THE KINKS/FACE TO FACE NSPL 18149 (-66) UK EXPORT STEREO

After the badly faked export stereo of "The Kink Kontroversey" (see earlier post) I'm surprised to hear this is true...well at least parts of it...and then mostly pieces of those parts...and not even close to the quality of the corresponding mono...but still - not a straight rechanneling. It would take forever to sort out all peculiarities or differences to the mono and I don't have the time or audiophilic strength for such work, but here are a few exemples - "Party Line" starts with the phone signal and voice in opposite channels and then slides over to some kind of enhanced mono. Same with "Rainy Day In June" with initial thunder in true stereo but the rest monoish. "Holiday In "Waikiki" is the only cut that from my listening chair sounds close to true stereo almost all the way. As a stereo as a whole not as disastrous as "Kink Kontroversey". I get an ok alternate mono with some minor stereo effects and it doesn't sound too bad - wider and brighter than its conterpart and though inferior not entirely unpleasant. Version probably made by producer Shel Talmy on demand from US Reprise since stereo sales by then was growing in America, but as the British still fancied mono more it wasn't released domestically initially just pressed for export. UK 1st press labels came with "stereo" print either small to the right or larger above mid-hole. I've seen statements from sellers that the larger print was earlier, yet checking Pye discography you can as well claim the opposite. The smaller type did occur even on the earlier "left logo" label designs and the larger figures at least up to 1969. So there's no use getting hung up on that. Better verify the earliest matrixes - here stamped NSPL 18149-A1/-B1, both sides also with *T showing it was cut by Tony Bridge with Scully lathe tools. There are mother/stampers though I can't seem to figure them out - checking faint fonts with bad eyes. Had the US stereo (Reprise RS 6228) with same tracking some decades ago and vaguely remember that had more reverb (right me if I'm wrong). Early (first?)UK had label as shown here and laminated flip-back mono cover with stereo stickers on front and rear. (KYX*) (PÖY*) (ÖXÄP*) (MÅW*)