The Incredible Story of Beatles First U.S. Album & How To Tell If Yours Is Genuine

[@michaelrochester48]

Frankie Valli has claimed that he has seven of the stereo pressings of “the Beatles versus the four seasons” albums in his possession

[@darryl3422]

I had Introducing the Beatles and The Beatles vs The 4 Seasons In 1965 Wish my mon hadn't thrown them away when I went to Vietnan Great video

[@Parlogram]

Sorry to hear that, Darryl. Thanks for watching!

[@georgegbalzano9239]

Thanks for another great video Andrew!! I have a clean original copy of Version 2, and a couple of "different" copies that are bootleg. I found out how to tell the difference quite a number of years ago. Just recently, in fact, I was perusing ebay for any "deals" on vintage Beatles albums. I found an ad for this very album, and judging by the pictures provided by the seller it DEFINITELY was a COUNTERFEIT!! The seller was asking $5000 US or best offer for the album!! Of course, no one had made any offers.I politely messaged him that unfortunately what he had was a counterfeit, and that it was not worth anywhere near what he was asking. I told him about the clues you mentioned, and I tried to be very nice about it, as the seller appeared not to be a record shop or a company. Some people think just because it says "Beatles" on it, it's worth a lot of money!!! But not in this case!! I think the ad came down shortly thereafter!! Best Wishes!! George B. from the Boston area.

[@Parlogram]

Good point, George. In general, Beatles records are not valuable.

[@Stonecutter334]

As a teenager in the mid 70’s i can attest to the fact that the counterfeit ones were literally everywhere. Even if you went into the little local department stores or five and dime type places. Whats more we all had at least one copy. You could pick them up for a couple of dollars anywhere. Great stuff as always.

[@alexblank1140]

I remember seeing brand-new copies in the early 80s, in the record store in my local shopping mall in Mt. Kisco, New York. They, too, must have been counterfeits.

[@MrRETEROROB]

you're right they were everywhere. I found mine in a grocery store, in Arlington, Va..

[@mikeymutual5489]

@@MrRETEROROB Which store, Rob? Does it still exist?

[@Parlogram]

Good times, Richard!

[@mattkilleen7174]

I bought mine at Sears in 1977.

[@Doc_Holaday]

I have two copies of this record repackaged as "Songs, Pictures and Stories of the Fabulous Beatles". The label on the actual record still says "Introducing the Beatles". They belonged to my dad and I love the way they sound.

[@JLLLEL]

I was nearly nine when the Beatles hit it big in America. I had "Meet" and "Introducing" by the end of February '64. My copy had "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" on the back cover, but the record itself had "Please Please Me" and "Ask Me Why." Seems I got one during the transition period. Of course, I have no idea what happened to it during the last 59 years.

[@bobcash4617]

Me too.

[@magneto7930]

Wow, I just said the same thing in the comments. My copy said Love Me Do and PS I Love You, but clearly the songs were Please Please Me and Ask Me Why.

[@aarontabi398]

mine too. and----all the songs were credited to 'mccartney-lennon' !

[@jtlynn23]

Another fabulous video, Andrew! I bought one of the counterfeit "Introducing" albums from the budget bin in the 1980s. The person at the counter warned me that it was a fake, which I had already figured, but it was only $2.99. :) The first thing I noticed was that one of the channels on the record would just drop for a few seconds mid-song. The building where Vee-Jay was located is now a coworking space with a coffee shop in Chicago's growing South Loop neighborhood. After Vee-Jay left, Brunswick Records took over the space until the 1970s. Also, Universal Recording Company has a very deep history as one of Chicago's premier studios-- lots of jazz and blues greats recorded there.

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it, Joseph and thanks for the interesting info.

[@kevincorcoran6493]

Otherwise how was the sound quality overall

[@jtlynn23]

@@kevincorcoran6493 As I recall, it didn't sound as good as the Capitol or EMI albums I had at the time.

[@beyondobscure]

I have one as well, and channel dropouts are really prevalent on "Anna". If I use mono cables then the signal drops in intensity during it which is even more jarring than one channel just disappearing from nowhere. Needless to say I only use that junk record for testing purposes!@@jtlynn23

[@CharlesOlver]

22:30 - "It is with a good deal of pride and pleasure that this copulation has been presented."

