Why is this called "Best Deluxe"? On the labels there is just David Bowie and on the front cover too. Comes it from the japanese subtitles?

IdbD Ref#9868

Hi Manfred,

It's a translation of ベスト・デラックス from the label and the back of the sleeve.

Thanks for the explanation, Alan. I've waited for one for about a decade. No joke!
Nice to know that.

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Jens

more specifically, the title is written in katakana which is the japanese form for writing non-Japanese words, so it literally reads "Best Deluxe" as opposed to being a translation of the Japanese words for "best" and "deluxe". if read slowly character by character it would sound something like BEH-SU-TU DEH-LA-KU-SU.

Thanks to you, too, Shooky - now it all makes sense to me!

But one more question about this record (since we're discussing it anyway): in the vinyl discography it's listed as a 1973 release. And 1973 is, in fact, the date on the labels. But that often refers to the original release date of the recordings, rather than to that of the actual record.
Pegg gives 1974 as the year of release, and in his Moonage Daydream (not the most reliable of books, admittedly) Dave Thompson even gives a month (March 1974).

Can anybody confirm a release date?

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Jens

but that's rarely if ever the case in Japan where the label and sleeve date is the year of release. see the repackaged "Special" for evidence of that where the identical content now has a '76 on the labels.

i see the March '74 date elsewhere online but that may be the date it first appeared as an import or was first reported outside of Japan? it may also apply to the issue pictured on this site (my own copy) with the over-stickered price increase*. the discography list also includes reference to promo copies but i've personally never seen or heard of a promo copy for this album. a press release should give us a definite answer.

* note to mods: the link to this entry is under first issue ¥3000, but there's a later entry in the list with the ¥3600 price.

I also have an alternative March 1974 release date that came from a Japanese collector.


I believe there’s also a 1976 pressing manufactured by “RVC Corporation” with ¥3600 printed on the sleeve. Your album is the first issue “Victor Musical Industries” pressing.

There may also be a 1980 reissue with a “Golden Double” Obi, SRA 9503/04.

An unconfirmed promo sleeve.

I stumbled upon this Japanese site last night, which lists two editions for Best Deluxe (¥3000 and ¥3600). The date for the first edition is March 1974. I haven't had the time to verify the other dates published.

Hmmm...

Thanks for the replies. You're right, Shooky, the 76 date for the re-issue is a good point.
But there seem to be arguments for the (March) 74 release date for the original as well.
Looks like only a press release (or something like that) could actually answer that question.

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Jens

but you know how things get repeated in print and become accepted as fact. considering the fastidiousness of the japanese record industry for amending errors, i'd expect to see at least one pressing showing the '74 date.

i've just looked in the below book and the release date is listed as 73.10.

Yes, of course, there is a lot of rubbish repeated again and again (the "second King Bees single", to name but the worst rumour).

And it's interesting to see that there are actually Japanese books that list 1973 as the year of release (and even give a month). As regards this record, I would trust Japanese authors more than, say, Pegg or Thompson. So 1973 is getting more likely.

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Jens

i've found a second October '73 date in print, but the publisher is the same as the book pictured above, so it would be good to find a contemporary advertisement or listing for it to provide something more definitieve.

Well if you use catalogue numbers

1973 release here of near number by Sylvie Vartan

https://www.discogs.com/Sylvie-Vartan-Deluxe-Edition-VolOne-%E5%A4%A7%E5%85%A8%E9%9B%86%E4%B8%8A%E5%B7%BB/release/5715196

After number is this but can not find link on internet for this release.

JOHN DENVER Best 24 Deluxe SRA9414 2LP could help if a release date Late 73 or early 74 could be found. Image below does not enable look at vinyl date.
https://www.google.co.uk/ ... omFVRSM%3A


Other clues might be if it is mentioned in any PinUps Japanese release information which would date it prior to its December release? Interestingly PinUps is marked as a 1974 release on its label!! So is December correct?

PinUps was late in Japan and Diamond Dogs seems to be August so when was best gap for this package and why get the label wrong? 73 has strong argument unless they held it back for marketing reasons.