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ITALY
Vertigo
Italy
released quite a lot of the British albums. Mostly they follow the UK
counterpart in packaging, although a few releases have their elaborate
covers reduced. We start with a list of the few alterations
substiantial enough to warrant a mentioning, as far as we are aware of
them. Since Italy maintained the
swirl label much longer than any other European country, swirl issues
of high catalogue numbers abound. We will describe every such release
that we have come across. There maybe more of those, of course.
As usual, if you have any information about such unlisted releases, we
would like to hear from them.
Obviously, Italian Vertigo released a lot of singles in unique picture sleeves. You will find some of these displayed at the end of this page.
Obviously, Italian Vertigo released a lot of singles in unique picture sleeves. You will find some of these displayed at the end of this page.
ALBUMS
Album covers in Italy are laminated (at least on the front, often both sides) and of slightly thinner board than the British issues. Behind the regular catalogue number a letter appears on most albums, which can be ''A'' or ''L'' (we have not encountered other letters yet). Some early albums such as 6360 004 or 6360 011 lack the extra letter.
Also the A-side of the label shows a difference to both British and German releases. There is a digit ''1'' in the upper white circle of the logo.
Album matrix numbers in Italy are machine-stamped and read (for example) as follows:
▼ 6360041 ▼ 1=1 * 520 240971
catalogue number, side, mother disc, country code and pressing date.
Cassette releases have been confirmed from Italy.
Rod Stewart's An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down sports the cat.nr. 7145 004, just like the British one.
We have not seen a British issue of 7138 054, Magna Carta's Lord Of The Ages, as pictured below
We continue now in numerical order to show all releases from Italy that are either sufficiently different, or else unique to this country.
6360 041 L
GENTLE GIANT - ACQUIRING THE TASTE (september 1971)
6360 070 L
GENTLE GIANT - THREE FRIENDS (februari 1972)
6360 080 A
GENTLE GIANT - OCTOPUS (october 1972)
From 6360 082, Status Quo's Piledriver, three slightly different versions are known to exist: one ''regular'' issue with an ''A'' at the end of the catalogue number and two without this extra letter. Of those two one carries a copyright control ''NBC'' on the label (not NCB, the Scandinavian copyright), the other one the Dutch ''Stemra''. All three were beyond doubt released in Italy. The record is reviewed on the fifth Britain page.
6360 091 L
IAN CARR WITH NUCLEUS - LABYRINTH (1973)
OK, so Mr.Carr strides on and on. Enchanting pointillism on Origins is a succesful beginning. Bull-dance is funkier than Carr ever was, but not wholly to his advantage. Some laudably dissonant chord progressions notwithstanding, the tracks are too long and hardly develop during their course. There are a few excellent solo passages, but the material is harmonically too weak to sustain them. The rest of side A peters out almost unnoticed, before the pointillism pops up again in the short Arena. The other side starts awfully with Whitstone's wordless vocals and a totally clogged production. Unfortunately more of the same, only a bit faster, is featured on the overlong Exultation. The slowly pulsing Naxos finally shows some menace and even conviction, but the vocals spoil anything that could be called atmosphere.
Tarzan meets Greek mythology? Or is he preparing supper for her? Or is this an American version of Abraham sacrificing Isaac under the very eyes of his wife? Pretty strange image either way, but works quite well, nonetheless. A desert with ruins and, indeed, a Greek column are depicted inside, as well as a small close-up of all the musicians. What a horrible shade of yellow they have used!
Suitably screaming lettering on top and ''Greek'' lettering below do fit miraculously well.
6360 093
MAGNA CARTA - LORD OF THE AGES (1973)
The brilliant backing band can hardly be blamed for another ill-advised effort on Vertigo. This sounds often pretty nice, but there is so hopelessly little substance in the music that it is ultimately only the surface that shines. Underneath, a big void stares mercilessly at us. The lyrics are as pretentious as they come and will cause many of us to blush involuntarily. Sugar is everywhere on the music in thick layers. Sad low point: the Elton John imitation of That was yesterday, or is it satire?
