The Big Beat 1963

[D Cunningham]

Jim--Mine is just the "distributed by ERA" version...but a beautiful mint label--those primary colors in the art-font
lettering.  Love it.  And thanks for the kind words.  I was a kid in his twenties, no kind of writer, just in love with Brian's music.
Teaching physics in a high school and getting girl students in the typing/business classes to create those reminder
postcards so that subscribers to the fan journal would send in their 5 dollars.  (The girls actually did that during
their classes...hah).  I remember handing a copy of the journal to Dennis Wilson and having him say "Add Some Money?"
He was skeptical of someone using the Beach Boys name. I explained carefully to him that I lost money
every year.  Thank you for what financial support came in...
 

[D Cunningham]

bgas...want to apologize. you asked way back about the honey's acetates.  My acetate of
"darling I'm not steppin out on you" came, I think, from Derek. Don't know how many
were available. Maybe Jim can look at his old sale lists from Derek. I seem to recall a
couple or three acetates.  Memory...sheesh. 

[metal flake paint]

Those PARTY chips and the counter-top display must be one of the rarest promotional items Capitol ever produced for the Beach Boys.  Amazing that neither has ever surfaced.  And PARTY and "Barbara Ann" were big, big sellers.  One would think that Capitol must have made several thousand copies of them and sent them around the country.  Or, perhaps the reason why none have surfaced, is maybe Capitol didn't manufacture it at all.  Maybe it was a one-off item made by a local record store in which Brian was shown and the chips were just regular ol' bags of chips that sold back in the day for about a nickel.

It seems like many Beach Boys' collectors have met or spoken to former Capitol Records salesmen at some point.  I bought a few cool items from the son of a Capitol Records promo/sales guy whose territory included upstate NY.  That was the 2' x 3' promotional poster on cardboard stock of the guys stacked vertically upon each other. He also had a copy of the Surfin' Safari' / Ray Anthony promotional EP with hardcover, but that had already been snagged in person by John Tefteller which he later sold through one of his surf auctions (John Tefetller's Rare Records). You'd have to think that most of the stuff they squireled away has now passed onto their children who more than likely are willing, even anxious, to part with it. I suspect the 50th anniversary led to a lot of attics and basements being picked over.

Another really rare piece is the SHUT DOWN VOL 2 jigsaw puzzle.  Peter recently sold the only copy I've ever seen, not sure how many were made or, for that matter, if was a legitimate Capitol Records item. I bid what I thought was a fairly goodly sum, but apparently someone else wanted it more than I did.  Chris, was that you? 

Thanks for your post GuitarFool . . . interesting stuff about folks who collect vintage foodstuffs, and the problems associated with the food itself.

Nice find Mikie.  I recall being in a small vinyl shop in Trenton and seeing the Capitol Records Club version of SMILEY SMILE for $75, and passing on it at the time.  I think I picked it up later and for less than $75, but certainly not $8.

Hey Don, that's a sweet little collection you have there -- SURFIN on Candix (which number?  331, 301, or 301 Era? -- 331 is, in my humble, the one to have as it was the first release), the PARTY EP, and the KENNY and the CADETS, which sounds like the legitimate release, especially since you bought it from Wayne.  And that garage would have been Dorinda Morgan's garage at the time, after Hite had passed away. Quite the story there.  Now's as good a time as any, to tell you how much I always enjoyed ADD SOME MUSIC and your song scrutiny columns. Some really insightful writings. A seminal publication in the evolution of our collective Beach Boys knowledge.  So, thanks for that!

T'was me, Jim

It's a cool item that I'd never seen before, so for that reason alone I knew I wanted it in my collection. Perhaps Peter will see this thread and will be able to elaborate on the puzzle's background.

