QUADRAPHONY IN THE U.K.! (A&M / CBS / EMI / Decca / RCA / WEA Releases and History)

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steelydave

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3 or 4 years back when I started investigating the (then-mysterious) Precision Tapes Q8s, I had the moment of inspiration that instead of trying to figure out what was released based on what was showing up on eBay UK 40 years later, that maybe I could find some kind of British equivalent of the Schwann catalog that would simply list everything. So I set to work, and after some searching I was able to find a bulk lot of catalogs from a seller in Germany (of all places) that included two issues of the Record Mirror/Music Week 'The Tape Guide' from 1972 and 1974 respectively.

This was a good start - but given that there was plenty more quad history after early 1974, I wanted to hopefully find something to shed more light on those years. After a couple of years of futile searching (these old tape catalogs seem to be even rarer than the actual Q8s they list) last year I found a 1976 copy of Music Week's 'The Tape and Record Guide' and around the same time @winopener spotted a 1975 A&M Records UK Tape catalogue on eBay. I'm greatly indebted to @fredblue, who (at a considerable amount of time and expense to himself) bought and scanned both of these publications and sent the scans to me.

I also scanned my 1972 and 1974 Record Mirror/Music Week tape catalogs and I painstakingly restored every page of all 4 of these publications and converted them to searchable PDF files which you can find links to at the bottom of this post if you care to peruse them. A big thank you to @HomerJAU for hosting the mirror for these files - as with everything on the internet, nothing is permanent so if you're interested in these I'd suggest downloading them just in case.

My next step was to combine the information from all 4 of these text into a spreadsheet sorted by label, the results of which you'll find below. While there aren't a ton of revelations in this (there are a couple of interesting ones though, so keep your eyes peeled), much of this is new information, especially as it pertains to the U.S. labels. There's never been a thorough account before of what A&M, CBS (Columbia, Epic and associated labels), RCA and Warner/Elektra/Atlantic (and their sub-labels) released in the UK, and while this list should be considered a work in progress, I think it covers the vast majority of what was released.

It also appears that from the outset, all the American labels imported product from the US to sell in the UK, rather than manufacturing/pressing locally. According to an April, 1973 issue of Billboard (which I'll include in the post below this) all the labels were hoping to eventually press quad LPs and duplicate quad 8-tracks in the UK, but presumably the demand never merited them ramping up like that - it seems that the reaction to quad in the UK was even more tepid than it was in the US and Canada.

Some of the labels also stickered the imported product - CBS, for example, had to put stickers over any mention of 'Columbia' because they didn't own the trademark on the name outside of North America:
cbs-lp-1.jpgcbs-lp-2.jpgcbs-lp3.jpgcbs-q8.jpg

Whereas the Warner/Elektra/Atlantic releases only had a gold foil sticker affixed to the outside of the LP/Q8 shrinkwrap, which is one of the reasons it's been difficult to identify how many albums they released in quad, because when the shrinkwrap was removed, so was the UK catalog number:
bette-midler-k2.jpgjames-taylor-k9.jpg


A&M

As I mentioned above, from 1972 through late 1974/early 1975, A&M subcontracted the manufacture and distribution of their Q8s to Precision Tapes (more info and a full list of those known tapes here), but sometime in 1975 they appear to have brought all of that in-house. Having said that, it's still a bit of a mystery - all of the A&M tapes that Precision Tapes made had a 'Y8QAM', and these show up on eBay UK from time to time, but I've never seen an A&M-manufactured tape with the YQM prefix. My educated guess here is that with the Q8 market declining in 1975, A&M UK decided to just import tapes from the US like their competitors were doing (rather than sharing a piece of an already-small pie with Precision Tapes) and sell them under their UK catalog number names.

The one major revelation in the 1975 A&M tape catalog is that it clearly lists a catalog number for Supertramp's Crime of the Century - YQM 68258. It's no accident either, the YQM designation is listed both with the album cover/tracklisting in the main portion of the catalog and also at the end in the numerical list of all releases. This is the most concrete proof I've seen that this title was in the works, and the fact that it made into print suggests that maybe this was closer to happening than we realise. Presumably the catalog was printed in early 1975 in anticipation of it coming out, and then A&M pulled the plug on their quad releases partway through the year before it could happen.

