Rubber Soul (Parlophone PMC1267 mono)

 Rubber Soul (Parlophone PMC1267 mono)

Released in the UK - 3rd December 1965


Side One Matrix Number XEX579-1  Mother Stamper 4  Sub Stamper 27

Side Two Matrix Number XEX580-1  Mother Stamper 2  Sub Stamper 20



 The last of Mum's original albums - but not. The cover is part of the family silver, but the disc isn't. Another one of my many youthful mistakes.

I distinctly remember messing around with the record and cracking it over the top of my little brother's head. It snapped into two. Mum was there, and was not amused. Consequently, the cover was left empty for many years until, by happy accident, I picked up a cheap copy of the disc without a cover at a record fair in Chester. I added the inner sleeve as appropriate as well.



I have another copy of this, the infamous XEX579-4 matrix, the supposed "loud" cut of this disc. When the vinyl was first cut at EMI, producer George Martin was unhappy with the sound, but thousands of discs had gone out for production and made it to the record shops, so rather than recall them, EMI just let them go. "Rubber Soul" was re-cut at EMI about a month after release, and that has been the standard. I don't know whether this copy is a re-cut, I can't be bothered checking! I've played both and, to be honest, can't really tell the difference. Maybe my ears are destroyed? The record certainly is, but it plays okay, and that's all that matters to me.


There is a train of thought amongst Beatles critics and historians that "Rubber Soul" was the point at which the band started to turn from black-and-white into colour. This is the famous point where Mum said they "went weird"! Top track? Paul's infectious "I'm Looking Through You".



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