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The Toshiba EMI Recordings / Original Stereo Version
15. Magical Mystery Tour (OP/AP-9728)
(Update: 13th. June 2020)

magical
Odeon 1st. Sleeve


Notice* Click the label of each photo, so you can see the large picture image.

#15-1 Magical Mystery Tour (Promotional Record: OP-9728)
Back to the top of the line
TITLE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
CATALOG NUMBER OP-9728
RELEASE DATE Promotional Record (First Press: 5th December.1968)
TRACK LISTING SIDE 1 SIDE 2
Magical Mystery Tour
Hello Goodbye
The Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
Flying
Penny Lane *fake stereo
Blue Jay Way
Baby You're A Rich Man  *fake stereo
Your Mother Should Know
All You Need Is Love  *fake stereo
I Am The Walrus

FRONT BACK
SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK
Sorry, I don't have it.
Sorry, I don't have it.
label label label
INNER SLEEVE
LABEL CLOSE UP
FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click!
sleeve sleeve label Odeon white label (promotional use only).
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label
The release date "5th. Dec." is in black and appears above and to the left of the title. Here is a close-up of the circled text: "Sample under Article 10, Clause 2 of the Commodity Tax Law".The words "LONG PLAYING" was printed at the bottom of the label.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label The print in black has unusual "hand lettered" look to it quite unlike the regular commercial version.
Catalog number and matrix number were printed at the right side of the center hole.
OTHER ITEM
-

RECORD LABEL Odeon White Label (for promotional use only)
MIX STEREO (except as noted)
MATRIX No. SIDE 1 SMAL-X-1-2835   1S2  1
SIDE 2 SMAL-X-2-2835   1S2  1
PRESS MARK None
VINYL COLOR RED
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME SLEEVE -
LABEL MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
SYMBOL/PRICE -
LYRIC SHEET STYLE -
COVER FORM -
INNER SLEEVE
Plain White Inner bag
OBI
-
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES -
COMMENTS
Odeon white label (promotional use only).
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

Odeon promo LPs feature the perimeter print, Odeon logo, and circled text in red and all other printing in "hand lettered" black.
Note the release date above the Odeon logo.
The label design is similar to that used for the regular commercial Odeon LPs. These are most commonly found on red vinyl.

In Japan, promotional records have traditionally been provided at no charge to radio stations, record shops, and the mass media to increase the sales of a record or in some cases to promote a tour.
There are two types of promotional releases.
Type-1: This type is called the white label promo for which a unique label has been made. The label design of Odeon white label singles is very similar to that of regular commercial Odeon singles. The promo version, however, features the perimeter print, Odeon logo, and circled text in red and all other printing in black. The print in black has an unusual "hand lettered" look to it quite unlike the regular commercial version. The release date is in black and appears above and to the left of the title. Most usually, the regular cover is used with appropriate alterations to prohibit commercial sale.
Type-2: The second type of promo record is less elaborate and is called a sticker promo. It is simply a regular commercial release that has a promo sticker affixed to the cover. This type of promo is occasionally found on post-1975 releases.

When the album was issued in Japan, Toshiba did a straight pressing from the American album, The left much to be desired as three of the tracks, “Penny Lane”, “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”, are in fake stereo.



#15-2 Magical Mystery Tour (1st. Press "Odeon Type-2 Label / Red Vinyl": OP-9728)
Back to the top of the line
TITLE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
CATALOG NUMBER OP-9728
RELEASE DATE 5th December.1968 / First Press
TRACK LISTING SIDE 1 SIDE 2
Magical Mystery Tour
Hello Goodbye
The Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
Flying
Penny Lane *fake stereo
Blue Jay Way
Baby You're A Rich Man  *fake stereo
Your Mother Should Know
All You Need Is Love  *fake stereo
I Am The Walrus

FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK
sleeve sleeve label label label
INSIDE --> Click! INSIDE: CLOSE UP
sleeve
Gatefold Type.
Thick cover.
The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
label At the inside sleeve, the old Apple mark, which looks like a drawing, and the word "apple presents" was printed.
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label label Japanese slicks have "No you're not!" under the title I Am The Walrus in block letters.
Mistakenly credited publishing on all of the album's songs to "Maclen Music, Inc., BMI".
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label Northern Songs credit was printed at the bottom of the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! CLOSE UP
The original colour "advert" inner bag has a fold-over flap at the top of the bag to prevent the record from falling out.
sleeve sleeve label
FRONT COVER CLOSE UP
label Catalogue number and "STEREO" were printed at the upper right corner of the front cover.
label label
EMI/Odeon logomark was printed at the left corner of the front cover.
The credit "Trademark Of Carl Lindstroem G.m.b.H. ___ One Of The E.M.I. Group Of Companies" was printed below the logo.
BACK COVER CLOSE UP LYRIC SHEET
label label NONE
(The lyrics sheet was originally not included.)
EMI/Odeon logomark was printed at the bottom of the back cover.
"Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and "H ¥2,200" were printed at the bottom of the back cover.
Dark Blue / White OBI CLOSE UP
OBI: TOP
OBI: BOTTOM
Dark Blue / white OBI and priced ¥2,200 on obi strip. The word "STEREO", EMI/Odeon logo mark and catalog number "OP-9728" were printed on the front.
OBI: BACK
Has a order sheet on the back side of the Obi.
Catalog No, price "¥2,200" and "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." were printed at the order sheet.
sleeve sleeve sleeve
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label Toshiba pressed a lot of their records on red, "Everclean" vinyl from 1958 through 1974 (maybe).  The Everclean vinyl was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl. The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label The words "LONG PLAYING" was NOT printed at the bottom of the label.
Catalog number and matrix number were printed at the right side of the center hole.
With attached 24-PAGES BOOKLET
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve Includes LP-sided 24-page full color picture book called the "Magical Mystery Tour" book. © 1967, NEMS Enterprises Ltd.
OTHER ITEM
-

RECORD LABEL Odeon Label Type-2 (without the words "LONG PLAYING")
MIX STEREO (except as noted)
MATRIX No. SIDE 1 SMAL-X-1-2835     1S2    1
SIDE 2 SMAL-X-2-2835     1S2    1
PRESS MARK 8L
VINYL COLOR RED
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME SLEEVE Toshiba Ongaku kogyo Kabusikigaisha
LABEL MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
SYMBOL/PRICE H  ¥2,200
LYRIC SHEET STYLE NONE
COVER FORM Gatefold Type.
Thick cover. The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
The original colour "advert" inner bag Type-6-2
OBI
Dark Blue / White Obi with Order Sheet
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES Photo: John Kelly / Drawing: Bob Gibson / Notes: Tony Barrow
COMMENTS
Black Odeon label with silver print Type-2
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter on the label.
The words "LONG PLAYING" was not printed at the bottom of the label.
Toshiba released the first Japanese record featuring the Beatles.
When this record was released, Toshiba's official name was "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and they used the Odeon label for this and subsequent Beatles releases.

When the album was issued in Japan, Toshiba did a straight pressing from the American album, The left much to be desired as three of the tracks, “Penny Lane”, “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”, are in fake stereo.

Red vinyl:
Besides good sound and quality printing, Japanese records also offered some other things of interest to the collector.  One of the primary manufacturing companies in Japan, Toshiba, pressed a lot of their records on red, “Everclean” vinyl from 1958 through 1974 (maybe).  While not pressed as collectors’ items, these red vinyl pressings are more sought out by collectors than their black vinyl counterparts.  The Everclean vinyl was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl.

The obi: "Dark Blue / White" Obi
The last of the Beatles' Odeon LP is the Magical Mystery Tour, released in December 1968.
 The only Obi with the 9000 range number (9728) is "Magical Mystery Tour".
The upper half of this Obi is printed in dark blue, and the album title is in white.
The lower half of the Obi was white and the song title was printed in dark blue.
Note the unusual use of the EMI/Odeon logo on the front cover, back cover, and Obi.
It also features an Odeon logo, catalogue number and price information.
While most Japanese records feature local music, a lot of music fans there like foreign music, as well.  The language barrier in Japan presented a problem – should foreign album covers be changed for Japanese albums?  The solution was the obi, which means “belt” or “sash”.  The obi is a strip of paper, usually about two inches wide, that wraps vertically around the album cover, containing information about the artist and album in Japanese.  As these strips of paper were fragile and easily torn, they are often missing, especially since consumers in the 1950s and 1960s attached little significance to them.  Finding Japanese records made prior to 1970 that still have the obi intact can be quite difficult, and for some albums, nearly impossible.  The inclusion of the obi can dramatically affect the price of some Japanese records, sometimes increasing the price by a factor of ten.



