| A unique feature of Japanese LPs
is a fragile strip of paper called an "Obi"
(pronounced oh'-bee; literally meaning "belt") wrapped
around the cover. The practice of wrapping an Obi around an LP started many years before the Beatles releases and continues up to the present day. The Obi is generally used as a marketing tool, and Obi designs are as varied as the LPs they decorate. Some Obis display attractive graphics and provide a list of the songs on the album or other information considered useful to the consumer. Other Obis simply display a marketing phrase meant to pique the viewer's interest. |
| Type-9-2: "Country Flag"
series Obi (1976 - 1980?) |
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| This style Obi came into
use in June 1976 to promote the EAS series of
Beatles reissues. It is a wide Obi that has the flag of the country of the LP's origin at the top. The LP's series number is located on the Apple logo and at an angle at the bottom. Has a red* background. * excepted #30 (Hollywood Bowl) |
| Series Number
(#1 - #29 : Apple label, #30 - #40 : EMI/Odeon label) |
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| EAS-77009-10 |
EAS-80830 | EAS-50007-8 |
| (20. June 1976/1st. Press) | (20. May 1977/1st. Press) | (5. Nov. 1977/1st. Press) |
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| EAS-81056 | EAS-81056 | EAS-63010 | EAS-81325 |
| (5. Apr. 1978/1st. Press) | (5. Apr. 1978/1st. Press) | (5. Oct. 1979/1st. Press) | (5. May 1980/1st. Press) |
|
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| exceptions | ||
| EAS-70128 | EAS-70129 | EAS-91006 |
| (5. Nov. 1980/1st. Press) | (21. Dec. 1980/1st. Press) | |
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| exceptions (Box Set) | exceptions (Reissue albums) | ||
| EAS-50031-44 | EAS-77011-18 | EAS-50021-2 | EAS-50023-4 |
| (5. Feb. 1979) | (21. Jan. 1981) | (5. Nov. 1978/3rd. Press) | |
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| exceptions (Reissue albums) | ||
| EALF-97001 | EAS-90071 | EAS-90072 |
| (5. Jun. 1978/PRO USE series) | (25. Dec. 1978/Picture disk) | (5. Feb. 1979/Picture disk) |
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| Type-10:
"The MONO Red Vinyl LP" series Obi (1982) In 1982, Toshiba issued a limited edition series (limited to 10,000 copies of each record) of mono LPs. These records contain the original U.K. mono mixes and parallel very closely the U.K. mono reissue series that came out in England around the same time. The albums in the series are:
|
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| EAS-70130 | EAS-70131 | EAS-70132 | EAS-70133 | EAS-70134 |
| (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) |
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| EAS-70135 | EAS-70136 | EAS-70137 | EAS-67157-8 | EAS-70139 |
| (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) | (21. Jan. 1982) |
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| |
| exceptions | ||
| EAS-81480 | EAS-81525 | EAS-91047 |
| (1. Apr. 1982/1st. Press) | (21. Oct. 1982/1st. Press) | (1. Dec. 1982/1st. Press) |
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| Reissue albums | |||
| EAS-50021-2 | EAS-50023-4 | EAS-77009-10 | EAS-66010-23 |
| (1982/4th. Press) | (1982/4th. Press) | (1982/2nd. Press) | (1. Dec.1982/2nd. Press) |
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Rock'n Roll Music (2nd
press?) Sorry, I don't have |
 |
| Type-11:
"The MONO Red Vinyl LP #2" series Obi (1986) |
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| In 1986, Toshiba reissued the same red
vinyl mono series. They reissued these records with the exact same cover art work, same record labels, same catalog numbers, and the same prices. The top of the 1982 Obi has the words "the beatles original mono record" superimposed over a drawing of a red vinyl record. The top of the 1986 Obi bears the triangular logo for the 20th anniversary of the Beatles' concert in Japan. The 1986 series was also a limited edition, the number believed to be somewhat less than the 1982 edition. |
The albums in the series are:
|
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| OBI FRONT:
CLOSE UP |
||
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| Catalog No. "EAS-70130",
and priced "¥ 2,300" were printed on the front of the obi
strip. |
It has a red thick Obi
that says "20th anniversary special edition of coming to
Japan" |
EMI/Odeon logo was
printed at the bottom of the obi. Translated lyrics by
Yasumi Yamamoto. |
| OBI FRONT: CLOSE UP | ||
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 |
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| There is no
order sheet on the back side of the Obi. "Toshiba EMI Ltd." and barcode were printed on the strip. |
"Aurex" is a coined word
that combines "audio" and "rex" (Latin: king). Since 1969, it has been gradually given as a separate brand name to some of the high-end models of audio equipment sold by Toshiba. |
|
| EAS-70130 | EAS-70131 | EAS-70132 | EAS-70133 | EAS-70134 |
| (6. Apr. 1986) | (6. Apr. 1986) | (6. Apr. 1986) | 6. Apr. 1986) | 6. Apr. 1986) |
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| EAS-70135 | EAS-70136 | EAS-70137 | EAS-67157-8 | EAS-70138 |
| 6. Apr. 1986) | 6. Apr. 1986) | 6. Apr. 1986) | (6. Apr. 1986) | 6. Apr. 1986) |
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| |
| Type-12: "The Final Vinyl"
series Obi (1992-1993) Used for the TOJP series of Beatles reissues commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Beatles' debut and promoted as the final series of Beatles vinyl releases. It is a wide Obi that has its number inside the flag at the top of the Obi. Has a black background. |
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| The albums in the series are: |
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|
|
| Example |
| TOJP-7071 | TOJP-7072 | TOJP-7077 | TOJP-7083 |
| (25. Mar. 1992) | (27. May 1992) | (29. Jul. 1992) | |
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| --> and more |
| excepsions | ||
| TOJP-7411 | TOJP-7414-5 | TOJP-7416-7 |
| (23. Sep. 1992) | (27. Jan. 1993) | (27. Jan. 1993) |
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| excepsions | |
| TOJP-7419 | TOJP-7421-2 |
| (24. Dec. 1992) | (27. Jan. 1993) |
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 ...Go to "Obi History #1
(Odeon) Guide page ...Go to "Obi History #2
(Apple) Guide page |
