6360
078
not released in Britain but it
was in Peru!, please refer to that page.
6360
079
JADE WARRIOR - LAST AUTUMN'S
DREAM
(autumn
1972)
|
|
Line-up: David Duhig, gtr/
Tony Duhig, gtr, bsgtr/ Jon Field, fl, gtr, perc/ Glyn Havard, voc,
bsgtr, gtr/ Alan Price (not that one, I suppose), dr.
Production: Jade
Warrior.
Cover-art by
Kunio Hagio.
Photography by
unknown
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at Nova Sound Studios.
Track listing A-side: A Winter's Tale (Tony Duhig + Jon Field +
Glyn Harvard) 5'06''/ Snake
(Tony Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 2'55''/ Dark River (Tony Duhig
+ Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 6'26''/ Joanne
(Tony Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 2'50''/ Obedience (Tony Duhig +
Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 3'12''.
Track listing B-side:
Morning Hymn (Tony Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 3'36''/ May Queen
(Tony Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 5'22''/ The Demon Trucker (Tony
Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard + David Duhig) 2'34''/ Lady Of The
Lake (Tony Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 3'17''/ Borne On The Solar
Wind
(Tony Duhig + Jon Field + Glyn Harvard) 3'12.
The Vertigo logo on front is black.
There are no running time indications on the label, they are inside the
gatefold.
Matrix number A-side:
6360079
1Y//4 ▼420 1 1 5
Matrix number B-side:
6360079 2Y//4 ▼420 1 1 3
Rarity scale: R2
|
It's the same recipe, but as it mostly
tastes well, why change? Raucous hard-rock contrasts with meditative
spacey episodes, flute as always to the fore, we know this. New is the
increase of mixtures within the same song. Like etherical flute over
sombre and rolling rhythms in
Dark
river, or a touch of Hendrix over rhythmical contrasts in
Joanne. Even the soaring guitar can
be the meditative element, as happens in
Obedience, a song with a decidedly
uncool title. African rhythms bear a frolicking flute and a cutting
fuzz guitar in
May queen. A
slight step foreward is a step forward too. Compared with later albums
for Island this still sounds adventurous, and thus better. Only the
monotonous
The demon trucker
does not keep the high standard up.
Another great drawing, combining traditional Japanese woodcuts with
western comics culture. One of those covers that you can look at often,
and still discover new details every time. The colours are very
well-chosen too
The lettering is good enough, again no unlucky japanizing here.
Inside the lyrics and pictures of band members. OK, but a bit
simplistic.
6360
080
GENTLE GIANT - OCTOPUS
(autumn
1972)
|
|
Line-up: Gary Green, gtr/
Kerry Minnear, voc, keyb, vibr, vlc/ Derek Shulman, voc, sax/ Philip
Shulman, voc, sax, trp/ Ray Shulman, voc, bsgtr, vl/ John Weathers, dr.
Production:
Gentle Giant.
Cover-art by
Roger Dean.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side: The Advent Of Panurge/ Raconteur,
Troubadour/ A Cry For Everyone/ Knots.
Track listing B-side:
The Boys In The Band/ Dog's Life/ Think Of Me With Kindness/ River.
All tracks by Kerry Minnear + Derek Shulman + Philip Shulman + Ray
Shulman.
The Vertigo logo on front is green.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
Matrix number A-side:
6360080
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 2
Matrix number B-side:
6360080 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 5
Rarity scale: R2
|
With the excellent Weathers wielding
the sticks instead of Mortimer, GG pulls all stops. Nothing is left of
the restrained and forced impression made by Three Friends. This whole
record breathes adventure, courage and complexity in a way never heard
before within rockland, a promise fulfilled. Renaissance stylings are
introduced, as is bone-dry hard-rock with polyphonic parts. At times
the music weaves a net of syncopated notes that can carry you away into
never trodden realms. The vocal parts of the opening track defy the
ability to hear them all at once. Subtle contrapoint is used in
Raconteur, troubadour. Highlight
for many: the utmost complex vocals of
Knots, a title well-chosen. Also
very commendable: the trip through different musical areas (and eras)
of
River. The first GG album
without any real flaws, this stands as one of the best British records
of the seventies.
A wild octopus swirls through the frontcover, even the waves he causes
look like claws. This is a bad-tempered octopus, friends! Look at the
lovely pattern on its very head. Ugly and beautiful.
The lettering is just good enough, saved through the intelligent use of
its colours.
Inside the lyrics and on the background it's our monster again, this
time in aqua blue and white.
Notes: There are
two different publishers label credits known of this. The alternate
crediting (to Alucard Music) looks like this:
This was
released in the USA on Columbia (KC 32022) in a nice gimmicks cover: a
die-cut curd jar with an octopus caught within.
6360
081
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - FRAMED
(end of
1972)
|
|
Line-up: Zal Cleminson,
gtr/ Chris Glen, bsgtr/ Alex Harvey, voc/ Phil Kenzie, sax/ Eddie
McKenna, dr/ Hugh McKenna, keyb.
