Beatles News

May 2006

April 30, 2006 - Scotsman: Fundraising via download: Sweet music to nonprofits ; The Observer: The love CV: Cynthia Lennon ; Daily Breeze: Beatles imitators play tonight in a case of mock 'n' roll .

April 28, 2006 - The Ottawa Beatles Site has an update on their efforts to get Capitol Records to release "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" on CD. A response letter from Capitol is linked in their news section.

Web Links: Macworld UK: Apple v Apple decision likely May 8 ; Technology Marketing Corporation: Lessons to learn in Apple battle .

April 27, 2006 - The Sydney Morning Herald: Let It Be: The Beatles Songs of Lennon and McCartney ; Orlando Sentinel: Yoko: John's art helps people come together ; Daytona Beach News-Journal: Coming Together - The artwork of John Lennon on display in Orlando ; Hollywood.com: Tom Cruise to Book Beatles Tribute for Wedding? .

April 26, 2006 - As stated on the "Sound and Vision" magazine web forum, the upcoming July-August issue features a Beatles exclusive and a review of  "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2". Long time readers may recall that Ken Richardson was very critical of Capitol's handling of "Volume 1" so his take on the 2nd set should be an interesting read.

In other "CAV2" news, here is the return policy for the UK and Ireland - as well as for the rest of Europe:

It has been brought to our attention that two of the discs in the original manufacturing run of The Beatles' box set "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" (0946 3 57497 2 4 / 0946 3 57716 2 6), namely "Rubber Soul" and "Beatles VI", contain mono recordings which were not the original mixes of the mono masters intended to be included in this historic release. If you do purchase or have purchased one of these box sets and are dissatisfied, Capitol/EMI will replace the two discs. To obtain a replacement copy directly, you should do one of the following:

1. Return the product to the point of purchase

Or

2. Request a replacement copy by writing to:

Customer Services
EMI Distribution
Hermes Close, Tachbrook Park
Warwickshire
CV34 6RP

Please note: Whichever option you choose, your name / full postal address and the two existing CDs in their accompanying jacket must be included as part of the return. When sending by post, please be aware that we cannot accept responsibility for any item not delivered, so you may wish to use a secure mail service.

If you have any questions, please contact Customer Services at EMI Distribution on: +44 (0)1926 888888.

---

Please Note: For purchasers of a new set, the corrected European edition also has the "SK1" extension on the yellow label.

Web Links: Starpulse: Lennon 'Appears' On Pay-Per-View, Writes Song ; The Daily Mail: Lennon, the ultimate comeback ; BBC News: Phil Spector trial delayed again ; CNN.com: The worst song of all time, part II .
 
April 25, 2006 - WhatGoesOn.com: Revised Capitol Albums Vol. 2 now in stores ; KTVU: 'Love' In Air For Cirque-Beatles Show ; Yahoo! Music: Lennon Seance Airs On Pay-Per-View .

It appears that amazon.com is now selling "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" sets with the correct mixes (as posted on their customer discussion page): "The new copies we currently have for sale are from a subsequent pressing and contain the correct mixes. We've also posted this information at the top of the page under the price block."

April 24, 2006 - The Ottawa Beatles Site has sent a letter and petition to Capitol Records requesting a release of "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" on official CD format. The letter can be viewed here.

"John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Give Peace a Song" DVD (Geffen/UME) is being released on May 23rd.

Web Links: Sydney Morning Herald: Lennon asks for peace: TV seance ; Broadway World: Rain - The Beatle's Experience Makes NY Debut, 6/15 & 6/16 ; CathNews: Catholic group backs McCartney anti-fur campaign ; AP: EMI, Warner set to resume talks that could lead to merger .

April 23, 2006 - US customers have started to receive replacement copies of "Beatles IV" and "Rubber Soul" in Capitol's disc exchange mailing.

Here are scans of the replacement CDs.
 
