Superstar/Bless the Beasts and Children Promo

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I am almost 99% sure that this promo is a Mono 45 both sides. However, I would really like to hear from our Corner-ites who are knowledgable in deciphering the "run-in" to be completely sure.

As you can see my regular 45 has Bless the Beasts numbered at 1289-S with the run in showing A&M 2180S-P2 & the flip Superstar at 1289-S and the run in showing A&M 2179S-P1.

On the Promo it has Bless #1289 and Superstar same at #1289. The run in on Bless the Beasts-A&M 2180-M3 then to the right has a triangle 85890-X and Superstar is A&M 2179-M3 then to the right has triangle 85890 that's it (no X on that side). Since I can't find a S at all on either side of the white label promo label or run in, I'm asuming it's a mono both sides? I've never heard of a two sided promo mono at least not a Carpenters.

The promo of Superstar is really upfront & bright, so apparant with my headphones. It's amazing to hear such a clean copy & the original untouched song. The tamberine part during the chorus is really amazing it just pops here. Bless the Beasts again sounds more upfront with Karen's vocal and again the tamberine here is really aparant, loud & clear again seems to pop out at you when listening. The song seems cleaner to me for some reason if that makes sense. Karen's lead vocal just seems more to the front. Comparing my original 45 to this Promo 45 is like two totally different listening experiences.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Does anyone know if W.B. still visits the forum, he was pretty knowledgeable on the run in's. From his profile it appears he hasn't posted since Oct 04th

 

[Dave]

A Mono-on-Both Sides '45' is not Uncommon...! I have seen and owned Promo '45's that have had different songs and were both in Mono...

It would have a "designated "A" Side", like yours... And would be on a variety of labels, as well...

The "S", then strictly designates "Stereo" copy.

Hoping I so far, helped out with this "run-in" question, online...


Dave

 

[W.B.]

Does anyone know if W.B. still visits the forum, he was pretty knowledgeable on the run in's. From his profile it appears he hasn't posted since Oct 04th

My apologies; I've been tending to other matters. (Like, answering questions Benny Hill fans wanted to know but were heretofore afraid to ask.) I haven't ignored y'all's, though - and besides, it's been awhile since I've seen something in the Forum that calls out for my expertise. . . .

But your promo copy certainly sounds unique in that regard. As "Beasts" was the flip and -X was the code used by Monarch on B-sides, that certainly makes sense. It would also make sense to release a mono promo of both sides, as both songs were played by radio stations (with "Superstar," naturally, the bigger hit and "Beasts" having a more minor presence on the charts at year's end).

The other factor was the printing ink used for the label copy on the promo. If it were stereo, the label copy would be printed in Warm Red (as, indeed, the '"A" SIDE' line was printed on the "Superstar" side). So yes, your info on the trail-off (that is, no -S suffix) makes perfect sense.

(I still prefer the label copy artwork as by Columbia in Pitman, NJ, as shown on the pics of the stock copy labels, that plus remaining loyal to the original ochre-and-orange color scheme as first used in 1963 as opposed to Monarch's veering way off on their stock pressings.)

Conversely, I have promo copies in my collection that are stereo on both sides, whilst the stock copies were mono. In particular, two records, both on Columbia: "Lay Lady Lay" / "Peggy Day" by Bob Dylan (4-44926) and "A Boy Named Sue" / "San Quentin" by Johnny Cash (4-44944). So I suppose that the opposite is possible. . . .

But then, there was a Tony Bennett single from 1970, also on Columbia, that had the same thing as you described about mono promo and stereo stock: "Think How It's Gonna Be" / "Everybody's Talkin'" (4-45157).

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

W.B. thank you for such a quick response and clearing that up.

Was this a Monarch pressing on both sides? So -X would mean B Side?

I wonder how they knew then that Bless the Beasts would also be a hit? I mean why not just make that a stereo side? Someone must have known prior to printing that there was a very good chance that Bless would also get airplay by the DJ's at that time when mono's were mostly played by them.

I guess too that the red lettering to indicate "A" side would be like a red flag to the DJ that this was the song to be first played. Thus Superstar being a hit first.

This is interesting. This is the first ever promo that I have ever come across that is mono both sides for a Carpenters single 45.

 

[AM Matt]

Back in June of 1972, Phillips Records 40715 45 single "How Do You Do?" by Mouth (Willem Duyn) And Macneal (Maggie Macneal) was released in MONO. WRONG! I heard the 45 single and it is in STEREO as well as the flip side "Land Of Milk And Honey" which has the label MONO but is in STEREO!! The song (45 single) runs 2:57 but the album version is 4:04. On the "Super Hits Of The 70's: Have A Nice Day Volume 8", it runs 3:15 in length. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[W.B.]

Back in June of 1972, Phillips Records 40715 45 single "How Do You Do?" by Mouth (Willem Duyn) And Macneal (Maggie Macneal) was released in MONO. WRONG! I heard the 45 single and it is in STEREO as well as the flip side "Land Of Milk And Honey" which has the label MONO but is in STEREO!! The song (45 single) runs 2:57 but the album version is 4:04. On the "Super Hits Of The 70's: Have A Nice Day Volume 8", it runs 3:15 in length. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

I.I.N.M., "How Do You Do?" was actually released around January of '72. I have the original Philips label design connected with this 45, and it was the periwinkle blue-and-salmon orange color scheme of the late '60's 45 labels (the later pressings from around June of that year had the dark blue color label with silver label copy, that conformed to the design of European Philips). Moreover, stereo 45's on Mercury and subsidiary labels such as Philips -- though never marked as stereo on the label -- had a 2- prefix before the matrix number (mono releases had a 1-). And my copy of "How Do You Do?" definitely is marked 2- on each side, both on the label and the trail-off. Now, on the other hand, Joe Tex' "I Gotcha" (Dial 1010, distributed at the time by Mercury) is mono; both the original edit (with two lines cut off on the later edit) and the shorter version are in mono, with a 1- prefix before the matrix number on each side (that and its B-side, "A Mother's Prayer").

Now, as for that "Superstar" mono promo . . . Monarch promo pressings for A&M by that time were done in regular vinyl, unlike the styrene stock copies. Something else to think about . . .

But then, their first single "Ticket to Ride" was mono in both stock and promo . . . but the instance of a mono-on-both-sides promo of a single released commercially in stereo is something I hadn't heard about in their case before, to be sure.

 

[Harry]

ANCIENT THREAD - RE-OPENED

My Program Director, a former A&M employee and longtime radio man, just handed me a copy of this 1289 Promo. I looked at it and wondered if it was stereo, since there is no stereo indicator on it at all.

In researching it here, I came upon this old thread. So, it IS mono on both sides, right?

(It looks like Chris has removed the pictures from wherever they were - all I'm seeing is red "X's".)

Harry

 

[Harry]

Now home, I've checked the single. It is indeed mono and sounds great.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Oh yes this IS an old thread HA. Sorry those pics would be long gone. That is cool to hear you got a copy of this promo and for free at that. It does appear to be mono to me on both sides, kinda unusual 45 in that it's not mentioned yet playing it on a turntable and with headphones on it is an amazing ear experience. In fact I still believe all these mono's are so cool and believe it would make a great collection for Richard to release.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

EDITING TO ADD PHOTOS FROM FIRST POST