Over the coming weeks we'll be adding lists of "known editions" to the Vinyl albums discography. If you spot any errors or know of more editions, please post in this thread.

Thank you.

Hi Alan .... Just noticed a couple of errors on known editions of Images (USA) which are all listed on Deram but should be on London ......also I Dig Everything on 10" was released in 2000 and not 2003

Cheers Mike, lists amended.

You may have to hit your refresh button to see the changes.

Two quick updates:
- Glass Spider Live was issued on red vinyl as well as black vinyl
- The promo-only College Radio Series lp was issued in two variations: with either 'College Radio Series' or 'Special Radio Series' on the front cover

Pics will follow when I have the time!

Thanks Maarten,

Hit your refresh button to see the revised lists.

Addition to "When the Wind Blows"

Australian An edition was available that was shrink wrapped and stickered containing a cassingle of the title track. The cassingle is in a standard plastic cassette case, with a cover showing the cover of the 7" single.

My albums are in storage, otherwise I'd photo this item - I have two copies, both sealed.

Thanks Colin, list updated,

Question about the accuracy of "known list" for

Australian " the man who sold the world" - mercury

viewforum.php?f=21


The listing says there is a black label copy.

Whilst I cannot rule this out absolutely, to the best of my knowledge Australian Mercury Lp pressings changed from a Red label to a Blue label sometime after late 1971.


I have never seen a Black label Australian Mercury album ( of this period), of any artist, nor have I ever seen, or read about, anything than a Red labelled Australian MWSTW on Mercury.

Some general corrections / additional clarification of Australian editions (RCA and EMI) in known lists:
Note: my LP's are in storage - from memory.

RCA

Unless specified otherwise , all LP's on RCA Victor

From about the turn of the decade ( 1970) until at least Changesonebowie Australian RCA lps are very thin and very flexible, though the copy of Ziggy I borrowed in late 73 was not - so perhaps RCA Australia, before 73, on occasion used other pressing plants. Also, all Australian RCA LP's have the RCA logo on the front cover.


Hunky Dory
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Space Oddity
The Man Who Sold the World
Pinups
Young Americans

The above first editions of all of these Australian pressed LP's have the following in common:

Orange label
No inserts ( lyric sheets, or posters)
"Essex Music" as publisher of Bowie songs up to and including MWSTW - can't recall YA
Laminated front cover.


Tan labels, introduced circa October 1977

Publishing credits changed also, I think in this order, "Essex / Harry Fox", and then Essex / Festival. I don't recall if any orange labels are like this.



The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (only):

Green label - RCA International (memory hazy on this - may have been Best Buy), New catalogue number, no insert.



(The lack of ) inserts did not change, but. a generic insert was created upon the Australian release of Changesonebowie, and was placed in ALL LP's that did not have their own specific inner bag ( ie list above + Diamond Dogs, Changesonebowie). By the time Stage ( late 1978) was released, this bag was no longer produced. Stage did not come with this insert. The insert is the Golden Years period blue background photo on one side, and colour images of all RCA lps up to and including Station to Station. From memory, it does not have an image of Changesonebowie on it.
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Aladdin Sane

RCA Australia imported a small quantity of English LP's, and used the English cover, for the first and only time, as the basis for the Australian cover*, though retained the original (US) catalogue number. Initially, they must have not wished to include the lyric bag ( extra cost), as the "lyrics included" on the rear cover was removed, but did so anyway. Aladdin Sane was available in almost the same presentation - gatefold cover, catalogue number and insert until almost the end of the RCA contract. Some very late pressings dropped the lyric bag.

Australian pressings utilise the English cover layout, with a US originated stamper / label titles, and hence the localities for the songs is missing altogether. ( Worst of both worlds)

Planned for a July 1973 release ( see code on rear cover), it was "rush released" in May. I have an RCA Australia flyer to this effect.

First edition can be identified by:

Orange label
Essex publishing credits
Laminated outer cover
Square lyric bag

Tan labels, as tan section for the earlier LP's. Some lyric bags may have a cut corner, to ease packing - Australian covers are noticeably smaller than US or UK covers.

As some point, though I am not clear when, the laminate was (sometimes (?)) dropped.

* Changesonebowie uses the US cover, though with a printed version of the UK sticker

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Diamond Dogs - unique catalogue number - CPL1-0576-G

First edition can be identified by:

Orange label
Essex publishing credits (I think)
Laminated outer cover
"Future Legend" listing on rear cover

Second edition can be identified by:

Orange label
Essex publishing credits ( I think - can't recall)
Laminated outer cover
"Future Legend / Bewitched" listing on rear cover

Tan labels, as per tan labels.
Track listing on cover as per second edition.

Final edition is on green label, ( I think) RCA international / or Best buy - whatever is is , same as budget Ziggy Stardust.

Single sleeve, different catalogue number. From memory, not laminated.

Unlike US and UK editions, the artist on all Australian produced editions is "David Bowie"
"Bowie" is the artist listing only on the singles Rebel Rebel, Diamond Dogs and Knock on Wood.
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David Live
Station to Station
Low

First edition can be identified by:

Orange label
Laminated front cover
original inner bag(s) - as per each album.

Second edition as per tan labels.
Inner bags throughout RCA contract
Catalogue numbers remained the same.

