Please Please Me (DBM-006)
I Saw Her Standing There, Misery, Anna (Go To Him), Chains, Boys, Ask Me Why, Please Please Me, Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Baby It’s You, Do You Want To Know A Secret, A Taste Of Honey, There’s A Place, Twist And Shout
Stereo releases of the Beatles’ first album have always been tricky since a bulk of the album was recorded in one legendary sixteen hour session on a two track. The mono format was issued six week before it came out in stereo and the result was quite unbalanced with the vocals dominating the right channel and the bass dominating the left. When EMI / Parlophone planned its first CD release in 1987, the mono version was used at the advice of George Martin, who felt the mono captured the “spirit” of the sessions best. (In fact they issued the first four albums in mono). One of the earliest stereo transfers was a 1996 German release (SHZE 117). The transfer on this release is very good except, as some collectors point out, the left channel of the count-in for “I Saw Her Standing There” is muted. It is also the only version of Please Please Me to be sourced from an unprocessed two-track master tape making it superior to the official EMI CD release.
Other needle drops of the stereo include Fabulous Sound Lab (fs-2001) released in 2000, which has clear sound but some background noise. Mirror Spock issued Please Please Me (PCS 3042) in 2001, and two years later a transfer from the MFSL box set came out (MFSL 1-101). Dr. Ebbett’s previous transfers include the UK mono (PMC 1202) released in 2003. the same year they came out with DESS stereo remix (PCS 3042rm). This is an “outfake” stereo remix with the vocals and bass centered (except for “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You” from the single). In 2000 Dr. Ebbett issued transfers of both the Mobile Fidelity Stereo Lab version of the UK stereo (MFSL-1-101), and of the regular UK stereo release (PCS 3042). In 2006 they released on cd-r their version of the UK blue box remaster edition which has been singled out for particular praise except for some minor speed problems. The DBM series is pressed on silver and the sound quality is very enjoyable. (GS)
