In 1965, C&J finally bolted from World Artists, which had not even been paying them royalties for their US records. They signed with Columbia, and went into the studio, with Lor Crane at the production helm, and recorded "Before And After", a Van McCoy song, as well as "Marianne" (Though the single, and initial LP release of the track credited it as "Fare Thee Well (I Must Be Gone)"). These tracks were rush released on Columbia, and C&J's first "new sound" record was a significant hit.
The standard release featured a
red label, and was on black vinyl. 
However,
C&J signed to Columbia right in the midst of the label's "red
vinyl promo" phase. which had seen the Byrds "Mr. Tambourine
Man", and a few Dylan singles released on special red vinyl
pressings. These are very rare discs, and today fetch quite high
prices. Chad & Jeremy, however, are not exactly what one could
call extremely collectable artists, and as such, their "Before
And After" promo, while hard to find than the Byrds and Dylan
discs, is still relatively affordable. The problem is not in paying
for the disc, but rather in finding it and it's equally elusive
sleeve.
The disc is made especially interesting as it features the first Columbia picture sleeve (contrary to the popular belief that "I Don't Wanna Lose You Baby" had that distinction). The sleeve, pictured here, is almost exactly the same as their first commercial picture sleeve, issued with their next single, and also pictured here.
Columbia would go on to make white
label promos for all of the remaining C&J singles, but would
never again make a red vinyl Chad & Jeremy record, and, in
fact, this is the only US colored vinyl Chad & Jeremy item.
This is also the only promo single with black type. Starting with
"I Don't Wanna Lose You Baby", the promotional copies
of singles would be in red print.
LPs, however, would be a different story. The first three LPs would all be released as black print, white label promos. After that point, promos were issued of mono LPs by placing a three inch tall, and eleven inch wide "Columbia Radio Sation Service" sticker on the cover, which listed the names of the tracks, and the timings. These are frequently referred to as "timing strips". "The Ark" was the only LP to be issued with a "timing strip" on a stereo copy of the LP, but the label really had no choice, as "Of Cabbages And Kings" was the last LP with a mono pressing. This red vinyl disc is a great collectable, as not only was it the first Chad & Jeremy record on Columbia, but it is also a red vinyl promo. And besides, "Before And After" was a great song.
Here are the dueling picture sleeves...on the left, Columbia "introduces" Before and After, but they prefer to "present" I Don't Wanna Lose You Baby. Otherwise, the text and design is exactly the same. It originates from a Freeman, Sutton & Associates press release also found on this site, and was used as the text to the original cover to the "Before and After" LP.