Web Links: Royal Gazette: Lennon memorabilia fails to sell in London ; CBC Arts: TV program says it captured Lennon's spirit voice ; Newsweek: : Why Don't We Do It on the Internet? ; The Washington Times: Beatles boxed sets show Capitol butchers carved choice cuts ; Chart Attack: The Beatles Join The Circus ; Florida Today: Ringo a box office star ; The Day: Ringo Starr to Run Out of Musicians? ; Bloomberg.com: `Dinosaur' Rockers Rule Sunday Times U.K. Musicians Rich List ; New York Post: 'Sticks That Drum Up Biz' ; GMTV: Sir Paul McCartney and his wife are taking on the fur trade - let us know what you think about wearing fur ; Scotsman.com: How Fearless Freddie won against the odds - related video link ; The Reporter: Another British Invasion? - Peter & Gordon to reprise their hits at Cache Creek in Brooks ; London Free Press: Juggling video an Internet sensation ; WWMT: A sensation on the Internet... juggling to the Beatles ; Jazz News: ’Daytripper’ A Beatles Tribute! ; The Age: Anu refuses to let it be where Fabs are concerned ; I'm The Decider ; MarketWire: GRAMMY(R) Winning Guitar Virtuoso & Former Wings Member Laurence Juber to Play Special Show at San Francisco Art Exchange on May 12 to Kick Off the Closing Weekend of Each One Believing: The Tour, an Exhibition of Bill Bernstein Photographs Chronicling Paul McCartney's '02-'03 World Tour .

April 20, 2006 - "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" debuts at #83 on the Canadian Top 100 album chart as compiled by Nielsen Soundscan. It also debuts at #46 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart .

Web Links: E! Online: Vegas Shows the Beatles Some "Love" ; L&Si Online: Cirque du Soleil announces LOVE ;  Archers Beatles News page has an audio clip with George Martin about the Cirque du Soleil show ; CNN.com: John Lennon's sketches sell for $226,000 ; Playfuls: John Lennon Walrus Schoolbook Sold For 226,000 Dollars ; Boston Herald: Channeling John Lennon: Give creeps a chance ; IOL: Beatles memorabilia disappoints sellers ; 24dash: Fifth Beatle Sutcliffe shows true colours ; Yahoo! News UK: Heather McCartney's catwalk return .

London Free Press: Welcome to the ’70s, the decade of musical confusion ; The Hindu Business Line: Carry on, Thomas ; Reuters: EMI sees year profit up 12 pct, digital sales up .
 
April 19, 2006 - The Beatles "Cirque du Soleil" website is now active. The site includes sections about the making of the show, musical choices, rehearsal photos, production details and more.

Related Links: KESQ NewsChannel 3 Palm Springs, CA: Tickets go on sale for Beatles-Cirque act 'Love' in Las Vegas ; CBC Arts: Cirque's Beatles show to debut in June ; A+E Interactive: The Beatles Hit The Bigtop: Cirque shows some "Love" ; ABC News: Beatles Songs Join With Cirque Du Soleil - related AP photo .

The Official Press Release:

Attention News/Entertainment Editors:

The Beatles(TM) LOVE(TM) by Cirque du Soleil(R)

Director - Dominic Champagne, Music Directors - Sir George Martin & Giles Martin 

Preview Performances begin June 2 at The Mirage(R) in Las Vegas
 
TICKETS ON SALE TODAY!

    MONTREAL, April 19 /CNW Telbec/ - Preview performances begin June 2 for The Beatles LOVE, the latest Cirque du Soleil production which celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles. The Gala Premiere will be held Friday, June 30, 2006. LOVE will be presented exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas. This joint artistic venture marks the first time that The Beatles company, Apple Corps Ltd., has agreed to a major theatrical partnership. The project was born out of a personal friendship and mutual admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté.

    LOVE will bring the magic of Cirque du Soleil together with the spirit and passion behind the most beloved rock group of all time to create a vivid, intimate and powerful entertainment experience.

    Sir George Martin, The Beatles original producer, and his son Giles Martin have been working with the entire archive of Beatles recordings to create the musical component for LOVE. The result is an unprecedented approach
to the music for a stage production. "After spending more than 40 years of my life working with The Beatles and their wonderful music, I am thrilled to be working with it once again, on this exciting project with Cirque du Soleil,"
said Sir George Martin, "The show will be a unique and magical experience."

