Something New

Black Spine J-Cards with three white bars were amongst the earliest tapes released in Canada. Like their blue spine siblings, these housed white or cream shell cassettes, first with white paper labels and later with yellow ones, always under a J-Card with a BLACK spine.

Not all titles were released on all variations, but K7.2108.3A.1 has the yellow paper label, on a cream shell. It dates from around 1978. This is the first of three documented shell types sharing the same black spine J-card - see also the next two variations: 3A.2 (white shell, black print) and 3A.3 (black shell, silver print).

Availability

The black spine series ran from around 1970. This particular incarnation carries the yellow paper labels that came in around 1978, so it sits at the late end of the paper-label era, before the printed-shell copies (3A.2 and 3A.3) took over in the early 1980s.

The Black Spine design in Canada

Black spine tapes (with three bars) were found early (as early as 1970 with the release of Hey Jude) and overlap with blue spine releases. (It is not known what made a release blue or black spine). They too had paper labels on a white plastic shell. Some albums remained on this variation until 1982.

Pressing Information

The shell is cream plastic, moulded "MADE IN CANADA" along the top edge. It carries yellow paper labels printed in black, with the Capitol target logo at the left, "THE BEATLES / SOMETHING NEW" and the track listing across the top, and the side letter (A or B) over the catalogue number 4XT-2108 at the right. The warranty text at the foot of the label is addressed to the Quality Control Centre, Capitol Records (Canada) Limited, 3109 American Drive, Malton, Ontario.

Different types of shells were often used simultaneously and seemingly, also interchangeably. There is no clear timeline based on the types of shells that were used.

Cover

The cover (or J-card) featured the USA "BLACK spine" design: a generic layout where the spine of the J-Card is black with three white bars. Some titles were released on a light blue J-card, but these were usually reserved for half price budget releases and compilations. This title was only released on the black J-card format.

The front panel is black, with the live Ed Sullivan Show photograph used on the album cover, beside the doubled "SOMETHING NEW" logotype and "THE BEATLES" in red, and the A and B track listings printed below in two columns. The back panel carries bilingual Canadian text: "Fabriqué au Canada - Disques Capitol-EMI du Canada Ltée / Manufactured in Canada - Capitol Records-EMI of Canada Limited, 3109 American Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1B2". The same black J-card was used for all three shell types documented here.

Packaging

Tapes were sold in a black back jewel case, and sealed in a firm wrap that was folded shut.