CURRENT INVENTORY / | VIEW CART |
CAPITOL RECORDS
RECORD CLUB ISSUES WHEN THE CAPITOL RECORD CLUB BEGAN OPERATIONS IN 1958, IT ENTERED A MAIL-ORDER MARKET DOMINATED BY TWO CLUBS OWNED BY OTHER LABELS - COLUMBIA AND RCA. THE CAPITOL RECORDS RECORD CLUB ENTICED PEOPLE TO JOIN BY OFFERING HALF-DOZEN OR SO "FREE" RECORDS IN EXCHANGE FOR THE NEW MEMBER BUYING ONE RECORD AND AGREEING TO CLUB MEMBERSHIP RULES. CAPITOL'S ONLY HOPE OF CATCHING THE COMPETITION WAS TO EXPLOIT THE STRENGTH OF ITS TALENT ROSTER. THEN IN DECEMBER 1968, CAPITOL HAD AGREED TO SELL ITS DIRECT MARKETING CORPORATION, WHICH INCLUDED THE CAPITOL RECORD CLUB TO THE LONGINES (LONGINES-WITTNAUER) COMPANY. PRIOR TO LONGINES' PURCHASE OF THE RECORD CLUB, THE BEATLES ALBUMS ISSUED TO CLUB MEMBERS WERE THE SAME AS THE RECORDS SHIPPED BY CAPITOL TO DISTRIBUTORS AND STORES. AFTER LONGINES TOOK OVER THE CLUB IN 1969, CAPITOL QUIT SUPPLYING ALBUMS TO THE CLUB, INSTEAD LONGINES ARRANGED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CAPITOL ALBUMS USING COVER ARTWORK AND LABEL BACKDROPS SUPPLIED BY CAPITOL. THE LP BACK COVERS HAVE THREE ANGLED BLACK BARS IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER WHICH
WRAP AROUND TO THE FRONT COVER IN THE UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER, AND DO NOT HAVE THE "FILE UNDER" INFORMATION.
THE FIRST RECORDS PRESSED FOR LONGINES HAVE THE CAPITOL RAINBOW LABEL
BACKDROPS, WHILE LATER ISSUES HAVE EITHER GREEN OR ORANGE CAPITOL LABELS. |
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