#15-3 Magical Mystery Tour (Crossover Press "Odeon Type-2/3 Label / Red Vinyl": OP-9728)
Back to the top of the line
TITLE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
CATALOG NUMBER OP-9728
RELEASE DATE December 1968 / Cross over Press
TRACK LISTING SIDE 1 SIDE 2
Magical Mystery Tour
Hello Goodbye
The Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
Flying
Penny Lane *fake stereo
Blue Jay Way
Baby You're A Rich Man  *fake stereo
Your Mother Should Know
All You Need Is Love  *fake stereo
I Am The Walrus

FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK
sleeve sleeve label label label
INSIDE --> Click! INSIDE: CLOSE UP
sleeve Gatefold Type.
Thick cover.
The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
label At the inside sleeve, the old Apple mark, which looks like a drawing, and the word "apple presents" was printed.
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label label Japanese slicks have "No you're not!" under the title I Am The Walrus in block letters.
Mistakenly credited publishing on all of the album's songs to "Maclen Music, Inc., BMI".
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label Northern Songs credit was printed at the bottom of the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! CLOSE UP
The original colour "advert" inner bag has a fold-over flap at the top of the bag to prevent the record from falling out.
sleeve sleeve label
FRONT COVER CLOSE UP
label Catalogue number and "STEREO" were printed at the upper right corner of the front cover.
label label
EMI/Odeon logomark was printed at the left corner of the front cover.
The credit "Trademark Of Carl Lindstroem G.m.b.H. ___ One Of The E.M.I. Group Of Companies" was printed below the logo.
BACK COVER CLOSE UP LYRIC SHEET
label label NONE
(The lyrics sheet was originally not included.)
EMI/Odeon logomark was printed at the bottom of the back cover.
"Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and "H ¥2,200" were printed at the bottom of the back cover.
Dark Blue / White OBI CLOSE UP
Dark Blue / white OBI and priced ¥2,200 on obi strip.
The word "STEREO", EMI/Odeon logo mark and catalog number "OP-9728" were printed on the front.
Has a order sheet on the back side of the Obi.
Catalog No, price "¥2,200" and "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." were printed at the order sheet.
(Sorry, I don't have it.)

LABEL CLOSE UP
SIDE 1:
Odeon Type-2 Label
label label SIde-1:
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter on the label.
In middle 1968 to early 1969, Odeon label was changed from Type-2 to Type-3.
The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
SIDE 2:
Odeon Type-3 Label
label label
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label label
Catalog number and matrix number were printed at the right side of the center hole.
The words "LONG PLAYING" was NOT printed at the bottom of the label.
With attached 24-PAGES BOOKLET
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve Includes LP-sided 24-page full color picture book called the "Magical Mystery Tour" book. © 1967, NEMS Enterprises Ltd.
OTHER ITEM
-

RECORD LABEL Odeon Label Type-3 ("MFD.UNDER LICENCE BY"at perimeter)
MIX STEREO (except as noted)
MATRIX No. SIDE 1 SMAL-X-1-2835     1S2    7
SIDE 2 SMAL-X-2-2835     1S2    2
PRESS MARK 8L -> 8M
VINYL COLOR RED
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME SLEEVE Toshiba Ongaku kogyo Kabusikigaisha
LABEL Side-1: MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
Side-2: MFD. UNDER LICENCED BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
SYMBOL/PRICE H  ¥2,200
LYRIC SHEET STYLE NONE
COVER FORM Gatefold Type.
Thick cover. The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
The original colour "advert" inner bag Type-6-2
OBI
Dark Blue / White Obi with Order Sheet
(Sorry, I don't have it.)
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES Photo: John Kelly / Drawing: Bob Gibson / Notes: Tony Barrow
COMMENTS
Black Odeon label with silver print Type-2(Side-1) and Type-3(Side-2)
Crossover press.

SIde-1 (Odeon type-2 label)
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter on the label.
The words "LONG PLAYING" was not printed at the bottom of the label.
Side-2 (Odeon Type-3 label)
In middle 1968 to early 1969, Odeon label was changed from type-2 to type-3.
The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.

When the album was issued in Japan, Toshiba did a straight pressing from the American album, The left much to be desired as three of the tracks, “Penny Lane”, “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”, are in fake stereo.

Red vinyl:
Besides good sound and quality printing, Japanese records also offered some other things of interest to the collector.  One of the primary manufacturing companies in Japan, Toshiba, pressed a lot of their records on red, “Everclean” vinyl from 1958 through 1974 (maybe).  While not pressed as collectors’ items, these red vinyl pressings are more sought out by collectors than their black vinyl counterparts.  The Everclean vinyl was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl.

