Little did I realize that day when I woke up to check the listings on eBay that I would find something so old that had Beatles connections being offered for sale: the history of 3 Savile Row, which had become The Beatles headquarters. Finding items like this helps me to return to the excitement of being young again and the thrill of going treasure hunting!
3 Savile Row
I read the date of the publication that appeared on the Ebay screen and it was listed as 1914, making the document more than 100 years old. However, it was the address in the title that caught my attention (3 Savile Row)! Yes, it was the same address that many years later would become the worldwide headquarters of Apple Records. The piece I was looking at was a 56 page document designed to help sell the 3 Savile Row building back in 1914. The document not only featured a detailed history of the building but it displayed multiple photographs of the interior of the building and it’s multiple rooms that were amazing.
56 Pages of History
I looked at the price of the document and they were asking $100. Knowing I probably would never see this type of document being offered again, I quickly purchased it. I am hoping to find the right forum to somehow find a vehicle to get this 56-page document published in some form as it is not only informative to Beatles fans but history buffs as well. You should see the pictures of some of the antiques pictured in the house back in 1914.
I am taking this opportunity to post about 4 or 5 pages from the document and I sincerely hope you will enjoy this sneak preview… Hopefully I can find a way to find to publish the full 56-page document one day. If not, I will eventually donate the 56-page document to a Beatles museum.
A Short Account of the History of 3 Savile Row
A few sample pages:
Page from the Document
One of the interior shots of the Saville Row property in 1914:
Inside the Famous Savile Row Building
Buzz
Discover More About Apple and 3 Savile Row
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
As with all record companies, demos and lost recordings always feature, and it was the same with Apple Records too. However, those demos and lost recordings always resonate more with fans and some of these will feature in the next book, Deeper Inside No 3. Lost recordings and records always have a mystique, and these most certainly do. The photographs are as follows:
No. 1. Hey Jude / Revolution
Hey Jude / Revolution
This is a test pressing of that recording before the Parlophone Catalogue Number was applied R 5722. Shown here is the B side, which contains the handwriting for Promo Identification.
No. 2. Apple 8 King of Fuh – Brute Force.
Apple 8 King of Fuh – Brute Force
So much again has been said about this issue, but a quick re-brief follows. Recorded and Written by Steve Friedland and first rejected by Capitol in the USA, John Lennon and George Harrison liked the content humour and agreed to release the song. Large numbers were pressed and issued to Media people, and when the song was finally listened to, it was agreed that it simply could not go out, so was recalled and dropped. Copies are changing hands at over 3,000 pounds.
No. 3. Que Sera Sera Apple 16 – Mary Hopkin.
Que Sera Sera Apple 16 – Mary Hopkin
This single flopped when issued failing to chart anywhere in the world. Mary never liked the song and was against its release, so really her heart was not in it. Unsurprisingly it flopped and despite a re-release on Apple 27 it failed again, and both copies were quickly withdrawn.
No. 4. Happiness is a Warm Gun in Your Hand – The Beatles Demo Pressing.
Happiness is a Warm Gun in Your Hand – The Beatles Demo Pressing
This was a first-finished pressing for demo and listening only. Ostensibly a John Lennon song, as with the contract situation, the demo pressing was labelled as an EMI Recording, not Apple. This is one of the very few one-sided records in existence. Having been given this copy, in 1968, it has remained in my collection since then stored away from sunlight. This was to be the title until changed to the one we know today. The song was also reworked, mainly with the Tuba and brass moved backwards into the final mix.
No.5. Badfinger Apple 35 – Suitcase / The Name of the Game
No.5. Badfinger Apple 35 – Suitcase / The Name of the Game
Recorded by the band and planned as a single release during 1971/72. The songs were duly finished and were selected as the single APPLE 35. The finished recordings were listened to again, and George Harrison, who largely took Badfinger under his wing was rather scornful of the songs, saying that they were not strong enough. Maybe he was right at the time, but it’s worth remembering that when various compilations of Badfinger were assembled, both tracks were often included in the presentations.
This is just a sample of some of the lost and missed recordings. More will be found Deeper Inside No 3. Can you wait for it?
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
The anticipated follow-up to the successful book Inside Number Three has now fully materialised as a fully-fledged and produced Presentation Event.
The unique book written and assembled by Nigel Pearce, Inside Number Three has now become a living presentation experience and has already made a brilliant start in bringing that world live to an audience. It takes you back to a different long-forgotten world. which only makes one wish you could stay there and live it all again.