At least Mr.Dean is in form. Three wild cloud-riders on very eager mounts appear over the horizon. One with no face, one with a Viking hairdo and one with glasses! The colours are quite restrained for a design of Dean. The violence of the image stands in stark opposition to the music within. On the back a great photograph of a stone-green sea. On the insert we find the lyrics imposed upon two photos of clouds.
The modest lettering serves its purpose and has the right colour, too.
Notes: There is no extra letter in the catalogue number, but on the label an asterix appears before it.
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
6360 117 A
STATUS QUO - ON THE LEVEL (1975)
6360 119 A
NUCLEUS - SNAKEHIPS ETCETERA (may 1975)
OK, so Mr.Carr strides on and on. Or did we state so before? Some new folks around, though. The cliché-filled half-funk of Rat's bag is probably overestimated by its creators, a poor statement to begin with. Alive and kicking does better. Mysterious and widely spaced reeds are the intro to a much more supple and driving kind of jazz-rock. It's quite a bit too long, though. The rest of the album has its share of inspired playing, but the context is often too predictable. The strange incisions of the title track escape this predictability and do not always lead where you already expected the music to land. Pussyfoot is by virtue of its magical flute solo the best track. No need to remark, probably, that the playing is immaculate throughout.
What this erotically inclined airbrushed image has to do with the music is anybody's guess. The crocodile background suggest through its overkill a parody. On the back the members are assaulted by a scarcely clad lady, while most lay around in a heap on the ground. Another parody, we hope.
The lettering is obviously chosen, but as it works well, why complain? This is a single non-laminated cover.
6360 120 A
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - TOMORROW BELONGS TO ME (july 1975)
A clear step forward for the SAHB, this album is the best they made so far. The theatrical vocals of Harvey finally find their surroundings adequately dramatic to not sound overdone. The fine opening cut throws dark and decadent stage-rock at the listener, but ends wholly unexpectedly with balkanized folk-rock. Muscular rock on Snake bite (administered by a lady, of course) keeps the record going, although Soul in chains sounds common by comparison. The heart of this side certainly is the giant stoneater, every inch as demented as the title would suggest. SAHB flies though an array of styles and moods that knows no boundaries. Stormy strings appear, a hint of Peter Gabriel (as in early Genesis) even pops up. Or is it Arthur Brown, or even Peter Hammill? Top-notch! The other side knocks off quite convincingly too. Give my compliments to the chef is complicated almost-hard-rock with theatrical interceptions and another bite-lyric on Sharks teeth is clad in swinging funk with, again, a contrasting middle-piece boasting clarinet, good-time leanings and the sea-shore. The rest is, though certainly acceptable, not of the same class, but that shouldn't detain you from enjoying it.
Modern times symbolized by an excavating machine clash violently with a creature and some plant-life of the Trias era. The world is buildable. Or is it? Again prominent teeth here. The backcover shows a handwritten lyric for the Giant Stoneater on a messy sheet of paper. There is no gatefold as on the British issue, but an inner sleeve with all lyrics and some live pictures.
The lettering is fitting, but a shade too big and so dominates the image too strongly. We do not like the location of the frame with the bandname very much either.
Notes: In Britain this was assigned the catalogue number 9102 003, but had, of course, a spaceship label and a gatefold cover.
6360 123 A
STREETWALKERS - DOWNTOWN FLIER (1975)
6360 124 A
NUCLEUS - ALLEYCAT (1976)
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
6360 133 A
STREETWALKERS - RED CARD (1974)
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
Issued with a red inner sleeve.
6360 510 L
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR - THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE (june 1974)
As only USA Mercury saw fit to release this in 1969 (even in two versions), all European releases are more or less reissues. Never a hugely popular band anywhere, the VDGG still had built enough of a following to warrant this belated release of a formative album. Depicted is the second version with Necromancer instead of Giant squid. If you expect the highly emotional dark-grey rock of later albums, you will be partly disappointed. The tempi take uniformly the same half-fast pace and the instrumentation is sparse, especially when compared with later albums. The complexity of the arrangements is quite modest. Highlights are the strangely modulating Into a game and the bleak atmosphere of Aquarian where embryonic traces of the later style already can be discerned. The bizarre soundjungle of the flopped single Necromancer is rather special too. If you enjoy the highly personal voice of Hammill, then this album will be gratifying nonetheless.
