of the above BEATLES CD collections for myself where I can judge for myself, which BEATLES collection is the most superior one. I've been waiting many years for this special moment to happen and at last, the wait is over on 9 September 2009. In the mean time, ROCK ON!

[The Pagemeister]

How do the newly remastered Beatles CDs sound?

-- Randy Lewis LA Times

As one who got a sneak preview recently at Capitol Records in Hollywood, let me boil it down to one word: Fab.

These won’t leave anyone feeling that they’ve been missing out for all these years, and they’re not likely to make Beatlemaniacs out of anyone who hasn’t cared for the Liverpudlians’ sound before now.

But they do offer something that might have seemed nearly impossible so many years down the line: a fresh listen.

Two of EMI Records’ engineers who have overseen the remasters, Allan Rouse and Guy Massey, were on hand to A:B the new versions against the CDs that Beatles fans have been accustomed to since they were first issued 22 years ago.

Three of us — I was joined by writers for a couple of audiophile magazines — listened to a CD that included portions of new and old versions of 14 songs spanning the group’s recording career.

Calendar will have an in-depth piece in Sunday's Arts & Music section looking behind the scenes of the remastering process as well as a glimpse into the Fab Four’s entry into the world of videogames through The Beatles: Rock Band.

But here are a few observations from the preview session:

• “Till There Was You”: On the ’87 CD, Paul McCartney’s voice still sounds dreamily mellow, somewhat masked, on the Meredith Willson love song from “The Music Man”; the new version brings out more fullness in his voice, as well as more crispness in the percussion work.

• “Eight Days A Week”: This exuberant track sounded immediately compressed in the old CD master; the new one gains openness and adds noticeable presence to the signature hand claps.

• “Yesterday”: Remastering can’t alter the beauty of McCartney’s classic lament, but now the pluck of his fingers on the strings of his acoustic guitar is even more visceral.

• “In My Life”: As in many of the previewed tracks, it’s the drums and bass that are most immediately improved. Even though it’s not a powerhouse track, Ringo’s rhythmic accents are bigger and sharper.

• “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”: The opening guitar riff felt like it would rip through the speakers in Capitol’s Studio C with the added vibrancy Paul's lead guitar gets in the new version.

• “Good Night”: The closing track from “The Beatles,” a.k.a. the White Album, starts with string accompaniment that sounded canned on the old CD. I noted a slight harshness in the remastered version but also a fuller orchestral sound and an especially appealing purity in the flutes behind Ringo’s sweetly melancholy vocal.

• “The Long and Winding Road”: Paul may cringe at those sweeping strings that Phil Spector overdubbed onto his swan-song Beatles ballad, but they sound even broader and more spacious on the remaster than on the 1987 CD.

After the prepared A:B CD was through, Rouse and Massey opened the floor for requests. I asked to hear "She's Leaving Home" from the mono mix of "Sgt. Pepper," because the track was slowed down for the stereo mix that most U.S. listeners (myself included) are used to. McCartney's voice sounded sweeter, the harp more luminous.

I also got them to cue up Harrison's "Savoy Truffle" from the White Album. As a longtime sax player, I wanted to hear how the sax section came through the remastering -- nicely fat -- but the part that grabbed the attention of everyone in the room was the screaming guitar solo, which picks up considerable sting in the new version.

Edited August 28, 2009 by The Pagemeister

[ZeppFanForever]

How do the newly remastered Beatles CDs sound?

-- Randy Lewis LA Times

As one who got a sneak preview recently at Capitol Records in Hollywood, let me boil it down to one word: Fab.

These won’t leave anyone feeling that they’ve been missing out for all these years, and they’re not likely to make Beatlemaniacs out of anyone who hasn’t cared for the Liverpudlians’ sound before now.

But they do offer something that might have seemed nearly impossible so many years down the line: a fresh listen.

Two of EMI Records’ engineers who have overseen the remasters, Allan Rouse and Guy Massey, were on hand to A:B the new versions against the CDs that Beatles fans have been accustomed to since they were first issued 22 years ago.

