TIMELINES AND MATRICES: THE CANADIAN CATALOGUE AT A GLANCE
Two new interactive tools join the Identification Guide, side by side on one page: Timelines and Matrices. Every Canadian Beatles release is the work of many hands, and the first chart puts them all on one screen: pressing plants, label designs, jacket printers and construction, inner sleeves, tape shells and CD generations, each drawn as a bar across the years.
Pick a format (LPs, 45s, reels, cassettes, 8-tracks or CDs), choose the categories to display, then drag the year slider or the red line: the side panel tells you exactly what was in use at that moment. Click any bar for the identification tells and a direct link to the full reference page. Dashed segments mark the periods that remain to be pinned down, so the chart is honest about what is documented and what is still being researched.
Below it, the matrix tool turns the same archive on its side. Every title runs down the left, every label type, tape shell or pressing generation runs across the top, and a coloured square marks each place the two meet, with the number of documented variations inside it. Twelve grids in all: LPs, 45s, reels, cassettes, 8-tracks and CDs, for the Beatles catalogue and for the Apple artists, covering close to two thousand variations.
The squares carry the real colour of the thing they stand for, so a row reads like the record itself: black rainbow, green Apple, target, orange, purple, then the retro rainbows. Click one and the panel on the right lists those variations with their date and pressing plant, each linking to its detail page where one exists. Hover a listed variation on a desktop and its label or sleeve appears in a preview. The search box narrows the grid to a title or a catalogue number, and either tool opens full width in a new tab.
A NEW SEARCH WIZARD TO FIND ANY VARIATION
The search tool has grown into a full search page. The classic search bar is still there at the top, working exactly as before, and below it sits a new search wizard that walks you to a variation step by step.
Four lines, one per criterion: Artist, Title, Format, and Other details. Start typing on any line and suggestions appear with a live match count; pick one and it becomes a small pill you can remove with its ×. The last line accepts as many criteria as you like: a label type, a section of the archive, a tape shell, or any free keyword such as a plant, a colour or a year. The number of matching variations updates as you go, and the result cards appear as soon as the selection is narrow enough, including the greyed variations whose detail pages are still to come.
The wizard covers the entire archive: Beatles albums and singles, the Apple catalogue, the related discographies, the promotional records, and the O Canada and Interesting Items sections. It works in both languages, and the search bar itself now digs deeper too: the full text of every page is indexed, so any phrase found anywhere on the site will lead you to its page.
THE ENTIRE ARCHIVE IS NOW AVAILABLE IN FRENCH
A major milestone has just been reached: every page on the site now has a French counterpart. The archive is therefore fully bilingual, from the home page (level 1) all the way down to the detailed variation pages (level 4). The checklists, the sections devoted to reference and identification, and the "Interesting Items" and "O Canada" pages are now available in both of Canada's official languages.
To switch from one language to the other, just use the EN/FR button at the top of every page.
This achievement marks the completion of an essential part of the project, one that was close to our hearts, begun more than a year ago. The translation was done gradually, one section at a time, with a focus on offering a truly bilingual experience. The menus and the search tool work in both languages as well: no section is now offered by default in English only.
Finally, the side menu was reorganized once more to improve the logical grouping of the menu sections.
As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome. They contribute directly to the evolution of this archive and help ensure it fully reflects the richness and diversity of our community.
NEW WAYS TO SEARCH AND NAVIGATE THE ARCHIVE
Several features have been added since the last update to make exploring the archive simpler, faster, and more intuitive.
A new search tool is now available from the menu on every page. Just enter a catalogue number, a title, or a keyword to jump straight to the release, variation, or section you are looking for, without having to work through the various menus.
A glossary also makes its appearance. It gathers and explains the technical terms used throughout the archive, including matrix numbers, the "dead wax", and label generations. Beginning and seasoned collectors alike can look up, in one place, the definitions they need to better understand the specialized vocabulary.
The detail pages now include "Previous" and "Next" links, which let you step through all the variations of a release one after another without having to return to the listing each time. On longer pages, a discreet back to top button also makes navigation easier.
Finally, the side menu was reorganized to present the different sections in a clearer, more logical way. The checklists, the new glossary, and the pages devoted to Canadian particularities are now easier to find.
I hope these improvements make your visits even more enjoyable. Several of them come directly from your feedback, so please keep your suggestions coming!
CREATION OF CHECKLISTS
Today marks the addition of an important new feature: interactive checklists covering all known Canadian variations. These lists can be used as a personal collection tracker, allowing visitors to keep track of the items currently in their collection. The checklists automatically save your selections, but they remain browser and cache dependent. This means your selections will remain available when refreshing the page or returning later from the same browser and device. However, if you clear your cache, switch browsers, use another device, or browse in private/incognito mode, your saved selections will not appear and a new blank checklist will be displayed instead. The lists do not synchronize between browsers or devices.
A download button is available to save a copy of your checklist directly to your device for future reference or printing.