[LeeDempsey]

I never developed a really great collection, but have some items that are special...and I reckon that's the
case for most people here. There are three singles that I especially fancy... Surfin on Candix (I paid $25 a long
time ago), the party 4-song EP, and the Kenny & Cadets single.  What's nice is that they're all in terrific
condition.  I think the K&C item was the last time I purchased a collectable...about 20 years ago.  Hey
Lee...do you remember? I'm pretty sure it came from Wayne at Rockaway...somebody had found a box
of them in a garage?  Please tell me it's genuine (pink label with blue lettering)

Hey Don -

Jim's right -- Those Kenny & the Cadets 45's came from Bruce Morgan -- Hite and Dorinda's son -- when he cleaned out his parents' garage.  I think he found a box or two of the black vinyl with pink label and blue writing, and some lesser quantity of the colored vinyl.  Rockaway had some, as did Les Harris in Texas (that's where I got mine).  I think John Tefteller got some, maybe Bob Pegg, maybe Craig Moerer, and maybe others. Bruce was smart and didn't sell more than a handful to any one dealer.

Lee

[Jim Murphy]

DON

Nice to have a mint copy of 301 ERA.  Candix Enterprises, Inc., had a very attractive record label.  I still enjoy reading my back issues of ADD SOME MUSIC. I have some gaps in my collection, are there, after all these years, any back issues available?

MIKIE

Well, I am certainly glad it found a good home.  Sorry if I bid it up, I don't recall right now, but I suppose it went to a good cause (that is, Mr. Reum  )  Does it appear to be a legitimate Capitol release? Peter?

Give me a few days, and I'll search for Derek's old lists.  Might be fun to post some of the more esoteric things and the prices!

LEE

Right you are, Bruce brought them to Murray Gershenz (Music Man Murray).  And those initial black vinyl copies made their way across the country. My wife bought me the black vinyl copy for $300 from Strider Records in the Village in NYC for our wedding in 1987! Small world -- Strider Records was owned by Bob Nougera, who I went to high school and college with, and who first got be into collecting the Beach boys back in high school with the very innocent question, "Did you know the Beach Boys recorded 'THE LORD'S PRAYER?' "  Well, I just had to have that B side.

And I tell ya, ya gotta love a woman who understands your Beach Boys' addiction. My splash wax copy did not come along until much later.

[metal flake paint]

I have to say this has been one of the most enjoyable threads of the year - thanks to everyone contributing! If the group of collectors ever decides to get together somewhere for a bull session, I'll buy a few rounds if I can just sit back and listen.  

The bag of Party! chips is an interesting point, after seeing that one photo of them on display (which I think is the only evidence I've ever seen of them or the promo display), I also wondered if anyone ever kept a bag in their collection, or even a fan scrapbook kind of thing. The promotion itself was reported and listed in Billboard magazine if I recall, so it was a national campaign if we can assume that, and I'm sure thousands were taken home by fans buying the record at shops that had the display.

It's amazing none have actually surfaced, if even a portion of the albums sold left the store with a bag of Party chips back in the day. Not to mention the store employees who may have nicked the actual display!

If I could put on my former antique collector hat, I wanted to mention the whole sub-category of people who collect food packaging like vintage canned goods, bottles, cereal boxes, bags, displays, etc. Some go as far as to set up full "general store" type displays where they set up a scene supposed to look like a store from the 1930's or 1950's or whatever using original goods. I always loved that kind of thing, it's almost eerie sometimes in a time-machine kind of way especially when you see an entire collection of these things.

I can say that most of the value of the key items in this scene comes from the condition of the packaging and especially the labels and graphics. In most cases having the actual "sealed" product if it's a certain type of food or drink doesn't mean as much as the condition of the packaging itself. In fact most collectors would rather have an empty package or can, because many items through the years will break down inside the packaging due to various acids, oils and whatnot in the food item which can then deteriorate inside and either stain or rust or break through to partially ruin the package itself. So the value of say a Campbell's soup can from the 30's would be more if the can had been drained from the bottom and still looks unopened instead of having a full sealed can with the soup still inside. Chances are, 70 year old tomato soup would already have eaten through the can decades ago due to the acid, same with a box of cereal or anything similar.