Production: Alex
Harvey Band.
Cover-design by
Bloomsbury Group.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at Morgan Studios.
Track listing A-side: Framed/ Hammer Song/ Midnight Moses/
Isobel Goudie a) My Lady Of The Night b) Coitus Interruptus c) Virgin
And The Hunter.
Track listing B-side:
Buff's Bar Blues/ I Just Want To Make Love To You (Willy Dixon)/ Hole
In Her Stocking/ There's No Lights On The Christmas Tree Mother,
They're Burning Big Louie Tonight/ St.Anthony.
The Vertigo logo on front is gray.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
There are no composer's credits anywhere (isn't that actually illegal?).
Matrix number A-side:
6360081
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 3
Matrix number B-side:
6360081 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 3
Rarity scale: R2
|
After a largely chequered career,
Harvey emerged with hard-rockers Tear Gas to back him as a live
sensation. How difficult it is to catch the excitement of a band like
this on vinyl is brought to the surface by Framed. Songs derived from
simple blues structures must always have a little surplus in whatever
musical way to attract the ear. Most of the tracks here
do not have this extra. As a sad example may serve the ominously titled
Buff's bar blues. On the other
hand there is the cunningly instrumentated Isobel Goudie, a track that readily
proves that the SAHB is able to do more than rattle with stereotypes.
And the bizarre (to put it mildly) lyrics of ''Christmas Tree'' are at
least uncommon. Fans of bulldozer-rock may dig St.Anthony, but on the whole
there is not enough originality found here, some crashing guitar parts
of Cleminson notwithstanding.
The cover is just grey, with a small window cut out to reveal Harvey
behind bars. Isn't this barrenness driven a bit too far? On the
backcover the band indulges in garbage and litter, very tasty!
The lettering adapts itself to the bleakness and fits to the image.
Inside we discover that our man is indeed incarcerated in a
frighteningly shabby jail. A picture of the band is present too.
Notes: An old article
in Record Collector claims that this was only issued on swirl Vertigo
as a promo. This is clearly not correct.
Subsequent pressings with the ''ufo'' label omit a caption about
Phonogram on the top left hand side of the back cover.
6360
082
STATUS QUO - PILEDRIVER
(end of
1972)
|
|
Line-up: John Coghlan, dr/
Jimmy Horowitz, keyb/ Alan Lancaster, bsgtr, gtr, voc/ Richard Parfitt,
gtr, keyb, voc/ Francis Rossi, gtr, voc/ Rob Young, harm.
Production:
Status Quo.
Cover-design by
unknown
Photography by
Steve Campbell.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at I.B.C. Studios.
Track listing A-side: Don't Waste My Time (Francis Rossi + Rob
Young) 4'18''/ O Baby (Francis Rossi + Richard Parfitt) 4'33''/ A Year
(Alan Lancaster + Bernard Frost) 5'50''/ Unspoken Words (Francis Rossi
+ Rob Young) 5'10''.
Track listing B-side:
Big Fat Mama (Francis Rossi + Richard Parfitt) 5'53''/ Paper Plane
(Francis Rossi + Rob Young) 2'57''/ All The Reasons (Richard Parfitt +
Alan Lancaster)/ Roadhouse Blues (Doors) 7'28''.
The Vertigo logo on front is black.
There are no running time indications on the label, they are on the
backcover.
There are no composer's credits on the label, they are on the backcover.
Matrix number A-side:
6360082
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 10
Matrix number B-side:
6360082 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 4
Rarity scale: R1
|
Quo is one of the greatest enigmas of
rock. How can a mildly inventive psych band with two reasonably
interesting albums under its belt transform into a mindless
boogie-riffing machine? On this first outing for Vertigo, if we counted
right the eighth one in all, there is nothing left of anything that
even ressembles originality or intention. Only the slightly different A year escapes the general
debility, otherwise it's all repetition and convention. Well, the
blues-rock of Unspoken words
is listenable too (but where did we hear this before... almost got
it... no, it escaped...). Public taste surely treads strange paths.
Pretty characteristic and very rhythmical live shot on the cover, but
it is framed in the
prototype of mindlessness designing. A cover unworthy of Vertigo's
standards. The backcover is just plain dreary, but it also shows an
inane
ape, playing with an inflatable rocket titled ''Piledriver''. It would
be nice to think that this is a finger pointing towards
self-reflection, but then again, we are quite sure it is not.
The lettering is unspeakable. A brutal misuse of one of mankind's
greatest achievements: written language.
Lyrics inside, decent photographs of the delinquents and the ape again.
You never know...
Notes: This was
released in the USA on A&M (SP-4381) in 1974.
Recently a bootleg swirl release is circulating with this catalogue
number too: Black Sabbath's Still
paranoid in 75.
The origins of this release are unclear.
