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Start Date: November 11, 2024
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The Concert for Bangladesh (originally spelt The Concert for Bangla Desh) is a live triple album credited to "George Harrison & Friends" and released on Apple Records in December 1971 in the United States and January 1972 in the United Kingdom. The album followed the two concerts of the same name, held on 1 August 1971 at New York's Madison Square Garden, featuring Harrison, Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Eric Clapton. The shows were a pioneering charity event, in aid of the displaced Bengali refugees of the Bangladesh Liberation War, and set the model for future multi-artist rock benefits such as Live Aid (1985) and the Concert for New York City (2001). The event brought Harrison and Starr together on a concert stage for the first time since 1966, when the Beatles retired from live performance, and represented Dylan's first major concert appearance in the U.S. in five years.

Minimal post-production was carried out on the recordings, ensuring that the album was a faithful document of the event. The box set's packaging included a 64-page book containing photos from the concerts; the album cover, designed by Tom Wilkes, consisted of an image of a malnourished child sitting beside an empty food bowl. The album was delayed for three months due to protracted negotiations between Harrison and two record companies keen to protect their business interests, Capitol and Columbia/CBS.

On release, The Concert for Bangladesh was a major critical and commercial success. It topped albums charts in several countries and went on to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in March 1973. Together with the 1972 Apple concert film directed by Saul Swimmer, the album gained Indian classical music its largest Western audience up until that time. As of 2011, sales of the album continue to benefit the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF, which raised $1.2 million for children in the Horn of Africa, in a campaign marking the album's 40th anniversary.

THIS COPY is an original Scranton 1st pressing on the Apple label from 1971 (see Notes, below).  Note that this triple LP set has side 1 and 6 pressed on the first disc,  sides 2 and 5 on the second disc, and sides 3 and 4 on the third disc.  This practice, known as "automatic sequence," began in the early 1960s and was intended to make it easier for listeners to play through an entire set of two or three discs in order on automatic record changers.

The vinyl has some light marks/rubbings, but per a test listen, nothing that affects playback.  The discs are in Very Good Plus [VG+].  Side two may be graded as Excellent.

The original box/cover has a scratch/mark on the cover (see photo).  Aside from some general VERY light soiling, the box is structurally in very sound condition.  Overall the box is in Very Good Plus [VG+] or better condition. (I would easily rate it as Excellent were it not for that one cover mark.)

The original inner sleeves, which are made of heavy weight brown paper are all three in Excellent [EX] condition, with no splitting, tears, marks, etc.

The original 64 page booklet is also in Excellent [EX] condition.  I have shown the front and back covers and some sample pages in the photos.

Notes

Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Scranton pressing indicated by "△" [triangle with “IAM” inside] stamped in run-outs.

A concert event held on the afternoon and evening of August 1, 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Includes a 64-page book with pictures from the concert.

Track D1a shown as "Jumping Jack Flash" on label.

Eric Clapton (courtesy of Polydor Records Ltd.)
Bob Dylan (courtesy of Columbia Records, Inc.)
Billy Preston (appears by the Grace of God)
Leon Russell (with love from Shelter Records, Inc.)
Jesse Ed Davis (courtesy of Atlantic Records, Inc.)
Marlin Greene (from Elektra Records-Peace)
Jeanie Greene (from Elektra Records-Peace)
Jim Horn (with love from Shelter Records, Inc.)
Don Nix (from Elektra Records-Peace)
Ravi Shankar performed courtesy of The Gramophone Co. of India Ltd.

Album package, photography & design for Camouflage Productions

Special thanks go to Gary Kellgren, Lillian, Dennis and Tom of Record Plant, New York and to Norman and Steve mix down engineers of A&M Studio, Los Angeles for their time and energy.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Rights Society (B1 to B3, C1, C2, C4 to D2, F1, F2): BMI

Rights Society (B4, E1 to E5): ASCAP

Matrix / Runout (Label side A): STCX-1-3385

Matrix / Runout (Label side B): STCX-2-3385

Matrix / Runout (Label side C): STCX-3-3385

Matrix / Runout (Label side D): STCX-4-3385

Matrix / Runout (Label side E): STCX-5-3385

Matrix / Runout (Label side F): STCX-6-3385

Matrix / Runout (Runout all sides stamped): △ [triangle with “IAM” inside] and STERLING

Matrix / Runout (Runout side A etched): STCX-1-3385 Z4 #2 3 LH

Matrix / Runout (Runout side B etched): STCX-2-3385 Z43[scratched out] 2 LH

Matrix / Runout (Runout side C etched): STCX-3-3385 Z4 3 LH

Matrix / Runout (Runout side D etched): STCX-4-3385 Z4 #4 3 LH

Matrix / Runout (Runout side E etched): STCX-5-3385 Z4 3 LH

Matrix / Runout (Runout side F etched): STCX-6-3385 Z4 #4 3 LH

ENJOY!