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List Price: $50.00 | | Publisher: Four Ninety-Eight Productions
Salesrank: 163123
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| Our Price: $31.50 |
| Used Price: $40.28 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
This is the second part of Bruce Spizer's critically acclaimed "The Beatles’ Story on Capitol Records, Part One: Beatlemania & The Singles." It contains detailed information on the group's Capitol albums from "Meet The Beatles!" through "Magical Mystery Tour", including extensive coverage on the controversial butcher cover and “Sgt. Pepper.” There are also chapters on the unique albums released by Capitol in Canada and in Mexico, as well as chapters on where and how the records and album covers were manufactured and on the special mixes appearing on Capitol albums, plus a few surprises. Hard cover with over 700 color photos throughout, including all album covers, label variations, trade advertisements, posters and point of purchase displays. Essential and entertaining for both casual fans and serious collectors.
The Beatles Story on Capitol Records, Part Two: The Albums Reviews:
Great books on an incredible subject!!! 
2009-01-29 - I first purchased "The Beatles Story on Capitol Records, Part 1: The Singles" back in December 2000. Bruce Spizer was a phone in guest on the morning radio station that listened to at the time. Both volumes were the topic of discussion. Around this time "The Beatles Anthology" book had just come out and was at the top of the best seller list was garnering a lot of media attention. However I was at a local bookstore doing some Christmas shopping and saw "The Beatles Story...part 1" and remembered the discussion with the author on the radio. After briefly thumbing through it, it looked like an interesting book as it went in depth into the Beatles breakthrough into the American market. I decided to buy it and I couldn't put it down. The book was printed on high quality paper and the photos were incredible. It was great to read about how the author loved the Beatles on Captiol records. I was born shortly after the group disbanded so I never experienced "Beatlemania" first hand so "Part 1: The Singles" was very interesting since I had never seen some of the original 45 record sleeves and definitely not in COLOR. I have always been a person that pays attention to great detail and Mr. Spizer's books do that and so much more. I was doing some Christmas shopping on Amazon around Christmas (2008) and came across "Part 2: The Albums". I hadn't seen the book in stores but I knew of its existence having owned Part 1. I decided to buy it and I have to say that I love it even more than Part 1!!! I became a Beatles fan in the early 1980's and when I started buying Beatles albums, the Capital records were the only ones you could get. There was no option of buying the British releases although occasional I would see imports at the record store. I remembered the original running order of the songs on the Capitol albums and the pictures and the liner notes on the back of the each record. I still have all of my Beatles records from when I was a kid and I am so glad I took care of them. Even though I own all of their CDs (it was the release of their music on CD back in 1987 that prompted me and millions of other people to go out and buy CD players), I still prefer the Capital albums on vinyl. I was excited when Capitol decided to release the first 8 Capital albums on CD in 2004 and 2006. Mr. Spizer does the liner notes for the 2006 set. I have since bought "The Beatles Swan Song" and "The Beatles on Apple Records". These are the best books I have seen on the Beatles recorded output with the possible exception of Mark Lewison's "The Beatles at Abbey Road" which came out in 1988. I think its safe to say that Mr. Spizer is Mark Lewsion's American counterpart in terms of Beatle experts. Great books on an incredible subject!!!
An excellent book about the albums!
2008-09-03 - Bruce Spizer has proven to be an authortative figure when it comes to his experience about the American-released records from The Beatles. His second book, "The Beatles' Story On Capitol Records, Part Two: The Albums" is a perfectly fitting follow-up to the previous book about "Beatlemania & The Singles". In this edition, he focuses primarily on the 33 1/3 Long Playing album releases that dominated the popular album charts during the mid-60s. Every album is represented here, from "Meet The Beatles!" through "Magical Mystery Tour". Visually, the illustrations included are phenomenal, showing every known existing album cover, record label and other promotional items. There is a very fascinating section about both the 'Butcher' and 'Trunk' covers for the "Yesterday And Today" album from 1966, and a great deal of information regarding "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". This book makes the perfect companion piece to the first Capitol book, as well as his book about the Vee-Jay releases. Mr. Spizer eventually followed this one with his next book, about Apple.
Each book is a treasure!
2008-03-27 - I had the opportunity to meet the author up at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the time that the Lennon exhibit was there. He was as nice and down to earth as you would think he would be.
Each of these books is an absolute MUST if you are a Beatles fan. I find myself getting one of them off of my bookcase every now and then to read up on a certain album or single...be it VJ, SWAN, CAPITOL, or APPLE. I especially like the Capitol albums book AND both books on APPLE RECORDS.
I'm kinda wondering what Bruce will write on next!!
Why The Beatles Hate the LP's 
2007-05-13 - During the press conference for the Vancover show in 64,Paul voiced his
disaproval of how the American record company would release anything
as a single. During one of their U.S shows John took a swipe at one
of the LP titles. He didn't have a copy of it & didn't want one.After
buying the Capital Box sets of their U.S. LP's I know know why & you
will too. Growing up in Australia, we got the U.K. versions of their
albums - which are the REAL versions & are better. Read this book & you
will see how the record company milked the music for all they could.
Capitol never wanted them but when they were forced to take
The Beatles...they became the most succesful act to have records released by the label. And you payed for that privilage. A facinating book.
AN AMAZING JOURNEY BACK INTO BEATLEMANIA - PART 2
2003-07-19 - This was the second Bruce Spizer book that I had bought and like it's companion "Part 1 - The Singles" it is an amazingly enjoyable book to behold. I've got these US versions in my collection though they are Orange Label 70's variations. It's great to learn about the logic behind their releases and it's equally interesting to listen to a US "Rubber Soul" especially as I was used to the UK/Australian 14 track version all these years... the US Version sounds like a Folk/Pop/Rock Album ALA the Byrds The "Butcher Cover" saga is a production almost bigger than "Ben-Hur". Bruce Spizer takes you right into the minds of those involved with that drama. No wonder Alan Livingston was reluctant to take those 20 "Butcher" LP's home..he'd had enough of them! The Author's thoroughness is never in question and the quality of his books consistently put many others to shame. The label reproductions are wonderful and helpful if you've bought the original US LP's. To think that now those US LP's are now deleted and replced by their UK counterparts. Overall the quality is superb and Mr. Spizer's books sit in the same class as those of Mark Lewisohn's "Complete Beatles Chronicle" & "Abbey Road" books as well as the massive "Beatles Anthology" tome. While each part stands alone quite well you must buy Part 1 to complete the set as they complemment each other really beautifully. I thoroughly recommend these books to any Beatles fan and lovers of Rock Music books.
