Two albums from IF have been added to the Gull Records section, GULP 1004 and GULP 1007, the band had previously released albums on Island and United Artists labels.
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All posts for the month October, 2012
Black Sabbath’s debut on the iconic Vertigo Swirl label has been issued three times before eventually being reissued on the Spaceship label. However, a sharp-eyed viewer (thanks to Martin in Copenhagen!) has noticed a variation in the label design. Here are the swirl labels in the order I believe them to have been issued:
And here are the differences (in same cases very subtle!)
1st Issue
- Large swirl logo above spindle
- ‘VERTIGO’ below spindle
- ‘A PHILIPS RECORD PRODUCT’ below ‘VERTIGO’
- ‘BLACK SABBATH’ is slightly offset to the right above ‘VERTIGO’
- ‘VO6 847 903 VTY’ and then below that ‘847 903 2Y’ is all off centre and ranged towards the right with the last line extending beyond the middle line
- ’33⅓’ is below and left of the ‘℗ 1970’
2nd Issue (Martin’s newly discovered copy) – changes from 1st Issue in italics
- Large swirl logo above spindle
- ‘VERTIGO’ below spindle
- No ‘A PHILIPS RECORD PRODUCT’ wording below ‘VERTIGO’
- ‘BLACK SABBATH’ is smaller but still slightly offset to the right above ‘VERTIGO’
- ‘VO6 847 903 VTY’ and then below that ‘847 903 2Y’ is all off centre and ranged towards the right with the last line extending beyond the middle line
- ’33⅓’ is centred below the ‘℗ 1970’
3rd Issue (previously known as 2nd issue) – changes from 2nd Issue in italics
- ‘BLACK SABBATH’ looks slightly larger and is centred above ‘VERTIGO’, it is also nearer to ‘VERTIGO’
- ‘VO6 847 903 VTY’ and then below that ‘847 903 2Y’ is now closer to being centred and the last line centred below the middle line
- ’33⅓’ is slightly off centre (to the left) below the ‘℗ 1970’
4th Issue (previously known as 3rd issue) – changes from 3rd Issue in italics
- Small swirl logo above spindle
- ‘VERTIGO’ above spindle
- ‘BLACK SABBATH’ is larger
- ‘VO6 847 903 VTY’ and then below that ‘847 903 2Y’ is centred with the last line ranged left
- ‘℗ 1970’ has been moved below ’33⅓’ and is slightly off to the right
Thanks again to Martin from Copenhagen…so, are there any more variations in existence! Send me your scans if you find any!
Here’s another classic concept by ace sleeve designer Marcus Keef. A super rare LP to find on Vertigo these days. Click here to see all the details on the sleeve, label and matrix.
Has anyone spotted that Houses Of The Holy when initialised spells HOTH…which also happens to be the name of a Norse God who was tricked into slaying his almost immortal brother…? Or is it just me?!
Hoth (an anglicised spelling of Höðr) was blind and the brother of Baldr (or Balder or Baldur). Baldr was almost invincible and could only be slain with mistletoe. The Norse gods amused themselves by trying various weapons out on Baldr, to no effect. Loki, however, made an arrow out of mistletoe and, tricking Hoth, guided his bow and arrow towards Baldr killing him. Odin, enraged at this, gave birth to a son Vali, who grew to adulthood within one day and killed Hoth in revenge.
Just found this to be quite an interesting insight, given the lyrics to ‘Immigrant Song’ on Led Zeppelin III and the Norse runes and symbols adorning the untitled 4th album…wonder what Mr. Page would have to say?