So a bag of Party! chips, I'm going out on a limb, would be most valuable if the person had eaten them or tossed them in 1965 and kept the bag empty between pages of a scrapbook or something, the oil and grease from the chips may have ruined the actual value if it leaked through or stained the bag itself, depending on the materials used.

On a related note, last Christmas on the news they had someone who had a fruitcake still sealed in a gift can from the 1940's...if I recall they were going to open it and see if the old Johnny Carson joke about everyone re-gifting the same fruitcake was accurate and if the cake was still edible!    If a full BB Party bag is ever found maybe we should recruit volunteers to eat the chips inside.

Great memory, guitarfool2002! The Billboard article can be found by searching for the November 6, 1965 issue, p.61 ("Your potato chips are coming soon"):

http://www.billboard.com/magazine-archive

[KittyKat]

Looking at a photo of the display, it seems the chips were set out on the counter for anyone to take, not necessarily with purchase. It suggests you buy the LP after taking the free chips, but doesn't say chips-with-purchase.

[LeeDempsey]

Aside from the BEST OF, VOL 3 standup, has anyone got Capitol album covers with an easel on the back for counter display?  I have a SHUT DOWN, VOL. 2 counter display.  It has the BB front cover slick on one side, and Kay Starr's MOVIN' ON BROADWAY on the back.  The easel cuts through the Kay Starr slick.

Lee

[wantsomecorn]

Looking at a photo of the display, it seems the chips were set out on the counter for anyone to take, not necessarily with purchase. It suggests you buy the LP after taking the free chips, but doesn't say chips-with-purchase.

Did the chips bag have anything actually related to the Beach Boys on them?

[metal flake paint]

Aside from the BEST OF, VOL 3 standup, has anyone got Capitol album covers with an easel on the back for counter display?  I have a SHUT DOWN, VOL. 2 counter display.  It has the BB front cover slick on one side, and Kay Starr's MOVIN' ON BROADWAY on the back.  The easel cuts through the Kay Starr slick.

Lee

The only Capitol easel counter displays I have hail from the early nineties:

[Andrew G. Doe]

Looking at a photo of the display, it seems the chips were set out on the counter for anyone to take, not necessarily with purchase. It suggests you buy the LP after taking the free chips, but doesn't say chips-with-purchase.

Did the chips bag have anything actually related to the Beach Boys on them?

Excellent question: given that not one has surfaced since 1965, the likeliest case is that they were just regular bags of chips.

[Jay]

Looking at a photo of the display, it seems the chips were set out on the counter for anyone to take, not necessarily with purchase. It suggests you buy the LP after taking the free chips, but doesn't say chips-with-purchase.

Did the chips bag have anything actually related to the Beach Boys on them?

Excellent question: given that not one has surfaced since 1965, the likeliest case is that they were just regular bags of chips.

In other words, a vintage food related item collector may very well have a copy of the chips without even knowing? Assuming that the chips are just a cheaply made generic brand with no obvious Beach Boys tie in.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

What free chips? That was Brian's lunch.

[The Shift]

In other words, a vintage food related item collector may very well have a copy of the chips without even knowing? Assuming that the chips are just a cheaply made generic brand with no obvious Beach Boys tie in.

As-in, made with potatoes freshly dug from Murry's allotment that same morning? Hand-fried by Audree, in the kitchen at 3701 W. 119th Street, Hawthorne, and flavoured by a sprinkling of sea salt scraped from the underside of Dennis's surf board?

[metal flake paint]

According to Billboard magazine, November 6, 1965 (p. 62), the chip packets reproduced the album cover art.

http://www.billboard.com/magazine-archive

[LeeDempsey]

Alright we need CSI or NCIS to zoom in on the potato chip bag, convert it to 3-D, and rotate it so that we can see the Party! art.  After all, they can do it on TV!   