A spray-can emits a cloud of vapour behind which hardly discernable portraits of the band members appear in circles and ovals. A memorable image, despite the somewhat clumsy execution. The location of the Vertigo logo could hardly be more ill-chosen: it interrupts a very important movement in the image. Just compare this with the original image on the US Mercury album. The backcover is grey with information and liner notes. The second spray-can has been deleted. This is a single cover.
The lettering is straight from the font-catalogue but adapts itself to the swing of the lines quite succesfully.
Notes: This was released in the USA on Mercury (SR 61238) in 1969 and in Germany on Fontana (6430 083) probably also in 1969.
The label has the extra letter ''L'', while the cover has an ''A''.
The liner notes contain the same error as on the USA Mercury version: the composer's credits still mention Giant squid.
6360 609 L
ATLANTIS - ''same'' (1973)
Almost identical to other versions.
6360 617 A
TEA - ''same'' (december 1974)
Fronted by an English vocalist, Tea (from Switzerland) plays melodic, but not very inventive, hard-rock with more than just a nod towards British examples. Some tracks show a slight symphonic tendency, everything is played impeccably, but even this cannot mask the lack of songwriting ability. A typical and rather commonly sounding middle of the seventies album.
The band goes to great lengths and dives deep into submarine space to get its picture on the cover. Quite a nice shot, actually. It is difficult to connect the image with the music, though. The backside has more of this ultramarine sea-space, some sparse information and the bandname manifold all over the surface.
The lettering is sly enough not to mix with the image and this is a good and modest idea. It's a single cover again.
Notes: The catalogue number would be typical for a record by a signing from Vertigo Germany. Indeed, this and the following, are essentially German releases, although they were not granted a swirl label over there.
This was released in Britain on Philips (6305 238).
6360 618 A
LUCIFER'S FRIEND - BANQUET (december 1974)
This takes off with some kind of ill-digested jazz-rock with a rock guitar, massive reeds included, but suddenly turns into an American sounding slice of rock-cum-orchestra and a women's choir pops up too. Effortless switching between styles makes for compellent listening further on: you never quite know what's up their sleeves. An outrageous electric sax solo by Geller over ''spanish'' harmonies follows suit and turns into desintegration, which in its turn gives way to a romantic passage and there is the funky American part again. Only the attempt at a ''hook'' in the refrain is a bit irritating. Some mellotron is discernable but the rest of this large track consists of a tedious (but fortunately very short) drum solo that turns into jazz-rock again. Overkill, but a few wonderful episodes are to be admired, nonetheless. At least you can't deny their versatility. The rest of side A is half-way credible big production pop with progressive leanings. Side B starts horribly with pumped-up pop-rock of the worst kind. As this is followed by over-organized brass-rock on Sorrow, though enlivened by an excellent guitar solo, the scales are tipped and an infavourable impression wins out. Luckily Dirty old town, with its twisting melody and otherwise simple structure turns out to be very listenable. A mixed affair.
Somehow we think that we have already seen this image before, but somehow it slips our minds where that can have been. Maybe you know?! This is a single cover.
The lettering suggests ''gothic'', though in a slighly subdued way. The lettering of the bandname seems totally out of place.
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
6366 115 A
BLACK SABBATH - SABOTAGE (october 1975)
An album that usually books as a disappointment, but it all depends on what you expect. Everything you may wish to hear on a BS record is available here: screaming vocals, portly doubled guitar riffs, doomy lyrics. Not any worse than on other albums by this combo. A highlight anyway: the flipside of a single, Am I going insane [radio], which is as insistent as anything they made. The very monotony and general density of Megalomania (wrongly spelled on the label) is worth a mention too.
The cover-shot. looks like a badly parodized image of Magritte. The robes of Ozzy are a delight, of course. And does this nazi-''S'' really have to appear here? The backside shows the same image, but now we see the lads from the back. How inventive can you get? A single cover again.
The lettering is distasteful (but no problem there, we guess) but also renders the images top-heavy. Very poor graphical designing.
Notes: This was assigned the catalogue number 9119 001 in Britain and released on Warner Bros (BS 2822) in the USA.