A printable PDF version is also available for those who prefer a paper copy. These lists can be accessed through a new menu section called CHECKLISTS, where each format has its own dedicated list. A complete “master checklist” is also available from the checklist main page.
NEW SECTIONS: 45 SLEEVES, O CANADA.
Today, two new sections were added. First, the Formats 45 page now also covers the timeline of generic sleeves used with Beatles singles. Thank you to Ian Gosling for his valuable insight into these sleeves and their likely dates of use!
Also, the menu structure was changed to better reflect the nature of the content presented, and now includes a new section dedicated to the Canadian aspect of Beatles releases: unique Canadian releases, unique Canadian variations, and the rarest Canadian discs. This last section was moved from the “Interesting” page.
I hope you enjoy this new content and that navigation now makes more sense. As always, your feedback is welcome!
THE CD TIMELINE HAS BEEN UPDATED AND DETAILED
After months of research, discussions, writing, comparing, digging, and validation, the timeline for CD releases has finally been clearly defined and detailed. The Formats CD section now features completely new content explaining the evolution of Beatles CD production in Canada. You will find the history of pressing plants, the different generations of pressings, and the decoded systems used to read matrix information and date your CD pressing.
FINAL SECTIONS FOR A HARD DAY'S NIGHT LPs HAVE BEEN ADDED (TAPES AND 8-TRACKS)
First, happy New Year to everyone, much more detailed sections are going to be made available this year, plowing through the catalogue a section at a time. For this early beginning of the year, the final sections for A Hard Day's Night have been completed. These cover the documented 8-Track tapes as well as 4 track cassettes.
DETAILED SECTIONS FOR A HARD DAY'S NIGHT LPs HAVE BEEN ADDED
Detailed pages (level 4 information) have been added for the LP section of A Hard Day's Night. Some of these pressings were a puzzle to figure out, but with great insight from the members on the Facebook group, we could make sense of a few mysteries. Thank you!
Also, this week were lucky enough to be treated with a new Beatles release: Anthology 4. Although this was not pressed in Canada, the standalone version available in Canadian shops was scanned and added to the Apple 2.0 section.
More sections to come soon, stay tuned!
DETAILED SECTIONS FOR ODDBALL COMPILATIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED
Detailed pages (level 4 information) have been added for some of the oddball compilations (Capitol Chartbusters, Big Hits, ATCO, etc.). Otherwise, the "Interesting section" has been restructured and a new fantasy item was added. Slowly but surely, one by one, we will get there!
NEW SECTION AND COMPLETED APPLE 2.0 SECTIONS
The "Interesting" section was becoming a little too full and dense, it was decided to extract the promos sections into a separate menu item (since they relate to something conceptually different). You can now access the promos pages from the main menu on any page of the website.
Item #2: The variation lists for the Apple 2.0 sections have been completed, so you now can see the Canadian (and imported) variations for all the albums released by Apple since 1994, up until the upcoming Anthology 4 to be released later in 2025. Be aware that this section has a slightly different approach since in this new era, although some items were indeed pressed in Canada, these are mostly only the "basic CD version", while any special set, or other formats were imported only, so the USA and EU pressings were the basic stock copies available in Canada in all the shops (the EU or the USA supplied the rest of the world). So these imported copies are therefore also listed when they were offered in record stores around the country as the only available option for a variation. Conversely, odd fringe items available through special orders only are not included here.
UPDATED "PER LABEL" PAGE SERIES (AND OTHER STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS)
While updating certain sections, I realized that there were a few mistakes in the listings of the "per label" series of pages. These have now been updated with proper numbering and missing variations.
Furthermore, opening the site to a group of power users proved to be quite useful, as certain aspects of the organizational structure brought some confusion to some users regarding the availability of certain pages. This has been revamped and now the detailed sections that have not yet been written are marked in GREY and identified as "Page Available Soon". These are now not clickable, making it easy to understand what should lead to a content page and what doesn't (some people thought that the page didn't load, while actually was not yet existent).
So, this subtle tweak improves the user experience quite significantly, and shows that user feedback is essential to ensure an optimal user experience. Thanks to all for your feedback, and keep at it; no feedback is ever useless, however small or silly it might sound, I want to hear from you, together we can make great things!
CASSETTE PAGES FOR THE 6000 SERIES ALBUMS ADDED
The detailed pages for the cassette versions of all three unique Canadian Beatles albums (Beatlemania!, Twist and Shout, Long Tall Sally) were added, with information and photos. This officially completes the whole sections for these Unique Canadian albums. Boy... cassette variations are confusing! Any insight or corrections, or additions you would like to share is welcome; please contact me through the CONTACT page.
EXPERIMENTAL PRESSINGS & REEL TAPES
Two new sections were added today, you can find "Experimental Pressings" (Color vinyl tests done by pressing plant employees), as well as an account of all Canadian Beatles reel tapes. These two sections both featured in the Interesting Items page from the main menu. A few undocumented starline singles were also added in the Beatles Singles page.