Using his beautifully displayed collection of Apple memorabilia,(or this part of it!) as a colourful base, Nigel has expanded the publication into a living retrospective, of the revolutionary world hidden behind that famous white door at No 3 Savile Row, London W.1
Accompanying this excellent presentation are some of his precious artefacts, including records, posters, memos, and video collages showing artists and other advertisements of that time between 1968 -1976.
Apple Artifacts
Number 3 Savile Row
Apple Singles
Apple studios
Badfinger
Badfinger – Finest Moments
Mary Hopkin – Que Sera Sera
Mortimer
Mary Hopkin – Temma Harbour
Trash
George Harrison on Zapple
By using these items as an educational and illustrative synopsis, one is given a rare insight into those long-lost colourful days and times long passed. It reinvigorates those memories from grainy flashbacks into vivid colour, and brings them once again to life. It also educates those fans who were not there and illustrates how revolutionary those at Apple were.
By careful use of marrying the book, with on-screen photographs and artefacts, coupled with his own knowledge and delivery, you have an event that you will never forget, which includes time for questions and further discussion.
For a current review please visit norfuknews.com to find out more, and Nigel has already opened for Steve Hackett for one of his famous acoustic weekends. This presentation makes for a perfect Beatle-orientated event, so for further details please contact us here at The Beatles Bookstore, or via www.insideandoutsideno3.com where your enquiry will be dealt with.
More news to come!
Nigel Pearce
Get Nigel’s Book Here
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
The First is a real exclusive !! Nigel Pearce is with the help of John “Buzz” Bezzini, and David Bedford, is going to release a book on the history of the actual Building No. 3 Savile Row. It is going to be a one-off special pressing release detailing the history of the building from its construction to the present day.
This will include its base for the British Admiralty, events coming from that, being the home of several British notables, and its link to The British Bowler Hat. We also will be printing a full Brochure detailing the building when put up for sale in the early 1900s. This will include complete details of the structure and rooms at the time.
When Number 3 Closed
We will be mentioning the purchase for The Beatles to be the base for Apple Records etc. as well as a little section on the Get Back sessions. We will also re-printthe affidavit submitted to the High Court by Alen Klein, for the famous case of Paul McCartney versus the other three Beatles and Apple Corps.
We will also reprint the full page published detailing the judgement given by QC Mr. Justice Stamp, who was presiding over the proceedings.
This publication again will be issued from documents held in my personal collection, and again many of which have been forgotten, or never seen. Discussions are being held now with publishers, and they are apparently very keen. More will be revealed.
A Rare Apple Record from Nigel’s Collection
There is going to be another “Inside Number Three” Book titled ‘Deeper Inside Number Three‘ where we will take you further inside this colourful and magical world, which still fascinates, and mystifies so many Beatles and Music fans today nearly 60 years after the project started. Apple Records is a music phenomenon and is still an organisation of mystery and intrigue, but more will be revealed, as the famous song said in 1963 “It Won’t Be Long”.
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
FROM SOUTH AFRICA, THE PHILIPPINES, AND ISRAEL, AND ONE BONUS RARITY FROM THE NETHERLANDS
Shown below is the cover of the fabulous book that got me interested in the subject noted above. As a collector, I have become fascinated with the matter of rare Apple Records. The person that I know that fits the bill of being one of largest collector of Apple Records in the world is Nigel Pearce whose collection is both extensive and fabulous.
Nigel’s Book – Inside Number Three
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
There are also many knowledgeable people about the subject in Europe in countries such as Belgium where a good friend, Philippe Colinge, assisted me in finding some of the records you are about to see for me to purchase, or at least finding photographs of many of them to present to you so you are aware of their existence.
Magical Mystery Tours
There is a chapter in Tony Bramwell’s book that deals with the various licensing deals that Apple did to issue many of its records in multiple countries across the world. Three of the countries hold a particular fascination for me: The Philippines, South Africa and Israel.
For quite some time it has been reported that Tony has been working on an updated version of this book!
Magical Mystery Tours by Tony Bramwell
Mary Hopkin-Mary Had A Baby
According to some reports, the Philippines was the only country in the world that issued this Christmas holiday record on Apple Records, as Mary’s contract with Apple had just expired with Apple when it was issued there. The song appeared on different labels in all of the other worldwide locales. Mary’s husband at the time, noted record producer, Tony Visconti was involved in the production of this record. After the dissolution of their marriage, Tony was to marry May Pang who in 1973-75 had more than an 18 month relationship with John Lennon of the ex-Beatles!
