Capitol Screws Pooch on Beatles Reissue

Many Beatles fans are in a frenzy right now because Capitol Records screwed up the mono remasters for Beatles VI and Rubber Soul on the just-issued Capitol Albums Vol. 2 set. Apparently, the pressing plant used a “fold-down” stereo-to-mono reduction mix instead of the true British mono mix they were supposed to use. As a result, as many as 170,000 defective copies of the album hit stores on Tuesday. The only reason Capitol even acknowledged the problem is because astute fans with advance copies made a stink about it.

The irony here is two-fold. The whole reason we have a Capitol Albums series is because the label rooked American record buyers the first time around by cutting tracks from British versions of Beatles albums through Sgt. Pepper. The Beatles’ umbrage at this practice was the trigger for the Yesterday and Today “butcher cover.” Secondly, by knowingly releasing a defective product, Capitol has – intentionally or not – created yet another Beatles collectible. Now all the completists will have to buy two copies of Capitol Albums Vol. 2 instead of one.

My pal Kent B. says Waterloo Records received corrected copies of the set. To make sure you’re buying the corrected set, check the box’s yellow stick-on label for an “SK1” at the end of the catalog number.

If you hear a false start on the mono version of “I’m Looking Through You,” congratulations! You’re the proud owner of a defective set. Although it was their snafu, Capitol is making consumers jump through rebate-style hoops to the right discs. They won’t send you corrected discs unless you mail them your original dated receipt and the defective discs within 60 days of purchase.

Between this and the Sony malware fracas, is it any wonder so few people consider illegal downloading a crime?