[Jim Murphy]

The Great Potato Chip Bag Mystery deepens . . . . Thanks MFP for the link to the Billboard article. 

So, Capitol manufactures one million bags of chips with the Party album graphics and, so far, not one has surfaced? That just seems to defy the odds. Could it be they were all eaten? Maybe Bruce Johnston squirreled away a bag or two that are resting comfortably in his Beach Boys storage locker!  With the albums's 50th anniversary not too far off, maybe Capitol/EMI will release a Deluxe Edition with all the other tracks recorded for the album and recreate the great potato chip give-away! 

Lee, I do not have any album cover easels except Best Vol 3. I seem to recall seeing that Shut Down easel.  Was it from Rockaway?  Funny how they dissed poor Kay Starr in the process. Somewhat off topic, but anyone else except me confounded by limited typing skills and the proximity of the letter "i" to the letter "u" on the keyboard when typing Shut Down, resulting in an entirely different album!?  That CSI zooming in feat can only be accomplished while removing your sunglasses and proclaiming, in a breathy, melodramatic voice, "Well, Alex, it looks like our John Doe liked potato chips."  And, like all medical examiners do, Alex would be leaning over the gluttinous potato chip corpse, while wearing a silk blouse with a plunging neckline and a come hither look. Apologies to UK readers who may not be familiar with the comically overacting David Caruso.

[LeeDempsey]

Jim, I think it was from Rockaway.  No idea how much I paid for it, or how long I've had it.  Interestingly, the SHUT DOWN cover is on the wrong side -- as in it opens to the left.  And the spine of the cover is for Kay Starr.  So this was originally a Kay Starr album cover that Capitol re-purposed into an easel, and then stuck a cover slick on the back.

Lee

[bgas]

Aside from the BEST OF, VOL 3 standup, has anyone got Capitol album covers with an easel on the back for counter display?  I have a SHUT DOWN, VOL. 2 counter display.  It has the BB front cover slick on one side, and Kay Starr's MOVIN' ON BROADWAY on the back.  The easel cuts through the Kay Starr slick.

Lee

Me! Me!  ME!!!!   The ones I have:

All Summer Long  with Nat King Cole LP as the Easel side; Double Easel with hanging punchouts.  (It's a Cole cover/spine w/ ASL slick on the back)

The rest of the Capitols are posterboard/covers thickness but no spine printing ( except the Maffitt/Davies, which is a BBs Cover)

Good Vibrations  St-442  Blank White Back with a double easel and hangers added to the backon posterboard( just the easel area, not the surround)  Slick on posterboard
  
As an "oddity" I have a Maffit/Davies Lp " The Rise and Fall Of Honesty" with BBS-Best Of Vol 2 as the Easel side

These three have blank white backs.  Easelswith punch outs at the bottom and top edges for hanging the cover.  

Surfin Safari   Double Easel     Slick on posterboard

Shut Down 2  Double Easel     Slick on posterboard

Little Deuce Coupe  Single Easel     Slick on posterboard

[guitarfool2002]

Great memory, guitarfool2002! The Billboard article can be found by searching for the November 6, 1965 issue, p.61 ("Your potato chips are coming soon"):

http://www.billboard.com/magazine-archive

   That's the one! The one photo and Billboard are so far the only examples of this promotion - and since the Billboard PR release says that they were actual "Beach Boys Party" bags, it makes it more amazing that none have been found in a fan's collection or scrapbook from back in the day.

[bgas]

Further examining my unorganized storeroom I'll offer two more. One I've had in the Media section previously, and the other a floor standup, not counter display.  

From 2000/EMI Music there is a

[Andrew G. Doe]

Damn. 1,000,000 bags of chips, and 20,000 counter units - and seemingly not a single one survived.

