|
|
Since the mid-1950's, Capitol had almost invariably used its inner sleeves to promote other Capitol product. For example, the introduction of stereo brought with it inner sleeves promoting Capitol's Full Dimensional Stereo. Other record companies often sported similar inner sleeves. Both Capitol and others used plain plastic inner bags for a time, but collectors often seek original paper sleeves (where they existed) to accompany their LP's. To read about Capitol Records inner sleeves before the Beatle period, click here. This page contains a listing of Capitol sleeves from 1964 through 1967.
When the Beatles released their first Capitol album in early 1964, Capitol was using a blue inner sleeve for all their mainline LP's. The sleeve featured mock-ups of 20 of their popular albums of the time, including records by Nat "King" Cole, Al Martino, and the Lettermen. The blue inner sleeve continued on Capitol LP's until after the release of Beatles' Story; some copies of Beatles '65 also have the blue sleeve. All Capitol Beatles albums until that time originally featured the blue sleeve. At first, the sleeves were a dull blue color but by the middle of 1964 a brighter blue (above) came into use. Both variations are designated "12-TC-1".
At the end of 1964, Capitol replaced the blue sleeve with an orange-red sleeve that I call the "Teen Set" sleeve because it advertises a special club for teens. Featured on the sleeve are 35 Capitol albums, including two Beach Boys albums and Meet the Beatles, Beatles Second Album, and Something New. This sleeve prevailed into the middle of 1965. Early copies of the sleeve are designated simply "PE 12-2A." This quickly gave way to a version with a factory designator: "PE 12-2AS" for Scranton and "PE 12-2AL" for Los Angeles copies. Finally, and for reasons not known, the LA plant began to use copies designated "LA 12TC-3". It appears that both "PE" and "TC" signify a paper inner sleeve.
During the early to mid 60's, Capitol's popular artists (such as Al Martino) had their records housed in all-white sleeves with "Capitol Records Inc." running around the border. Occasionally, you will see a Beatles record from the same period packaged in one of the pop sleeves. There are both Scranton (PE 12-2DS) and Los Angeles (LA 12TC-A)copies of this sleeve.
By about the time of the Help! album, Capitol replaced the orange sleeve with an inner sleeve promoting its improved stereo sound. "Capitol's New Improved Full Dimensional Stereo sounds better than stereo has ever sounded before," proclaimed the sleeve. Similar information would be found on newer Capitol albums, such as Beatles VI. The sleeve featured 50 Capitol albums, including Beatles '65 and The Early Beatles, and was used into mid-1966. This time, copies were designated for Scranton (PE 12-2ES), Los Angeles (PE 12-2BL), and the new factory in Jacksonville, IL (PE 12-2EJ). Later east coast copies have a black bar at the bottom of the sleeve.
The "Capitol '66" sleeve replaced the olive colored '65 sleeve early in 1966. Beatlewise, it was used on original pressings of Yesterday...and Today and Revolver. By now, Capitol was sporting 54 of their albums on every inner sleeve. In this case, Help! and Rubber Soul were among them. Again there exist copies for each factory, numbered PE 12-2FS (Scranton), PE 12-3BL (Los Angeles), and PE 12-2FJ (Jax).
The album after Revolver, namely Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, featured a custom red and white inner sleeve, instead of the sleeve shown above. The above sleeve can be found on most Capitol albums of the period, and I've found it on a used copy of Sgt. Pepper, although I don't know for certain that the album was in that sleeve originally. Some claim to have found the sleeve on Magical Mystery Tour and on later copies of Beatles LP's that predate Pepper. Among the 54 albums found on this cover are the Beatles' Rubber Soul, Yesterday...and Today, and Revolver. Also of note is an ad for a hard-to-find Capitol documentary album about LSD. The Scranton copies of the sleeve are numbered PE 12-4BS, with LA copies having the designation PE 12-4BL, and Jax copies being called PE 12-4BJ. Notice that on this occasion all three factories chose to use similar numbering.
After the end of '67, Capitol stopped using custom inner sleeves, preferring instead to house their albums in plain white inner sleeves. The white sleeves continued into the early 80's, when plastic sleeves took over. Nothing after 1967 ever had the flair of the colorful inner sleeves of the 1960's (and earlier). I always try to hunt down original sleeves to accompany the used Beatles albums that I buy. Since buyers of the time were greeted by the colorful ads every time they opened an LP, the inner sleeves, too, are a piece of Beatle history in the US.
NOTE: Knowing when the inner sleeves were made, if you should happen to find a "still sealed" Capitol album, you can tell when it was actually pressed--whether it's an original issue or not.
© 1997 Frank Daniels