    Using the master tapes at Abbey Road Studios, Sir George and Giles have created a unique soundscape for LOVE. "I think we will achieve a real sense of drama with the music, the audience will feel as though they are actually in the theatre with the band. People are going to be knocked out by what they are hearing!" said Giles Martin.

    Dominic Champagne directed and wrote the original concept for the show which captures the essence of love that John, Paul, George and Ringo inspired during their astonishing adventure together. LOVE evokes the exuberant and irreverent spirit of The Beatles. "When we embarked on this extraordinary adventure in 2002," said Gilles Ste-Croix, Show Concept Creator and Director of Creation, "we set out to create a timeless, three-dimensional evocation of The Beatles music. Drawn from the poetry of the lyrics, we developed a preliminary concept that explored the content of the songs in a series of scenes inhabited by real and imaginary people." The international cast of 60 channels a raw, youthful energy underscored by aerial performance, extreme sports and urban, freestyle dance.

    LOVE will be presented in a custom-built theatre at The Mirage featuring 360 degrees seating and advanced high definition video projections with 100- foot digital, moving images. The panoramic surround sound system will envelop the audience who will experience The Beatles music like never before...

    Apple Corps Ltd. is planning to release the album through EMI Music later this year.

    Cirque du Soleil Creative Team:

    Guy Laliberté - Guide, Show Concept Creator
    Dominic Champagne - Director, Show Concept Writer
    Gilles Ste-Croix - Director of Creation, Show Concept Creator
    Chantal Tremblay - Associate Director of Creation
    Jean Rabasse - Theatre and Set Designer
    Philippe Guillotel - Costume Designer
    Jonathan Deans - Sound Designer
    Yves Aucoin - Lighting Designer
    Francis Laporte - Video Projection Designer
    Hansel Cereza and Dave St-Pierre - Choreographers
    Guy St-Amour - Acrobatic & Rigging Designer
    Daniel Cola - Acrobatic Performance Designer
    Nathalie Gagné - Make-up Designer
    Patricia Ruel - Props Designer
    Michael Curry - Puppet Designer

    Guest Creators:

    André Simard - Aerial Acrobatic Designer
    Alexis Martin - Dramaturge Consultant
    François Pérusse - Comic Audio-clips Designer

    For Apple Corps Ltd.:

    Sir George Martin - Music Director
    Giles Martin - Music Director
    Neil Aspinall - Executive Producer


    Tickets to LOVE will be on sale at 9:00am April 19.

    TICKET PRICES:
    --------------

    (*)$150, $125, $99, $69
    All preview performances(*) will be discounted 25 percent.

    (*)Preview performances for LOVE begin June 2 and run through June 29.
During these performances, the creative team is in the very final stages of production. The audience's reaction and participation is an important step in this process. The artistic direction of LOVE reserves the right to interrupt
the performance to make adjustments as necessary.

    SHOW SCHEDULE:
    --------------

    Preview performances will be presented nightly at 7:00pm. In addition, there will 10:30pm performances on limited dates. Please consult the most current show schedule at www.cirquedusoleil.com . Schedule is subject to
change without notice.
    Following the preview period, LOVE will be performed Thursday through Monday with no shows on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Beginning July 1, there will be two shows nightly at 7:30pm & 10:30pm.

    TO RESERVE TICKETS:
    -------------------

    By phone: 702 792 7777 or 800 963 9634
    Online: www.cirquedusoleil.com , www.thebeatles.com or www.mirage.com.
    In person: At the LOVE box office at The Mirage or any of the MGM MIRAGE box offices in Las Vegas.

    PLEASE NOTE:

    - A press conference will be held in the LOVE Theatre at The Mirage in
      Las Vegas, tentatively on May 24. Details about this event are
      forthcoming.
    - For Creative Team biographies, images and additional information, visit
      the Cirque du Soleil Press Room at
      http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/pressroom/default.htm
      (Registration is required to access images and media information)

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Ownership of the trademarks: Apple Corps Limited for The Beatles
          (word and design), Cirque du Soleil for Cirque du Soleil
       (word and design) and The Cirque Apple Creation Partnership for
           LOVE (word and design). Trademarks used under license.

