TP, You are stating simply, what I said back on 2nd May. These albums, 1962-66 and 1967-70, red and blue, respectively, are presented in gatefold sleeves with the labels having the corresponding colours around the "Apple" label design image. How much more unified can they be? Thus these are single albums but comprise 2 discs, therefore, the same catalogue number should, nay, MUST be on both discs in each respective album. If EMI in the UK had done with these albums as EMI in Australia did with the "Rock & Roll Music" 2LP set(that's the one with the front cover has a silvery finish and the Beatles' images are "raised up" on the cover's surface, and the back cover has the fab four with backs to camera, also "raised up"). EMI put it out as a two-disc set on Parlophone, then within a year of that, EMI Australia had separated the discs and put them out as "Rock & Roll Music" Vol.1 and Vol.2 respectively on Axis with separate catalogue numbers. Perhaps EMI in Britain issued the album in two volumes on Music For Pleasure, following EMI Australia's lead... who knows?
But as two separate LPs they'd naturally have separate catalogue numbers, either consecutively or with other titles(one or more) separating the volumes, it has been done! But as a gatefolded two-disc set, should have just the one unifying catalogue number.
What's the purpose of a catalogue number? Is it so retailers can order from the record label? Or so the record label can ID its own product internally? If the former, then a double album only needs one in theory. If the latter I can see why each disc needs its own.
Because the two discs comprised one album(like any other 2-LP set by any other maker), I always believed the same catalogue number should apply to BOTH discs and only the matrix number should vary. Thus both LPs should've carried the same catalogue number, either PCSO-7171 or PSCO-7172. I've long held this view. If the 1962-66, or even the 1967-70 albums had been issued as separate single-LP albums with Volume 1 and Volume 2 for each, then yes, separate catalogue numbers for each disc would've been quite correct. But in the case of this album, and its companion, the 1967-70 compilation, the two LPs make up two halves of one album, thus the two discs should've had the one unifying catalogue number.
I don't have any red lyric inners on this one,it just has two half-moon cut plastic bags,so was unsure about date,it could be that the inners were damaged,and have been replaced with these bags,or the bags could be original,unable to verify.
Matrix side 1 (image 61122) = YEX 909-1 (machine stamped).
Matrix side 2 (image 61123) = YEX 910-2 (machine stamped).
Matrix side 3 (image 61124) = YEX 911-2 (machine stamped).
Matrix side 4 (image 61125) = YEX 912-1 (machine stamped).