We have received extensive information
from two of our readers about Vertigo in Mexico. It will take some time
to sort them out, please be patient, you will be rewarded!
The following facts seem to have been established:
Mexican Vertigo was at first distributed and manufactured by Discos
Universalis S.A. (aka DUSA) in 1971. This was followed up by Polydor in
1972 until 1976. Most of the releases were headed by a ''rock power''
program, that also existed in Brazil and Columbia (see those pages for
examples). This was designed by Hervé Pompeyo. The very first
pressings of these albums bear different catalogue numbers to their
British counterpart. Later pressings have the same numbers. The first
batch of albums had the rock power bar on top of the cover as a loose
paper strip just like Japanese obis! Clearly these are impossible to
find 35 years later on. Subsequent pressings had them printed on the
cover.
Special interest goes to the Black
Sabbath discography, as ''Paranoid'' was the first album by this band
to be released in Mexico.
BLACK SABBATH Paranoico LRG
23011 (later pressings: 23001 and even later 6366 106, both from 1971)
BLACK SABBATH 2 23004/6360 047
BLACK SABBATH Master of reality
23005/6360 050
BLACK SABBATH Vol.4
23007/6360 071
LRG
23011 - 23001 - 6366 106
BLACK SABBATH - PARANOICO

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Presumed to be the first of three different swirl pressings of this
record. It carries a catalogue number with an ''old'' Polydor prefix,
as was used on many South American albums: LRG 23011. The other two
releases were in black and white and carried a Union Jack logo in the
corner of the cover.
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6360
015
WARHORSE - ''same''

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Also Warhorse's debut LP was released as part of the ''rock power''
program. The cover needed some tampering to incorporate the top bar.
The colour of the lettering was adapted, but not for the better and the
lettering itself was relocated.
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23004 - 6360 047
BLACK SABBATH - 2

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Another ''rock power'' release, this had to be retitled ''2'', although
it is the debut album. Paranoico,
the second LP proper was already released before.We do not enjoy the
mutilating program bar on one of Vertigo's best cover designs.
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23005 - 6360 050
BLACK SABBATH - MASTER OF REALITY
Details as of yet unknown.
23007 - 6360 071
BLACK SABBATH - VOL.4

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Still a gatefold, but no book cover. Slightly altered coulours, though.
The top bar is not as offensive as on other releases.
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MEXICO
SINGLES
and EP's
We have only been able to locate two
singles and two EP's from Mexico, but we are sure that there are other
single releases. Again, please drop us a line if you have any of these
at your disposition.

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| Mexican
picture sleeve for 2256, Jim Croce
Operator/ Photographs and memories/ You don't mess around with Jim/
Rapid boy [the stock car boy]. |
Mexican
B-side label for 2256. ''Hecho in Mexico'' appears at 4 o'clock.
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Year of release is unknown. The A-side
label has the full swirl logo, without any lettering. This EP seems to
be part of a series with the same upper bar on all issues. ''La nueva
generacion electrica'' seems too much honour for Mr.Croce, though.

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| Mexican
picture sleeve for 6276 004 Black Sabbath Paranoid/ Rat salad/ Electric funeral. |
Mexican
picture sleeve for 6276 005 Warhorse St.Louis/
Sin chance de quemar (= No chance). |
Mexican
picture sleeve for 6276 008 Black Sabbath Children of the grace/ Lord of this world. |
We did, however, receive reliable
information that the following promo single has been released.
1702-1861/2 GRAHAM BOND
A: Hechizo (Ajama). B: Todos preguntan por Jesus (Hail Ra-Harakhite).
GUATEMALA ALBUMS
As you will probably understand, it is
not too easy to gather information about releases from this country. We
have found only one album from Guatemala yet.
The contents and the cover of this
album are virtually the same as on other
issues of this record. Only at the top right of the cover a small white
Vertigo logo was inserted. Please refer to the
Italy page
for a description.
6366 115
BLACK SABBATH - SABOTAGE (1975)

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Titles were translated into Spanish in
Guatemala. At 7 o'clock the wording ''Hecho en Guatemala'' appears.
Apparently this release was licensed from The Netherlands.
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COLOMBIA ALBUMS
We have only seen one differing album
from Colombia advertised, see scan below. As the scan is pretty bad, we
could not discern the catalogue number, so we do not know whether or
not this is identical to Britain.

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Colombian Vertigo embraced the ''rock
power'' program, already known from Mexican and Brazilian releases.
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We have not encountered any single
releases from Colombia, but they do likely exist.
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We sincerely hope that you will
be of assistance in making this information as reliable as possible.
In case of any contributions or questions or even complaints, please
use this here
virtual address: e-mail.