MY BONNIE
b/w THE SAINTS
DECCA 31382
RELEASED APRIL 23, 1962 AS
TONY SHERIDAN & THE BEAT BROTHERS
THE MUCH RARER PICKNEYVILLE PRESSING
ITEM # :
S301
CONDITION : NEAR MINT MINUS
PRICE : $20,000
In June 1961, a British singer
named Tony Sheridan recorded
"My Bonnie", "The Saints" and a
few others for Polydor Records in
Tony had been on the scene, playing in clubs in
The Beatles, as his back up group. In October of
1961, a 45 of
"My Bonnie" b/w "The Saints" was released in
under the name "Tony Sheridan & The Beat Brothers."
The record sold moderately well in
walked into Brian Epstein’s NEMS record shop in
of the record. Epstein then found out who the group was and
ordered
the single and sold more than 100 copies of it. As history would have
it,
by the end of the year Brian Epstein was managing the group…
and the rest is history.
On
in
"Tony Sheridan & The
Beatles". A few months later, the record attracted
the interest of Decca
Records in the UNITED STATES.
Decca would have the first option of releasing any German Polydor Records
in their "Deutsche Grammophon" series, of which this
was one.
Consequently, in April of 1962, pink label promotional copies of the
Decca 45
were pressed and distributed to radio stations and reviewers.
Although
it was not well received, a small number of
commercial (store) copies were
pressed up and released on
THIS IS THE VERY FIRST RECORD WITH
PERFORMANCES BY
THE BEATLES RELEASED IN THE UNITED STATES - BUT IDENTIFIED
ON THE LABEL AS "THE BEAT BROTHERS".
DUE TO NEAR NON-EXISTENT AIRPLAY AND SALES, DECCA
MANUFACTURED
A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF STOCK COPIES AND IS NOW THE SCARCEST
AMERICAN "BEATLES" RECORD. it was assumed that most copies
were returned and destroyed.
Today, it is estimated that APPROXIMATELY
20 copies of the
commercial issue of "My Bonnie" on Decca still exist.
THE SINGLES WERE PRESSED BY DECCA'S FACTORIES IN
GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (IDENTIFIED BY A "1" IN THE TRAIL OFF AREA)
AND PICKNEYVILLE, ILLINOIS (IDENTIFIED BY A "2" IN THE TRAIL OFF AREA).
THE GLOVERSVILLE LABELS
(DEC 31382.01A, SPIZER)
HAVE THE RECORD NUMBER, FILE NUMBER AND RUNNING TIME
OVERPRINTED IN SILVER IN THE LOWER BLACK SECTION.
(WE HAVE INCLUDED AN IMAGE OF THIS GLOVERSVILLE PRESSING HERE -
SHOWN IN THE POOR CONDITION THAT THESE RECORDS ARE USUALLY FOUND) :
thE
MUCH RARER PICKNEYVILLE PRESSING AND LABELS.
It is estimated that no
more
than
8 copies of this variant exist today !
(ACTUAL IMAGES OF THIS ITEM)
THE RARER PICKNEYVILLE LABELS
(DEC 31382.01B, SPIZER)
HAVE THE RECORD NUMBER, FILE NUMBER AND RUNNING TIME
OVERPRINTED IN SILVER IN THE COLOR BAR.
The condition
OF THIS MEGA-RARE PIECE is a super
NEAR MINT MINUS (BORDERING vg++)
with JUST minimal
SUPERFICIAL SURFACE BLEMISHES THAT DO NOT DETRACT FROM
THE GLORIOUS shimmering LUSTER THAT REMAINS.
THERE ARE NO SCRATCHES TO THE VINYL.
THERE IS NO DULLING WHATSOEVER TO The vinyl
- A BRILLIANT AND
SHINY SHEEN is EVIDENT TO THE GROOVES ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
THE RUN-OUT
AREAS ON BOTH SIDES ARE VERY SMOOTH, CLEAN
and OBVIOUS THIS RECORD WAS VERY WELL-CARED FOR OVER THE YEARS.
To further substantiate authenticity of this piece,
the run-out machine stamped etchings
are visibly clear ON THE "A" & "B" SIDES,
AS WELL AS THE PICKNEYVILLE "2" IN THE TRAIL OFF AREA.
THE LABELS ARE EQUALLY GORGEOUS WITH
DEEP RICH,
bold COLORS THROUGHOUT - and grade a strong
NEAR MINT MINUS, DUE TO A light TOUCH of WEAR
ON THE EDGE OF THE LABEL RIMs ONLY. THIS was
MOST LIKELY CAUSED by THE MANNER OF STORAGE,
rather than play time.
THIS FACTOR IS MINOR,
BUT DESCRIBED FOR ACCURACY.
IN ADDITION, THE RECORD IS ACCOMPANIED BY ITS OWN
AND ORIGINAL DECCA GENERIC SLEEVE.
This record is a MOST serious, substantial AND
VITAL
CORNERSTONE
addition to A Beatles Collection.
AN historic anD incredible Beatles Record rarity !!!
ACCOMPANIED BY LETTER OF AUTHENTICITY FROM FAB 4 COLLECTIBLES.
