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Beatles Fan Club Flexidisc (7 inch)
(Update: 26th. December 2017)
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Beginning in 1963, the Beatles started a holiday tradition of recording Christmas messages for their fans. The recordings were edited and issued on flexi-discs through the Official Beatles Fan Club in England. The records were not available for sale, but were distributed free to fan club members.
In 1964, Beatles (U.S.A.) Ltd., the official national Beatles fan club in the United States, began sending the annual Christmas records to its members.
This tradition continued through 1969, although the last two Christmas records were not group efforts, but rather were a series of separately recorded messages from each of the Beatles.



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

#1 Season's Greetings From The Beatles (1964)
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TITLE
Season's Greetings From The Beatles
RELEASE DATE
December 1964
SLEEVE: FRONT--> Click!
SLEEVE: BACK--> Click!
sleeve
sleeve
sleeve
DISK CLOSE UP sleeve
sleeve
sleeve
FOLDER CLOSE UP
label label folder
The American record plays at 33 1/3 r.p.m.
"Made in U.S.A." was printed at the bottom of the label. With a message from Fan Club director Bernice Young.
label The flexidisc was embedded in one of the flaps of cardboard. 
The Record-Folder was manufactured by Allied Creative Service, Inc., New York.
folder
The middle panel has a photo of each Beatle.
FOLDER CLOSE UP folder
label
The closed front of the folder has a space for mailing label, and has the return address to the left and the Bulk Pate U.S. Postage permit stamp to the right. The lower panel has the text "Season's Greetings from Seltaeb" (Beatles spelled backwards).

CATALOG NUMBER
-
LABEL
-
MIX
Mono
MATRIX No. -
VINYL COLOR
BLACK
PRODUCER
-
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
Notes: Lynn Hargrave and Bernice Young
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
-
PUBLISHER'S NAME
BEATLES (U.S.A.) LTD.
PRINTER'S NAME
Folder: Allied Creative Service
COMMENTS
U.S. fans received an edited version of The Beatles' Christmas Record , which was sent to British fan club members in 1963. Also, as opposed to using flexi-discs, the U.S. fan club sent the message in a tri-fold cardboard mailer, with the "record" embedded in one of the flaps of cardboard. When opened, the top panel of the record side of the folder has a cropped version of the picture appearing on the back of the British newsletter. The Record-Folder was manufactured by Allied Creative Service, Inc., New York.
The U.S. record plays at 33 1/3 r.p.m.

The Christmas message was recorded on 17th. October 1963, at the session "I Want To Hold Your Hand / Thisa Boy". With George Martin in control, The Beatles sang and talked their way through press agent Tony Barrow's script.



The American Fan Club did not send out a Christmas record for 1965.
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#2 Season's Greetings From The Beatles (1966)
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TITLE
Season's Greetings From The Beatles
RELEASE DATE
December 1966
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POST CARD: BACK--> Click!
LABEL --> Click!
front
back
label
The American Fan Club issued the Christmas message on a 7 inch by 8 1/2 inch postcard with a vinyl record coated on one side and text on the other.
POST CARD: FRONT CLOSE UP
front
front
front
The text side has "The Beatle Bulletin" for Christmas, 1966, and the lyrics of the two songs on the left, and space for attaching and address label on the right.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label
label
label
The record label's silver text as the date 1966 at the top followed by "Season's Greetings" in script and "from The Beatles" in block letters.
OTHER ITEM
-

CATALOG NUMBER
-
LABEL
Black label on silver print
MIX
Mono
MATRIX No.
-
VINYL COLOR
Black
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
-
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
-
PUBLISHER'S NAME
BEATLES (U.S.A.) LTD.
PRINTER'S NAME
-
COMMENTS
After missing 1965, Beatles (U.S.A.) Ltd. once again sent out a Christmas record in 1966. But while British fans were treated to Paul's psychedelic sleeve, Americans received a 7" X 8 1/2" postcard with a vinyl record coated on one side and text on the other.
The record label's silver text as the date 1966 at the top followed by "Season's Greetings" in script and "from The Beatles" in block letters.
Running speed, rights information and "Made in U.S.A." apper below the spindle hole.
The text side has "The Beatle Bulletin" for Christmas, 1966, and the lyrics of the two songs on the left, and space for attaching and address label on the right.

On 24th. November 1966, the Beatles returned to the studio after a five month absence. That evening they recorded Take 1 of "Strawberry Fields Forever". The creative spirit of that session was carried forward to the next day when the group gathered at Dick James Music on New Oxford Street to tape their annual holiday message.



#3 Season's Greetings From The Beatles (1967)
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TITLE
Season's Greetings From The Beatles
RELEASE DATE
December 1967
POST CARD: FRONT--> Click!
POST CARD: BACK--> Click!
LABEL --> Click!
front
back
label
As was the case in 1966, the American Fan Club issued the Christmas message on a 7 inch by 8 1/2 inch postcard with a vinyl record coated on one side and text on the other.
POST CARD: FRONT CLOSE UP
front
front
front
The text side has "The Beatle Bulletin" for Christmas, 1967, which has information about the Christmas record and the Magical Mystery Tour film and album.
LABEL CLOSE UP
label
label
The record label's silver text, followed by "Season's Greetings" in script and "from The Beatles" in block letters.
The date "1966" was not printed on the label.
OTHER ITEM
-

CATALOG NUMBER
-
LABEL
Black label on silver print
MIX
Mono
MATRIX No.
-
VINYL COLOR
Black
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
-
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
-
PUBLISHER'S NAME
BEATLES (U.S.A.) LTD.
PRINTER'S NAME
-
COMMENTS
As was the case in 1966, the American Fan Club issued the Christmas message on a 7 inch by 8 1/2 inch postcard with a vinyl record coated on one side and text on the other. The record label's silver text is identical to that of the 1966 label, except that it is undated.
The text side has "The Beatle Bulletin" for Christmas, 1967, which has information about the Christmas record and the Magical Mystery Tour film and album.