6366 116 A
BLACK SABBATH - WE SOLD OUR SOUL FOR ROCK 'N' ROLL (januari 1976)
A sampler from mainly the first three BS albums plus two assorted tracks from other LP's. We contemplated all these outings before, under their respective parent albums.
The cover underlines Third Reich connotations through the colours and the inclusion of three ''nazi'' letters ''S''. As this attitude is not reflected anywhere in the music, the main impression this conveys is one of helplessness. The backcover confirms the lack of graphical inspiration by repeating the front, this time augmented with some information on the tracks. The band did not seem to know anything of this album, but protested fruitlessly against its release. Small wonder they did so, since there is no need to own this album from any point of view. It's wrapped in a single cover.
The lettering is already discussed above. A large poster was included. An undead woman lies upon a bier clutching a Christian cross made out of neon light in her hands. She looks the part: eyes averted from reality, black dress and a lily draped beside her head. The connection with the music fails to seep through.
Notes: This was released in 1975 on NEMS (6641 335) in Britain and in 1976 on Warner Bros (BS 2969) in the USA with two additional tracks as a double album.
We do not own this record personally, so we cannot discuss the music. Maybe this is fortunate for both us and the band.
The same goes for the cover. It seems unfair to judge by a small scan only....
There was an inner sleeve with this record with the lyrics on one side and a group photo with bare chests on the other.
It has been spotted with both an ''A'' and an ''L'' suffix.
Label scan from one of our contributing readers.
6370 408 A
Album covers in Italy are laminated (at least on the front, often both sides) and of slightly thinner board than the British issues. Behind the regular catalogue number a letter appears on most albums, which can be ''A'' or ''L'' (we have not encountered other letters yet). Some early albums such as 6360 004 or 6360 011 lack the extra letter.
 |
 |
 |
| Many
Italian
album labels in the seventies have a stamp of copyright control
institutions, that can be almost any colour and can wander all over
the label.
''Made in Italy" appears on most releases somewhere on the label. On
some few releases it was omitted altogether. |
A
distribution logo (or just a wording on later releases) of parent
company Phonogram appears on Italian
backcovers. |
The
extra
letter is often displayed on the backcover (and always on the label). |
Also the A-side of the label shows a difference to both British and German releases. There is a digit ''1'' in the upper white circle of the logo.
 |
Album matrix numbers in Italy are machine-stamped and read (for example) as follows:
▼ 6360041 ▼ 1=1 * 520 240971
catalogue number, side, mother disc, country code and pressing date.
 |
 |
|
Some early
Italian releases have been spotted that had both the ''new''
VO catalogue number as used in the UK, as well as the ''old'' Phonogram
number, see left hand side panel. Later issues followed the usual pattern, see right hand side panel. |
|
Cassette releases have been confirmed from Italy.
Rod Stewart's An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down sports the cat.nr. 7145 004, just like the British one.
We have not seen a British issue of 7138 054, Magna Carta's Lord Of The Ages, as pictured below
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 |
We continue now in numerical order to show all releases from Italy that are either sufficiently different, or else unique to this country.
6310
013A
GRAHAM PARKER AND THE RUMOUR - HOWLING WIND (1976)
GRAHAM PARKER AND THE RUMOUR - HOWLING WIND (1976)
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| Slightly better scan received... |
6342
010
LIGHTHOUSE - ONE FINE MORNING (1971)
LIGHTHOUSE - ONE FINE MORNING (1971)
Lost
its gatefold cover
in Italy.
6360 041 L
GENTLE GIANT - ACQUIRING THE TASTE (september 1971)
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| The second Gentle Giant album may serve as an example of Italian reducing strategies. The gatefold cover was deleted and the lyrics that originally were printed inside were transferred - differently coloured - to the backcover. |
6360
050 L
BLACK SABBATH - MASTER OF REALITY (1971)
BLACK SABBATH - MASTER OF REALITY (1971)
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| No box, no poster, but an embossed cover and reversed labels as well. |
6360
052 L
BEN - "same" (1971)
BEN - "same" (1971)
Lost
its gatefold cover.
Track listing
on backcover.