[@buffalobraves9]

These videos are such a wealth of information and almost always 100% spot on accurate. Andrew's delivery is also very pleasing to listen to.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, John. Glad you like them!

[@TheCliffandPhilShow]

Yes. Andrew's delivery is always respectful and friendly. :)

[@englishdogs]

Great that you've started playing sound clips! Other channels do it, and frankly it makes all the sense in the world for this kind of content. Thanks!

[@themoviedealers]

Hear, hear

[@stuffilike2739]

I agree, the sound clips are so helpful, you could have used them on prior episodes. Kinda figured they were too expensive or KZbin would block you.

[@Parlogram]

I have tried before but KZbin would automatically mute them.

[@englishdogs]

@@Parlogram Best of luck with it!

[@kevinshaw1387]

Too many ads though - infuriating

[@paulkovacs5729]

My father just sent me a copy of Introducing that previously belonged to my mother's sister as part of my birthday gift. This video is amazingly informative, and along with one of my local shops, has provided a second confirmation mine's the real deal. My aunt wrote her name on the back, and based on some of the writing on the plain inner sleeve my mom was right that her sister's favorite was George (which someone apparently disapproved of, as someone tried to scratch Geroge's name out)

[@carlosrenatodamotabezerra106]

On CD format, the stereo version of From Me To You is very rare, appearing only on The Past Master of 2009. The mono version, by the other hand, appears at least on three discs of the 80s cds issues (Past Masters I, The Red Album) and finally on the One Cd of 2000. I waited 21 years for an official issue of a stereo version of From Me To You. That was another great video, Andrew! Carry on! God bless you!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Carlos!

[@kalebaldwin5398]

And unfortunately, it sounds lackluster. Thin, and hardly any bass. It sounds nothing like it does on the the Red Album vinyl (the original UK or the all analog 2014 reissue), which is full, warm and with bass for days.

[@pcsbeat]

Like most of us, I picked up a bunch of these, real or otherwise, over the years. It’s great to get the backstory and the details on the album to help figure out what’s what. Thank you, Andrew!

[@davidreckamp8161]

Very deftly done, Andrew! You have encapsulated a book's worth of information into a well thought-out, easy-to-understand 20-minute video. No easy feat! You are also right about Bruce Spizer's book; it is a painstakingly detailed account of the whole Beatles/Vee-Jay saga. A vital read, but only if you are Beatles-obsessed to the point of madness, like myself.

[@paulreckamp7502]

Obviously you're more obsessed than me. Figured you'd like this video.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks David. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ItsBriiiiii]

picked up a lot of records at auction, actually around 60 for $200. Had most every important Rolling Stones and Beatles record (around 30). this record was one, on mono (VeeJay records) Catalog number on label / back cover : VJLP 1062 Catalog number on front cover: LP 1062 Matrix / Runout (A): 63-3402 Matrix / Runout (B): 63-3403 it's in great shape, still has original plastic. lol

[@LeftyPem]

As a hardcore reader of record collecting books in my early teens, I was well versed on the real vs counterfeit copies of this. My parents lack of trust in my knowledge sadly led to my missing out on a true stereo copy in 1994 when they wouldn’t put up the $25 it cost😢

[@TheDejael]

Thanks Andrew for sorting that all out about the history of The Beatles on Vee-Jay. I had original copies of the first releases in my Beatles record collection, stolen in 2003. I also had copies of the counterfeits, with one in particular had a cut on one edge of the record label, and another with the plain black label which was an obvious fake.

[@grahampaulkendrick7845]

Another gem of a video! 🙂As a massive blues fan I was especially interested in the VeeJay story. Columbia issued VeeJay's compilation 'The Blues' in 1962, which certainly inspired many UK blues musicians, so they already had an association with EMI. In 1978, VeeJay's liquidated stock was finally put on sale to the general public. Living near Toronto, I snapped up quite a few gems for only two bucks each (but I wish I'd bought more.) As for Frank Ifield, I certainly remember him! In '62 the family went on holiday to North Devon. We didn't have a car radio, but in every traffic jam, we heard 'I Remember You' from the cars with radios. It just took over the number spot from George's mate Joe brown's 'A Picture Of You'. I think the Beatles played both songs live. Bruce Chanel had also previously featured a harmonica on his hit 'Hey Baby', so by the time of 'Love Me Do', using a mouth organ was almost becoming old hat in the fast moving early sixties pop world. I was lucky enough to see Frank Ifield live a few years ago. He was very good and he did mention that late '62 gig with the Beatles in Leicester (which I believe was an audition for the Helen Shapiro tour, a few months later.) He said that he tokd them they were too loud and that they took his advice. I tend to believe him, as it would have been one of their earliest theatre gigs. Anyway, thanks again for a great episode, which was fascinating on so many levels.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for your memories, Graham. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@radrandall]