That reminds me, I found an interesting quote from the January-February 2006 issue of Resolution magazine about the quad mix of Crime of the Century from Ken Scott (who co-produced and engineered the album) that suggests that most likely A&M's in-house quad remix crew of Marv Bornstein and Bart Chiate handled the quad mix: "When quadraphonic fi rst came out, that was much the same: I got a phone call about doing Crime Of The Century in quad. I was asked how long it would take, and estimated no more than a couple of weeks. They said: ‘Are you kidding, we’ve got a guy who says he can do it in an afternoon!’"

ARTISTALBUMLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBERNOTES
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana BrassWhipped Cream and Other DelightsYQM 958
Burt BacharachGreatest HitsYQM 63661
Burt BacharachMake it Easy on YourselfYQM 938
Burt BacharachReach OutYQM 908
Joan BaezCome From the ShadowsYQM 64339
The CarpentersThe CarpentersYQM 63502
The CarpentersClose to YouYQM 998
The CarpentersA Song For YouYQM 63511
The CarpentersNow & ThenYQM 63519
The CarpentersThe Singles 1969-1973YQM 63601
The CarpentersHorizonYQM 64530
Carole KingFantasyYQM 77018
Carole KingMusicYQM 67013
Carole KingRhymes & ReasonsYQM 77016
Carole KingTapestryYQM 2025
Quincy JonesYou've Got It Bad, GirlYQM 63041
Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66Greatest HitsYQM 985
Ozark Mountain DaredevilsIt'll Shine When It ShinesYQM 63654
SupertrampCrime of the CenturyYQM 68258UNRELEASED
Rick WakemanJourney to the Centre of the EarthYQM 63621
Rick WakemanMyths and Legends of King ArthurYQM 64515
Rick WakemanSix Wives of Henry VIIIYQM 64361