6360
083
JOHN DUMMER'S OOBLEEDOOBLEE BAND -
OOBLEEDOOBLEE JUBILEE
(beginning of
1973)
|
|
Line-up: John Dummer, dr/
Mike Evans, vl/ Dave Kelly, gtr, voc/ Adrian Pietryga, gtr, keyb/ Iain
Thomson, bsgtr, voc/ Kingsley Ward, keyb.
Production:
Fritz Fryer for Boggle Productions.
Cover-art by
unknown
Photography by
unknown.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at Rockfield Studios.
Track listing A-side: Passing Through (Dave Kelly) 2'45''/ Hello
L.A. Bye Bye Birmingham (Delaney Bramlett + M.Davis) 3'50''/
Oobleedooblee Jubilee (trad.) 2'40''/ I've Been Scorned (Staples)
9'00''.
Track listing B-side:
Lovin' Man (Jo-Ann Kelly) 3'40''/ The Monkey Speaks His Mind
(Dave Kelly) 3'30''/ Fairy Tale (Iain Thompson) 4'45''/ Sometimes
(Adrian Pietryga) 4'00''/ Too Much Monkey Business (Chuck Berry) 2'45''.
The Vertigo logo on front is black.
There are no running time indications on the label, they are on the
backcover.
Matrix number A-side:
6360083
1Y//1 1 1 1
Actually it's 6360068, but ''68'' has been crossed out and ''83'' has
been added by hand and shpws only faintly.
Matrix number B-side:
6360083 2Y//1 1 1
Same mistake as with the A-side.
Rarity scale: R2
|
At least the guitar of Dave Kelly does
its best to entertain us, but although the playing is tight, most of
this record is superfluous blues-derived routine music. The material is
nondescript and bleak. Sorry, we have heard all this before and better
too. The Chuck Berry cover is the tragic nadir, one of the worst covers
of this ubiquitous song ever. This is a soup all water and almost no
vegetables (or fish, or lobster, or mutton, for that matter). What a
dismal way to end a series of records like this!
The somewhat mentally impaired bee on the front is likable. Look at the
clever use of four hands. He's akin to Superman, too!
The lettering is perfectly in tune with the image. Pity the designer
was not credited on the cover.
There is no inside! The first Vertigo album to be released in just a
single cover and nothing more. Sign of the times...
numerical intermezzo
Above
release was the last in chronological order to appear with a swirl
label. There were, however, quite some releases in Britain that did
boast a swirl label, but were assigned an irregular catalogue
number, mostly for reasons beyond our conjecture. We will evaluate
these releases below in numerical order.
6325
250
THOMAS F. BROWNE - WEDNESDAY'S CHILD
(summer of
1971)
|
|
Line-up: Thomas F.Browne,
voc, gtr, dr/ Jerry Donahue, gtr/ Pat Donaldson, bsgtr/ Raymond Donnez,
keyb/ Mike Jones, gtr/ Gary Wright, keyb.
Production:
Thomas F. Browne & Mike Jones.
Cover-design by
unknown
Photography by
unknown.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at Island Studios & Olympic Studios.
Track listing A-side: Gentle Sarah/ Carry My Lord/ Bown Bown
Bomm/ Dark Eyed Lady/ It's Coming.
Track listing B-side:
Hold On/ Tomorrow Is Another Day/ Poor Man Smile/ The Alamo.
All tracks by Thomas F. Browne + Mike Jones.
The Vertigo logo on front is white.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
Matrix number A-side:
6325250
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 2
Matrix number B-side:
6325250 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1
Rarity scale: R2
|
What could go wrong with a backing band
like this? Well, almost everything! Boring songs are boring songs, no
matter how tastefully arranged or played. Probably Phonogram tried to
jump on the singer/songwriter bandwagon. They could have better taken
someone else, we guess, as the following words are actually part of the
lyrics:. See them how they run/
goin' round in circles/ everybody's making money/ exceptin' me and you/
la la la/ la la la/ la la la/ la la la. Well, you deserved it,
Thomas!
Two superimposed photographs of Mr. Browne do not really make us happy.
A pile of sand and a compartment window do not either. A cover in
accordance to the music, this is pre-Photoshop, of course.
The lettering is a bit better than the image, but not too exciting
either.
Inside we spot the lyrics and again twice our singer, looking very
relaxed. Horrible trousers he's got.
Notes: The label shows
four persons who get a production credit, the cover only two.
6342
010
LIGHTHOUSE - ONE FINE MORNING
(spring of
1971)
|
|
Line-up: Richard Armin,
vlc/ Ralph Cole, gtr/ Don DiNovo, vla/ Paul Hoffert, keyb, vibr/ Keith
Jollimore, sax, fl/ Bob McBride, voc/ Peter Pantaluk, trp/ Skip Prokop,
dr/ Howard Shore, sax, fl/ Larry Smith, trp, trb/ Louie Yacknin, bsgtr,
cb.
Production:
Jimmy Lenner.
Cover-art by
Martin Dean & Roger Dean.
Photography by
unknown.