Three of us — I was joined by writers for a couple of audiophile magazines — listened to a CD that included portions of new and old versions of 14 songs spanning the group’s recording career.

Calendar will have an in-depth piece in Sunday's Arts & Music section looking behind the scenes of the remastering process as well as a glimpse into the Fab Four’s entry into the world of videogames through The Beatles: Rock Band.

But here are a few observations from the preview session:

• “Till There Was You”: On the ’87 CD, Paul McCartney’s voice still sounds dreamily mellow, somewhat masked, on the Meredith Willson love song from “The Music Man”; the new version brings out more fullness in his voice, as well as more crispness in the percussion work.

• “Eight Days A Week”: This exuberant track sounded immediately compressed in the old CD master; the new one gains openness and adds noticeable presence to the signature hand claps.

• “Yesterday”: Remastering can’t alter the beauty of McCartney’s classic lament, but now the pluck of his fingers on the strings of his acoustic guitar is even more visceral.

• “In My Life”: As in many of the previewed tracks, it’s the drums and bass that are most immediately improved. Even though it’s not a powerhouse track, Ringo’s rhythmic accents are bigger and sharper.

• “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”: The opening guitar riff felt like it would rip through the speakers in Capitol’s Studio C with the added vibrancy Paul's lead guitar gets in the new version.

• “Good Night”: The closing track from “The Beatles,” a.k.a. the White Album, starts with string accompaniment that sounded canned on the old CD. I noted a slight harshness in the remastered version but also a fuller orchestral sound and an especially appealing purity in the flutes behind Ringo’s sweetly melancholy vocal.

• “The Long and Winding Road”: Paul may cringe at those sweeping strings that Phil Spector overdubbed onto his swan-song Beatles ballad, but they sound even broader and more spacious on the remaster than on the 1987 CD.

After the prepared A:B CD was through, Rouse and Massey opened the floor for requests. I asked to hear "She's Leaving Home" from the mono mix of "Sgt. Pepper," because the track was slowed down for the stereo mix that most U.S. listeners (myself included) are used to. McCartney's voice sounded sweeter, the harp more luminous.

I also got them to cue up Harrison's "Savoy Truffle" from the White Album. As a longtime sax player, I wanted to hear how the sax section came through the remastering -- nicely fat -- but the part that grabbed the attention of everyone in the room was the screaming guitar solo, which picks up considerable sting in the new version.

How's it going "The Pagemeister?" I hope all is well with you. It feels great conversing with someone such as yourself that has a discriminating ear like I have when it comes to the ultimate perfect sound. I take it that you have heard THE BEATLES MFSL/DR. EBBETTS bootleg CD's? You have to admit, these collections sound absolutely INCREDIBLE! These bootleg CD's have given THE BEATLES a whole new life! If you haven't heard them, PM me and I'll see what I can do for you. You have to have something to compare THE BEATLES Stereo and Mono Remasters to! Ha Ha! In the mean time, ROCK ON my friend!

[goldenguitar]

Why did they wait so long before releasing the remastered albums?

[ZeppFanForever]

Why did they wait so long before releasing the remastered albums?

How's it going "goldenguitar?" I hope all is well with you. It had a lot to do with the copyrights. The decision to release the Remasters on CD either in Stereo or Mono has become a lifelong concern. MFSL would love to release THE BEATLES in the ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING ULTRADISC II series in the 24 KT. Gold CD format but copyright issues as well as Stereo and Mono versions has become an issue. ROCK ON!

[goldenguitar]

How's it going "goldenguitar?" I hope all is well with you. It had a lot to do with the copyrights. The decision to release the Remasters on CD either in Stereo or Mono has become a lifelong concern. MFSL would love to release THE BEATLES in the ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING ULTRADISC II series in the 24 KT. Gold CD format but copyright issues as well as Stereo and Mono versions has become an issue. ROCK ON!

Thanks for the explanation!