CBS, Epic and Associated Labels

ARTISTALBUMLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBER
Lynn AndersonRose GardenCQ 30411CAQ 30411
ArgentIn DeepEQ 32195
AztecaAztecaCQ 31776CAQ 31776
Beck, Bogert & AppiceBeck, Bogert & AppiceEQ 32140
Jeff Beck GroupJeff Beck GroupEQ 31331EAQ 31331
Jeff Beck GroupRough and ReadyEQ 30973EAQ 30973
Blood, Sweat & TearsGreatest HitsCQ 31170CAQ 31170
Bloomfield / Kooper / StillsSuper SessionCQ 30991CAQ 30991
Walter CarlosSwitched-On BachMQ 31018MAQ 31018
Johnny CashAt San QuentinCQ 30961CAQ 30961
CompanyOriginal Cast RecordingSQ 30993SAQ 30993
Ray ConniffAlone Again (Naturally)CQ 31629CAQ 31629
Ray ConniffHarmonyCQ 32553CAQ 32553
Ray ConniffLove StoryCQ 30498CAQ 30498
Ray ConniffLove Theme From "The Godfather"CQ 31473CAQ 31473
Ray ConniffThe Way We WereCAQ 32802
Miles DavisBitches BrewGQ 30997GAQ 30997
Bob DylanNashville SkylineCAQ 32872
Percy FaithBlack Magic WomanCQ 30800CAQ 30800
Percy FaithDay by DayCQ 31627CAQ 31627
Percy FaithNew ThingCAQ 32803
Percy FaithRomeo & JulietCQ 31004CAQ 31004
Firesign TheaterI Think We're All Bozos on This BusCQ 30737CAQ 30737
Art GarfunkelAngel ClareCQ 31471
The Isley Brothers3+3 featuring "That Lady"ZAQ 32453
George JonesWe Go Together (with Tammy Wynette)EQ 30802EAQ 30802
Janis JoplinPearlCQ 30322CAQ 30322
Andre KostelanetzPlays Michel Legrand's Greatest HitsCAQ 32580
Kris KristoffersonJesus Was a CapricornZQ 31909ZAQ 31909
Kris KristoffersonSilver-Tongued Devil and IZQ 30679
Ramsey LewisUpendo Ni PamojaCQ 31096CAQ 31096
Mahavishnu OrchestraBetween Nothingness and Eternity LiveCAQ 32766
Mahavishnu OrchestraBirds of FireCQ 31996CAQ 31996
John McLaughlin & Carlos SantanaLove, Devotion, SurrenderCQ 32034
Johnny MathisFirst Time Ever I Saw Your FaceCQ 31342CAQ 31342
Johnny MathisI'm Coming HomeCQ 32435CAQ 32435
Johnny MathisIn PersonGQ 30979GAQ 30979
Johnny MathisMe & Mrs. JonesCQ 32114CAQ 32114
Johnny MathisSong Sung BlueCQ 31626CAQ 31626
Johnny MathisYou've Got a FriendCQ 30740CAQ 30740
Peter MatzQuadraphonic SpectacularCQ 31247CAQ 31247
Harold Melvin & The Blue NotesBlack & BlueZAQ 32407
Liza MinnelliThe SingerCQ 32145CAQ 32145
Mormon Tabernacle ChoirClimb Ev'ry MountainMQ 30647MAQ 30647
Jim NaborsHelp Me Make It Through The NightCQ 30810CAQ 30810
Jim Nabors & Marilyn HorneMan of La Mancha (Soundtrack)SQ 31237SAQ 31237
Johnny NashMy Merry Go RoundEQ 32158
Peter NeroSummer of '42CQ 31105CAQ 31105
No, No NanetteOriginal Cast RecordingSQ 30563SAQ 30563
PocoDeliverin'EQ 30209EAQ 30209
Ray PriceFor the Good TimesCQ 30106CAQ 30106
The RaidersIndian ReservationCQ 30768CAQ 30768
RedboneMessage From a DrumEQ 30815EAQ 30815
Charlie RichBehind Closed DoorsEAQ 32247
Charlie RichVery Special Love SongsEAQ 32531
Carlos Santana & Buddy MilesLive!CQ 31308CAQ 31308
SantanaAbraxasCQ 30130CAQ 30130
SantanaCaravanseraiCQ 31610CAQ 31610
SantanaSantana (3rd Album)CQ 30595CAQ 30595
SantanaWelcomeCQ 32445
Paul SimonPaul SimonCQ 30750CAQ 30750
Paul SimonThere Goes Rhymin' SimonCQ 32280CAQ 32280
Simon & GarfunkelBridge over Troubled WaterCQ 30995CAQ 30995
Sly & The Family StoneGreatest HitsEQ 30325EAQ 30325
Ray StevensGreatest HitsZQ 30770ZAQ 30770
Barbra StreisandBarbra Joan StreisandCQ 30792CAQ 30792
Barbra StreisandFunny Girl OSTSQ 30992SAQ 30992
Barbra StreisandLive Concert at the ForumCQ 31760CAQ 31760
Barbra StreisandStoney EndCQ 30378CAQ 30378
Barbra StreisandThe Way We WereCAQ 32801
Morton SubotnickTouchMQ 31019MAQ 31019
Andy WilliamsAlone Again (Naturally)CQ 31625CAQ 31625
Andy WilliamsLove StoryCAQ 30497
Andy WilliamsLove Theme From "The Godfather"CQ 31303CAQ 31303
Andy WilliamsYou've Got a FriendCQ 30797CAQ 30797
Edgar WinterThey Only Come Out at NightEQ 31584
Johnny WinterStill Alive and WellCQ 32188
Tammy WynetteWe Sure Can Love Each OtherEQ 30658EAQ 30658


CBS Masterworks Classical

Conductor / OrchestraComposer / TitleLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBER
Eastman School of MusicMonster ConcertMAQ 31726
Bernstein / NY PhilharmonicStrauss: Also Sprach ZarathustraMQ 30443MAQ 30443
Bernstein / LSOVerdi: RequiemM2Q 30060M2AQ 30060
Isaac SternRomanceMQ 31425MAQ 31425


EMI and Associated Labels

I don't believe this is a complete listing, this was just what was in these catalogs, and it doesn't include any of the label's vast classical repertoire. For more information on EMI's known Q8 releases, check out this thread.

ARTISTALBUMLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBER
Deep PurpleMachine HeadQ4-TPSA 7504Q8-TPSA 7504
Ron GoodwinIn ConcertQ4-TWO 339Q8-TWO 339
Pepe JaramilloPepe Jaramillo Meets ManuelQ4-TWO 359Q8-TWO 359
John KeatingSpace ExperienceQ4-TWO 393Q8-TWO 393
John Keating250 Years of Film MusicQ4-TWO 398Q8-TWO 398
John Keating IncorporatedHits in Hi-FiQ4-TWOX 1018
Christopher Lee (with James Bernard)Dracula (OST)Q4-TWOA 5001
John LennonImagineQ4-PAS 10004Q8-PAS 10004
Joe LossThe Loss ConcertiumQ4-TWO 352Q8-TWO 352
Vera LynnFavourite Sacred SongsQ4-SCX 6530
MandingoMandingoQ4-TWO-400
Manuel and the Music of the MountainsCarnivalQ8-TWO 377
Pink FloydAtom Heart MotherQ4-SHVL 781Q8-SHVL 781
Pink FloydDark Side of the MoonQ4-SHVL 804Q8-SHVL 804
Franck PourcelWesternQ4-TWO 412Q8-TWO 412
Royal Air Force Central BandNational Anthems and Memorial MusicQ8-TWO 346
ShowboatOriginal London Cast RecordingQ8-SCZ 6480
Harry StonehamHammond Hits the HighwayQ4-TWO 375Q8-TWO 375