Unlike US and UK, recording dates on David Live did not change, nor did cover, though some later ones may not be laminated

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Changesonebowie

Changesonebowie has a printed version of the UK sticker on the front cover, as the US sticker info is incorrect for Australia.

First edition can be identified by:

Orange label
Laminated front cover
generic inner sleeve, as described above
No "MainMan" logo on rear cover
676 date code on rear (or is it 776?)

Second edition can be identified by:

Orange label
Laminated front cover ( as I recall)
generic inner sleeve, as described above
"MainMan" logo on rear cover
1176 ( or is 1076?) date code on rear

Third edition

Tan label - as per tan labels, I have no definitive statement on the MainMan logo - don't recall if it disappeared again.

____________________________________________________________________

One EMI comment:

First edition Let's Dance has a fold out lyric sheet, rather than an inner bag, though made of the same material.

I don't have one, but the copy I heard the week it was released, did.

________________________________________________________________________

That it's - quitting whilst I'm ahead.

Incidentally I discussed that black label Australian TMWSTW with Jean Charles a while ago. He told me that it was the UK album in an Australian sleeve. The person he got it from had bought it like that in the very early 70s. Maybe Mercury Australia imported copies from the UK before they had their own copies pressed?

The short answer is I don't know.

What I do know is the following:

I have never seen an Australian Mercury cover ( of any artist), from this general period, with a non Australian LP inside ( as it originally came). I did however in 1978 see a Australian cover with a US counterfeit copy of the MWSTW - clearly not as the record company sold to the public.

What I have heard, from people in the industry at the time, was that it was possible to buy Australian Mercury MWSTWs at Myer Melbourne ( a major department store) on the bargain table, circa 72 - AUD $1.99.

The only other similar case that I am aware of is EMI Australia importing UK sleeves and inserts for Sgt Pepper, to sell with Australian pressed LP's.

In short, the scenario described may have happened, but there is no evidence to suggest it did, either directly, or by way of similar practices with other releases.( Australian Phonogram - circa 1969 - 1973).
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On a more general note, when in doubt about the authenticity of a disc, I compare it to other discs of the same period by the same manufacturer.

For example, the 1980 US 45 "Fashion, It's No Game, Teenage Wildlife" available as a RCA white label promo. By comparing it to other RCA 7" promos pf the same period it is relatively easy to tell if it's genuine - thickness of vinyl, print quality, matrix stamping font and spacing, shape of vinyl (not as in "round" , but as in edge shape, ridges, etc)

If it's unlike all others it's probably a fake, or if there's another like it, maybe, and probably not.

Another thought:

In Australia in the early 70's it was common for a record cover to be displayed in the rack, and the record itself to be behind the counter, often in a generic, made for record stores, white bag. These bags had space for catalogue number, artist, album title etc, as well as order quantities.

In the same period ( 71 /72) some major Australian cities had import stores - stores that specifically supplied overseas ( usually US or UK) manufactured copies. Many reasons - quality of presentation and pressing, timing - often Australian release dates were way after original , no Australian release. Whilst US LPs would usually stay sealed, depending on the store, UK LPs were not sealed, and may have been racked similarly to Australian LPs.

That being the case, if a store had both a UK and Australian copy, a not too alert store person could have easily put the wrong disc in the wrong cover.

Just speculation, I know, but stranger things have happened.

And of course
, new?, secondhand?.

The first Australian Mercury copy of MWSTW I bought was absolutely thrashed - the owner said he used to play it at parties. The cover was so bad I covered it with laminate. Replaced it as soon as I could.

The balance of probability does suggest it's a mix and match and I've therefore removed it from the list.

Expect more from me when I've had time to absorb your RCA posts.

Many thanks!

Addition and modification to UK Mercury "The Man Who Sold The World".

Photo and listing is of first press (ing run), with incorrect label spelling of "Tonny" Visconti

Label was corrected afterwards to "Tony".

Here is a Popsike listing that supports that:

http://www.popsike.com/David-Bowie-The- ... 27683.html

I cannot supply photo - I have issue with "Tonny" spelling. ( I think it should be Tony )

Addition & modification to US Young Americans:

Both with original catalogue numbers APL1-0998

First edition:

Orange label
Lyric bag with mistake ( No "RE" in corner on one side)
Sticker on shrink re hit single "Young Americans"

Second edition*

(Lighter - almost midway to tan) Orange label
Corrected lyric bag ( has "RE" on one side near one corner)
Sticker on shrink re hit single "Fame".

*I purchased this configuration in late 1975

I cannot recall what was modified on lyric sheet.

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Possible
Addition to UK Young Americans

?? edition, with orange label contained lyric bag.
Original catalogue number RS 1006

Background:

Every UK Young Americans that I had come across ( in Australia) was without a lyric sheet, except the one I refer to. Purchased 15 years ago at least, it contains a lyric bag, and was unlike any other I had seen - including the label on the disc, though I am certain it says Made in England on the label.

Other RCA issues from that period, eg Knock on Wood 45 ( See Chas Pearson's listings)

http://www.bowie-singles.co.uk/UKRCA/Knock_On_Wood.html

included some pressings which are not of the usual UK RCA layout, and were perhaps outsourced.

Perhaps someone closer to the UK may know more about this.

Record in storage, hence no photo.