Thank you. I have both early Vee Jay versions in mono, and I never knew the story of why certain songs were left off. I cherish the rawness of those recordings. Some of these tunes give an indication of how the Beatles may have sounded in Hamburg. Good work.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Rad.

[@garyslogan]

What a superior job you've done in helping to unravel and explain the intricacies of these presses, including adding links and recommended reading for even more detail. Your thoroughness is astonishing and very appreciated. Now to get into my basement to retrieve the six or so versions I have and find out what I've really got, lol!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Gary. Glad it was helpful!

[@JacobKMusics]

Andrew, this is one of your best videos yet! This is one of the strangest and most fascinating US albums, and you did your usual above and beyond attention to detail to finally give the backstory of it. I always thought the Love Me Do version had first been released in July 1963, and the Please Please Me version in January 1964, but I was wrong. I found it a bit odd that it wasn’t included on the US albums CD box set in January 2014, but with The Early Beatles included, it would’ve made for a lot of boring repetitiveness, which had already been an issue going in with the use of the 2009 stereo and mono masters. Now that’s a video I’d like to see! A full rundown and critique of the US Albums CD Box set! I like to support causes I believe it, and I am glad to be a channel member for you, Andrew! Your videos keep getting better and better! Keep doing great things!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Jacob, glad you enjoyed it Lots more to come!

[@sugarjoe50]

Little known fact? Certain 80s pressings of "The Early Beatles" featured hype stickers proclaiming 'Includes Twist & Shout' due to it featured in the film "Ferris Beulers Day Off".

[@michaelcrowley8339]

So good to see you getting into some of the US albums, Andrew! I have a counterfeit "Stereo" pressing of this album (though I believe it plays mono, from what I recall), and also have a genuine "Songs, Pictures, & Stories of the Beatles" album in my collection, too. Good stuff!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Michael. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@codykowalick3943]

I wish this video had been released on Friday! I bought a copy on Saturday and found out later in the day that it was a counterfeit.

[@SGBassplayer]

I owned this album when I collected Beatles vinyl as a teenager in the early ‘80s. Never heard that it was widely counterfeited, but it doesn’t surprise me.

[@dasia5479]

Thanks for this! I remember buying it at Sam Goody's in Yonkers, NY. It was 1964, the first album my father let me choose. It's a great memory and I still have the album. I believe it is the second version. It checks everything mentioned except for the type irregularities in HONEY. I remember being disappointed, lol. I thought I was buying their first but Meet the Beatles was then said to be first. I was ten and wanted what everyone else had!

[@mikeymutual5489]

Congratulations on including real music clips in your video! They make the video even more interesting and relevant!

[@chriscampanozzi6516]

Andrew, great information. The Beatles are the very definition of a never-ending story. I consider your content to be on par with that of a highly regarded author or historian.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Chris. Much appreciated!

[@magneto7930]

I owned 2 different versions of Introducing The Beatles. One of them had incorrect titles on the cover as well as the label. It showed Love Me Do and PS I Love You printed. However, the songs were actually Please Please Me and Ask Me Why. The songs were swapped, and the labels weren't. I did get to hear Misery and There's a Place for the first time back then, those songs were missing from my Capital albums collection. Great upload!

[@carriedairy]

my copy has love me do and ps i love u on the sleeve but the label and record have ask my why and ps i love you. sleeve was probably swapped but it's maybe somethin else

[@magneto7930]

@@carriedairy yes, strange how that occurred.