Liner notes: by
unknown.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side: Love Of A Woman (Skip Prokop + Ralph
Cole)/ Little Kind Words (Skip Prokop)/ Old Man (Larry Smith)/ Sing,
Sing, Sing (Skip Prokop + Ralph Cole)/ 1849 (Skip Prokop + Ralph Cole).
Track listing B-side:
One Fine Morning (Skip Prokop)/ Hats Off [To The Stranger] (Skip Prokop
+ Bob McBride +
McGraw)/ Show Me The Way (Skip Prokop)/ Step Out On The Sea (Skip
Prokop)/ Sweet Lullabye (Skip Prokop).
The Vertigo logo on front is blue.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
There are no composers credits on the label, they are inside the
gatefold.
Matrix number A-side:
6342010
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 4
Matrix number B-side:
6342010 2Y//2 ▼420 1 1
Rarity scale: R1
|
On paper this kind of band looks a
great idea: well-developed musicians from different disciplines that
play a host of instruments. This way you do not have to hire studio
cracks and can arrange and polish at leasure at home. In real life,
though, almost no acceptable album at all has been produced by such
bands. This one is no exception. Great musicians these all are, but
somehow
brass, strings and rock do not readily match. The arrangements are too
thick, too loud or when they are restrained they are too sweet. A track
like Old man is a good point
in case: the much too honeyed strings and the hopeless block-playing of
the brass are about everything that can damage a ballad. The dull swing
of Sing, sing, sing is
particularly irksome too. The lyrics mirror the music: love and
understanding and all, but much too bulky to be acceptable, let alone
trustworthy. So there you are: another album with competent, even
excellent musicianship, completely squandered on an ill-chosen course.
Oh, they're Canadian, by the way.
One of those typical Dean landscapes adorns the cover A tower, partly
organic, partly man-made, rises above a moving sea. The backcover shows
the same tower in morning light and placid water. Very unwordly.
The lettering is so small as to be non-existent, probably not to
disturb the image. Your magnifying glass will show you that it's placed
at 12 o'clock.
Inside again the tower in white and black, some information on the lads
and a nice photograph of them too.
Notes: This was
released in the USA on Evolution (3007) in 1971 in a different cover.
6342
011
LIGHTHOUSE - THOUGHTS OF MOVIN' ON
(begining of
1972)
|
|
Line-up: Richard Armin,
vlc/ Ralph Cole, gtr/ Don DiNovo, vla/ Paul Hoffert, keyb, vibr/ Keith
Jollimore, sax, fl/ Bob McBride, voc/ Peter Pantaluk, trp/ Skip Prokop,
dr/ Howard Shore, sax, fl/ Larry Smith, trp, trb/ Louie Yacknin, bsgtr,
cb.
Production:
Jimmy Lenner.
Cover-art by
Martin Dean & Roger Dean.
Photography by
unknown.
Liner notes: by
unknown.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side: Take It Slow [Out In The Country] (Ralph
Cole + Larry Smith + Keith Jollimore)/ What Gives You The Right (Howard
Shore)/ You And Me (Howard Shore)/ Fly My Airplane (Paul Hoffert)/ I'd
Be So Happy (Skip Prokop).
Track listing B-side:
I Just Wanna Be Your Friend (Skip Prokop + Bob McBride)/ I'm Gonna Try
To Make It (Larry Smith + Keith Jollimore)/ Rockin' Chair (Skip Prokop
+ Ralph Cole)/ Walk Me Down (Bob McBride)/ Insane (Skip Prokop + Bob
McBride).
The Vertigo logo on front is white.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
There are no composers credits on the label, they are inside the
gatefold.
Matrix number A-side:
6342011
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 1
Matrix number B-side:
6342011 2Y//2 ▼420 1 1
Rarity scale: R1
|
We're almost a year after the debut for
Vertigo and all hands are still on board. Although this is laudable,
the second record sounds strongly like the first with only marginal
improvements. Yes, they have listened to Deja vu, but even though some of
the arrangements are less obvious, the songs still are sticky and
completely predictable. What a shame, so much musical expertise gone to
waste.
The Deans didn't like this job either. They simply put another version
of the cover from the debut on the front, this time bordered by a flat
and unpalatable black. An insect was added. Almost incredible that this
design was accepted by the Vertigo bosses. Maybe they thought it would
give Lighthouse something like a corporate identity?
The lettering is at least visible this time, quite an improvement!
Inside another black and white tower, straight from the bin with
discarded attempts, a live photo and some notes on the individual
players.
Notes: This was
released in the USA on Evolution (3010) in 1972 in a different cover.
Strange enough the British cover of the first album (admittedly a
slightly better design) was used in Japan to adorn the second
Lighthouse album.
6360
500
ROD STEWART - GASOLINE ALLEY
(autumn of
1970)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Line-up: Kenny Jones, dr/
Ronnie Lane, bsgtr/ Rod Stewart, voc/ Ron Wood, gtr.