[ZeppFanForever]

Thanks for the explanation!

How's it going "goldenguitar?" I hope all is well with you. You're very welcome, how's it going in Paris? ROCK ON!

[Jahfin]

Thanks for the explanation!

The reasons behind why it's taken so long for their catalog to be remastered and available digitally are right here in this thread as well as the Beatles thread, not to mention nearly every news item about the remasters that are readily available on the web.

[ZeppFanForever]

The reasons behind why it's taken so long for their catalog to be remastered and available digitally are right here in this thread as well as the Beatles thread, not to mention nearly every news item about the remasters that are readily available on the web.

How's it going "Jahfin?" I hope all is well with you. Thanks for adding that, sometimes we need to go back and research the truth. I just purchased THE BEATLES "Love Songs" CD from 1977 on e-bay. It is a bootleg from Dr. Ebbetts who is now retiring due to THE BEATLES Remasters coming out in just a few days. THE BEATLES/Dr Ebbetts CD's are very good recordings and even sound better than any of THE BEATLES albums that have been released to date that is until 9 September 2009 rolls around. ROCK ON!

[The Pagemeister]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTwF2az73-Q

[SteveAJones]

The Beatles remasters: The long and winding road

BY BRIAN MCCOLLUM September 6, 2009

DETROIT FREE PRESS POP MUSIC WRITER

You're the caretaker of the world's most revered pop music legacy, a body of work that's been heard and parsed countless times by billions of ears. What could be left to do?

Make it just a little more perfect.

The release of The Beatles remastered albums, due Wednesday from EMI Music, does just that. Big, bright and bold, the new editions mark a substantial, unmistakable enhancement of history's most celebrated rock catalog. They'll arrive in several mouthwatering forms: a 14-album stereo boxed set, a limited-edition mono boxed set with the group's first 10 albums, and individual copies of the stereo discs.

It was a long time coming, and nearly five years in the making. Though several cleaned-up Beatles releases have arrived in recent years -- most notably the 2000 compilation album "1" -- this is the first wholesale reissuing of the Beatles' British catalog since the original CD series in 1987.

Some heritage artists have turned reissues into a routine, conveniently finding new ways to dress up the same material. That's not the case here. The gorgeously packaged Beatles releases are a genuine upgrade and -- in the case of the mono set -- a digital first. Like most everything involving the Beatles and their company Apple Corps, it was a methodical undertaking.

"We all realized that this needed to be done. But in some respects, it was daunting," says Mike Heatley, a retired EMI executive who coauthored the albums' recording notes, which are integrated into CD packages that feature full artwork from the original LPs. "We all knew it would be a painstaking project and couldn't be hurried. It had to be done properly. No one wanted to rush something just to be expedient."

The world of Beatles audio can be a vexing thicket, a place where even the simplest of questions -- "mono or stereo?" -- can elicit hairsplitting debate among obsessive fans. But there's at least one universally accepted truth: The 1987 discs, mastered during the primeval days of digital technology and with little input from the Beatles themselves, were in serious need of overhaul.

And there's been long-gnawing hunger for a CD version of the complete mono catalog.

"The purists -- and there are many Beatles audiophile fanatics -- have been waiting for this mono release in particular," says Doug Podell, operations manager at WCSX-FM (94.7). "You'll hear what the Beatles heard when they laid down 'Please Please Me' and 'I Want to Hold Your Hand.' For the aficionados, these mono mixes are the true Beatles recordings."

It's important to note that this isn't a full restoration so much as a polishing. Unlike the 2006 special release "Love," for instance, these weren't remixed from the original Abbey Road multitrack tapes. Rather, a team of engineers performed meticulous cleanup on various stereo and mono masters, both literally and figuratively: Dust was removed from the old tapes, electrical clicks and hiss excised, EQ and other filters tastefully applied.

It was a scrupulous process with one overarching goal: maintaining the integrity of the tracks.