[@Mr.-J-2024]

Thanks Andrew. This really makes the confusing Vee-Jay story easy to comprehend. When you mentioned Tollie, it got me to wonder what the story was behind the Swan label single of She Loves You. Vee Jay must not have had a proofreader on staff, as I noticed they also misspelled "Farnk" Ifield (5:20) on his single label (but they got songwriter 'Schertzinger' correct)... LOL. Excellent video... as always. Thanks for playing some 'snippets' also. Really enjoyed this one.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Sir. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BakedRBeans]

Speaking of proofreading.... at 22:29 the notes say "this copulation" instead of "this compilation" Ha Ha ! @@Parlogram

[@joelnehl]

I just checked my two copies bought in the late seventies, both are counterfeit, not surprised, but now I know for sure. Thanks for the video!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Joel!

[@will89687]

Another great video Andrew! It would be interesting someday to go into how "Introducing..." and the other Vee-Jay issues got into the hands of counterfeiters in the first place.

[@moxievision]

The world of counterfeiters and bootleg LP manufacturers has always fascinated me. I imagine them being churned out after hours in a record plant somewhere in deepest, darkest New Jersey.

[@mikeh6097]

I was obsessed by Introducing the Beatles and attempted to get every single variation I could. I managed to grab the V1 mono brackets label and the V2 all black brackets as well as most of the other variations. Sold them all though in order to build a deposit for my first home. I also had a mono copy of the portrait Ifield LP. One of my regrets was selling that as well as selling my stereo 3rd state butcher.

[@galtsghost4454]

I picked up a $3 counterfeit copy last year. Cover says “stereophonic” though it’s clearly low-fi mono, but for $3 it makes a fun conversation piece. It’s a shame Abner didn’t play his cards right, pun intended😁 Thanks for the always interesting videos, Andrew!

[@DavidLee-rx6uo]

Brilliant Andrew! Well done one of the best ones you done

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, David.

[@barriobajaj]

My buddy unknowingly bought a counterfeit copy with the black and silver record label in the late '70's that we listed to when we were teens. He gifted it to me about 15 years later and I still have it as it sounds fine to me. Didn't know the records pedigree (or lack thereof) until I looked it up in a record value book.

[@ChuckRoast-r5m]

Hello Andrew! One of the highlights on Sunday afternoons is watching your latest video. They're very informative and factual! I never miss 'em! My oldest sister bought this album in 1964 when she was 16. Being that I'm a 1962 model, I was very small when this album, "Meet The Beatles," "The Kinks Greatest Hits," Gerry & The Pacemakers "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" l.p. and much, much more were being spun at our house daily. My sister's copy of that album is long gone! In the '70s my mom bought a copy at a 5 & 10 which was, of course, counterfeit. One morning in 1988, while preparing to open the record store I was working in at the time, I was walking by the small shelf of used albums which were out for sale, and out of the corner of my eye I thought I had spotted a color at the top of one of the covers that immediately reminded me of the "Introducing The Beatles" cover. So I looked and, sure enough, it was. It was in really nice shape. It turned out to be a version 2 Monarch pressing with the brackets and color band label. Needless to say, it was bought and taken home with me that same day! One day in the mid '90s after I'd married, my wife and I were visiting her mom when I happened to notice a floor model stereo in her living room. I lifted the lid and saw a stack of albums inside. After asking for and being granted permission to look through them, I discovered a copy of this album. It was in its cover, but pretty beat up. She was going to get rid of the stereo and the records and asked me to take what I wanted, so it went home with us. It turned out to be an Allentown version 2 pressing with the brackets and color band microgroove label. Last month we were in an antique shop which carries a lot of used vinyl, and there were several copies of this album. One copy in particular was in extremely nice condition with no ring wear, seam splits or corner dings. The vinyl looked almost un-played! So I bought it. It turned out to be a version 2 Columbia, Bridgeport pressing on the oval color band label. Oh, and by the way..., the name's Roast, Chuck Roast.

[@Parlogram]

Great memories, Chuck!

[@johncarsell1205]

Thanks for another great video Andrew. Introducing The Beatles on Vee Jay must be the most counterfeited album in history.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks John. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nicknikipediacaulkin5943]

A fascinating story of this album, Andrew and how to identify a counterfeit copy from the real thing!

[@l.salisbury1253]

This is USA calling... Learn-Something-New-Every-Day Dept.: I did NOT know the Fab Four had ANY American releases in 1963 (much less a misspelled one) until now! I'd heard about this one incident in '63- a British tourist visiting the States popped into a record store asking for something by the Beatles. Not only did that store have nothing by them but the clerk had never even heard of them in the first place. But the joke was on that record store clerk since the British tourist in question was... GEORGE HARRISON!