Decca

ARTISTALBUMLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBER
Band of the Grenadier GuardsSousa MarchesLEQ 44103
Frank ChacksfieldPlays BacharachLEQ 44158
MantovaniAnnunzio Paolo MantovaniLEQ 610
The Moody BluesSeventh SojournTHQ 7
Edmundo RosThis is My WorldLEQ 44189
Various ArtistsQuadraphonic World of Phase 4LEQ 66002


RCA

ARTISTALBUMLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBER
Eddy ArnoldBest OfPQ8 1185
Eddy ArnoldMy WorldPQ8 1088
Chet AtkinsPicks the BestPQ8 1261
Harry BelafonteAt Carnegie HallOQ8 5002
Jimmy Castor BunchDimension IIIAPD1-0103APT1-0103
Perry ComoIn Person at the International Hotel, Las VegasPQ8 1608
Floyd CramerClass of '70PQ8 1640
Floyd CramerWith the Music City PopsPQ8 1592
Danny Davis & The Nashville BrassCaribbean CruiseAPT1-0232
Danny Davis & The Nashville BrassPlay More Nashville SoundsPQ8 1470
Danny Davis & The Nashville BrassSomethin' ElsePQ8 1692
Danny Davis & The Nashville BrassYou Ain't Heard Nothin' YetPQ8 1568
Jose FelicianoAlive Alive O! Part 1PQ8 1537
Jose FelicianoAlive Alive O! Part 2PQ8 1538
Jose FelicianoFelicianoPQ8 1377
Jose Feliciano10 to 23PQ8 1479
Jose FelicianoFireworksPQ8 1595
Fiddler on the RoofOriginal London CastOQ8 1005
Friends of DistinctionGrazin'PQ8 1443
HairOriginal Broadway Cast RecordingOQ8 1038
Hello Dolly!Original Broadway CastOQ8 1006
Al HirtBest OfPQ8 1011
Hot TunaBurgersPQFT 1004
Hot TunaElectric Hot Tuna Recorded LivePQ8 1762
Hot TunaHot TunaPQ8 1613
Jefferson AirplaneBarkPQFT 1001
Henry ManciniBest OfPQ8 1138
Henry ManciniBest Of, Vol. 2PQ8 1315
Henry ManciniBrass, Ivory & Strings (with Doc Severinsen)APD1-0098APT1-0098
Henry ManciniConcert Sound OfPQ8 1226
Henry ManciniMancini CountryPQ8 1552
Henry ManciniMancini Salutes SousaAPT1-0013
Henry ManciniSix Hours Past SunsetPQ8 1508
Henry ManciniTheme from "Z"PQ8 1583
Henry ManciniWarm Shade of IvoryPQ8 1441
Hugo MontenegroBest OfPQ8 1591
Hugo MontenegroLove Theme from "The Godfather"APD1-0001APT1-0001
Hugo MontenegroMammy BluePQ8 1891
Hugo MontenegroMusic from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"PQ8 1301
Hugo MontenegroScenes and ThemesAPT1-0025
Harry NilssonNilsson SchmilssonPQ8 1734
The Nite-LitersMorning, Noon & The Nite-LitersPQ8 1738
Elvis PresleyAloha From Hawaii, Vol. 1PQ8 2140
Elvis PresleyAloha From Hawaii, Vol. 2PQ8 2141
Elvis PresleyLive at Madison Square GardenPQ8 2054
Elvis PresleyFrom Elvis in MemphisPQ8 1456
Elvis PresleyOn Stage February 1970PQ8 1594
Elvis PresleyThat's the Way It IsPQ8 1652
Charley PrideThe Best OfPQ8 1505
Charley PrideSensational Charley PridePQ8 1452
Charley Pride10th AlbumPQ8 1593
Buddy RichRich in LondonPQ8 1895
Buddy RichSuperstar (A Different Drummer)PQ8 1819
Nina SimoneBest OfPQ8 1597
The Sound of MusicOriginal SoundtrackOQ8 1001
Doctor Teleny's Incredible Plugged-In OrchestraStolen Goods: Gems Lifted From the MastersART1-0015
The YoungbloodsBest OfPQ8 1617