"There are certain sounds that aren't meant to be on there, but if you took them away would change the recording," says Heatley. "If we took the chair squeak off the end of 'A Day in the Life,' for example, we'd probably be lynched. What they've tried to do is make things right if the technology of the time had allowed it."

Side-by-side comparisons with the 1987 discs offer immediate revelations: There's a dazzling new clarity, as if a sheet has been lifted from the audio. Paul McCartney's bass lines are more firmly rounded; the vocals on tightly harmonized songs like "Baby's In Black" have a searing resonance; the guitar jangle of "Ticket to Ride" is crisply defined, the riffs of "Helter Skelter" given razor edges.

There's a fresh glow to the early material, a smooth warmth to the middle period work. But the improvement is most pronounced on late-era works like "Abbey Road" and the White Album, where the richly textured tracks are like cascades of musical colors.

"It was a great responsibility -- we were all aware of that," says Kevin Howlett, who wrote historical notes for the boxed sets. "These albums are going to be around for a long time, and this music will be around forever. This needed to stand the test of time."

Edited September 7, 2009 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

Does digital remastering do justice to the Beatles?

Do the Beatles remasters capture the authentic Fab Four sound or are they a digital cash-in on the iconic group? Michael Dwyer gets back to mono.

The engineers who remastered The Beatles catalogue:

Guy Massey, Simon Gibson, Sean Magee, Sam Okell,

Steve Rooke, Paul Hicks and (top right) Allan Rouse.

Photo: Richard Skidmore

Michael Dwyer

Sydney Morning Herald

September 3, 2009

THE world's most famous zebra crossing still leads to the same place. Towering behind the graffiti of a white wall in London, the familiar facade of Abbey Road Studios seems untouched by time.

Inside, though, everything has changed. Studio 2, where the Beatles mostly recorded between 1962 and 1970, is all that remains among the rolling renovations necessary for a world-class recording facility.

But each day, engineer Allan Rouse negotiates a past that clings to the corridors of the building he's known since 1972.

"There's simply nowhere else to put it," he says of the archaic machinery shunted into corners and stairwells. "We are state-of-the-art but we have a history. And we have the equipment to go with it."

This juxtaposition of vintage authenticity and cutting-edge production lies at the heart of Rouse's latest project.

Since 2006, he has co-ordinated six engineers in the epic task of digitally remastering all 13 Beatles albums, plus the Past Masters collection of non-album tracks.

"It's long overdue," he says. "Many bands have been remastered two or three times since the advent of CD and the Beatles never have."

Indeed, audiophiles winced when the Beatles' albums were transferred "flat" to CD in 1987. "Thin and bright, without a hint of the LPs' analog warmth," American fan Steve Guttenberg recently sniffed in his Audiophiliac blog.

But come on. For most of us, surely the songs remain the same, regardless of whatever black art is applied by men in white coats. Isn't the Beatles' remasters launch of 09/09/09 just another way of getting us to buy our old records again in new sleeves?

Rouse bristles. "Any time anything comes out Beatle-wise, people say it's just a matter of getting money out of people," he sighs. "I object to that strongly. I don't think Neil Aspinall has done that at all. In fact, I think he's been very cautious."

Aspinall was the school friend of Paul McCartney and George Harrison who ran the Beatles' record company, Apple Corps, a post he held until just before his death last year.

It's fair to assume he shared the music industry's practical ignorance of the digital process in 1987. Remastering for CD (see below) was an aficionado's concept that had little bearing on the wider market like the esoteric notion of stereo back when the Beatles made records for a mostly mono world.

Today, ubiquitous digital stereo gives everyone's ears an edge. The Beatles rose to that standard with a lavish range of "new" releases in the past 15 years, beginning with the archival Live at the BBC and Anthology sets.

Rouse oversaw the 5.1 surround mix of the Yellow Submarine Songtrack, then Let It Be . . . Naked, the controversial reshuffle of the Beatles' final album. He admits his purist's streak was tested by the Love album for Cirque du Soleil.