[@Parlogram]

We did a video about his 1963 solo visit which you may enjoy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4Gtmo2Qep6Ueqssi=pf457_Bsv-0gQoTp

[@TaylorSchlupp]

Love your videos man. I have two copies of this album. My aunt gave me her copy a long time ago that she got when she was probably 10 years old. Then I got another about a year ago. One of my favorite albums. Love the early Beatles so much!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Taylor!

[@ianz9916]

Very useful video. I have bought a genuine, well it passes all the tests, second version mono copy of Introducing The Beatles. I had been reluctant as there were so many counterfeits out there proclaiming, "Genuine Original Copy", but I did already know about The Beatles below the spindle hole being a sign of a counterfeit. I found a couple of examples but I paid a bit more to get the one with no spindle wear and a better quality outer cover. If you're going to be a collector, you may as well get the best you can afford.

[@jorgeb555]

Still one of my all time favourite of your videos, Andrew. And then I found an 80,000 pressing for $20 and was SOOOO excited. 🙏🏽

[@Parlogram]

Nice work!

[@likesnoozn]

I have a genuine pressing of Vee-Jay’s Introducing The Beatles as well as Capitol’s Meet The Beatles. A Taste of Honey was co-written by my Mother’s cousin Bobby Scott so the Beatles recording his song as well as Herb Alpert was a big deal in our family. He also co-wrote, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. Very informative video.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching!

[@buddygreco2348]

Fantastic job Andrew! Found out some things I hadn't known before...I do have a mint version 1 copy, a version 2 since March 64, and the other VJ releases and I love them all. Very cool to have Beatles vinyl on different US labels. Thanks for the awesome job Andrew and I'm looking forward to next week. Keep rockin!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Buddy. Keep watchin'!

[@48musicfan]

Outstanding episode! My counterfeit copy features the version one track list on the back cover, but includes “Ask Me Why” and “Please Please Me” on the actual LP. Keep up the great job and I am already looking forward to next week!

[@byronschmuland8912]

I bought mine in 1976, and it was the same: different songs on the cover and the album. At least I got to hear Misery and There's a Place for the first time.

[@48musicfan]

@@byronschmuland8912 I figure that probably happened quite a bit.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Roger. See you next week!

[@christopherpatefield6150]

Thank you for this comment. I have just picked up this album at a record fair assuming it was a counterfeit and have just noticed that the album and the cover have the same difference in the track listing as you have. I think this (and the size of the the dead wax } confirms to me that it is a counterfeit.

[@scottroberts3011]

I loved this video. Thanks for putting it together for us. I have always wondered about the "blank back" cover. I came up with 4 or 5 different stories as to why it exists. You seem to have cleared that up. Once again, thanks for this very, very interesting story on the widely debated first U.S. Beatles lp.

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it, Scott!

[@rthrth2802]

Such an entertaining and informative video. I’m so impressed with your channel Andrew! Thought I’d never learn anything new about the Beatles but you changed that. Thanks man

[@ofrabjousday1]

Great report, Andrew! Here are a couple of fun facts for you. Check out the subtle dig they placed on the back cover of the Jolly What! LP, admitting that they were screwed at 22:29 in the sentence between the double lines. And then check out the other subtle dig on the record label at 23:43, in the songwriting credits for the appropriately-choiced song, "Chains," where they admit that their label is done for. (That second fun fact does not appear on all copies. It's slightly rarer than the correct songwriting credits.) And finally, keep your ears out for copies that have "Love Me Do" and "PS I Love You" on the label, but actually play "Ask Me Why" and "Please Please Me."

[@charliemaguire2210]

Great Video Andrew, Henry here, i have over the past year or so been really getting sucked into this album's myriad of variations ( i have about 20 now ) but a few years before i was able to aquire a genuine ver 1 column back stereo which is the " most faked album " as featured. I had always assumed it's existence was mythical but now i understand about 20 or so are known to exist. As for dear old Frank, i am old enough to remember him, he was famous for his " Yodel " amazing stich for an Aussie to use & not an Austrian ( or Swiss lol ), i recall a track called " she taught me how to yodel - yodelo-he-dee " & without checking it may have even been the B side to I remember you !!

