With the recent release of The Beatle Remasters, the long term question for avid Beatle fans is how best to store these precious CDs so that the music embedded remains unblemished from handling and exposure.

Our guest this week on The Beatles Hour is Jon Polk, former executive at Capitol Records. Jon was at Capitol during the re-issue of the American Capitol Beatle recordings, which contain both the stereo and mono mixes of the first 8 American releases. Like many of us, Jon was not happy with the size of the CD graphic book. Classic LP covers that were true works of art, were in the digital world so small that at times the print being unreadable for anyone over the age of 30! While at Capitol Records, Jon first proposed an idea to Apple about a re-creation art book of Beatle album covers. Apple, which was busy at the time with the Beatle Anthology recordings, was not interested. Finally, with the advent of the Remasters, Apple gave the ok to Polk.

The Box of Vision is a 200 page linen covered LP sized book with storage for 32 compact discs. Included is a recreation of all the original Beatle LP covers, both Parlophone and Capitol. This was the hardest obstacle to overcome in making the Box of Vision a reality. The negatives for many of the Capitol LP covers were lost or missing. If you were to look at, say 25 original 'Beatle 65' LP covers, most would not match color wise. This was primarily due to different printers being used back in 1965. Well, it is safe to say that Jon overcame these obstacles and the color reproduction of those classic LP covers is simply stunning.

Old and young Beatle fans are bonding over this great music. For the first time, many Dads and Moms are listening to the new remastered discs with the children while being able to gaze at the full sized artwork of the Beatle record covers. This storage system would not be complete without the enclosed 'Catalography' book compiled by Beatle historian and writer, Bruce Spizer. His notations on all the Parlophone and Capitol sessions mesh perfectly with the aural experience of actually rediscovering these Beatle treasures.

Be there Wednesday night at 8pm on WNTI as Jon Polk joins us. In addition to Box Of Vision, Jon will address any plans by Apple/Capitol to release the 'Hollywood Bowl' concert on CD...'Let it Be' on DVD...and the Beatle Cartoons.

With the Disney 3D 'Yellow Submarine' feature film on the way, it would seem a wise time for the previously mentioned Beatle items to appear.

Join us on WNTI'S Things We Said Today - The Beatles Hour on Wed., Nov. 11 at 8 pm

Box Of Vision Web site.

Scott Acton