Michael Fremer

Yesterday was a waste case for listening. I powered up the stereo and what came out was so bad I couldn't review anything. I'm not kidding. I tried everything: various turntables, cartridges, digital and nothing sounded good......So I went upstairs and watched this fascinating BBC documentary on the life and times of George Martin. There's been an anti-George Martin backlash of late from people who think he takes too much credit for their success, but watching this makes obvious that these people are making stuff up. He certainly doesn't here.

Back in 1996 EMI contemplated a newly-remastered 30th anniversary CD edition of "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. While the company later issued a 30th anniversary edition of The Beatles (The "White" Album) complete with a transparent slip case, black inner sleeves and the poster and photos originally included in the vinyl version, the 30th anniversary Sgt. Peppers... was never released. I know about it because I was peripherally involved.

I've fed you another piece of misinformation fed to me by someone involved in this project but I can't remember whom: at first I was told RTI pressed these records. But that had to be walked back. Then I was told, no Rainbo pressed but RTI plated. Now I've been told by RTI's Don MacInnis that, no RTI didn't plate them either. Sorry about that.

The Beatles' early output was as confusingly presented as it was prolific. That was true on both sides of "the pond." In America, Capitol Records at first decided to pass on The Beatles. In the U.K. singles didn't make it onto albums.