VERY RARE EARLY FIRST PRESSING WITH THE "-1" TRAIL OFF STAMPER VERSION KNOWN AS THE "LOUD CUT".
UNDOUBTEDLY THE VERY BEST CONDITIONED EXAMPLE OF THIS RARITY IN EXISTENCE.

ITEM#: PAR312
PRICE: ------

The 1965 Christmas season was a very special time for Beatles fans. While previous albums had been collections of great performances, "Rubber Soul" is best appreciated when considered as an entire record - one that set a new standard for the Beatles and rock albums. George Martin's reflections indicate that this record's cohesive and innovative nature was intentional. "It was the first album to present a new, growing Beatles to the world. For the first time we began to think of albums as art on their own, as complete entities."

GEORGE MARTIN came up with the album's running order on november 16. the following day, harry moss of parlophone cut the mono lacquers, which were immediately sent to hayes for manufacture of the metal parts needed to press the records. shortly into the production run, emi decided that moss had cut the album too loud and ceased production. after moss re-cut mono lacquers on november 19, new metal parts were made, and hayes resumeD pressing the album. the albums pressed with stampers generated from the initial lacquers were not destroyed, and can be identified by the "-1" following the MATRIX NUMBERS "xex 579" (side 1) and
"xex 580" (side 2). THIS TRUE FIRST PRESSING WAS QUICKLY REPLACED BY THE SOFTER SOUNDING '-4' CUTTING, BUT THIS '-1' CUT WAS THE ONE APPROVED BY THE BEATLES THEMSELVES.

BEING OFFERED HERE IS INDEED THE ORIGINAL MONAURAL VERY FIRST AND RARE EARLY PRESSING WITH THE "-1" TRAIL OFF STAMPER VERSION KNOWN AS THE "LOUD CUT" OR "LOUD MIX". BOTH YELLOW AND BLACK PARLOPHONE LABELS HAVE THE 'TIMES NEW ROMAN' STYLE SERIF FONTS. THE  "SOLD IN UK...."  TEXT AND "THE GRAMOPHONE CO...."  WORDED RIMS ARE PRESENT ON BOTH SIDES. A "KT" PURCHASE TAX CODE IS PRESENT IN THE CENTER OF THE SIDE 2 LABEL. THE EXACT AND 'LOUD CUT' TRAIL OFF STAMPINGS ON THIS RARE RECORD ARE: MATRIX NUMBERS: XEX 579-1 AND
XEX 580-1. STAMPER CODES: 4 / RH AND 4 / PH.

THE NEAR MINT LABELS ARE A SUPERB CLEAN AND UNWORN SET WITH NO MORE THAN TWO OR THREE LIGHT SPINDLE MARKS AROUND EACH CENTER HOLE. THE VINYL POSSESSES IMMACULATE FACTORY-FRESH PLAYING SURFACES WHICH APPEAR "AS NEW" IN STRONG DAYLIGHT. CLOSER INSPECTION DIRECTLY BENEATH HALOGEN LIGHT REVEALS NOTHING MORE THAN A FEW HARMLESS WISPY PAPER-TYPE HAIRLINES FROM THE ONCE OR TWICE THE DISC HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM ITS INNER-SLEEVE. THE SOUND QUALITY OF THIS RARE VERY FIRST PRESSING "LOUD CUT" IS AN ASTONISHING NEAR MINT. THIS TREMENDOUS SOUNDING COPY HAS BEEN PLAYED JUST ONCE OR TWICE AT AND RETAINS THE MAXIMUM POWER AND CLARITY OF THE EARLIEST MIX WITH NO TRACE OF ANY GROOVE / PLAYWEAR DISTORTION, CRACKLE OR A SINGLE TICK, POP OR CLICK. ASIDE FROM A TRACE OF LOW-LEVEL VINYL BACKGROUND BETWEEN TRACKS, THERE IS NOTHING TO FAULT AUDIBLY. EVEN THE EVER TROUBLESOME TRACK "MICHELLE" PLAYS WITHOUT THE BREAK-UP OR DISTORTION WHICH BLIGHTS SO MANY COPIES OF THIS MASTERPIECE.

THE FRONT LAMINATED, TRI-FLIP-BACK "GARROD & LOFTHOUSE LTD." PRINTED MONO COVER IS A MAJESTICALLY PRESERVED EXAMPLE. THIS STRIKING COVER RETAINS A FINE HIGH-GLOSS FRONT PANEL WHICH IS FREE FROM ANY 'THUMBNAIL' WRINKLES OR SPINE BENDS. APART FROM ANY TINY SHELF WEAR BRUISE TO THE TIP OF THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER AND A TINY NICK TO THE FRONT OPENING EDGE NEARBY, THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE OF ITS 53 YEARS. THE EXPOSED REAR PANEL IS PRISTINE WHITE AND TOTALLY UNBLEMISHED WITH NO HANDLING, STORAGE OR AGE-RELATED WEAR. ALL FLIP-BACKS ARE IN-PLACE AND THE SEAMS ARE SMOOTH AND UNSTRESSED. THE SPINE IS STRAIGHT, CLEAN WITH FULL LAMINATION AND WORDING.

ONE WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS TITLE AS IMMACULATE AND SPECTACULAR, AND MOST LIKELY THE BEST EXAMPLE IN EXISTENCE.

THE SET IS Complete with its ACCOMPANYING NEAR MINT original "Use Emitex..." rice-paper lined inner DUST sleeve. IT REMAINS CRISP AND UN-CREASED WITH NO WRITING, TEARS OR SEAM SPLITS.