8463 - Cat Stevens (2) Original Apple Custom Recording Acetates for ‘The Hurt’ (1973)

Cat Stevens (2) Original Apple Custom Recording Acetates for ‘The Hurt’ (1973) Two original single-sided 12-inch Apple Corps Ltd. Custom Recording acetates for Cat Stevens’ 1973 song ‘The Hurt.’ Both feature the green-and-white Apple Corps labels printed around the perimeter, “Apple Corps Ltd. 3 Savile Row London W1” and “Custom Recording,” with the centers typed “‘The Hurt,’” “Cat Stevens,” and “Stereo.” The two discs are separately designated “(A)” and “(B).” The label on the ‘A’ record is in excellent condition and the vinyl is in very good plus condition; the label and vinyl on the ‘B’ record are in excellent condition. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks. By this period, Apple Studios at 3 Savile Row operated as a professional recording facility with recording, mastering, and acetate-cutting services available commercially; a 1972 studio guide specifically lists both mono and stereo acetate rates. ‘The Hurt’ appeared on Stevens’ 1973 album Foreigner, his first album produced entirely by himself and a departure from his predominantly acoustic sound toward soul and R&B. Recorded predominantly in Jamaica with musicians including drummer Bernard Purdie and guitarist Phil Upchurch, Foreigner reached No. 3 in both the United States and UK, while ‘The Hurt,’ the album’s main single, reached the US Top 40.