The Chrismas message was recorded on Tuesday 28th November 1967 in Abbey Road studios.
Includes the rocking "Christmas Time is Here Again," (later released in conjunction with the Anthology-project) "Plenty of Jam Jars" (performed by fictional band the "Revellers"), and finally John's poem "When Christmas Time is Over."
This was the last Christmas fan club recording where all four Beatles were in the studio together.



#4 The Beatles 1968 Christmas Record (1968)
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TITLE
THE BEATLES 1968 CHRISTMAS RECORD
RELEASE DATE
December 1968
SLEEVE: FRONT--> Click! SLEEVE: BACK--> Click! LABEL -->Click! DISK: SIDE 1 -->Click! DISK: SIDE 2 -->Click!
sleeve sleeve label label label
BACK COVER CLOSE UP
sleeve The art work is the same as on the 1967 U.K. jacket, but most of the text has been eliminated and replaced with "The Beatles 1968 Christmas Record" in black capital letters. sleeve
On the back cover, Fan Club address of New York office was printed.
Sleeve printed and made in England.
BACK COVER CLOSE UP LABEL CLOSE UP
sleeve sleeve label label
Sleeve design by Julian Lennon, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. The 1968 Fun Club record plays at 33 1/3 r.p.m. The credit "PRODUCT OF AMERICOM CORP. N.Y.C. MADE IN U.S.A." was printed at the perimeter. Matrix No. "H-2041-B" was etched at the side-2.
OTHER ITEM
some with foolscap Fan Club newsletter (maybe)

CATALOG NUMBER
-
LABEL
Americom Corp.
MIX
Mono
MATRIX No. Side1: H2041 A
Side2: H2041 B
VINYL COLOR
BLACK
PRODUCER
-
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
Cover design: Julian Lennon, John Lennon and Ringo Starr
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
PRODUCT OF AMERICOM CORP. N.Y.C. MADE IN U.S.A.
PUBLISHER'S NAME
The Official Beatles Fan Club
PRINTER'S NAME
SLEEVE: Printed and made in England
COMMENTS
After two years of shoddy postcard packaging, American Fan Club members finally received their record in a cardboard sleeve. However, it was a modified version of the 1967 British jacket.
The 1968 American sleeve was printed and manufactured in England. The art work is the same as on the earlier U.K. jacket, but most of the text has been eliminated and replaced with "The Beatles 1968 Christmas Record" in black capital letters.
The U.S. record is a two-sided flexi-disc manufactured by Americom, who pressd the Beatles Pocket Discs. Its label information is printed in silver directly onto the center side-1 of the disc and features a drawing of the group's faces.



#5 The Beatles Seventh Christmas Record, Happy Christmas1969 (1969)
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TITLE
HAPPY CHRISTMAS 1969
RELEASE DATE
December 1969
SLEEVE: FRONT--> Click! SLEEVE: BACK--> Click! LABEL -->Click! DISK: SIDE 1 -->Click! DISK: SIDE 2 -->Click!
sleeve sleeve label label label
BACK COVER CLOSE UP LABEL CLOSE UP
sleeve The jacket was manufactured by West Brothers Printers, Limited, of London, and designed by Ringo and his son Zak Starkey. sleeve sleeve
On the back cover, printer's name "West Brothers" was printed. Matrix No. "H-2465" was printed at the side-1.
LABEL CLOSE UP
sleeve The 1969 Fun Club record plays at 33 1/3 r.p.m. sleeve The credit "PRODUCT OF AMERICOM CORP. N.Y.C. MADE IN U.S.A." was printed at the perimeter.
OTHER ITEM
some with foolscap Fan Club newsletter (maybe)

CATALOG NUMBER
-
LABEL
Americom Corp.
MIX
Mono
MATRIX No. Side1: H2465 A1
Side2: H2465 B1
VINYL COLOR
BLACK
PRODUCER
-
COVER DESIGN/ PHOTO/ NOTES
Cover design: Richard Sterkey and Zak Starkey
RECORD COMPANY'S NAME
PRODUCT OF AMERICOM CORP. N.Y.C. MADE IN U.S.A.
PUBLISHER'S NAME
The Official Beatles Fan Club
PRINTER'S NAME
SLEEVE: Printed in England by West Brothers
COMMENTS
The Beatles Christmas record for 1969 followed same formula as the previous year. Rather than gathering at the studio to record a group message or story, each Beatle supplied a tape of holiday greetings, which were once again edited by Kenny Everett (credited under his real name, Maurice Cole, on the sleeve).
The disk was issued in a 7 inch cardboard sleeve designed by a Beatle. Credited to Richard Starkey and Zak Starkey.
The back of the sleeve has the British Fan Club logo in upper right corner. The jacket was manufactured by West Brothers Printers, Limited, of London.
The American Fan Club received a shipment of the 1969 British Jackets for packaging its pressing of the Christmas record, which also a two-sided flexi-disc. The Americom manufactured disk has its label information printed in silver on side-1 and once again features a drawing of the group's faces.



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