RCA Red Seal

Conductor / OrchestraComposer / TitleLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBER
Cliburn / KondrashinTchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1RQ8 1002
Fiedler / Boston PopsMusic from Million Dollar MoviesRQ8 1010
Fiedler / Boston PopsThe Best OfRQ8 1047
Leinsdorf / RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra & ChorusPuccini: Madama Butterfly (Highlights)RQ8 1048
Julian BreamRodrigo: Concierto de AranjuezRQ8 1052
Leinsdorf / Rome Opera HousePuccini : La Boheme (Highlights)RQ8 1077
Fiedler / Boston PopsUp, Up and AwayRQ8 1103
Rubenstein / OrmandyChopin: Concerto No. 2 in F / Grand Fantasy on Polish Airs___RQ8 1110
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraTchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6RQ8 1112
Buketoff / New Philharmonia OrchestraTchaikovsky: 1812 OvertureRQ8 1115
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraLizst: Hungarian Rhapsodies Nos. 1 & 2RQ8 1123
Hans WurmanThe Moog Strikes BachRQ8 1137
Fiedler / Boston PopsBizet: Carmen BalletRQ8 1141
Fiedler / Boston Symphony OrchestraDvorak: New World SymphonyRQ8 1160
Hans WurmanChopin a la MoogRQ8 1162
Ozawa / Boston Symphony OrchestraStravinsky: Firebird & PetrouchkaRQ8 1164
Rubenstein / Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraSaint-Saens: Concerto No. 2 / Falla: Gardens of Spain___RQ8 1165
Reiner / Chicago SymphonyStrauss: Also Sprach ZarathustraRQ8 1168
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraCopland: Applachian Spring SuiteRQ8 1170
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraLove StoryRQ8 1179
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraHandel: Hallelujah!RQ8 1198
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraThe Fantastic Philadelphians, Vol. 1ARD1 0002ART1 0002
Ormandy / Philadelphia OrchestraThe Fantastic Philadelphians, Vol. 2ART1 0017


Warner / Elektra / Atlantic and Associated Labels

There were a couple of notable entries for these labels in the tape catalogs - the first is the entry for Black Oak Arkansas' Street Party, which never saw quad release. The other is for Billy Cobham's Crosswinds - it's the 1974 follow-up to Spectrum, which was another famous 'mixed in quad but never released' gem. Initially I was really excited about seeing Crosswinds listed - being from 1974, it would obviously be right in the thick of WEA's quad push - but then I noticed that the catalog numbers listed were exactly the same as the ones listed for Alice Cooper's Billon Dollar Babies, which after some checking I verified were correct. So, I suspect the Cobham listing is in error - it was probably a tentative listing for the eventually-cancelled Spectrum, and then somehow it got turned into Crosswinds. If the catalog numbers were right I'd put more creedence in it, but until further notice I'm putting it in my "most likely not but would definitely like to be proven wrong" file.

W/E/A UK is also notable for putting out a trio of UK-only releases in 1976: Absolute Elsewhere's In Search of Ancient Gods, Deaf School's 2nd Honeymoon, and Ralph McTell's Right Side Up - I'd love to know the story behind the release of these, because Britain in 1976 doesn't seem like a conducive environment to release CD-4 albums in. I mean even the Japanese had given up on CD-4 by that point! W/E/A UK also imported two other exclusive 1973/1974 CD-4s from Germany, Fats Domino's Hello Josephine - Live at Montreux, and Passport's Hand Made. I've linked the catalog numbers for all five of these albums to their respective discogs entries should anyone want to see pictures (or more information) of them.

I also think there are probably a few more CD-4s that were released in the UK that I haven't been able to track down, because my last catalog is from 1976 and I found a Cash Box news item (reproduced below) from April 2, 1977 that says WEA UK is importing 20 more Elektra/Asylum quad albums, and artists include "Carly Simon, David Gates, Judy Collins, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Mickey Newbury, Bread, Doors, Joni Mitchell, Eagles, SHF Band, and Jackson Browne." Obviously it's easy to guess at what these titles were, but I haven't been able to dig up catalog numbers for most of them - please share if you own any of these and they still have the 'K2' prefix sticker on them.

