A few more albums have been updated in the Vertigo swirl section, complete with the usual details on gatefold sleeves (and pictures of both) as well as any other interesting facts I can dig up! Lots more to update so keep checking back regularly:
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All posts for the month September, 2012
Mike Absalom’s self-titled album on Vertigo is an interesting enigma with regards to its label design. Given the catalogue number of 6360 053 and supposedly released towards the end of 1971, the ‘usual’ label design features the expected small swirl logo and VERTIGO above the spindle hole…yet a label variation exists with a large swirl and VERTIGO below the spindle. The last known large swirl label design was way back on 6360 040 – some 13 albums earlier than Absalom’s. Any clues anyone? Read my theories by clicking here.
Oh and check out Mike Absalom’s website here, it’s got some great examples of the lyrics from the album including cartoon illustrations by Hugh Workman, here’s an example of ‘John The Bog’
Gentle Giant’s ‘Acquiring The Taste’ and ‘Octopus’ have now been updated in the Vertigo Swirl section. Click the sleeves below to go to each album’s page:
WWA Records was a short-lived vehicle for Black Sabbath and Gentle Giant to enjoy a little more freedom creatively (and probably to give them more control over their finances) having been ‘shackled’ to a larger record label for several years. Only 14 albums were released, several of which were reissues of earlier Black Sabbath albums released on Vertigo swirl.
Click the sleeve images to go to each album’s page…and if you’re wondering what happened to WWA011, my guess is it was reserved for Sabbath’s next album after ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ but with the debacle over getting sued by their former manager, it was delayed so long it ended up being released on NEMS…in other words, ‘Sabotage’…just my guess of course!
A few more additions to the site; ZZ Top’s second album is becoming more difficult to find in good condition on the original London Records label (an offshoot of Decca); Captain Beefheart and Mike Oldfield have also been added on the original Virgin label featuring the ‘two virgins and red dragon’ label design. Also another obscure title on the Pegasus label (with the second ‘PEG’ style label rather than the original winged horse style label). Lots more updates and additions to come!
Many thanks to Steve Moore for emailing in with great pics of his rare copy of the “Harvest Sampler Of The Initial Four June Releases” from 1969. This is believed to be a DJ promo only release to help ‘launch’ the newly formed Harvest label. It promotes the first 4 albums on Harvest from Deep Purple, Michael Chapman, Shirley & Dolly Collins and Pete Brown & His Battered Ornaments.
Steve wondered why SHVL753 had been omitted from the sample record and I can advise him that it is my belief that Panama Limited Jug Band’s album was not released until around September/October of 1969 (despite it having the third catalogue number in the sequence between Pete Brown’s SHVL752 and the Collinses’ SHVL754), thereby not being ready in time to be included on the sampler…
It’s a definite rarity, rumoured to be limited to a production run of 100 copies, and thanks once again to Steve for supplying the images and showing an interest in the site! Rest of Harvest section to be updated in next few weeks!
Newly discovered label variation on Magna Carta’s live album on Vertigo swirl. ‘In Concert’ with the catalogue number 6360 068 has two issues on Vertigo swirl, even the long-established fan-site vertigo swirl.com has not published this label variation…
Note the change in layout and the addition of ‘Made in England’ to the right of the label on the 2nd, later issue (shown right).
Click here to go to the album page and see the sleeve in all its glory!
A further 8 Harvest LPs have been fully updated, click the sleeves to go to each album’s page:
The first 20 ‘6360’ Vertigo swirls have now been updated, with bigger pictures and all known reissues with label variations too. More updates to Vertigo coming soon…have you noticed the similarity between Uriah Heep, Juicy Lucy and Patto covers on this page…?
This is how Black Sabbath’s second album would have looked if they’d stuck to their original intentions…
When you see the ‘correct’ title of “War Pigs” it makes so much more sense of Marcus Keef’s front cover concept. The pink-clad-warrior idea was obviously intended to reflect the album’s original title and is probably why “War Pigs” was also the first track on the album.
Recorded in June 1970 and released in September just a few months after their debut in February of that year, USA was still deeply ingrained in the Vietnam conflict and anti-war demonstrations were rife in America. Sabbath were due to tour for the first time in support of the debut and new album releases and the new album’s title was deemed to be too inflammatory. The album title was changed to “Paranoid” to coincide with the first single release.
The album went to No.1 in the UK albums chart, and No. 12 in the US, so thankfully the title change appeared not to affect sales in any way, although instead of being identified as anti-war protesters in the US, Sabbath instead were labelled satanists and devil worshippers due to some lyrical content on the first album. Don’t know which is worse!? But it doesn’t appear to have harmed their career…
Rare Record Collector 