[@Parlogram]

Cheers Henry. Congrats on your genuine stereo copy!

[@charliemaguire2210]

@@Parlogram thks Andrew, this album is becoming like wire coathangers in my collection in that copies seem to be multiplying, so many different labels & factories - and a few sleeve variants too, i also picked up a couple of very cheap vers 2 stereo's with stickered sleeves one of which Frank Daniels ( a collaborator of Bruce Spizer's ) tells me is a very tough find ! - ps i should clarify for others that a vers 1 is love me do copy & vers 2 the re-issued Please please me version. Oh and there are also vers 2 that play vers 1, it's a mine field lol !!

[@realjaxon]

Thanks for the thorough video Andrew. The first copy of this album that I bought was a counterfeit. That was in the late 70's when I had no clue that it was a fake. I either bought it at Licorice Pizza or Tower Records. I've since collected 14 genuine copies, all of which have different labels except for two, which are the same. Among the 14 is a MONO 'Blank Back' and a curious STEREO copy which has MONO labels and is inside of a MONO cover. I also have MONO copies of 'The Beatles vs The Four Seasons (minus the poster)', 'Songs, Pictures, & Stories of the Beatles', 'Hear The Beatles Tell All', and 2 MONO copies of the 'Jolly What' album in my Beatle Vee Jay library....so far.*

[@bpabustan]

Amazing video Andrew! As you said in the end, VeeJay would not have The Beatles for long as Capitol will have them by hook or by crook especially after The Ed Sullivan Show. It is such a shame Ewart Abner mismanaged VeeJay's money.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Bryan. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@o.k.5740]

I enjoy every video, the professionalism is wonderful ! Greetings from Berlin

[@Parlogram]

Thank you - much appreciated!

[@ash10ashofficial63]

I just got a geniune copy of the record at a record store! The other copies there where bootlegs or super expensive

[@christopherrippel2463]

Brilliant video!

[@Parlogram]

Many thanks, Christopher!

[@jdmack01]

These videos are greatly appreciated.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Sir! Much appreciated!

[@tomdegan6924]

Your essays are excellent. You even teach this Beatles scholar a few things!

[@Parlogram]

Wow, thank you!

[@robertdillon6821]

Great video as usual, Andrew. Saw a copy of this at the Salamanca Markets in Hobart last month with a price tag of $175. I've got no idea whether it was real or fake but I can also report that the same seller had an unnumbered White Album for sale for the princely sum of $450!!

[@indiana2096]

I have a counterfeit that was done very well, nice authentic looking art and it also has pretty good sound as well. I bought it knowing what it was but still wanted it as a curiosity. I do have an original copy of "Hear the Beatles Tell All", picked it up fairly cheap and its was in great condition. Thanks for the video, I am learning so much that I never heard before!

[@Parlogram]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dogstar7]

Abner was a gambler and used company money to pay his debts. That covers a lot of ground when you consider who Abner would have owed his gambling debts to. The long and the short of it being the Guys In Chicago who wear pinky rings. As mentioned this included the people who handled Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack. The company money was bookkeeping short records on inventory earmarked to the jukebox trade...which is a whole 'nuther kettle of fish.

[@thehighllama8101]

Very interesting video. I hope you'll have an upcoming video about the Beatles singles and Souvenir of Their Visit to America EP on Vee-Jay and Tollie, maybe even mentioning VJ's super rare promo Anna 45 single.

[@juanmarte3298]

EXCELLENT VIDEO. GREAT JOB. VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it, Juan!

[@michaelcarpenter2498]

I looked at the one I have and it passed every test you said and it is mono. Thank you for this video Andrew. It answered a lot of my questions.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Michael. Glad it was helpful!

[@dreamerjazz352]

This video was perfect timing for me, Introducing The Beatles was on my turntable before I saw this! I bought two of these until I finally got the authentic one. Even then, the authentic one that I have has the jacket from the original copies with Love Me Do, but has the disc with Please Please Me. But both the jacket and disc are authentic though. At first I didn't know about the counterfeits, so that's why it took me a couple of tries after the first one I bought to get the authentic one. I've always wondered why the album was counterfeited so much, so thanks for all the details on that. Also, I never knew that the cutting of "1-2-3-4" on I Saw Her Standing There was intentional, I always thought it was just a defect when the record was pressed. You know so much about these records, thanks so much!

