title
title
us singles home
"Pocket disc" series (4 inch)
(Update: 14th. March 2018)
sleeve
In 1968, Americom Corporation of New York introduced a new music format for singles called the pocket disc.
Pocket discs were sold at counter displays for 49 cent and in vending machines for 50 cent. The vending machines had separate slots for ten different sections and could be stocked with up to 75 copies of each title.
Some discs were packaged with 4 inch by 4 inch red and white or blue and white cardboard flip jackets. The front side of the red jacket calls the pocket disc "the sound for movin' around".
Capitol was among the first companies to provide masters to Americom for the manufacture of pocket discs. Capitol's enthusiasm for the new format resulted in Americom receiving masters for the Beatles three singles issued in late 1968 and early 1969.

->> See "Americom Pocket Disc Record Player"



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

#0 Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby (A-1603 5715)
The vinyl is either light blue or red on this early issue, which was made for testing purposes only.
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#1 Hey Jude / Revolution (M-221 / 2276P)
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TRACK LISTING
Side1 Hey Jude (Lennon & McCartney) * 3:25 version
Side2 Revolution (Lennon & McCartney)
RELEASE DATE
August 1968?
SLEEVE:FRONT SLEEVE:BACK SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK --> Click!
sleeve sleeve label label label
SLEEVE: FRONT CLOSE UP SLEEVE: BACK CLOSE UP LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label label label
Credited to song writing "Lennon & McCartney" The pocket disc was assigned a Capitol number, 2276P (the number was the same as the 45 single and the "P" was for "pocket disc"), but the disc is marked M-221, which is its Americom catalog number.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label
pocket disc logomark and the credit "BY AMERICOM" was printed at the bottom of thelabel. The credit "MFD. BY CAPITOL RECORDS, INC., A SUBSIDIARY OF CAPITOL INDUSTRIES, INC. USA" was printed at the perimeter. Capitol logomark was printed surrounded by "TM" and "MARCA REG" at the perimeter.
OTHER ITEM
The inside of the red flap jacket boasts that the discs "can give you many hours of enjoyment if used properly" and contains instructions for their use.

CATALOG NUMBER
M-221 (2276P)
LABEL
Apple label (line drawing)
MIX
Mono?
MATRIX No. Side1 M-221- A
Side2 M-221- B -1
VINYL COLOR
BLACK
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
CAPITOL RECORDS, INC.
PUBLISHER'S NAME
Side1
Maclen Music Inc., BMI
Side2
Maclen Music Inc., BMI
PRODUCER
George Martin
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
Came in a generic (red or blue) Pocket Disc sleeve.
COMMENTS
The Pocket Disc was manufactured by Americom, Inc. from 1966 to 1969. A former president of RCA, Lawrence Kanaga, came up with the idea for the Pocket Disc. Americom, who had previously pressed records for use in communications, pioneered the format, marketing it to the record companies as an alternative single.
After approximately two years piloting the format and arranging for record company partners, Americom formally began test marketing the discs in the Seattle area in Fall, 1968. Capitol/Apple was among several record companies which made an arrangement with Americom to release certain of its latest hit singles in the Pocket Disc format. These carry crude Capitol and Apple labels, with some of the Apple discs having the Capitol logo (just as the singles did). In the listings, the Americom catalog number is listed, along with the Capitol/Apple number. Americom's discs ran 33 1/3 RPM and were 3.75" in diameter. If a song ran over three and one half minutes, it was edited in order for the format to accomodate it. Apparently the editing was done at the record company level, and not by Americom. The discs were available via Americom vending machines -- with the idea being that the instance of theft would be reduced. Each came in a generic (red or blue) Pocket Disc sleeve.

The side-1 has an full apple and the side-2 shows a sliced apple.
The side-1 is edited to 3:25, instead of the usual 7:11 to fit within the time constraints if the format.

According to;
Mr. Frank Daniels's "Across the Universe"
Mr. Mitch McGeary's "Songs, Pictures and Stories of The Beatles"




#2 Get Back / Don't Let Me Down (M-335 / 2490P)
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TRACK LISTING
Side1 Get Back (Lennon - McCartney)
Side2 Don't Let Me Down (Lennon - McCartney)
RELEASE DATE
May 1969?
SLEEVE:FRONT SLEEVE:BACK SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK --> Click!
Sorry,
I don't have it.
Sorry,
I don't have it.
label label label
LABEL CLOSE UP
label "pocket disc ©" logo mark and the credit "BY AMERICOM" was printed at the bottom of thelabel. label Credited to musician's name "THE BEATLES With Billy Preston"
LABEL CLOSE UP
SIDE-1 SIDE-2 The pocket disc was assigned a Capitol number, 2490P (the number was the same as the 45 single and the "P" was for "pocket disc"), but the disc is marked M-335, which is its Americom catalog number.
label label label label
LABEL CLOSE UP
label label label
The credit "MFD. BY CAPITOL RECORDS, INC., A SUBSIDIARY OF CAPITOL INDUSTRIES, INC. USA" was printed at the perimeter. Capitol logomark was printed surrounded by "TM" and "MARCA REG" at the perimeter. Matrix number:
Side-1: M-335- A
Side-2: M-335-B
OTHER ITEM
-