For further information: Cirque du Soleil, Renée-Claude Ménard,
(514) 723-7646, ext. 7366, rcm@cirquedusoleil.com; Chantal Côté,
(514) 723-7646, ext. 7326, chantal.cote@cirquedusoleil.com

---

Other News: Manchester Evening News: Lennon schoolbook goes under the hammer ; Reuters.co.uk: Lennon's sketches sell for 126,500 pounds ; PRNewswire: Psychics Make Contact During Filming of Seance to Contact John Lennon ; Daily Post: Row over TV psychic's bid to contact Lennon spirit ; MarketWire: DailyCD Offers Chance to Win Entire Beatles Catalog ; Inside Bay Area: Beatle to lead Wente's concert lineup ; Sutton Coldfield Observer: Animal rights campaigners Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Heather believe UK high street shoppers could be unwittingly purchasing real fur ; Liverpool Echo: How Mr and Mrs Macca took on a bloody battle with the fur trade ; BBC News: The McCartneys v the Fur Trade ; Digital Spy: Paul McCartney regrets wearing fur .

April 18, 2006 - Cleveland Plain Dealer: Behind-the-scenes tales from Beatles' glory days ; Daily Post: Row over TV psychic's bid to contact Lennon spirit ; The Glasgow Daily Record: £55K For Beatle Suit ; The Norman Transcript: When he turns 64 ; BBC News: Q&A: Royalty rights for musicians ; Virgin.net: Lennon's sons set for album clash? ; Starpulse: John Lennon's Sons To Release Albums This Year ; IOL: Pop campaigners call for copyright review .

"The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" enters the Hits Daily Double sales chart at #47 with sales of 27,739.

April 17, 2006 - The Beatles official web site has been updated to include content for "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2".

Capitol Canada has updated their web site with the following:

THE BEATLES - CAPITOL ALBUMS VOL. 2
Tuesday, April 18, 2006

If you recently bought the compact disc "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" by The Beatles, you may have heard that the mono masters of some copies of "Rubber Soul" and "Beatles VI" were not the original mixes of the mono masters intended to be included in this historic release.

EMI Music Canada will replace any copies with proof of purchase.

If you’d like replacements please return the two originally purchased CDs to EMI, along with a copy of the ’proof of purchase’ to the following address. Once received, we will send the consumer the replacement copies

Consumer’s name, address, original dated receipt and the existing two CDs in their accompanying jackets must be included.

EMI Music Canada
c/o Beatles Replacements
3109 American Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada
L4V-1B2

My Comments: While I appreciate that the return procedure is in place, this statement is less accomodating than the US policy in two significant aspects. (1) By phoning a '1-800' phone number, US customers are being supplied with a 'postage paid' return envelope (2) US buyers are allowed to keep the CD jackets and return the 'bare discs' thus avoiding possible damage to the CD covers while in transit. As a Canadian consumer, I am not pleased with these variations from the US policy.

Here are copies of the EMI correspondence being sent to US customers:



 

Other News: Geoff Emerick appears at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 19th: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum: "From Songwriters to Soundmen" .

Web Links: Washington Post: Downloadable Beatles? Yesterday's News ; Inside Entertainment: The Beatles join a circus ; 7Days: Musical lyrics that tug on emotions ; Frost Illustrated: Billy Preston's life, estate in danger ; Guardian Unlimited: Nestlé may buy McCartney brand .

April 16, 2006 - The Huntsville Times: Beatles album is big hit for Huntsville family ; Independent Online: Nestlé looks set to swallow up McCartney range of frozen meals ; The Business Online: Nestlé to buy Linda McCartney ; Mirror.co.uk: Glast Off With Eavis! ; New York Post: Under The Covers, Vol. 1 .