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@54macdog]

22:30 "It is with a good deal of pride and pleasure that this copulation has been presented". No doubt.

[@aquatarkus2022]

I always assumed my '70s copy was counterfeit, now I know it is. Thank you!

[@Beatletoon]

Another fantastic video. Thank you so much.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Mitchell. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@carlrudd1858]

Educational

[@pwc9222]

Great video! I inherited a legitimate copy in mono. I was surprised by how good the sound quality is on it. I initially thought the shadow next to George was some sort of oil spot at first. Shows what i knew preciously about this lp!

[@tankmchavocproductions6907]

This is a perfect birthday present, thank you man

[@Parlogram]

You're very welcome and Happy Birthday!

[@stationminute]

Fascinating stuff as always. I'd love to see (or read) a deeper dive into how the counterfeits became so ubiquitous in the late 70's, early 80's. Like a lot of other folks in the comments, I saw and bought these at legit record stores and nationwide chain stores, where they were stocked right alongside the Capitol albums. It would be like walking into a Barnes & Noble and finding a bootleg printing of The Shining by Stephen King sitting on the shelf. Anyhow, I always assumed they were official (if shoddy) products, because I remember also picking up the Vee-Jay re-releases of John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed around that time.

[@marksutter182]

I have the second real version with Please Please Me on it! My brother picked it up for a dollar at an old lady's garage sale in the 90's.

[@timfisher5925]

I remember buying a copy of this in shrink-wrap from a market stall about 1981/82 and I could not understand why the count in had been cut and started on 4! now I know, another great video Andrew

[@Parlogram]

Cheers Tim!

[@nickforemanreal]

Funny . You never see Andrew from Parlogram and Mark Lewisohn in the same room together .

[@AndalusiaGBSpringthorpe6227]

These videos are the best anyone can listen to, hands down. Your spoken commentry is flawless. Can we have some attention paid to The Beach Boys & Scott Walker. Thanks Andrew. My best wishes & continue with these fabulous commentries. X

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Glenn. Videos on The Beach Boys and Scott are definitely coming!

[@tim76239]

I got my copy sometime between 78' and 80' at a local record store. I knew then at 10 years old it was a bootleg. But I loved that album for years and years.

[@billleary5779]

Thanks for doing a Vee Jay video Andrew…..very interesting and informative backstory. I will look to pick up a copy of Introducing the Beatles in the future. Take care!

[@Parlogram]

Thank Bill. The book is amazing!

[@vinniefreeman5142]

Great video Andrew! Thanks for telling this story. It's crazy how many different versions exist. I have a genuine 2nd version with the brackets label and the Songs, Pictures and Stories LP. I do remember my local record store carrying the brown border counterfeit version in the late 1970s.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Vinnie!

[@TheLautaro98]

As always impeccable presentation, and i loved that you showed actual proof of song quality! Keep that coming! Greetings from Argentina

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Lautaro! Will do!

[@redline2115]

Great video. My first copy was a fake bought in the sixties by my mom! I just needed There’s a Place! It had a blurry cover and was rumored to have been made by the mafia. I’ve had many copies since.

[@brunofiorelli3029]

Thanks Andrew, i cant wait to see next video! Really amazing!

[@Parlogram]

Glad you liked it, Bruno!

[@kalebaldwin5398]

Those paintings of the group used on Songs, Pictures and Stories and the 2nd version of Jolly What! remind me of full color illustrations that would appear in product advertisements and manuals during the 50s and early 60s.

[@colinduff2922]

Congratulations Andrew on a fantastic video. I'm looking forward to your next video on "From Me To You".

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Colin. Hope you enjoy the next one!

[@dantucker3721]

Thank you again for another great video about the Beatles! This is one of your best videos by far, and it certainly makes me want to find a genuine copy myself. Thanks again, Andrew!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Dan. Much appreciated!

