manofmystery wrote:This may have been discussed before and if it has I apologise.
I can remember first seeing the Stereo album in late 1974. I remember that date as I had just started senior school. However I have a couple of EMI catalogues from 1972 and January 1974 and 2 EMI numerical catalogues that give a release date as August 1971 (along with the Stereo Version of Cliff's Hit Album).
Was the album released in 1971 (or not long after) or is 1974 the correct release date and the catalogues are wrong.
Paul
Otto Kasper's book gives release dates as:
Cliff's Hit Album: Mono 33SX 1512 - July 1963
Stereo SCX 1512 - August 1971
The Shadows' Greatest Hits:Mono 33SX 1522 - June 1963
Stereo SCX 1522 - 1971
I tend to think that the mono release dates are mixed up, as their serial numbers suggest that the Cliff LP was released the earlier.
On the other hand, I clearly remember the mono release of both discs in mid 1963. They were each reviewed in the monthly advertising magazine "Record Mail" (price 1d), with the review of "Greatest Hits" apparently being written by Richard Attenborough (he described
The Frightened City as "a fascinating piece of mood music").
Record Mail was published by EMI and retailed across record shop counters. It was a great way of keeping up with all their releases, since every last release in that particular month - on the Columbia, Parlophone, HMV, Regal-Zonophone, Stateside, Mercury and Verve labels - was listed in all formats: 45, EP and LP.
So... to your actual question: 1971 seems to be the answer for the stereo releases. I got my stereo copy of TSGH in 1975, if I recall correctly. I've never even seen a stereo copy of "Cliff's Hit List", and wonder whether the early tracks (especially
Move It) were included in mock-stereo.