ARTISTALBUMLP CATALOG NUMBERQ8 CATALOG NUMBERNOTES
Absolute ElsewhereIn Search of Ancient GodsK2 56192UK-ONLY RELEASE
Jackson BrowneLate for the SkyK2 43007
Alice CooperBillion Dollar BabiesK2 56013K9 56013
Alice CooperMuscle of LoveK2 56018K9 56018
Black Oak ArkansasRaunch 'n' RollK2 40451K9 40451
Black Oak ArkansasStreet PartyK2 50057K9 50057UNRELEASED
Billy CobhamCrosswindsK2 56013K9 56013PROBABLE INCORRECT LISTING
Deaf School2nd HoneymoonK2 56290UK-ONLY RELEASE
Detroit SpinnersDetroit SpinnersK2 40477K9 40477
Doobie BrothersThe Captain and MeK2 46217K9 46217
Doobie BrothersWhat Were Once Vices Are Now HabitsK2 56026K9 56026
Fats DominoHello Josephine - Live at MontreuxK2 50107EU-ONLY RELEASE
The DoorsThe Best OfK2 42143
Duke EllingtonNew Orleans SuiteK2 40209
Emerson, Lake & PalmerLadies & Gentlemen (3-record set)K2 63500K9 63500LP NEVER RELEASED
Gil EvansSvengaliK2 40528K9 40528
Roberta FlackKilling Me SoftlyK2 50021K9 50021
Aretha FranklinThe Best OfK2 40501K9 40501
Aretha FranklinLive at the Fillmore WestK9 40222
Greenboard SouthSounds of Railway Steam EnginesK2 56040K9 56040
Arlo GuthrieLast of the Brooklyn CowboysK2 44236K9 44236
Donny HathawayExtension of a ManK2 40487K9 40487
Gordon LightfootSundownK2 44258K9 44258
Herbie MannHold On, I'm Comin'K2 40467K9 40467
Ralph McTellRight Side UpK2 56296UK-ONLY RELEASE
Bette MidlerThe Divine Miss MK2 40453K9 40453
Charles MingusMingus MovesK2 60039K9 60039
Modern Jazz QuartetBlues on BachK2 50039K9 50039
Mothers of InventionOver-nite SensationK2 41000K9 41000
Mystic MoodsAwakeningK2 46250K9 46250
Mystic MoodsClear LightK2 46293K9 46293
Mystic MoodsHighway OneK2 46274K9 46274
Mystic MoodsLove The One You're WithK2 46292K9 46292
Randy NewmanGood Old BoysK2 54022
PassportHand MadeK2 40483EU-ONLY RELEASE
Reader RailroadLast Train to WaterlooK2 56038K9 56038
Eric SaltzmanWiretapK2 59600K9 59600
San Sebastian StringsSummerK2 46235K9 46235
Seals & CroftsDiamond GirlK2 46218K9 46218
Seals & CroftsSummer BreezeK2 46173
Seals & CroftsUnborn ChildK2 56208K9 56208
Frank SinatraGreatest Hits, Vol. 2K2 44018K9 44018
Frank SinatraMy WayK2 44015K9 44015
Frank SinatraOl' Blue Eyes is BackK2 44249K9 44249
Frank SinatraSome Nice Things I've MissedK2 54020K9 54020
Sounds in MotionSounds in MotionK2 46240K9 46240
James TaylorOne Man DogK2 46185K9 46185
Various ArtistsWEA SamplerK2 28008K9 28008
Bill WymanMonkey GripK2 59102K9 59102
Frank ZappaApostropheK2 59201K9 59201


Catalogs

1972-thumb.jpg 1972 Record Mirror/Music Week 'The Tape Guide' Summer - Vol. 1 No.2

1974-tumb.jpg 1974 Record Mirror/Music Week 'The Tape Guide' Winter - Vol. 1 No.5

1975-thumb.jpg 1975 A&M Records (Ode / Dark Horse / Firefly) UK Catalog

1976-thumb.jpg 1976 Music Week 'The Record And Tape Guide' Vol. 2 No. 1
 

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A handful of news items I saved pertaining to UK quad history - I'll add to it as I find more. If you have anything to contribute please get in touch!