The obi: "Dark Blue / White" Obi
The last of the Beatles' Odeon LP is the Magical Mystery Tour, released in December 1968.
 The only Obi with the 9000 range number (9728) is "Magical Mystery Tour".
The upper half of this Obi is printed in dark blue, and the album title is in white.
The lower half of the Obi was white and the song title was printed in dark blue.
Note the unusual use of the EMI/Odeon logo on the front cover, back cover, and Obi.
It also features an Odeon logo, catalogue number and price information.
While most Japanese records feature local music, a lot of music fans there like foreign music, as well.  The language barrier in Japan presented a problem – should foreign album covers be changed for Japanese albums?  The solution was the obi, which means “belt” or “sash”.  The obi is a strip of paper, usually about two inches wide, that wraps vertically around the album cover, containing information about the artist and album in Japanese.  As these strips of paper were fragile and easily torn, they are often missing, especially since consumers in the 1950s and 1960s attached little significance to them.  Finding Japanese records made prior to 1970 that still have the obi intact can be quite difficult, and for some albums, nearly impossible.  The inclusion of the obi can dramatically affect the price of some Japanese records, sometimes increasing the price by a factor of ten.



#15-4 Magical Mystery Tour (Crossover Press "Odeon Type-3/2 Label / Red Vinyl": OP-9728)
Back to the top of the line
TITLE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
CATALOG NUMBER OP-9728
RELEASE DATE December 1968 / Cross over Press
TRACK LISTING SIDE 1 SIDE 2
Magical Mystery Tour
Hello Goodbye
The Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
Flying
Penny Lane *fake stereo
Blue Jay Way
Baby You're A Rich Man  *fake stereo
Your Mother Should Know
All You Need Is Love  *fake stereo
I Am The Walrus

FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK
sleeve sleeve label label label
INSIDE --> Click! INSIDE: CLOSE UP
sleeve Gatefold Type.
Thick cover.
The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
label At the inside sleeve, the old Apple mark, which looks like a drawing, and the word "apple presents" was printed.
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label label Japanese slicks have "No you're not!" under the title I Am The Walrus in block letters.
Mistakenly credited publishing on all of the album's songs to "Maclen Music, Inc., BMI".
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label Northern Songs credit was printed at the bottom of the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! CLOSE UP
The original colour "advert" inner bag has a fold-over flap at the top of the bag to prevent the record from falling out.
sleeve sleeve label
FRONT COVER CLOSE UP
label Catalogue number and "STEREO" were printed at the upper right corner of the front cover.
label label
EMI/Odeon logomark was printed at the left corner of the front cover.
The credit "Trademark Of Carl Lindstroem G.m.b.H. ___ One Of The E.M.I. Group Of Companies" was printed below the logo.
BACK COVER CLOSE UP LYRIC SHEET
label label NONE
(The lyrics sheet was originally not included.)
EMI/Odeon logomark was printed at the bottom of the back cover.
"Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and "H ¥2,200" were printed at the bottom of the back cover.
Dark Blue / White OBI CLOSE UP
Dark Blue / white OBI and priced ¥2,200 on obi strip.
The word "STEREO", EMI/Odeon logo mark and catalog number "OP-9728" were printed on the front.
Has a order sheet on the back side of the Obi.
Catalog No, price "¥2,200" and "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." were printed at the order sheet.
(Sorry, I don't have it.)

LABEL CLOSE UP
SIDE 1:
Odeon Type-3 Label
label label In middle 1968 to early 1969, Odeon label was changed from Type-2 to Type-3.
The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
SIde-2:
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" wasprinted at the perimeter on the label.
SIDE 2:
Odeon Type-2 Label
label label
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label label
Catalog number and matrix number were printed at the right side of the center hole.
The words "LONG PLAYING" was NOT printed at the bottom of the label.
With attached 24-PAGES BOOKLET
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve Includes LP-sided 24-page full color picture book called the "Magical Mystery Tour" book. © 1967, NEMS Enterprises Ltd.
OTHER ITEM
-

RECORD LABEL Odeon Label Type-3 ("MFD.UNDER LICENCE BY"at perimeter)
MIX STEREO (except as noted)
MATRIX No. SIDE 1 SMAL-X-1-2835     1S2    7
SIDE 2 SMAL-X-2-2835     1S2    2
PRESS MARK 8L -> 8M
VINYL COLOR RED
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME SLEEVE Toshiba Ongaku kogyo Kabusikigaisha
LABEL Side-1: MFD. UNDER LICENCED BY TOSHIBAMUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
Side-2: MFD. BY TOSHIBAMUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN
SYMBOL/PRICE H  ¥2,200
LYRIC SHEET STYLE NONE
COVER FORM Gatefold Type.
Thick cover. The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
The original colour "advert" inner bag Type-6-2
OBI
Dark Blue / White Obi with Order Sheet
(Sorry, I don't have it.)
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES Photo: John Kelly / Drawing: Bob Gibson / Notes: Tony Barrow
COMMENTS
Black Odeon label with silver print Type-2(Side-1) and Type-3(Side-2)
Crossover press.