April 15, 2006- There's a slight alteration in Capitol's return policy as reported on the 'What Goes On' news site ; NR: All Songs Considered: Beatles 1965 Reissues ; Washington Post: From Mop Tops To Web Heads ; The Register-Guard: Wait A Little Longer To Download Beatles ; Canadian Press: Book Review: Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles ; The Morning Call Online: One Beatle, fake Beatles, Cho at State Theatre ; Starpulse: Paul McCartney Speaks Out Against Animal Testing ; Virgin.net: McCartney joins Peta campaign ; Globe and Mail: It's 'not pretty,' but seal business thrives ; Mirror.co.uk: Jacko In Beatles Sell-Off ; www.myspace.com/seanonolennon (with new audio clips) .

April 14, 2006 - Journal Gazette: Can buy me love: Beatles joining digital-music realm ; E! Online: Beatles Coming Together Online ; CanadaEast: Charming new addition to the Beatles library ; USA Today: Sony nearer control of Beatles' songs ; Rolling Stone: Jackson to Sell Beatles Catalog ; TCPalm: Ringo Starr coming to Melbourne, Boca Raton ; The Express Times: Starr will shine again .

Upcoming Beatles related releases include John & Yoko's "Give Peace A Song" DVD (first televised on CBC televison) and a reissue of the Traveling Wilbury CDs with a bonus DVD to be included in "Vol. 3". These releases are in addition to the Cirque Du Soleil project and a reissue of the Beatles UK catalog within the next year.

Archer's "Breakfast with the Beatles" news page reports that the Cirque Du Soleil album could be a live album pulled from various sources. Meanwhile, there's a web site being developed for the Cirque Du Soleil show: Cirque du Soleil - Beatles .

April 13, 2006 - Capitol's return policy (as posted on the April 12th entry) for "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" replacement discs has been officially confirmed and posted on Capitol Records web site.


The "SK1" extension on the yellow sticker which identifies corrected sets (see photo and April 12th entry below) has also been confirmed.

Web Links: The Times-Picayune: He loves them, yeah, yeah, yeah - New compilation CD is another milestone for Beatlemaniac Bruce Spizer ; MusicTap: Reviews: The Beatles - The Capitol Albums, Volume 2 - Capitol Records - CD Box ; AP Wire: Beatles' 1965 Capitol albums on CD ; BBC News: Unheard Beatles album 'planned' ; USA Today: Beatles fans get ticket to (digital) ride ; MSNBC: Beatles set to join online music revolution - Apple Corps to make catalog available through music download services ; IOL: Davies urges McCartney to go 'extreme' ; Florida Today: Ringo plays King Center in July ; Times Online: Jackson surrenders control of Beatles songs to beat bankruptcy ; Guardian Unlimited Arts: Beatles songs pay off debt for Jackson ; Reuters: Michael Jackson reaches refinancing deal ; CBC Arts: New deal may cut Jackson's Beatles stake ; IHT: A bailout is in works for Michael Jackson ; Inside Bay Area: Juggler Chris Bliss mixes Beatles, balls and the Bill of Rights .

All Starr band line up changes: Sax player Mark Rivera will work with the band in rehearsals as musical director, but he won't be able to join the All Starrs on tour as originally announced because of a touring commitment to Billy Joel. And Ringo's record producer, Mark Hudson, is being replaced in the All Starr lineup by former Paul McCartney band member Hamish Stuart, who will play bass.

April 12, 2006 - The "Capitol Code"- "Capitol Albums Vol. 2" 3rd Update: A review on amazon.com indicates how to tell the difference between a 'fold-down' edition and the correct mono mixes: Amazon.com: Reviews for The Capitol Albums Vol. 2 (Longbox): Music: Beatles . Look for the review entitled "If you want to exchange your wrong copy, or find the right in the stores, read below!".  The reviewer spoke to the Vice President of Sales for Capitol Records. The VP stated that correct versions of the box set has 3 digits added to the code on the bottom of the "New...Volume 2" yellow sticker on the front of the box. If the sticker contains the digits "SK1" following the catalog #, then this box has the correct mixes. This was confirmed on Steve Hoffman's web forum by a buyer in Austin, Texas who was fortunate enough to purchase a correct set.

Of course to see the difference on the sticker, you'll need the following item...