Billboard Magazine, October 7, 1972 - RCA's first CD-4s (imported from the US, of course)
Billboard-1972-10-07-p47-RCA-UK-quad-LP-Launch.jpg

Billboard Magazine, April 7, 1973 - A story about the slow uptake of quad in the UK
Billboard-1973-04-07_p3and60-UK_Quad_overview.jpg

Billboard Magazine, October 13, 1973 - W/E/A announces their first release of quad product in the UK

billboard-1973-10-13_p41_WEA_UK_Quad.jpg

Cash Box magazine, April 2, 1977 - W/E/A importing 20 Elektra/Asylum CD-4s (I wonder if they were trying to move US stock that wasn't selling?)
Cashbox-1977-04-02_p58_WEA_UK_Quad_Push.jpg
 
Whereas the Warner/Elektra/Atlantic releases only had a gold foil sticker affixed to the outside of the LP/Q8 shrinkwrap, which is one of the reasons it's been difficult to identify how many albums they released in quad, because when the shrinkwrap was removed, so was the UK catalog number:
View attachment 49784View attachment 49785



The one major revelation in the 1975 A&M tape catalog is that it clearly lists a catalog number for Supertramp's Crime of the Century - YQM 68258. It's no accident either, the YQM designation is listed both with the album cover/tracklisting in the main portion of the catalog and also at the end in the numerical list of all releases. This is the most concrete proof I've seen that this title was in the works, and the fact that it made into print suggests that maybe this was closer to happening than we realise. Presumably the catalog was printed in early 1975 in anticipation of it coming out, and then A&M pulled the plug on their quad releases partway through the year before it could happen.

Two EXCELLENT shots; the WEA import with stickered cat. number is a totally new thing, of course being on the shrinkwrap it was discarded after the opening... a classic.
Also the Supertramp planned release is intresting, wonder if it has really mixed to quad and it's sitting somewhere...
 
Cash Box magazine, April 2, 1977 - W/E/A importing 20 Elektra/Asylum CD-4s (I wonder if they were trying to move US stock that wasn't selling?)

Quite possible, but also a short european revamp for quad stuff, so a beef-up of the catalog along with the UK-Euro only releases: keep in mind that CBS france released a 7" SQ sampler, with old tracks back of 1972, in late 1976!
 
Great reference! Thanks to all... 👏🏻

I wonder if Elton John had something to do with their rarity over the years - given that’s not exactly the most flattering photo of him on the cover?! 😱

Managed to pick up a few of those, hopefully D-V will be adding a few more soon... 😎
 
WEA was the powerhouse in the US for Quad on reel to reel. So many great titlkes and the duplication was very often pretty nice too. I realize this thread is more long the lines of LPs and carts. But did the Q4s or QRs from the US also get imported to the UK with stickers on the boxes? I would have thought that the reel format had some interest in the UK and Germany?
 
WEA was the powerhouse in the US for Quad on reel to reel. So many great titlkes and the duplication was very often pretty nice too. I realize this thread is more long the lines of LPs and carts. But did the Q4s or QRs from the US also get imported to the UK with stickers on the boxes? I would have thought that the reel format had some interest in the UK and Germany?

After the sixties, which had some low-end open reel market (3 3/4) in small numbers even for BIG sellers (read: Beatles) i haven't seen any open reel production on whole Europe but Germany, stereo-only and still rare -mostly Phonogram-related and Basf-related (no RCA or Emi Electrola), for early seventies (up to 1974-75). So i think there has been no quad reel official distribution at all - the reel market was already a niche, and quad was a little niche of a niche. Maybe as import on special hifi stores, as it happened for all the new-media all the time.
 
Some germany reel show:
Polydor late sixties (possibly 2 track mono)


s-l1600.jpg


Polydor 1970 4 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


Philips late sixties 2 track mono
s-l1600.jpg


Philips 1971 4 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


MGM (seventies production) 4 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


MPS/Basf 2 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


Ariola 2 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg



BTW, lovely 4-track stereo labels...
 