SIde-1(Odeon Type-3 label)
In middle 1968 to early 1969, Odeon label was changed from type-2 totype-3.
The words "MFD. UNDER LICENCE BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" was printed at the perimeter.
Side-2 (Odeon type-2 label)
The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. IN JAPAN" wasprinted at the perimeter on the label.
The words "LONG PLAYING" was not printed at the bottom of the label.

 When the album was issued in Japan, Toshiba did a straight pressing from the American album, The left much to be desired as three of the tracks, “Penny Lane”, “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”, are in fake stereo.

Red vinyl:
Besides good sound and quality printing, Japanese records also offered some other things of interest to the collector.  One of the primary manufacturing companies in Japan, Toshiba, pressed a lot of their records on red, “Everclean” vinyl from 1958 through 1974 (maybe).  While not pressed as collectors’ items, these red vinyl pressings are more sought out by collectors than their black vinyl counterparts.  The Everclean vinyl was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl.

The obi: "Dark Blue / White" Obi
The last of the Beatles' Odeon LP is the Magical Mystery Tour, released in December 1968.
 The only Obi with the 9000 range number (9728) is "Magical Mystery Tour".
The upper half of this Obi is printed in dark blue, and the album title is in white.
The lower half of the Obi was white and the song title was printed in dark blue.
Note the unusual use of the EMI/Odeon logo on the front cover, back cover, and Obi.
It also features an Odeon logo, catalogue number and price information.
While most Japanese records feature local music, a lot of music fans there like foreign music, as well.  The language barrier in Japan presented a problem – should foreign album covers be changed for Japanese albums?  The solution was the obi, which means “belt” or “sash”.  The obi is a strip of paper, usually about two inches wide, that wraps vertically around the album cover, containing information about the artist and album in Japanese.  As these strips of paper were fragile and easily torn, they are often missing, especially since consumers in the 1950s and 1960s attached little significance to them.  Finding Japanese records made prior to 1970 that still have the obi intact can be quite difficult, and for some albums, nearly impossible.  The inclusion of the obi can dramatically affect the price of some Japanese records, sometimes increasing the price by a factor of ten.



#15-5 Magical Mystery Tour (3rd. Press "H ¥2,200 / Apple Dark Blue Obi / Red Vinyl": AP-9728)
Back to the top of the line
TITLE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
CATALOG NUMBER AP-9728
RELEASE DATE October 1969 / Third Press
TRACK LISTING SIDE 1 SIDE 2
Magical Mystery Tour
Hello Goodbye
The Fool On The Hill
Strawberry Fields Forever
Flying
Penny Lane *fake stereo
Blue Jay Way
Baby You're A Rich Man  *fake stereo
Your Mother Should Know
All You Need Is Love  *fake stereo
I Am The Walrus

FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK
sleeve sleeve label label label
INSIDE --> Click! INSIDE: CLOSE UP
sleeve Gatefold Type.
Thick cover.
The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
label At the inside sleeve, the old Apple mark, which looks like a drawing, and the word "apple presents" was printed.
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label label Japanese slicks have "No you're not!" under the title I Am The Walrus in block letters.
Mistakenly credited publishing on all of the album's songs to "Maclen Music, Inc., BMI".
INSIDE: CLOSE UP
label Northern Songs credit was printed at the bottom of the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE LYRIC SHEET (Slip Sheet Type)
FRONT --> Click! BACK --> Click! FRONT --> Click! BACK
With Apple custom black inner sleeve.
The lyric sheet is slip sheet type.
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
LYRIC SHEET CLOSE UP
label label label Catalog No. and the company name "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." were printed on the lyric sheet.
FRONT COVER CLOSE UP
label Catalogue number and "STEREO" were printed at the upper right corner of the front cover.
label Apple logomark was printed at the left corner of the front cover.
BACK COVER CLOSE UP
label Apple logomark was printed at the bottom of the back cover.