"The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" Disc Replacement - 2nd Update: This information was posted at the Steve Hoffman music forum earlier today (see below):

=====================================================================
From Capitol: How to get replacement Beatles VI and Rubber Soul discs
=====================================================================

This is going out to retailers this afternoon to pass onto consumers:

EMI Music Marketing
NOTICE

If you recently bought the compact disc "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" by The Beatles, you may have heard that the mono masters of some copies of "Rubber Soul" and "Beatles VI" were not the original mixes of the mono masters intended to be included in this historic release.

If you receive questions from consumers about replacing copies of "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2", assure them that EMI Music Marketing (EMM) will replace their copy with a different CD copy of "Rubber Soul" and "Beatles VI" which include the intended mono masters within sixty (60) days. To obtain replacement copies, the consumer should follow the directions below:

 1. The consumer may call 800-468-2362 and provide information on their purchase of the CD, return the two originally purchased CDs to EMM and EMM will send the consumer a replacement copy of the two CDs, or

 2. To request a replacement copy, the consumer may write to:

 EMI Music Distribution
 Customer Fulfillment Operations
 1 Capitol Way
 Jacksonville, IL 62650-1095
 Attn: Director of Quality Assurance

Consumer's name, address, original dated receipt and the existing two CDs in their accompanying jackets must be included.

Here's another number you can call if you want to be heard:

1-800-637-7454 (This is for all EMI product issues in the US)

Hope this is helpful.

---

EMI Canada - return policy for incorrect mono "Rubber Soul" and "Beatles VI" CDs: The official word via E-mail to HMV from EMI Canada is that anyone who purchases the box set with the incorrect mono mix CDs is to return the discs to EMI Music Canada in Mississauga, Ontario.

Contact Info:

EMI Music Canada
3109 American Drive
Mississauga, Ontario
L4V 1B2
(905) 677-5050

---

This is the original end user letter posted here for completeness:

April 4, 2006

Dear Customer,

It has been brought to our attention that two of the discs in the original manufacturing run of The Beatles’ box set “The Capitol Albums Vol. 2” (0946 3 57497 2 4 / 0946 3 57716 2 6), namely “Rubber Soul” and “Beatles VI”, contain mono recordings which were not the original mixes of the mono masters intended to be included in this historic release.

If a consumer purchases one of these box sets and is dissatisfied, Capitol/ EMI are prepared to ensure their satisfaction by implementing the following process.

Capitol/EMI will replace the two discs within 60 days of purchase. To obtain a replacement copy directly from EMM, the consumer should do one of the following:

1. Call 800-468-2362 and provide information on their CD purchase. They will also be asked to return the two CDs to EMM.

Or

2. Request a replacement copy by writing to:

EMI Music Distribution
Customer Fulfillment Operations
1 Capitol Way
Jacksonville, IL 62650-1095
Attn: Director of Quality Assurance

Consumer’s name, address, original dated receipt and the two existing CDs in their accompanying jacket must be included.

If you have any questions, please contact your EMM Sales Representative.

Sincerely,

Regional Director

---

 "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" Disc Replacement - 1st Update: The following is a customer service number for EMI. Calling this number will enable anyone who purchased "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" set to leave their name, address and phone number and will hopefully initiate the process of receiving replacement discs. The phone number is 1-800-468-2362. The voice mail message specifically addresses the box set issue. People who seek replacement discs are encouraged to call and leave a polite message.

Other News: Political Gateway: Sue Me, Sue You, Blues ; The Japan Times Online: You know it ain't easy: Remembering the wedding odyssey of John and Yoko ; CBC Nova Scotia - Lennon 'bed-in' inspires art students ; Daily Post: Lennon's school book expected to fetch £100,000 . Upcoming Event: Toronto Beatles Celebration - September 16 and 17, 2006 .

