The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One : Beatlemania & The Singles [Hardcover]

Bruce Spizer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2000

Tells the story of Beatlemania in America--from its modest beginnings to total euphoria. It provides complete session and chart information, tells stories behind the marketing of the singles and shows all picture sleeves and label variations in full color. Includes history of Capitol records.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Spizer, a tax attorney, Beatles historian, and contributor to various Beatles fan magazines, offers this meticulously researched follow-up to The Beatles Records on Vee-Jay (498 Prods., 1998). His study of the Beatles' American recordings on Capitol Records is two-fold. This work, Part 1, examines 45 rpm singles from 1964's "I Want To Hold Your Hand" to 1968's "Lady Madonna" (the last Capitol release before the Beatles launched Apple Records). Part 2, scheduled for fall 2000, will cover the Beatles' LPs. Three sections make up this title: how Capitol finally agreed to release Beatles records in the United States after rejecting the first four British hits; a breakdown of each single release with explanations and photographs of each issued label and picture sleeve variation, complete with coverage of Capitol's Beatles-related novelty singles, Canadian releases, and counterfeit records; and, lastly, a history of Capitol and other Capitol miscellany. The forthcoming book will contain information that will apply to this title, e.g., a chapter on identifying pressing plants based on information etched in the plastic discs. Hundreds of source documents from Capitol's files are reproduced, such as Capitol's first Beatles press release. In 2001, Spizer plans to write a history of the Beatles on Apple Records. Spizer's works are indispensable for serious Beatles collectors but of limited appeal to casual fans; recommended for libraries with large pop music/Beatles collections. [Chronicle Books will publish The Beatles Anthology, the first Apple Records-sanctioned history of the band, sometime this year.--Ed.].--Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., C.--.
-Lloyd Jansen, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Comprehensive, historically accurate and extremely entertaining. A stunning visual work. Deserves to be the cornerstone of every Beatles' library. -- Goldmine, May 5, 2000

Comprehensive...beautiful, lavish. A time capsule of [Beatles] releases and how first-generation American fans were exposed to the music. -- Billboard, April 1, 2000

Meticulous detail, behind-the-scenes stories...marvelously reproduced illustrations. This is a book for any fan of The Beatles. -- Beatlefan, March-April, 2000

Spizer has perfectly captured Beatlemania the way Americans experienced it--through the records released by Capitol. -- Good Day Sunshine, Issue # 84

This is the most complete and thorough account of the Beatles American records I have ever seen. I find it totally accurate in every detail. To those Beatles fans who wish to own such an account, one can not find better than this book. I can't tell you how impressed I am with The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records. Bruce's research and documentation is fantastic. I learned a lot of what went on below my executive responsibilities as president of Capitol Records! You will also learn a lot and be entertained. -- Alan Livingston, President of Capitol Records, 1962-1968

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 226 pages
• Publisher: Four Ninety-Eight Productions (March 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966264916
• ISBN-13: 978-0966264913
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,511,722 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Story of The Beatles US Singles on Capitol!, September 25, 2000

By 

Art Greinke (Milwaukee, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One : Beatlemania & The Singles (Hardcover)

If you have any interest at all in The Beatles' American issues, this book is the last word on the 45 rpm singles that changed the way music is packaged, marketed, enjoyed and celebrated. Bruce Spizer takes you on a chronological journey from late 1963 to mid 1968 with a detailed account of how and why Capitol Records packaged their Beatles releases for the US market.

There are many people, who are beginning to discover, collect, and appreciate vintage vinyl and The Beatles' issues are undeniably among the primary treasures. However, since the issuance of only the British catalog titles on compact disc, there has not been a resource available to explain the vintage US releases to collectors, let alone dealers. Numerous rumors, counterfeits, bootleg CDs and other pitfalls have been observed in shops, yard-sales, trading floors and auction houses where records can be found, flooding the market with misinformation and ambiguous facts.

