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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.

Regards

Paul

I'm sure I got a stereo 'Greatst Hits' copy in 1973 - I know it was before I got the then new 'Hank Marvin & John Farrar' LP on EMI label a few weeks later

EMI itself would have been the label from 1973 onwards ( M & F plus 'Rockin With Curly Leads' plus Cliff was on EMI rather than on Columbia by 1973 his '31st of February' & 'Take Me High' albums were on EMI)

I believe the EMI 'Silver Box' Columbia label first appeared in 1970 (I have Jeff Beck's 1969 album 'Beck Ola' on that label in mono and in stereo- likewise Parlophone releases go over to 'silver box' design during 1970), and new albums being released in mono was discontinued by 1970 (bar the odd releases like 'The Goon Show' etc in mono only) hence 'Shades of Rock' is stereo only in the UK.

So 'Greatest Hits' being on the 'Silver Box' Columbia label it must have been released around 1970 or very early 1971 as the mono version (most common in Blue/Black Columbia label) was deleted & replaced by the stereo version on 'silver box' label

probably some mono 'silver box' Columbia copies of 'Shadows Greatest Hits' do exist too
- I have 'Cliff's Hit Album' in mono on 'silver box' Columbia plus a mono copy of that 1969 Jeff Beck 'Beck Ola' album too, these must have been released in 1970 or very early 1971 as mono is gone where stereo versions exist in the UK by 1971 as far as I'm aware..

had stereo 'Shadows Greatest Hits' come out in 1974 it would very likely have been on EMI label like the Shads & Shads related releases of 1973 & 'Specs Apeal', 'Tasty' & 'Twenty Golden Greats' later in the seventies

Re EMI label itself superceeding their Columbia & Parlophone labels - The Hollies frontman Allan Clarke was signed to EMI as a solo artist & his 1973 solo album 'Headroom' & 1974 'Allan Clarke' album were both on 'EMI' not Parlophone, the last Hollies album for EMI on Parlophone being 'Distant Light' in 1971 plus 'Greatest Vol 2' in March 1972, thus any possible 1974 Columbia release for the Shadows seems most unlikely

I have mono 'silver box' Parlophone copies of 'Hollies Greatest' and 'Help !' by The Beatles - these must date from 1970 too as both were only available in stereo after 1970 and before 1970 would have been 'yellow/black' Parlophone labels in mono and stereo - so as a rule most 'silver box' Columbia or Parlophone label mono albums where stereo versions exist too would appear to date from circa 1970.

The album 'Hollies Sing Hollies' released in November 1969 was in stereo only and the initial copies were still on 'yellow/black' sixties Parlophone label, so the changover to 'silver box' for both Columbia and Parlophone labels must have been around January 1970.

I note mono 'More Hits - The Shadows' had a different 'Foot Tapper' to the stereo version.

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.

Thank you for the detailed replies. I always thought 1971 but I seem to remember from somewhere a discussion that it was due to be issued in 1971 but for some reason it didn't appear until 1974 and that is when I remember first seeing it. I had been buying Shadows records since 1969 and until I bought Greatest Hits, I had never heard Apache. I had just started Senior School in September 1974 and opposite the bus stop where I caught the bus to school was the record store I always shopped in. In the window was an album I hadn't seen before, "The Shadows Greatest Hits". I may have got my facts wrong but I do distinctly remember it. Normally the sleeves have the release date on the bottom right of the sleeve but not for this release.

Also the catalogues I have give a release date of September 1961 for the Mono "The Shadows" but a September 1962 release date for the stereo "The Shadows".

Regards

Paul

Hi all,

I know I'm a bit late with my contribution but it might be of help:

a. The NME from 14. August 1971 reviews "Cliff's Hit Album" and "The Shadows Greatest Hits" (see the attached scan). It is a bit surprising that for the Cliff LP the catalog number and the price are given whereas no such information is printed about the Shadows LP. This might indicate a delay.

b. The first stereo pressing of "The Shadows Greatest Hits" had the 2-boxes-EMI/Columbia label with "MADE IN GT. BRITAIN" printed at the bottom of the label and "THE GRAMOPHONE COMPANY" at the start of the perimeter print (see the scan). This label was used between 1971 and late 1972.

c. A second stereo pressing of "The Shadows Greatest Hits" had a slightly changed label, now with "EMI RECORDS LTD" at the start and "MADE IN GT BRITAIN" at the end of the perimeter print (see the scan). This label was used from 1974 onwards.

My conclusions: The first stereo release was definitely prior to late 1972, I would think more likely in 1971. August 1971 will have been the scheduled release date but there might have been a delay. 1974 a repressing was made as this album entered the UK charts on 11. May 1974 (and stayed there for 6 weeks).

I hope this is of help.

Best wishes,

Ulrich

'Cliff's Hit Album' was issued in stereo with most of the songs in mock stereo, all on side one plus a few ('The Young Ones', 'When The Girl in Your Arms...') on side two are in fake stereo - but 'I Love You', 'Do You Wanna Dance ?' & one or two more are in true stereo

They reprocessed for stereo 'F.B.I.', 'Wonderful Land', & 'The Boys' on 'Shadows Greatest Hits', yet 'The Boys' is in TRUE Stereo later on the budget MFP album 'The Shadows: At The Movies' and true stereo 'Wonderful Land' later emerged overseas (with horns version too) & still later finally a stereo 'F.B.I.'