It found original producer George Martin splicing master tapes into an 80-minute symphony that remixed songs, takes and eras to create a 2006 blockbuster. The remasters, Rouse stresses, are the antithesis to all of that. "These are not radical alternative listening experiences," he says. "These are the real thing.

"Love changed the face of the Beatles. But the originals should always be out there.

"What we've done now is to make them available, so the kids of the future can hear them sounding as they should in fact, in my view, sounding better than they ever did."

Early test audiences have been inclined to agree, although the notion of betterment suggests a fine line between restoration and vandalism.

Has A Day in the Life been improved, for example, by removing the squeak of the piano stool that punctuates the ultimate chord of doom? Heaven forbid, Rouse says.

"We agreed at the onset we would only remove things that were technically related. If it had anything to do with the Beatles' performance breaths, coughs, squeaky bass drums, squeaky chairs they stayed."

And still, authenticity remains a relative concept. Apple's insistence on releasing a separate set of the original mono mixes of each album (except Abbey Road and Let It Be, which only ever existed in stereo), opens a Pandora's box.

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and The Beatles, popularly known as the White Album, have glaringly different mono mixes. Although the world has come to love them in stereo, Rouse is clear on which versions the Beatles considered more valid at the time.

"The Beatles spent upwards of two or three weeks mixing Sgt Pepper in mono. The stereo was done as an afterthought by George (Martin) and (engineer) Geoff Emerick regrettably forgetting some of the things they had done on the mono mixes," Rouse says.

Nonetheless, the stereo remasters will doubtless outsell the mono box innumerable times over. And whatever hairs Beatlemaniac audiophiles choose to split, Rouse has a message for them. "The Beatles are not just for you. They are for history."

What is digital remastering?

"MASTERING for vinyl was a process dictated by physical space. Louder signals took up more room on the LP. Softer passages allowed a longer playing time, making dynamics integral to the recording art. Digital has brought a fixed-maximum record level.

Engineers can no longer make peaks louder but they can raise levels between the peaks for greater impact. Oasis' (What's the Story) Morning Glory took this art to the extreme in 1995, setting a new standard in the 'Loudness Wars'. But while a soft CD might have less initial impact, mastering quieter is the only way original dynamics can be preserved.

With such loved material as the Beatles' catalogue, it will be interesting to see how true to the original cuts the engineers have dared to be."

- Joe Leach, Cowshed Studios, London

Edited September 7, 2009 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

www.idolator.com

The Beatles Get Ready To Clean Up In Aisle 8

1969 Cereal Box

One thing that's been piquing the interest of those who see next week's Beatles remasters as a sort of last gasp for the recorded-music industry: Where will people in record store-lacking areas of the country (a.k.a. 92ish% of the populace) buy the albums? Mall stores are an ever-rarer breed thanks to the slash-and-burn strategy of Trans World; meanwhile, big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Target have decimated their selections to the barest minimum. Apple Corps has decided to market these reissues through a throwback strategy of its own: Grocery stores!

According to Brandweek, the Beatles remasters will be in stock at retailers like Starbucks, Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, and Blockbuster, in a strategy that, according to EMI catalog honcho Bill Gagnon, "will allow us to reach the everyday places people shop. We're bringing the music to where they are." Not only does this little bit of market-blitzing prove that the Fab Four are one of the rare bands out there who can unite the Cheeseburger Big Bite crowd and strictly organic shoppers, it allows the label to get its foot in the door at those outlets. At least, for what Gagnon calls "pretty significant [projects] to get these outlets' attention"—which, uh, at this point will I guess include a remastered version of the Beatles' 1? Yeah, OK, maybe we need to rethink that portion of the strategy.

Edited September 7, 2009 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

www.brandweek.com

7-Eleven, Whole Foods Come Together for Fab 4

Aug 29, 2009

Becky Ebenkamp

The Beatles will get a little help from new corporate friends on Sept. 9 when EMI Music embarks on the global launch of its digitally remastered Beatles catalog on CD to coincide with the release of videogame The Beatles: Rock Band.