NEW SECTION ADDED
A new section was added today, you can find "Books" in the main menu. This page will link you up to either Beatles books written by Canadian authors or Beatles books covering Canadian material. If you know of any book missing from the list, please let me know through the CONTACT page.
THE SITE RECEIVES ITS FIRST FRENCH-LANGUAGE CONTENT PAGES
The site now gives priority to a French version of the pages richest in technical content. The other, less technical pages (lists and photos) will be added along the way. The authors prioritized the more informative pages judged essential to understanding the material. For now you can find in French the HOME, ABOUT, and MANUFACTURING sections. The detailed pages will be added gradually over the coming weeks.
THE FINAL REVISION HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THE SITE WILL LAUNCH (SOFT LAUNCH) TOMORROW.
It is finally ready for the (semi) public eye to see!
The site will be launched into the world tomorrow, and "tested" within the Facebook group for a few weeks to tweak the product, add newly discovered entries, correct, etc. I will come forward with periodic targeted questions to guide the discussions and cover the areas we are hoping to get more information about. It is finally there, hopefully you will all find it useful and enjoyable to explore!
THE WEBSITE IS READY AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL
Finally, FINALLY! All the sections we wanted to complete before launching it into the world are done! (the first 3 levels of information + the 4th level content for the unique Canadian items).
We are now undergoing a final master revision session, after which we will proceed to a "soft launch" in June within the Facebook group community to polish the product, make any adjustments necessary, correct mistakes and add new variations brought forward by the members of the group. The official launch in the (real) world is therefore planned for the end of the summer of 2025. Stay tuned, it is finally coming!
HUGE UPDATES
A LOT of new sections have been completed, namely all variations (level 3 of information) for Albums, Singles, Apple Albums, Apple Singles and Related Discographies, so you can now see the different variations available for each release. Detailed pages for each variation will be developed at a future date (the 10-year-long regular updates), but at least, "everything that exists" has been documented.
A new section has also been added, where one ca browse all the releases by label type. This is particularly cool when you want to query about specific series and understand what has been released under what label.
Finally, a satisfactory level of production will, in all likelihood, be reached through the next month, after which a SOFT LAUNCH will be made through the online Facebook group for a fist "challenge" to the world, and to allow us to add, adjust, correct, detail the content with a bunch of experts. The site will then be officially launched into the world later this year once the user testing phase will be done.
Sections are ready
Good news! All the sections that are required for the launch have been completed. We are now reviewing them, and making sure nothing has been forgotten. You can find all variations for Beatles albums, in all formats (a big change that was implemented this early January). We are still on track for an official announcement in the weeks to come.
REVISION HAS BEGUN
The holidays have been very productive, and almost all sections required for the launch are ready. Still a few pages to go, the current content is under revision by hawk eye Fred Young, and we are well on our way to launch the site (officially) early this year! Stay tuned.
SECTIONS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS
I have been working very hard for the past two weeks on the all description pages (4th layer of content) for all variations of Beatlemania!, Twist and Shout and Long Tall Sally, and i am happy to say that the end of summer release date is still realistic, and an official launch in early fall is on track.
The sections are structured and most are completed. All variations for these three albums now need to be validated, aligned for optimal coherence and adjusted before we can share them with you. The next step before the launch deadline are the 72000 series singles unique to Canada, so that upon the website's official launch, all unique Canadian items will be covered in detail. The regular catalogue will then be updated regularly after the launch, and every new section uploaded to the archive will be announced here.
Stay Tuned, this is getting exciting!
PROJECTIONS FOR 2024
Friends and fans, I have finally finished my PhD, and now that my daily schedule is in a more stable basis,
I now have time to push this project further. Finally!!
My plan is to complete the unique Canadian entries (for vinyl) as well as finalizing the structure of the
whole site by the end of summer 2024, in order to officially launch it into the world by September.
A lot of work is required, but this is a project that I am really passionate about, and Fred and I want it
to be as close to perfection as possible upon its official release.
By "perfection", we do not mean to have every section of the site finished by the summer, but have the truly
Canadian aspect of things on the rails. The rest of the content will be developed incrementally through
the next few years, announcing every new section here in the blog.
So, check back here to see what has been updated!
THE FIRST LAYER OF CONTENT IS ONLINE
Every section now has a picture list of the items being featured. The second layer is also
almost completed; most of these featured items also have a deeper layer where the titles
of the releases are listed in this subsection.
Other content soon to be integrated: the 3rd and 4th layers; i.e., variations associated
with each release, and a detailed page for each of these variations. Please note that
the site will go live once the first two layers are completed, then layers 3 and 4 will
be added regularly as we build up the sections.
Check back here to see what has been updated!
THE STRUCTURE IS SET!
Now sections are being completed with the first layer of content.
THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE
The compiled archive files we have accumulated through the past years has been used
to structure the template of the website. Content should be added regularly.