Video: Beatles Mono LPs on the way - direct from tape

Apple/EMI has finally announced the long-expected/awaited news that the Beatles LPs are coming out in mono on vinyl. Here's a video teaser, followed by the official press release.

The big news here for collectors is that the LPs are mastered direct from tape - not digital.


THE BEATLES’ ORIGINAL MONO STUDIO ALBUMS REMASTERED AT ABBEY ROAD DIRECTLY FROM THE ANALOGUE MASTERS FOR VINYL RELEASE

180-Gram LPs Available September 8, Individually and in a Limited 14-LP Boxed Edition with Hardbound Book

London – June 12, 2014 – The Beatles in mono:  This is how most listeners first heard the group in the 1960s, when mono was the predominant audio format.  Up until 1968, each Beatles album was given a unique mono and stereo mix, but the group always regarded the mono as primary.

On September 8 (September 9 in North America), The Beatles’ nine U.K. albums, the American-compiled Magical Mystery Tour, and the Mono Masters collection of non-album tracks will be released in mono on 180-gram vinyl LPs with faithfully replicated artwork.  Newly mastered from the analogue master tapes, each album will be available both individually and within a lavish, limited 14-LP boxed edition, The Beatles In Mono, which also includes a 108-page hardbound book.

In an audiophile-minded undertaking, The Beatles’ acclaimed mono albums have been newly mastered for vinyl from quarter-inch master tapes at Abbey Road Studios by GRAMMY®-winning engineer Sean Magee and GRAMMY®-winning mastering supervisor Steve Berkowitz.  While The Beatles In Mono CD boxed set released in 2009 was created from digital remasters, for this new vinyl project, Magee and Berkowitz cut the records without using any digital technology.  Instead, they employed the same procedures used in the 1960s, guided by the original albums and by detailed transfer notes made by the original cutting engineers.

Working in the same room at Abbey Road where most of The Beatles’ albums were initially cut, the pair first dedicated weeks to concentrated listening, fastidiously comparing the master tapes with first pressings of the mono records made in the 1960s.  Using a rigorously tested Studer A80 machine to play back the precious tapes, the new vinyl was cut on a 1980s-era VMS80 lathe.

Manufactured for the world at Optimal Media in Germany, The Beatles’ albums are presented in their original glory, both sonically and in their packaging. The boxed collection’s exclusive 12-inch by 12-inch hardbound book features new essays and a detailed history of the mastering process by award-winning radio producer and author Kevin Howlett.  The book is illustrated with many rare studio photos of The Beatles, fascinating archive documents, and articles and advertisements sourced from 1960s publications.

The Beatles In Mono (click the links to order from Amazon):

Please Please Me
With The Beatles
A Hard Day's Night 
Beatles For Sale 
Help!
Rubber Soul
Revolver
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Magical Mystery Tour
The Beatles (White Album) (2-LP)
Mono Masters (3-LP)

Box Set


Music new releases June 17, 2014: Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden; Heathers musical; Sam Cooke; Willie Nelson; NRBQ, more!

Click the links to order discounted CDs, vinyl and downloads from Amazon.


Last Dance by Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden


Heathers The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording)


Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 by Sam Cooke


It Will Come To Pass: The Metaphysical Worlds And Poetic Introspections Of Willie Nelson


Brass Tacks by NRBQ


The Moral Of The Elephant by Martin and Eliza Carthy


Calypso: Musical Poetry in The Caribbean 1955-69

DVD and Blu-ray new releases June 17, 2014: House of Cards Season 2; Grand Budapest Hotel; Night of the Cobra Woman, more!

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


House of Cards: Season 2


The Grand Budapest Hotel


The LEGO Movie (DVD + UltraViolet Combo Pack)


Night of the Cobra Woman (widescreen)


Top Hat & Tales: Harold Ross and the Making of The New Yorker

Pop Focus: Disney Live-action Films of the 1960s Pt. 1

Following up on our post of a couple weeks back highlighting Disney's 1950s live-action films, here's a first batch of posters and other pics from the studio's voluminous 1960s releases.

I have fond memories of many of these, but also have never seen several. I did see "Emil the Detectives" a while back and highly recommend it. Never saw it as a kid. It's a very entertaining family film with lots of humor. It holds up very well.

Click the link to stream available films off Amazon, or to order DVDs.

Anyone else have any reviews/recommendations/memories?