Production: Lou
Reizner & Rod Stewart.
Cover-design by
Marcus Keef.
Photography by
Marcus Keef.
Liner notes: by
Ron Wood & Rod Stewart.
Cover manufactured
by Howards Printers.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side: Gasoline Alley (Rod Stewart)/ It's
All Over Now (Bobby Womack + Shirley Womack)/ Only A Hobo (Bob Dylan)/
My Way Of Giving (Steve Marriott + Ronnie Lane).
Track listing B-side:
Country Comforts (Elton John + Bernie Taupin)/ Cut Across Shorty (Wayne
+ Wilkin + Walker)/ Lady Day (Rod Stewart)/ Jo's Lament (Rod Stewart)/
I Don't Want To Discuss It (D.Cooper + B.Beatty + E.Shelby).
The Vertigo logo on front is pink.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
Matrix number A-side:
6360500
1Y ▼1 420 1 1 2
Matrix number B-side:
6360500 2Y ▼2 420 1 1 8
Rarity scale: R1
|
It's Rod time again and everything here
sounds like being hurled onto tape in one single take. That is
advantageous on infectious tracks like
My way of giving, but this, of
course, was written by real songwriters, and becomes a tasty and
highly atmospheric kind of disorder. Also prime time on
Cut across shorty, that could have
been one of the better Stones' cuts from this era. The fake
country-blues of the title track is nice enough too. Unfortunately
Stewart still cannot write material of any consequence, so two cuts
disqualify themselves almost immediately. The pseudo-funk of
I don't want to discuss it is as
awful as it gets, so this must be filed into the category of thoroughly
chequered efforts.
What an awful and depressing street is on the cover! A hobo lies
discarded in the gutter as well, just holding himself with an effort
onto a lamppost. Iron bars obstruct the windows. Horrible, but
beautiful! Two variations are known: a textured ''pebbly'' cover and a
smooth one, as seen above. The textured one is the first. There are
transitional copies that have the first sleeve and the second label,
just for fun, I suppose.
A third variation has popped up! This has a rough cover with additional information ''Made in England'' on the label.
The lettering is fine too with just enough altering to make it look
individual. Especially the framing pink hairlines around it are very
delicate.
Inside Rod poses in the same posture as the hobo, although clad in a
fire-red and white fashionable outfit. Look at those shoes! Still, he
must be somehow identifying himself with his counterpart on front.
Notes: This was
released in the USA on Mercury (SR 61264) in 1970 with a different
cover design. On first pressings the cover was textured.
Gasoline Alley was a comic strip originally written and drawn by Frank
King and inaugurated in 1918. It still stands as one of the
highlights of US cartoon drawing from the 20th century.
A cassette was released in the UK, with artwork taken from inside the gatefold cover, and has cat.nr. 7145 001
6360
609
ATLANTIS - ''same''
(beginning of
1973)
The cover was for this
album was imported from Germany and is therefore identical with the one
from the German issue. It was, however, supplemented with a swirl inner
sleeve. It retains its German catalogue number.
|
|
As
this was one of the original German
Vertigo issues (the only one to be granted a UK release), the album
is evaluated in the Germany section.
Matrix number A-side:
6360500
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 2
Matrix number B-side:
6360500 2Y//1 ▼ 420 1 1 2
Rarity scale: R1
|
6360
700
JIM CROCE - YOU DON'T MESS AROUND WITH
JIM
(autumn of
1972)
|
|
Line-up: H.J. Boyle, gtr/
Gary Chester, dr/ Jim Croce, voc, gtr/ Joe Macho, bsgtr/ Maury
Muehleisen, gtr/ Jim Ryan, bsgtr/ Tommy West, bsgtr, keyb
Production:
Terry Cashman & Tommy West for Interrobang Productions.
String arrangements
by Pete Dino.
Cover-design by
Design Machine.
Photography by
Design Machine.
Liner notes: by
unknown.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side: You Don't Mess Around With Jim (3'00'')/
Tomorrow's Gonna Be A Brighter Day (2'49'')/ New York's Not My Home
(3'05'')/ Hard Time Losin' Man (2'23'')/ A Long Time Ago (2'18'')/
Walkin' Back To Georgia (2'47'').
Track listing B-side:
Operator [That's Not The Way It Feels] (3'45'')/ Time In A Bottle
(2'24'')/ Rapid Roy [The Stock Car Boy] (2'40'')/ Box No.10 (2'22'')/
Photographs And Memories (2'03'')/ Hey Tomorrow (2'40'').
All tracks by Jim Croce.
The Vertigo logo on front is brown.
Matrix number A-side:
6360700
1Y*1 420 1 1 4
Matrix number B-side:
6360500 2Y*1 420 1 1 2
Rarity scale: R1
|
Competent, no doubt, but strongly and
safely in the well-known singer/songwriter mode and not contributing
anything to the canon we did not already know. The backing band plays
proficiently, though pretty inconspiciously too. Many songs have a
touch of country. The main problem is, that the record seems to be
filled with two songs only, a fast one and a fairly slow one, and that
these are repeated with only slight differences here and there. You
will probably understand that this is not our idea of an adventurous
record.