April 11, 2006 - Aside from the hype regarding a 'new' Beatles album, reports are sketchy. What's referred to is the soundtrack for the upcoming Cirque du Soleil show. The content of the album is questionable, with speculative reports of 'new' Beatles music, a live album or a 'cut and paste' remix album circulating on various web sites. Related Links: New York Post: Fab Four-Ever ; Virgin.net: Beatles release new album! ; Dotmusic: Beatles live album ; Rolling Stone: New Beatles Recordings to Hit This Summer . Audio File: George Harrison's Spiritual Journey . Other News: Starpulse: Beatles Catalog To Be Remastered, Offered on iTunes ; Blogcritics.org: CD Review: The Beatles - The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2 ; Hecklerspray:10 Dollars To Contact John Lennon? .

As fans snap up incorrect editions of "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" throughout North America, everyone awaits official details from Capitol regarding their disc replacement strategy. The prominent retail strategy appears to indicate that retailers are selling their existing stock while significantly dropping the price. People who really want this set today are encouraged to shop around (while being prepared to receive the 'fold-down' edition).

April 10, 2006 - Telegraph | News | Beatles will release new album to mark opening of Las Vegas extravaganza .

(photo) Pictured at left is an ad for Ringo's upcoming 2006 All-Starr tour.

The April 20th issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine has a 5 star review of "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" .

Dhani Harrison is involved in a new music project called "thenewno2". An official web site can be found here. Also see www.myspace.com/thenewno2 .

Other News: Philadelphia Inquirer: WMGK jock snags CD gaffes ; The Sunday Business Post: You’ve Got To Hide Your Box Sets Away (7th item) ; The Rock Radio: Flashback: Paul McCartney quits the Beatles ; Digital Spy: Heather Mills in wheelchair after leg op ; BBC News: McCartney's wife has leg surgery ; PR Inside: McCartney And Wyman To Appear In San Francisco Gallery ; BAW: As Billy Preston Clings to Life, his Sisters Fight White Couple for His Estate .

April 8, 2006 - New York Times: Memories of Hamburg, Enough to Build a Dream On ; IHT: He brought the fledgling Beatles to Hamburg ; Toronto Star: When the stars malign .

April 7, 2006 - The release of "The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" - Update: Bruce Spizer has posted several messages to Yahoo!'s Beatles-Collectors Group which have been compiled and posted on Steve Hoffman's web forum. These posts are comprehensive and address many questions for fans who are comtemplating next Tuesday's release date. Again, I appreciate Mr. Spizer's efforts to keep fans and consumers well informed.

Related Links: Los Angeles Times: From The Vaults - "The Beatles - The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" ; Billboard: Beatles Box Endures Production Snafu ; MSNBC (Billboard): Capitol announces fix for Beatles box mistake - Will replace versions where mono recordings weren't from original masters .

Other News: CNN: The teenager who shaped the Beatles - Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick remembers ; M&C: Book Review: Here, There and Everywhere by Geoff Emerick ; Forbes: Apple's Jobs And Beatles To Hear Ruling After Easter ; The Philippine Daily Inquirer: Documentary tackles Beatles' contentious breakup ; The Tampa Tribune: Lennon Exhibit Coming To Hyde Park Village ; The Cleveland Plain Dealer: Rock Hall series will spotlight Orbison ; Guardian Unlimited: Songs about food ; Globe and Mail: Cirque faces new balancing act .

April 6, 2006 - A 'Capitol Error':  New York Times: Mixup in Beatles Mixes (4th item) ; WhatGoesOn.com: Capitol announces manufacturing error on new CD set .

Here is Capitol's original statement: "Some of the mono tracks from the initial manufacturing run of "The Beatles: The Capitol Albums Vol. 2" were not the original mono masters that were intended to be included on this historic re-release. The third party mastering facility incorrectly sent step down masters instead of the mono masters ordered by the label to the manufacturing plant. As soon as Capitol Records became aware of this, the correct masters were sent and the adjustment was made in another manufacturing run. Although there is no discernible difference in the sound quality in the initial run, Capitol made the adjustment for historical accuracy. Information for any consumers who wish to obtain a replacement copy (with proof of purchase) will be issued shortly."

More Info: Some copies of the box set were shipped last week before the error was noticed. Production was only halted for a brief time as the proper masters for the two discs were sent immediately to the manufacturing plants. The North American release date is still April 11, 2006.