CATALOG NUMBER
M-335 (2490P)
LABEL
Apple label (line drawing)
MIX
Mono?
MATRIX No. Side1 M-335- A
Side2 M-335- B
VINYL COLOR
BLACK
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
CAPITOL RECORDS, INC.
PUBLISHER'S NAME
Side1
Maclen Music Inc., BMI
Side2
Maclen Music Inc., BMI
PRODUCER
George Martin
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
Came in a generic (red or blue) Pocket Disc sleeve.
COMMENTS
The Pocket Disc was manufactured by Americom, Inc. from 1966 to 1969. A former president of RCA, Lawrence Kanaga, came up with the idea for the Pocket Disc. Americom, who had previously pressed records for use in communications, pioneered the format, marketing it to the record companies as an alternative single.
After approximately two years piloting the format and arranging for record company partners, Americom formally began test marketing the discs in the Seattle area in Fall, 1968. Capitol/Apple was among several record companies which made an arrangement with Americom to release certain of its latest hit singles in the Pocket Disc format. These carry crude Capitol and Apple labels, with some of the Apple discs having the Capitol logo (just as the singles did). In the listings, the Americom catalog number is listed, along with the Capitol/Apple number. Americom's discs ran 33 1/3 RPM and were 3.75" in diameter. If a song ran over three and one half minutes, it was edited in order for the format to accomodate it. Apparently the editing was done at the record company level, and not by Americom. The discs were available via Americom vending machines -- with the idea being that the instance of theft would be reduced. Each came in a generic (red or blue) Pocket Disc sleeve.

The side-1 has an full apple and the side-2 shows a sliced apple.

According to;
Mr. Frank Daniels's "Across the Universe"
Mr. Mitch McGeary's "Songs, Pictures and Stories of The Beatles"




#3 Ballad of John and Yoko / Old Brown Shoe (M-382 / 2531P)
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TRACK LISTING
Side1 The Ballad Of John And Yoko (John Lennon - Paul McCartney)
Side2 Old Brown Shoe (George Harrison)
RELEASE DATE
July 1969?
SLEEVE:FRONT SLEEVE:BACK SIDE 1 --> Click! SIDE 2 --> Click! DISK --> Click!
Sorry,
I don't have it.
Sorry,
I don't have it.
label label label
LABEL CLOSE UP
label "pocket disc ©" logo mark and the credit "BY AMERICOM" was printed at the bottom of thelabel. label Credited to musician's name "THE BEATLES" and "Prod. by W. Miller"
LABEL CLOSE UP
SIDE-1 SIDE-2 The pocket disc was assigned a Capitol number, 2531P (the number was the same as the 45 single and the "P" was for "pocket disc"), but the disc is marked M-382, which is its Americom catalog number.
label label label label
label label
LABEL CLOSE UP
label The credit "MFD. BY CAPITOL RECORDS, INC., A SUBSIDIARY OF CAPITOL INDUSTRIES, INC. USA" was printed at the perimeter.
Capitol logomark was printed surrounded by "TM" and "MARCA REG" at the perimeter.
label
OTHER ITEM
-

CATALOG NUMBER
M-382 (2531P)
LABEL
Apple label (line drawing)
MIX
Mono?
MATRIX No. Side1 M-382A
Side2 M-382B
VINYL COLOR
BLACK
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
CAPITOL RECORDS, INC.
PUBLISHER'S NAME
Side1
Maclen Music, Inc. BMI
Side2
Harrisong Music, Inc. BMI
PRODUCER
George Martin
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
Came in a generic (red or blue) Pocket Disc sleeve.
COMMENTS
The Pocket Disc was manufactured by Americom, Inc. from 1966 to 1969. A former president of RCA, Lawrence Kanaga, came up with the idea for the Pocket Disc. Americom, who had previously pressed records for use in communications, pioneered the format, marketing it to the record companies as an alternative single.
After approximately two years piloting the format and arranging for record company partners, Americom formally began test marketing the discs in the Seattle area in Fall, 1968. Capitol/Apple was among several record companies which made an arrangement with Americom to release certain of its latest hit singles in the Pocket Disc format. These carry crude Capitol and Apple labels, with some of the Apple discs having the Capitol logo (just as the singles did). In the listings, the Americom catalog number is listed, along with the Capitol/Apple number. Americom's discs ran 33 1/3 RPM and were 3.75" in diameter. If a song ran over three and one half minutes, it was edited in order for the format to accomodate it. Apparently the editing was done at the record company level, and not by Americom. The discs were available via Americom vending machines -- with the idea being that the instance of theft would be reduced. Each came in a generic (red or blue) Pocket Disc sleeve.

The side-1 has an full apple and the side-2 shows a sliced apple.

According to;
Mr. Frank Daniels's "Across the Universe"
Mr. Mitch McGeary's "Songs, Pictures and Stories of The Beatles"




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