I mentioned in my initial post that CBS UK didn't manufacture or print any of their own quad product, importing it from either the US or continental Europe and then re-stickering the labels and sleeves with stickers that had the correct domestic logo and UK catalog number. I came across an interesting variant on eBay UK recently - normally these re-sticker jobs used original quad sleeves, and the 'CBS QUADRAPHONIC' sticker that went over the 'COLUMBIA QUADRAPHONIC' text on the original sleeve and LP label were of the same style, but this one is entirely different, it's a quad LP in a stereo sleeve, and the 'QUADRAPHONIC' logo is an entirely different font of a style I haven't previously seen. Probably not rare or valuable, but I thought it was interesting nevertheless.

mq-30443-bernstein-strauss-zarathustra-LP-1.jpgmq-30443-bernstein-strauss-zarathustra-LP-2.jpgmq-30443-bernstein-strauss-zarathustra-LP-3.jpgmq-30443-bernstein-strauss-zarathustra-LP-4.jpg
 
Some germany reel show:
Polydor late sixties (possibly 2 track mono)


s-l1600.jpg


Polydor 1970 4 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


Philips late sixties 2 track mono
s-l1600.jpg


Philips 1971 4 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


MGM (seventies production) 4 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


MPS/Basf 2 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg


Ariola 2 track stereo
s-l1600.jpg



BTW, lovely 4-track stereo labels...
Were quad reel-to-reel tapes big in Europe?
 
Were quad reel-to-reel tapes big in Europe?
Certainly not in the UK. As winopener said "the reel market was already a niche, and quad was a little niche of a niche " - and frankly I think that overstates it! Before the coming of the cassette it was very rare for anyone to own a tape deck of any description. If they did, it would probably be a mono thing they only used to record grandad playing the piano at Christmas! Stereo decks were very, very expensive and frankly what were you going to do with one unless you were into recording live music? There was very little pre-recorded material, even in stereo - I don't recall even the largest record or HiFi stores selling any. What little there was seemed to be obscure stuff largely available only by mail order. So quad tape never had a significant domestic consumer base of experienced and enthusiastic tape users to build on. Even the 8 track cartridge was nowhere near as popular here as it appears it was in the US, and no self respecting HiFi nut would have considered it for use in the home!
 
One gross omission here. The quad releases from Pye. Do their "4D" series QS releases not count?

I didn't include the Pye 4D releases because, in addition to being covered in great deal in Mark Anderson's quad discography, there have been numerous threads about them (like this one) and additionally they were all single-inventory releases, so there's no dispute about what exists and what doesn't. I did do a thread for their Q8 counterparts, which Jon linked to above. I think Oxford Dickie had a Pye discography on his blog too, until he deleted the whole thing a year or two ago in some sort of fit of rage.

The scope of this thread was mostly to cover the dual-inventory releases of the labels indicated in the thread title, most of which was newly-discovered information culled from the record and tape catalogs I scanned and linked to in the initial post. Given that it only covers dual-inventory quad releases, it's not entirely comprehensive - in addition to the missing Pye discography, it also doesn't cover single-inventory EMI/Angel classical releases (though I did a thread about EMI Q8's that covers their dual-inventory tape counterparts) and probably a few other things.

I do have a spreadsheet with a pretty much complete Pye 4D quad discography that I compiled when I was researching the Pye records for the quad remix engineers database update that happened recently. I guess I could do a new thread with this information, I just didn't think there was that much interest in it, honestly.
 
@steelydave

I have some WEA K2 numbers for your UK listings.

America -Holiday K2 56045
America-Hearts K2 56116
Average White Band K2 50058
Detroit Spinners -New And Improved K2 50102
Doobie Brothers -Stampede K2 56094
Graham Central Station K2 46286
Richard Harris -The Prophet K2 50109
J Geils Band -Nightmares K2 50073
Herbie Mann -Reggae K2 50053
Maria Muldaur-Waitress In A Donut Shop K2 54025
Seals And Crofts -I'll Play For You K2 56115
Frank Sinatra -The Main Event K2 54031
Dionne Warwick -Then Came You K2 56109


Source: The Quadrophonic Record Center Catalog 2nd edition ( 1977)
WEA CD-4 release advertisement
 

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@steelydave

Also some L.P. additions to the UK EMI catalogue .

Barclay James Harvest -Once Again Harvest Q4 SHVL 788
Electric Light Orchestra - Harvest Q4 SHVL 797*
Marvin, Welch and Farrar -Second Opinion Regal/Zonophone Q4 SRZA 8504
Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here Harvest Q4 SHVL 814
This Is EMI Quadraphonic Sound. EMI Q4 DD1


*Stereo LP in Quad SQ album jackets , Quad LP unreleased , but UK Q8 released.
 
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