European editions of this set were shipped earlier so it is highly likely that all European editions are incorrect sets. Since the error was corrected immediately after the initial run, it will be virtually impossible for North American fans to know if you have an incorrect set without opening the package and playing the discs.

The easiest way to determine if you have an incorrect set is to play the stereo and mono versions of "I'm Looking Through You" on "Rubber Soul". The stereo version (track 9) has a false start with the guitar intro that should not be present on the mono version (track 21). If the mono version has the false start, then you have an incorrect set and required replacement discs for "Rubber Soul" and "Beatles VI".

Many thanks to Bruce Spizer for making this information available to fans.

My comments: It's pointless to place blame for what is an honest mistake. Having said that, a sticker should be applied to the outer packaging of the corrected sets. Many retailers resist the return of opened disc sets and a disc replacement campaign inconveniences the consumer and unfairly places the onus on them to correct the problem.

As stated above in Capitol's statement, a 2nd announcement on this matter is expected soon.

Other News: Washington Post: Apple Ruling Unlikely Before Easter ; CIO: Apple v. Apple Closing Arguments Focus on Timing ; InformationWeek: Apple Pushes Into New Music Area While Fighting Beatles ; Infinite Loop: Apple-Beatles music settlement update ; The Rock Radio: The Beatles: Clueless about technology ; National Review: Won’t You Please Help Me? - The life and death of the Beatles ; PR Newswire: Paul McCartney's Amazing Life on the Road Pictorialized in 'Each One Believing: The Tour,' an Exhibition of 46 Historic Photographs by Bill Bernstein Documenting the Legend's Triumphant '02-'03 World Tour ; PR Inside: McCartney Thrilled By Peter And Gordon Reunion ; Dotmusic: Fame for George Martin ; Norwich Evening News: Rutles man brings new show to city ; PR Inside: McCartney Offers Cobain/Love Daughter Internship ; AP Wire: Maharishi to build World Capital of Peace in Kansas ; London Free Press: Taking a trip down Abbey Road ; The Jackson Citizen Patriot: Band revolutionizes tributes to the Beatles .

April 5, 2006 - CTV.ca: Lawyer for Apple defends right to iTunes logo ; The Age: At 30, Apple shows it still has bite ; Hastings Today: Eric's death brings home what Beatles Day is all about .

April 4, 2006 - New York Post (Bloomberg): Jobs took Beatles' Apple: pal ; Waterloo Record: Life is fab again for the man drummed out of The Beatles .

April 3, 2006 - FOXNews: McCartney Writes; Thomas Returns ; Daily Post: £2,550 for Paul shoes ; Globe and Mail: Monday morning manager ; Information Week: Apple Says Beatles' Agreement Narrow ; Macworld UK: Apple vs. Apple: 'Beatles missing out online' ; People's Daily Online: Bite of our Apple forbidden, Beatles tell Apple Computer boss ; Top40-Charts.com: Capitol Records To Release New Beatles Box Set ; Contact Music: Beatles Toyed With Calling Abbey Road Everest ; PR Inside: Yoko's Sexy Bed-In With The Beatles ; Daily Post: I'll sell extraordinary Liverpool to world .

April 2, 2006 - FOXNews: 'Fifth Beatle': Court Battle Today ; Toronto Star: Fighting over core assets ; Toronto Star: Apple vs. Apple ; Boston Herald: Apple Corps tightly guards Beatles’ legacy ; Globe and Mail: A few bad apples can make it rough for a computer mogul ; E! Online: Beatles Camp Downloads iTunes ; Houston Chronicle: Beatles' label disputes iTunes' use of the apple ; Gigwise: John Lennon Sung 'Yellow Submarine' Through A Condom ; The Flint Journal: Cynthia Lennon shares John's story from her side ; Tallahassee Democrat: Join hands and meet a Beatle ; Sign On San Diego: Paul and Heather McCartney put spotlight on Canada's annual seal hunt ; PRNewswire: Medical Doctors Support Heather Mills McCartney's Concerns About Milk ; Editor and Publisher: Condi Rice in U.K. Flunks Reporter's 'Sgt. Pepper' Test .