The front image is screaming ''rustic, even rural, yet tough''. Great
moustachio he's sporting, great cigar too! Look at the fine quality
wood they used for the window pane!
The lettering manages to offset the whole image by putting much too
much weight on the right, as amateurish as you can get it. On the back
Croce now has his cigar in his right hand. The moustache is still on
his upperlip.
The lyrics are featured on the inside, some of them actually readable,
and another photo of Croce. This time he is relaxedly balancing a foot
on his guitar case, while standing at the edge of an empty road. Have a
good journey, Mr. Croce!.
Notes: This was
released in the USA on ABC (X-756) in 1972.
6360
701
JIM CROCE - LIFE AND TIMES
(end of
1972)
|
|
Line-up:
Kenny Asher, keyb/ Gary Chester, dr/ Jim Croce, voc, gtr/ Michael
Kamen, ob/ Joe Macho,
bsgtr/ Maury Muehleisen, gtr/ Alan Rolnick, gtr/ David Spinoza, gtr/
Tommy West, keyb
Production:
Terry Cashman & Tommy West for Interrobang Productions.
String arrangements
by Pete Dino.
Cover-design by
Ruby Mazur.
Photography by
Paul Wilson.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at The Hit Factory, NY..
Track listing A-side: One Less Set Of Footsteps (2'46'')/ Roller
Derby Queen (3'28'')/ Dreamin Again (2'38'')/ Careful Man
(2'22'')/ Alabama Rain (2'14'')/ Good Time Man Like Me Ain't Got No
Business [Singin' The Blues] (2'05'').
Track listing B-side:
Next Time, This Time (2'51'')/ Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
(3'02'')/ These Dreams (3'12'')/ Speedball Tucker (2'25'')/ It Doesn't
Have To Be That Way (2'31'').
All tracks by Jim Croce.
The Vertigo logo on front is white.
Matrix number A-side:
6360701
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 2
Matrix number B-side:
6360500 2Y//2 ▼420 1 1 1
Rarity scale: R4
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Maybe this is the American answer to
Cat Stevens? Muehleisen plays a great guitar here and the record
contains at least one classic: the Sinatra-covered Bad, bad Leroy Brown, taken a few
steps up by the Voice. Some of these tunes are actually infectious and
the few ballads like These dreams
are well-arranged. Still this is more apt for young, ironing housewives
than for you or us, we guess. Some real emotion notwithstanding, most
of
this is till too commonplace to really excite.
Deep furrrows adorn Mr.Croce's face which again adorns the front, while
on the back he is in a much better mood and in fact charming.
The lettering echoes the colour of the denim shirt very nicely. It's
simple and adequate.
The lyrics are featured on the inside, some of them
actually readable, and another photo of Croce. This time he is singing
and playing. Well, why not, indeed..
Notes: This was
released in the USA on ABC (X-769) in 1973.
The British version is extremely rare.
6499
268/269
(6641 077)
KRAFTWERK - ''same''
(autumn of
1972)
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|
Line-up: Klaus Dinger, dr/
Andreas Hohmann, dr/ Ralf Hütter, keyb, bsgtr, harm/ Florian
Schneider-Esleben, fl, vl, perc, gtr.
Production: Ralf
Hütter & Florian Schneider-Esleben & Connie Planck.
Cover-design by
unknown.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by unknown.
Recorded at unknown.
Track listing A-side disc 268: Ruckzuck (7'47'')/ Stratovarius
(12'10'').
Track listing B-side
disc 268: Megaherz (9'30'')/ Vom Himmel Hoch (10'12'').
Track listing A-side disc 269: Klingklang (17'36'')/ Atem
(2'57'').
Track listing B-side
disc 269: Strom (3'52'')/ Spule 4 (5'20'')/ Wellenlänge
(9'40'')/ Harmonika (3'17'').
All tracks by Ralf Hütter + Florian Schneider-Esleben..
The Vertigo logo on front is blue.
Matrix number A-side disc 268
6499268
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 3
Matrix number B-side disc 268:
6499268 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 1
Matrix number A-side
disc 269:
6499269
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1
Matrix number B-side
disc 269:
6499269 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 1
Rarity scale: R3
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Strange case of an original reissue, as
this is a package of the two first Kraftwerk albums, already released
in Germany before as
Kraftwerk 1
and
Kraftwerk 2. Although
Kraftwerk is most remembered for its synthesizer spaghetti, these
albums prove that there is more to them than you may have realized. The
first album indeed incorporates avalanches of electronics, but hardly
any synths. Flute and organ rule. Embryonic forms of later developments
are found, like short-ridden rhythms, a narrow harmonic horizon and
mechanically affected repetitions. But at times the music veers towards
sonic landscapes, industrial sounds inclusive. Where a drummer is
heard, both Can and Faust come to mind., but mostly there are
alternatively serene and unsettling carpets of sound. This must have
sounded completely non-commercial in 1972. By ditching the drums,
the second album is only rock by far-fetched association and
there is in fact nothing left to connect this music to any
anglo-american styling. Some Asian influences can be determined on
Klingklang. Much more extreme is
Atem, that consists of almost three
minutes worth of a breathing human being, slightly electronically
altered. A far cry from anything that ressembles the blues!
