A likely unique ‘work in progress’ acetate of the Rolling Stones Some Girls album, including a song ultimately pulled from the album, and different versions of four of the lp’s best known songs.  This ultra rarity was obtained from the estate of Earl McGrath, former president of Rolling Stones Records.

This acetate has a completely different running order to the released version, and includes “Everything is Turning to Gold” instead of “Before They Make Me Run” (“Everything…” was eventually issued as the B-Side of “Shattered”).  There are alternate length versions of “Some Girls”, “Miss You”, “Shattered” and “Beast of Burden”, and the mixes and EQ are almost certainly different throughout.

The lineup is:

Side 1

1. Just My Imagination 4:34
2. Far Away Eyes 4:24
3. Some Girls 4:41 (4:36 on released version)
4. Miss You 5:16 (4:48 on released version)
5. Respectable 3:05

 

Side 2

6. When the Whip Comes Down 4:18
7. Shattered 2:42 (3:48 on released version)
8. Beast of Burden 5:37 (4:25 on released version)
9. Everything is Turning to Gold 4:05 (not on LP)
10. Lies  3:10

 

The sequence on the released version is:

Side 1: Miss You/When The Whip Comes Down/Just My Imagination/Some Girls/Lies

Side 1: Far Away Eyes/Respectable/Before They Make Me Run/Beast of Burden/Shattered

The accompanying letter of authenticity from author Joe Hagan explains, in part, This acetate was part of a collection belonging to the late Earl McGrath, vice president of Atlantic Records, president of Rolling Stone Records, and manager of the Rolling Stones, 1977 to 1983.  It was initially housed in the walk-in closet in Earl’s apartment, where he kept his personal record collection, studio tapes, acetates and test printings… As the author of a biography on Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner, I interviewed Earl McGrath…[and] after Earl died in 2016…I acquired his studio tapes, acetates and test printings from the Camilla and Earl McGrath Foundation.”

The disc is in EX+ condition, and plays well throughout with a bit of surface noise.  We know of no other example of this ultra rarity.

Included is a letter of authenticity from Joe Hagan, a card from the Earl McGrath estate, and Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

An extraordinary Rolling Stones collectible, with impeccable provenance.

[Acetate collectors should note that a good percentage of those offered online are recent forgeries; any honest seller should be happy to offer a written lifetime guarantee.]