- I can understand the latter two tracks being fake stereo back in 1971 but would have thought EMI could have used the true stereo version of 'The Boys' on 'Greatest Hits' surely ?

Monty wrote:'Cliff's Hit Album' was issued in stereo with most of the songs in mock stereo, all on side one plus a few ('The Young Ones', 'When The Girl in Your Arms...') on side two are in fake stereo - but 'I Love You', 'Do You Wanna Dance ?' & one or two more are in true stereo
They reprocessed for stereo 'F.B.I.', 'Wonderful Land', & 'The Boys' on 'Shadows Greatest Hits', yet 'The Boys' is in TRUE Stereo later on the budget MFP album 'The Shadows: At The Movies' and true stereo 'Wonderful Land' later emerged overseas (with horns version too) & still later finally a stereo 'F.B.I.'
- I can understand the latter two tracks being fake stereo back in 1971 but would have thought EMI could have used the true stereo version of 'The Boys' on 'Greatest Hits' surely ?

The EP on which The Boys was first released in 1962 - oddly, also called "The Boys" (!) - was itself issued in stereo at the time.

Several Shadows' EPs were issued in stereo: "The Shadows" (the one with Mustang), "The Boys", the two "Out Of The Shadows" EPs and "Rhythm And Greens" from 1964.

Oddly (you may think), not "Los Shadows" - and no stereo EPs at all after "Rhythm And Greens".

I believe the silver box releases were earlier, i have the Hank Marvin LP from 1969 in silver box (stereo) and the Hollies greatest hits from 1968 which is also on silver box (mono).
Slightly off topic, some years ago my friend's dad had 'More Hits' by the Shadows, i got a loan of it to play as i didn't have many tracks on it, where the 'Columbia' label was on both the record and the sleeve had a sticker with 'Parlophone' stuck on it for some reason, i peeled one back slightly and could see the Columbia imprint underneath, not sure why this was done as it seemed to be an original from 1965.

The releases OF 1969 and earlier were on 'silver box' but that does not mean they necessarily date from earlier than 1970, they may (probably are) early seventies pressings of albums from earlier years.

For example I have 'Yardbirds' (1966) in both mono & stereo on blue/black Columbia (also Jeff Beck's 'Truth' from 1967 on Blue/Black Columbia )

I also have 'Yardbirds' (1966) & 'Truth' (1967) in stereo on 'silver box' Columbia but these date from the early seventies

'Hollies Greatest' (1968) is yellow/black Parlophone stereo/mono originally....and from 1970 these were on 'silver box' Parlophone, but from 1971 the mono version was deleted

Hollies Sing Dylan' (issued in May 1969) was originally yellow/black Parlophone (mono & stereo), then in 1970 'silver box' Parlophone (mono & stereo), but from 1971 mono was deleted & only the silver box Parlophone stereo was available then .

The final Hollies album on 'yellow/black' Parlophone is; 'Hollies Sing Hollies' the very earliest copies (from November 1969), it was stereo only (the first Hollies stereo only album), then it's 'silver box' Parlophone from 1970 onwards

the earliest 'Hank Marvin' solo albums might have been blue/black Columbia (anyone know ?) but most copies I've seen are 'silver box' Columbia -it's possible 'blue/black' Columbia ended just before 'yellow/black' Parlophone, maybe by a few months in 1969 but I doubt it - standardisation earlier when green Columbia, red Parlophone, and blue HMV singles ALL went 'black label' in the early sixties seemed to occur together in the UK for all the EMI labels (tho' Irish pressings of EMI singles might have continued in the coloured versions slightly longer), so I think these switch overs to new label designs for Columbia and Parlophone for the seventies - with by then 'classical only' HMV then going to 'red label with silver box' design - likely all happened together.


- I have an 'Established 1958' (stereo) on 'Blue/Black Columbia from 1968 but most copies of that seem to be 'silver box' Columbia thus were pressed I'd say from 1970 onwards

My copy of Paul Jones 1969 album; 'Come into my Music Box' is on 'silver box' Columbia too, this probably actually dates from circa 1970

the switch over to 'silver box' (Columbia & Parlophone) label design looks to have occurred early 1970 (hence the November 1969 earliest 'Hollies Sing Hollies' copies still being on yellow/black Parlophone label) in the UK, but EMI of course continued doing any mono versions up to the end of 1970 (unless it was a 'mono only' album like 'The Goon Show' etc ) plus pressed older albums with the newer silver box design (I have 'The Shadows first album from 1961 on 'silver box' & most other Shads albums through to 'From Hank, Bruce...' in 1967 plus all Beatles albums from 'Please Please Me' to 'Sgt Pepper' on the later design in stereo only)

then after 1970 it was stereo only from 1971 to 1973 when the EMI parent label took over (for Cliff, Shadows, Marvin & Farrar, 'History of The Hollies' Cilla Black, etc)

Monty wrote:the earliest 'Hank Marvin' solo albums might have been blue/black Columbia (anyone know ?)

No - black/silver.