[@Vince_Tasciotti]

A very enjoyable, and well thought out, video on the history of Introducing The Beattles. I have not found a legitimate copy of this LP anywhere, I have seen my share of counterfeits over time though.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Vince. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hstdriver6616]

Another great video, Andrew, very informative. I seem to remember reading (might have been a book called 'How They Become The Beatles'?) that VeeJay still pressed the album even after they'd been told to stop but pressed a previous version so that they could say they had been made before the cease and desist ruling so could still be sold? The audio snippets are far better than the spectographs. No idea what I'm looking at with those but can hear the difference easily with the samples 😃🤣

[@McMieke]

Thank you for that. I’d love to see these reissued, especially Beatles Vs four seasons, maybe on record store day.

[@LoganKM76]

Wow! Great episode. I have a black label style counterfeit. I bought it for $15 in 1993. The seller was upfront about it being a fake, and I bought it for the novelty. Thanks for the great information!

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it, Logan!

[@DerekSee]

Another great video! There’s also genuine copies pressed by all 3 Columbia pressing plants. I’d also say that VJ wasn’t a small label, as they were probably the biggest R&B label at the time, before the rise of Motown. It’s been speculated that R&B records sold far more than pop in the 60s, which is why Billboard included radio play in their calculations, otherwise black music would have dominated the charts far more. They were also a forerunner in using multiple pressing plants around the country to ease distribution. I’d also go out on a limb and say that VJ, specifically Ewart Abner, definitely heard and identified The Beatles greatness early on, which explains why they would take a chance on an LP after two relative failure singles. Apparently the first two VJ discs did get some attention in LA and Chicago, and there was more fandom sprouting up than is typically reported. Also, thanks for mentioning how good these records sound; the reputation has been tainted for too long by people judging the terrible sound quality of the counterfeits.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks for watching, Derek and for the info!

[@DerekSee]

@@Parlogram I watch 'em all, pal! I've learned so much from you. Most recent example: I bought a -5 Rubber Soul in London last month, and you're right. It's superb!

[@KevinKomonyi]

I have both versions and I know they’re genuine. They were purchased for me in both January and February of 1964. Our neighborhood record shop was just across the street from where I lived and they were purchased on the days they came into the shop.

[@EdKazO-Vision]

Wow! Just today I spotted a fake stereophonic one at The Princeton Record Exchange, my store of choice. You can spot ‘em a mile away. I recall seeing tons of ‘em in the bargain bins here in the states back in the seventies and eighties. My knowledge was not as sophisticated back then, but you just KNEW. In any event, I have a nice mono original and always loved the warm sound of it. Beautiful reporting sir. Cheers!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you, Sir!

[@SQDLVR]

Wow so many variations and counterfeits. Very hard to tell what was what. Great explanation and video as usual Andrew.

[@Parlogram]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

At least now we get a better undertstanding of how Vee-Jay got in on this British Invasion head-on before Capitol (whom EMI already bought previous).

[@ShaneRayXRB]

Great video! The Vee Jay story is a fascinating one.

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Shane. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@750drums]

Thanks for another fantastic video, Andrew. Those Beatles/ Frank Ifield albums are impossible to find here now. I used to see them all the time, even back in the 80's. If I knew then what we know know....

[@Parlogram]

Cheers David!

[@jamiewm]

Another fantastic video, your knowledge is second to none Andrew 👌

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Jamie! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@djgaryowens]

Something you haven't done before actually play a snippet of Beatles music on your videos. Hope you don't get any copyright hit!

[@jameseybhoy1974]

Hi Andrew, a very thorough video which was very interesting. I’ve got two copies of this album. One I know for a fact is counterfeit, but it was cheap and one that I’m sure isn’t. I’ll have to check it using your guide. Anyway the videos are great for us Beatles fans. Keep them coming. Thanks.

[@Parlogram]

Many thanks! Will do!

[@jorgeb555]

Ha! I just acquired a real first printing of the album at an antique store in Milton, DE while on a beach trip, for $20. It passes all the authenticity tests as being a first release mono. The cover is not in great shape, but the disc looks quite clean. And now I have one of the 80,000. Thanks for teaching me how to recognize it! ☺️☺️☺️

[@Parlogram]

Awesome! Congratulations!

[@jorgeb555]

@@Parlogram Thank you! For a minute I thought might have also found a butcher cover, but it failed the Ringo Vest test. Can’t win ‘em all! $14.

[@radiomindchatter7994]

My wife works at a thrift store and brought Introducing the Beatles home to me and its a counterfeit. The cover is a bit rough but the vinyl is suprisingly good and I love it.