[Les P]

Jim, I think it was from Rockaway.  No idea how much I paid for it, or how long I've had it.  Interestingly, the SHUT DOWN cover is on the wrong side -- as in it opens to the left.  And the spine of the cover is for Kay Starr.  So this was originally a Kay Starr album cover that Capitol re-purposed into an easel, and then stuck a cover slick on the back.

Lee

I have a similar display of the Beach Boys Party! album cover slick pasted on the back of The Beatles' Second Album jacket, with the stand-up easel cuts on the Beatles front cover.  It was still on the wall of an old record store in Houston when I found it in the 70s or 80s.  I think the sales clerk gave it to me when I asked for it (I think I found the "Guess I'm Dumb" 45 there on the same visit).

[guitarfool2002]

I tried to clear up the photo of Brian with the Party display, tried a higher res version, but can't get much more on those pesky chip bags that would get us closer to more info. But check out some other details in that record shop, maybe someone with a keen eye will spot other things to help ID it even further.



Top left of the photo: The "Little Girl I Once Knew" single with picture sleeve is on display.

Top right of the photo: That is a KFWB 98 record survey tacked to the wall. The DJs' photos are in the left column.

Center above the telephone: Billboard top albums chart.

Directly behind Brian's head: Looks like stacks of blank tape reels.

What paper is Brian reading? It's not KRLA Beat, none of the issues line up with those pages. It *could be* KFWB "Hitline", it could also be a copy of "Melody Maker" from the UK. Any guesses?

The Party display looks like only the chips were part of the official Capitol promo material at this shop. The albums themselves are in a generic wire display rack.

It caught my eye that the Party album seems to be in that rack in front of other albums. Also suspicious that the "Little Girl" single is so prominent, almost like both Party and Little Girl were deliberately staged to be visible in the photo, along with the chips.

So is this a Capitol promo photo? The two current BB's items are prominent, that's why I'm thinking that.

Any idea what store this could have been? Wallich's perhaps? It has to be a SoCal shop, if not an LA shop, I'm guessing because of the KFWB survey on the wall. Shops outside LA would have had their local station's list instead.

I tried to get a more clear shot of the chips bags too, but alas...you can't see anything on the actual bags.

[guitarfool2002]

I tried to clear up the photo of Brian with the Party display, tried a higher res version, but can't get much more on those pesky chip bags that would get us closer to more info. But check out some other details in that record shop, maybe someone with a keen eye will spot other things to help ID it even further.



Top left of the photo: The "Little Girl I Once Knew" single with picture sleeve is on display.

Top right of the photo: That is a KFWB 98 record survey tacked to the wall. The DJs' photos are in the left column.

Center above the telephone: Billboard top albums chart.

Directly behind Brian's head: Looks like stacks of blank tape reels.

What paper is Brian reading? It's not KRLA Beat, none of the issues line up with those pages. It *could be* KFWB "Hitline", it could also be a copy of "Melody Maker" from the UK. Any guesses?

The Party display looks like only the chips were part of the official Capitol promo material at this shop. The albums themselves are in a generic wire display rack.

It caught my eye that the Party album seems to be in that rack in front of other albums. Also suspicious that the "Little Girl" single is so prominent, almost like both Party and Little Girl were deliberately staged to be visible in the photo, along with the chips.

So is this a Capitol promo photo? The two current BB's items are prominent, that's why I'm thinking that.

Any idea what store this could have been? Wallich's perhaps? It has to be a SoCal shop, if not an LA shop, I'm guessing because of the KFWB survey on the wall. Shops outside LA would have had their local station's list instead.

I tried to get a more clear shot of the chips bags too, but alas...you can't see anything on the actual bags.

Adding another layer to this: Does anyone know where these photos came from, or what they were for? The photo of Brian with the Party display shows him wearing the same clothes as the "bookstore" photo:



Was a photog following Brian around the store or stores this day in 1965? Any further info? I'm 99.999% sure the photos were taken the same day, which would also date the bookstore photo more specifically if it hasn't been done already.