Strom is a lesson in complete
immobility. These courageous attempts make Kraftwerk worth remembering,
much more so than their robotics of later date.
The cover shows quite aptly the monitoring of an oscillator, a device
amply found on their albums. The turquoise and black is impressive.
Luckily the designer did not simply mirror this image on the backcover.
Instead he provided new oscillation patterns, superbly positioned. Laminated cover.
The lettering is a heady mix of industrial and hand-made, again
well-chosen.
Inside a host of portrait photographs, most of them totally dismissable.
Notes: Again the cover
mentions another catalogue number. This time it is 6641 077, the same
one as advertised below.
On the B-side of the second disc, ''Wellenlänge'' has been
erroneously spelled as ''Wellenlange''.
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We found this very graphic ad in
OZ 47 from april 1973. Three quid seems a bargain...
|
and it really only was 3 pounds...
6499
407/408
(6657 001)
VARIOUS ARTISTS - VERTIGO
ANNUAL 1970
(end of
1970)
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|
Contributing bands:
Colosseum, Rod Stewart, Jimmy Campbell, May Blitz, Juicy Lucy,
Fairfield Parlour, Magna Carta, Affinity, Black Sabbath, Gracious,
Cressida, Nucleus, Manfred Mann Chapter Three, Bob Downes, Dr.Strangely
Strange, Uriah Heep.
Production:
various.
Cover-design by
Marcus Keef
Photography by
Marcus Keef.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured
by Howards Printers.
Recorded at various.
Track listing A-side disc 407: Elegy (James Litherland)
Colosseum/ Handbags And Gladrags (Michael d'Abo) Rod Stewart/ Half
Baked (Jimmy Campbell) Jimmy Campbell/ I Don't Know (May Blitz) May
Blitz.
Track listing B-side
disc 407: Mississippi Woman (Juicy Lucy) Juicy Lucy/ In My Box
(Peter Daltrey + Eddie Pumer) Fairfield Parlour/ Goin' My Way [Road
Song] (Chris Simpson) Magna Carta/ Three Sisters (Lynton Naiff + Linda
Hoyle) Affinity.
Track listing A-side
disc 408: Behind The Wall Of Sleep (Black Sabbath) Black
Sabbath/ Introduction (Paul Davis + Martin Kitcat) Gracious/ To Play
Your Little Game (John Heyworth) Cressida/ Elastic Rock (Karl Jenkins)
Nucleus.
Track listing B-side
disc 408: One Way Glass (Manfred Mann + Thomas) Manfred Mann
Chapter Three/ No Time Like The Present (Bob Downes) Bob Downes/ Summer
Breeze (Tim Booth) Dr.Strangely Strange/ Gypsy (Mick Box + David Byron)
Uriah Heep.
The Vertigo logo on front is white.
There are no running time indications anywhere.
There are no composers credits on the label, they are inside the
gatefold.
Matrix number A-side disc 407
6499407
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 1
Matrix number B-side disc 407:
6499407 2Y//1 ▼420 1 2 3
Matrix number A-side
disc 408
6499408
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 8
Matrix number B-side disc 408:
6499408 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 4
Rarity scale: R1
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The title of this double label sampler
leads one to believe that there were plans for an annual release, but
Vertigo never got any further than 1970. Contrary to the ''Heads
together'' sampler, this one contains previously released material only
and so serves quite succeedingly as an introduction to Vertigo's
miracles. The contents are chosen with taste: almost every track is
among the best from the respective album and therefore this sampler
comes recommended for anyone who wants to start to explore what the
fuzz is all about.
Red foliage surely is a favourite of Keef. This time a naked lady on a
dotted hobby-horse fronts the landscape. A small boy dressed in parade
uniform plays the drum and looks at her. Quite striking, but a bit
overdone, too.
The lettering is chosen in accordance to the ''annual'' idea and could
have been taken from any children's annual of the times.
Inside the horse's head is displayed in a coloured negative photograph
and also proudly quotes underground magazine ''it'':
Vertigo is the least pretentiously and
most happily married of the 'progressive' labels to emerge from 'neath
the wings of the large record companies. They said that... The quote is taken from it no.74 from Februari 1970.
Notes: As the cover
image has too strong an erotic colouring, the Spanish branch thought it
better to issue this in an altered sleeve. Take a look at the
Spain pages!
Some copies have a special price sticker on front (see scan of the
cover).