This book, and its counterpart, present itemized and detailed information that is practical in style and rich with color illustrations of labels, sleeves, promotional materials and memoranda. For the very first time, in one publication, anyone can see firsthand what made these records so significant and fun! It is a very easy and enjoyable read from cover to cover and it's also broken into useful sections for brief research.

For all the criticisms that have been made about the Capitol releases, much of which has come from The Beatles themselves, these records were the way millions of Americans had initially discovered the "Fab Four" and a certain amount of that magic can be found in the way the music was graphically presented, remixed and issued. This book provides a thorough and highly competent segmental analysis of a cultural phenomenon that still influences generations.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEATLES 'CAPITOL RECORDS' STORY INDEED!, April 28, 2000

By 

PERRY D COX (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One : Beatlemania & The Singles (Hardcover)

It's finally here! Simply the best book ever done on the history of the Beatles career on that very colorful 'All-American' record company, 'Capitol Records'! Aptly titled "The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One: Beatlemania & The Singles", it's hot off the presses and I can't say enough about just how welcome this masterpiece is! I was so thrilled and impressed with this extremely well researched and comprehensive book, that I immediately became immersed in the vast array of changes and variants the Beatles records have realized during their many phenomenal achievements at Capitol Records. I can't say enough about just how truly remarkable this book is! If you have Mr. Spizer's first offering titled 'Song's, Pictures and Stories of the Fabulous Beatles on Vee Jay", you already know how comprehensive Bruce is with his research, text, and illustrations! Every original Beatles Capitol records 45rpm single and picture sleeve from the 1960s is fully illustrated front and back in full color! (also a few significant reissues are covered along with many interesting and supporting record facts!). Once you get past the clever and colorful cover that smartly adopts it's theme from the now classic, 'Beatles' Story' album, you'll soon have your eyes popping at all the many details and label variations that jump off the pages! Here's just a sampling, but by no means, all of the incredible features! ..... ***Includes a really nice foreward by former Capitol Records president and CEO, Alan Livingston (1962-1968) ***Features all of the Beatles' Capitol Records promotionally issued 45s & covers ***Includes high quality full color photos of every record label (both sides! ) and picture sleeves/covers at full scale size! ***There are literally dozens of bonus photos throughout the book featuring items so rare, you'll likely not see most in a lifetime! Such treasures include 'In-Store Promotional Displays', 'Custom Posters' and 'Custom Record Browser Boxes' just to name a very few! ***An extremely useful section is added with great color pictures of all known counterfeits to aid in identification! ***Back inside cover includes a full color spread of the all picture sleeves that accompanied their hit singles ***Great anecdotes and accurate history on every release is offered! You'll also learn of 'Capitol Records' story from the beginning with supporting 'construction phase pictures of the famous 'Capitol Tower' in Hollywood! I could ramble on, but I'd like there to be some super surprises left for you when you see it! Trust me, when you view this book, I'm sure you'll be thoroughly impressed! After seeing this book, I'd have gladly paid double the cover price to own a copy if I had to! This one volume is so comprehensive that the author dedicated the entire book to the singles! 'Part Two: The Albums' will be out on or about Oct./Nov. 2000. I guarantee you this Beatles collector will be anxiously awaiting it's arrival! It's 228 pages of pure Beatles history in a high quality laminated hard cover! My strong advice is to "Buy it! Use it! and become an expert!"

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beatles Story on Capitol Records, Part One, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One : Beatlemania & The Singles (Hardcover)

For those who lived through the first wave of Beatlemania, or those who wish they had, this book provides a vivid look at the most important aspect of America's love for the Fab Four: the records. Spizer's well researched text clarifies the sometimes confusing circumstances that allowed Beatles singles to be released on several different labels before Capitol took over with its marketing muscle. The real treat comes in page after page of color photos of rare picture sleeves, promotional materials, even record club marketing of the Beatles. The book is pricey, but every penny is on the pages-- beautifully done! Even if you've been following the Fabs since February 1964, I'll bet you will learn something new and see something you have never seen before in scores of Beatle books.