It will be hard to miss the push this fall as Restoration Hardware, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Ralph's, Pathmark, 7-Eleven and Blockbuster all promote the CD collection.

The label sees the move as a chance to use an artist with major muscle to open up new channels for the sales of CDs since record stores are becoming about as extinct as the 8-track tape. The Beatlesa notable holdout on iTuneshave the broad appeal that opens retail doors.

"It will allow us to reach the everyday places people shop," said Bill Gagnon, svp, catalogue marketing for EMI Music North America. "We're bringing the music to where they are."

With one Beatle boot in the retail door, EMI sees a possible inroads for a roster that includes Coldplay, the Beastie Boys and the White Stripes along with classic artists such as Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. Gagnon is currently approaching food, drug, mass and other alt-retailers with the Now That's What I Call Music! brand. "But it still needs to be a pretty significant project to get these outlets' attention," he explained.

Terry Dry, president of Los Angeles-based new media marketing agency Fanscape, said such retail outlets are a great channel for the label. "The Internet's the ultimate distribution mechanism, but [labels] haven't quite figured out how to monetize that well or how to still sell their shiny plastic discs. When you look at a place like a 7-Eleven or a supermarket where you can get that impulse buyer who's spending $100 on groceries, they might buy the Beatles remastered instead of US Weekly. EMI also has the Beach Boys and Sinatra and some pretty cool catalog stuff that makes sense to that shopper. My mother hasn't totally figured out her iPod yet."

Anticipated as one of the largest music marketing and merchandising events ever, 9/9/09 will unleash an Apple Corps avalanche: the 14 remastered Beatles CDs (both stereo and mono versions), the Rock Band game and gear, and a slew of fan fare brokered by licensing agency Live Nation Merchandise, ranging from Beatles guitar straps (Planet Waves) to vintage-style tees. Apple Corps oversees the Beatles' business assets. On the retail side, the promotional plans include:

Restoration Hardware will showcase the full range of remastered discs along with the limited edition $89.99 Box of Vision tabletop CD display unit and book, The Beatles: Rock Band, USAopoly's Beatles-themed Trivial Pursuit game, and other Beatles booty in a Fab Four-furnished living room. The Beatles will meet the cover of Restoration Hardware's holiday catalog, too, said Steve Glasenk, vp-licensing, Live Nation Merchandise.

Starbucks will offer four of the remastered EMI Beatles titles throughout SeptemberAbbey Road, Help, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Rubber Soulwhich will be the sole music offerings at the coffee chain during the month.

Target and Best Buy will build Beatles boutiques within stores to showcase the music, the licensed lifestyle product and the MTV Games-produced/Electronic Arts-distributed game.

Retail exclusives abound: Bloomingdale's will sell a high-end edition of Rock Band featuring replicas of John's and George's guitars and Paul's bass in their very own travel cases. Best Buy will run a midnight sales promotion and sell a crate that contains a T-shirt and a CD.

Retail strategies aside, Paul et al. might wanna set their bets on The Beatles: Rock Band driving multigenerational music sales. "It's going to do really well through the holidays," Dry predicted of the Harmonix Music Systems-designed game.

He adds, "Little kids will wanna hear Beatles music in their cars. I think it's going to surprise people how big it is. They already think it's going to be big, and it's going to be even bigger."

Edited September 7, 2009 by SteveAJones

[ZeppFanForever]

www.brandweek.com

7-Eleven, Whole Foods Come Together for Fab 4

Aug 29, 2009

Becky Ebenkamp

The Beatles will get a little help from new corporate friends on Sept. 9 when EMI Music embarks on the global launch of its digitally remastered Beatles catalog on CD to coincide with the release of videogame The Beatles: Rock Band.

It will be hard to miss the push this fall as Restoration Hardware, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Ralph's, Pathmark, 7-Eleven and Blockbuster all promote the CD collection.