6830
032
VARIOUS ARTISTS - VERTIGO SAMPLER JULY
1970
(white label promo)
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|
Contributing bands: Bob
Downes Open Music/ Gracious/ Magna Carta/ May Blitz/ Nucleus.
Production: various.
Track listing A-side: No
Time Like The Present (Bob Downes) Bob Downes Open Music/ Fugue in 'D'
Minor (Paul Davis + Martin Kitcat) Gracious / Elizabethan (Chris
Simpson) Magna Carta/ Squeet (May Blitz) May Blitz..
Track listing B-side: 1916
(Karl Jenkins) Nucleus/ Elastic (Karl Jenkins) Nucleus/ Introduction
(Paul Davis + Martin Kitcat) Gracious/ Keep Off The Grass (Bob Downes)
Bob Downes/ Airport Song (Chris Simpson) Magna Carta.
Matrix number A-side:
6380032
1Y//2 ▼420 1 1 2
Matrix number B-side:
6380032 2Y//2 ▼420 1 1 2
Rarity scale: R5
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This white label only sampler was not
meant to be released commercially, so there was no cover made. Instead,
it came with a crudely typed cue-sheet, stating title and artist. Mayby
this
was sent to DJ's and radio stations. Except May Blitz, all featured
bands have two tracks a piece. Surely a diverse album, although it's
unclear why Fairfield Parlour is not represented.
Notes: Nucleus' Elastic rock is wrongly listed as
''Elastic''.
Bob Downes Open Music is once credited as just Bob Downes.
6830
067
VARIOUS ARTISTS - NEW VERTIGO POPULAR
MATERIAL
(white label promo, spring of 1971)
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Contributing bands: Ian
Carr/ Catapilla.
Production: various.
Track listing A-side:
Elements I & II (Ian Carr) Ian Carr/ Changing Times (Ian Carr) Ian
Carr / Bedrock Deadlock (Ian Carr) Ian Carr/ Spirit Level (Ian Carr)
Ian Carr.
Track listing B-side:
Embryonic Fusion (Catapilla) Catapilla.
Matrix number A-side:
6380067
1Y//1 ▼420 1 1 1
Matrix number B-side:
6380067 2Y//1 ▼420 1 1 2
Rarity scale: R5
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Another very small pressing, white
label only, this time we know that there are just 30 copies. There is
no cue-sheet (with our copy that is), but we have the order form from
Vertigo to the pressing plant (see scan above), where this amount is
clearly stated at the bottom. Side A is taken from Ian Carr's Solar plexus (side A there also),
side B from Catapilla's self titled debut (also side B from this
latter record). Probably Vertigo saw the need to push their jazz-rock
ambitions a bit. Needless to say, that there are almost no copies
surviving.
Notes: Catapilla is
again credited as ''Caterpillar'', just as the proof sleeves of their
first
record do.
unnumbered
VARIOUS ARTISTS - VERTIGO SAMPLER (II)
Another one of those strange samplers
has recently surfaced. The contents are quite surprising: two tracks
each by Cressida, Rod Stewart and Black Sabbath, placing this somewhere
around the end of 1969. The cue sheet, seen below, tells it all.
Needless to say that this is R5 on the rarity scale.
7567
001
VARIOUS ARTISTS - VERTIGO 2LP
(cassette only)
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Contributing bands: Manfred
Mann Chapter III/ Juicy Lucy/ Fairfield Parlour/ Gracious/Magna Carta/
Black Sabbath/ Nucleus/ Cressida/ Colosseum/ Bob Downes/ May Blitz/
Uriah Heep/ Affinity/ Rod Stewart..
Production: various.
Track listing A-side:
Travelling Lady (Mike Hugg) Manfred Mann Chapter III/ Who Do You Love
(Bo Diddley) Juicy Lucy / Free (Peter Daltrey + Eddie Pumer) Fairfield
Parlour/ Fugue In D Minor (Paul Davis + Martin Kitcat) Gracious/
Elizabethan (Chris Simpson) Magna Carta/Warning (Aynsley Dunbar) Black
Sabbath/ Torrid Zone (Karl Jenkins) Nucleus.
Track listing B-side:
Depression (Angus Cullen) Cressida/ The Machine Demands A Sacrifice
(Colosseum + Pete Brown) Colosseum/ West II (Bob Downes) Bob Downes/
Tomorrow May Come (May Blitz) May Blitz/ Lucy Blues (Mick Box + David
Byron) Uriah Heep/ All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) Affinity/
Street Fighting Man (Mick Jagger + Keith Richard) Rod Stewart.
Rarity scale: R4
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Quite useful sampler, though the
emphasis lies a bit too much on cover versions for our tastes. One
wonders why this should be called ''2LP'', since the contents are not
much longer than a single LP could carry. Do you still have a cassette
player?
Not too much fantasy and imagination has gone into the cover, but at
least it is clear and swirly.
Do by all means now switch to one of
the pages from abroad countries to see more swirl marvels!
Please navigate via the ''top page''.