First of all, I would like to take the time to acknowledge a phenomenal site based in the Netherlands that is a primary source of many of the photographs you are seeing on this blog post: This is the site and it is highly recommended. Philippe Colinge from Belgium shared this with me and I am very grateful to him. The Netherlands are the source of some of the most knowledgeable Beatles fans in the world!!!
In the Philippines, the title of Instant Karma was transposed and the A-side reads as We All Shine On with Instant Karma within parentheses!
John Lennon Mother/ Isolation and The Beatles?
For some strange reason, many of the solo Beatles recordings in the Philippines began to appear with the solo artist’s name being followed by “The Beatles” on the label. This happened to John, George, and Ringo, but not Paul so I can only assume this was due to some management issue or lack thereof. What was odd about this Mother 45, it not only had the incorrect Beatles labeling but the A side of Mother was also issued as the B-side in other issues of the 45.
APPLE – “LOVE”
APPLE – “POWER TO THE PEOPLE” and the Beatles listed as the performers of Yoko Ono’s “Open Your Box”
“IMAGINE”/ “OH MY LOVE”
Soon thereafter, the Beatles label was dropped from John’s 45’s.
George: “My Sweet Lord”/ “Isn’t It a Pity”
George – “What Is Life”/ “Apple Scruffs”
George – “Bangla Desh”/ “Deep Blue”
After Bangla-Desh, the Beatles attribution was dropped from the Philippine George 45’s
Ringo – “Beaucoups of Blues”/ “Coochy Coochy”
Ringo – “It Don’t Come Easy”/ “Early 1970”
A couple of Paul rarities from the Philippines. The Apple issue of Give Ireland Back to the Irish is credited as Wings featuring Paul and Linda McCartney and The “I Lie Around” Apple 45 featured I Lie Around as the A-side to Live and Let Die as the B-side!
A rare Beatles 45 from the Philippines is one that I am still seeking for in my collection: It is Two of Us with the flip side of Across the Universe from the Let It Be album! This would have made a wonderful single from the LP in my opinion. Here is a photo of the 45:
From Israel:
On Discogs, I was able to locate the rare Billy Preston EP on Apple which featured the only Apple appearance of the song “In the Midnight Hour,” by Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper. Cropper was also to play guitar on the Phil Spector Lennon oldies sessions in California in 1973.
I want to make one exception to my three-country Apple rarity discussion. This rarity is from the Netherlands and it is the only version of James Taylor’s first Apple album to feature it on the label listed as “The First Album.”
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, APPLE RARITIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA
UYANDIZE UMABENGWANE / SIYAV UNGAZELA (Abafana Be Myunge)
DIE JARE GAAN VERBY / ROSE IS ROOI (Gene Rockwell) The AFRIKAAN VERSION OF THOSE WERE THE DAYS
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that is spoken in South Africa according to Wikipedia!
“TSI TSI NO.1″ / “MAHLOMELA (Big Voice Jack)”
The 4th known Apple South African release-no photograph is available:
DARK CITY JIVE / WHITE CITY JIVE (Izinyozi Boys)
Hope you have enjoyed this post! Special thanks go to Philippe Colinge for providing many of the photographs presented hereas well as the wonderful site based in the Netherlands of:www.applerecords.nl
TRIVIA QUESTION: “Which was the first Beatles song released on Apple Records in the UK”? Answers in the comments below.
Apple Records being based at Savile Row put The Beatles right in the heart of London. But it also brought the heart of the music business to The Beatles, as they not only made the news, they were actually right at the centre, making and orchestrating it, creating trends, and turning ideas and new thoughts into reality. This colourful world was one that largely remained behind that locked door at No3.
What has been achieved by the publication of Inside No3 was that that door was opened to show the world a small part of that hitherto hidden world, via part of my collection carefully assembled via letters, memos, records, and memorabilia, that we will delve deeper Inside No3 via the second book.
Following on from the Our First Four presentation, I have the pleasure in showing some further marketing pieces and Memorabilia offered to the world via Apple Records.
Mary Hopkin advert soon after signing to Apple Records 1968
Yellow Submarine original album insert 1069
The Apple album advertising tower 1972
An Apple Clothing label from 1968
Apple Strange Fruit advertising poster
Apple Corps advertising sticker. Autographed by Tony Bramwell
The Splinter collection
Nigel Pearce
Get your copy of Nigel’s Fantastic Book on Apple – Inside No.3
Inside Number Three – The Illustrated History of Apple Records
Inside No3 takes you through that famous door, deep into the minds of all who worked there at Apple Records. This is done also in a very different way. This is not a kiss-and-tell diary, it is through fan adulation and understanding via a personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia that author Nigel Pearce has built up over the last 50 years.