label
"Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." and "H ¥2,200" were printed at the bottom of the back cover.
The credit "Trademark Of Carl Lindstroem G.m.b.H. ___ One Of The E.M.I. Group Of Companies" was printed below the Apple logo.
Dark Blue / White OBI CLOSE UP
OBI: TOP OBI: BOTTOM
Dark Blue / white OBI and priced ¥2,200 on obi strip. The word "STEREO", Apple logo mark and catalog number "AP-9728" were printed on the front.
OBI: BACK
Has a order sheet on the back side of the Obi.
Catalog No, price "¥2,200" and "Toshiba Musical Industries Ltd." were printed at the order sheet.
sleeve sleeve sleeve
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label The phrase "Apple Records - All Rights of the Manufacturer and of the Owner of the Recorded work Reserved." was printed at the perimeter.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label The words "MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. JAPAN" was printed at the bottom of the label. Catalog number "AP-9728" and matrix number were printed at the right side of the center hole.
With attached 24-PAGES BOOKLET
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve
sleeve sleeve sleeve sleeve Includes LP-sided 24-page full color picture book called the "Magical Mystery Tour" book. © 1967, NEMS Enterprises Ltd.
OTHER ITEM: Song track list sheet
FRONT --> Click!
BACK CLOSE UP
sleeve sleeve label
label With a track list sheet.

RECORD LABEL Dark Green Apple label Type-1
MIX STEREO (except as noted)
MATRIX No. SIDE 1 SMAL-X-1-2835     1S2    7
SIDE 2 SMAL-X-2-2835     1S2    6
PRESS MARK 8L -> 8M -> 9K
VINYL COLOR RED
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME SLEEVE Toshiba Ongaku kogyo Kabusikigaisha
LABEL MFD. BY TOSHIBA MUSICAL INDUSTRIES
LTD. JAPAN
SYMBOL/PRICE H  ¥2,200
LYRIC SHEET STYLE Slip Sheet Type
COVER FORM Gatefold Type.
Thick cover. The lyrics of the songs on side-1 were printed on the inside sleeve.
INNER SLEEVE
Apple custom black sleeve
OBI
Dark Blue / White Obi with Order Sheet
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES Photo: John Kelly / Drawing: Bob Gibson / Notes: Tony Barrow
COMMENTS
Dark green Apple label Type-1with black print.
The Japanese version had a yellow border and the song titles on the front cover. It also bore the words: "Includes 24-page full color picture book".
The front cover photograph featured The Beatles in the animal costumes they wore in the film: John Lennon as a walrus, Paul McCartney as a hippopotamus, George Harrison as a rabbit and Ringo Starr as a chicken.
The LP had a gatefold cover, inside which was a 24-page booklet with photographs from the filming of Magical Mystery Tour, and a cartoon strip telling the story.

When the album was issued in Japan, Toshiba did a straight pressing from the American album, The left much to be desired as three of the tracks, “Penny Lane”, “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”, are in fake stereo.

Red vinyl:
Besides good sound and quality printing, Japanese records also offered some other things of interest to the collector.  One of the primary manufacturing companies in Japan, Toshiba, pressed a lot of their records on red, “Everclean” vinyl from 1958 through 1974 (maybe).  While not pressed as collectors’ items, these red vinyl pressings are more sought out by collectors than their black vinyl counterparts.  The Everclean vinyl was designed to be less prone to collecting static electricity and dust than the more common black vinyl.

The obi: "Dark Blue / White" Obi
The last of the Beatles' Odeon LP is the Magical Mystery Tour, released in December 1968.
 The only Obi with the 9000 range number (9728) is "Magical Mystery Tour".
The upper half of this Obi is printed in dark blue, and the album title is in white.
The lower half of the Obi was white and the song title was printed in dark blue.
Note the unusual use of the EMI/Odeon logo on the front cover, back cover, and Obi.
It also features an Odeon logo, catalogue number and price information.
While most Japanese records feature local music, a lot of music fans there like foreign music, as well.  The language barrier in Japan presented a problem – should foreign album covers be changed for Japanese albums?  The solution was the obi, which means “belt” or “sash”.  The obi is a strip of paper, usually about two inches wide, that wraps vertically around the album cover, containing information about the artist and album in Japanese.  As these strips of paper were fragile and easily torn, they are often missing, especially since consumers in the 1950s and 1960s attached little significance to them.  Finding Japanese records made prior to 1970 that still have the obi intact can be quite difficult, and for some albums, nearly impossible.  The inclusion of the obi can dramatically affect the price of some Japanese records, sometimes increasing the price by a factor of ten.



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