The label sees the move as a chance to use an artist with major muscle to open up new channels for the sales of CDs since record stores are becoming about as extinct as the 8-track tape. The Beatles—a notable holdout on iTunes—have the broad appeal that opens retail doors.

"It will allow us to reach the everyday places people shop," said Bill Gagnon, svp, catalogue marketing for EMI Music North America. "We're bringing the music to where they are."

With one Beatle boot in the retail door, EMI sees a possible inroads for a roster that includes Coldplay, the Beastie Boys and the White Stripes along with classic artists such as Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. Gagnon is currently approaching food, drug, mass and other alt-retailers with the Now That's What I Call Music! brand. "But it still needs to be a pretty significant project to get these outlets' attention," he explained.

Terry Dry, president of Los Angeles-based new media marketing agency Fanscape, said such retail outlets are a great channel for the label. "The Internet's the ultimate distribution mechanism, but [labels] haven't quite figured out how to monetize that well or how to still sell their shiny plastic discs. When you look at a place like a 7-Eleven or a supermarket where you can get that impulse buyer who's spending $100 on groceries, they might buy the Beatles remastered instead of US Weekly. EMI also has the Beach Boys and Sinatra and some pretty cool catalog stuff that makes sense to that shopper. My mother hasn't totally figured out her iPod yet."

Anticipated as one of the largest music marketing and merchandising events ever, 9/9/09 will unleash an Apple Corps avalanche: the 14 remastered Beatles CDs (both stereo and mono versions), the Rock Band game and gear, and a slew of fan fare brokered by licensing agency Live Nation Merchandise, ranging from Beatles guitar straps (Planet Waves) to vintage-style tees. Apple Corps oversees the Beatles' business assets. On the retail side, the promotional plans include:

• Restoration Hardware will showcase the full range of remastered discs along with the limited edition $89.99 Box of Vision tabletop CD display unit and book, The Beatles: Rock Band, USAopoly's Beatles-themed Trivial Pursuit game, and other Beatles booty in a Fab Four-furnished living room. The Beatles will meet the cover of Restoration Hardware's holiday catalog, too, said Steve Glasenk, vp-licensing, Live Nation Merchandise.

• Starbucks will offer four of the remastered EMI Beatles titles throughout September—Abbey Road, Help, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Rubber Soul—which will be the sole music offerings at the coffee chain during the month.

• Target and Best Buy will build Beatles boutiques within stores to showcase the music, the licensed lifestyle product and the MTV Games-produced/Electronic Arts-distributed game.

Retail exclusives abound: Bloomingdale's will sell a high-end edition of Rock Band featuring replicas of John's and George's guitars and Paul's bass in their very own travel cases. Best Buy will run a midnight sales promotion and sell a crate that contains a T-shirt and a CD.

Retail strategies aside, Paul et al. might wanna set their bets on The Beatles: Rock Band driving multigenerational music sales. "It's going to do really well through the holidays," Dry predicted of the Harmonix Music Systems-designed game.

He adds, "Little kids will wanna hear Beatles music in their cars. I think it's going to surprise people how big it is. They already think it's going to be big, and it's going to be even bigger."

How's it going "SteveAJones?" I hope all is well with you. I can't wait to get both the Stereo and Mono versions next week. This is a great event indeed! Take care and ROCK ON my friend!

[ZeppFanForever]

On September 9, 2009, digitally remastered versions of all of the Beatles studio albums will be released. Each album will feature the track listings and artwork as it was originally released in the U.K. and come with expanded booklets including original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited time, each of the Fab Fours 12 proper albums will be embedded with a brief documentary about its making. The re-releases will include the Beatles 12 studio albums and Magical Mystery Tour as well as Past Masters Vol. I and II, which will be packaged as one collection. All 14 discs will be available with DVDs of the documentaries in a stereo box set, and a set titled The Beatles in Mono featuring 10 discs will also be released.

The Beatles "Remastered" 2009 Promo Video

How's it going "The Pagemeister?" I hope all is well with you. 9 September 2009 is nearly here! I can't wait! In the mean time, ROCK ON!