6360 070 L
GENTLE GIANT - THREE FRIENDS (februari 1972)
| The
third Gentle Giant album fared a little better. The gatefold was lost,
but a black and white inner sleeve with lyrics and giant swirls was
inserted. |
6360 080 A
GENTLE GIANT - OCTOPUS (october 1972)
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| The
fourth Gentle Giant album underwent some changes too. The gatefold now
was kept, but the lay-out of the front was altered: the lettering moved
to a more dynamic spot. Inside the second octopus was deleted and
replaced by a flat green surface. The lyrics stayed where they were. |
From 6360 082, Status Quo's Piledriver, three slightly different versions are known to exist: one ''regular'' issue with an ''A'' at the end of the catalogue number and two without this extra letter. Of those two one carries a copyright control ''NBC'' on the label (not NCB, the Scandinavian copyright), the other one the Dutch ''Stemra''. All three were beyond doubt released in Italy. The record is reviewed on the fifth Britain page.
We
will now continue with
later
releases that never had a swirl label
in the UK in numerical order.
6360
087
MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND - MESSIN' (1973)
MANFRED MANN'S EARTH BAND - MESSIN' (1973)
This
is discussed in the Germany
section, the Italian release is
virtually the same.
6360
090 L
BEGGAR'S OPERA - GET YOUR DOG OFF ME (1973)
BEGGAR'S OPERA - GET YOUR DOG OFF ME (1973)
This
is discussed in the Germany
section, the
Italian release is
virtually the same.
6360 091 L
IAN CARR WITH NUCLEUS - LABYRINTH (1973)
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Line-up:
Roy Babbington,
bsgtr/ Gordon Beck, keyb/ Ian Carr, trp, flhrn/ Tony Coe, bscl, cl,
sax/ Paddy Kingsland, keyb/ Tony Levin, dr/ Dave MacRae, keyb/ Brian
Smith, sax, fl/ Clive Thacker, dr/ Trevor Tomkins, perc/ Kenny Whheler,
trp, flhrn/ Norma Winstone, voc.
Production:
Ian Carr &
Roger Wake.
Cover-art
by Keith
Davis.
Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Phonogram Studios. Track listing A-side:
Origins/ Bull-Dance/ Ariadne/ Arena.
Track listing B-side: Arena/ Exultation/ Naxos. All tracks by Ian Carr. No Vertigo logo on front.
There are no running time indications anywhere. Matrix number A-side:
6360091 -1 [hand-etched on our copy] Matrix number B-side:
6360091 -2 [hand-etched on our copy] This fact plus the omission of the country code ''520'' and the disappearance of ''Made in Italy'' makes it unclear whether or not this really is an Italian release. There are no copyright control logos either. All the fonts and symbols on the label do seem to point in Italian direction, though. Our copy has the sides reversed. Rarity scale:
R2
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OK, so Mr.Carr strides on and on. Enchanting pointillism on Origins is a succesful beginning. Bull-dance is funkier than Carr ever was, but not wholly to his advantage. Some laudably dissonant chord progressions notwithstanding, the tracks are too long and hardly develop during their course. There are a few excellent solo passages, but the material is harmonically too weak to sustain them. The rest of side A peters out almost unnoticed, before the pointillism pops up again in the short Arena. The other side starts awfully with Whitstone's wordless vocals and a totally clogged production. Unfortunately more of the same, only a bit faster, is featured on the overlong Exultation. The slowly pulsing Naxos finally shows some menace and even conviction, but the vocals spoil anything that could be called atmosphere.
Tarzan meets Greek mythology? Or is he preparing supper for her? Or is this an American version of Abraham sacrificing Isaac under the very eyes of his wife? Pretty strange image either way, but works quite well, nonetheless. A desert with ruins and, indeed, a Greek column are depicted inside, as well as a small close-up of all the musicians. What a horrible shade of yellow they have used!
Suitably screaming lettering on top and ''Greek'' lettering below do fit miraculously well.
6360
092 A
JACKSON HEIGHTS - BUMP 'N GRIND (1973)
We have been only able to secure a scan of the label.
JACKSON HEIGHTS - BUMP 'N GRIND (1973)
We have been only able to secure a scan of the label.
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6360 093
MAGNA CARTA - LORD OF THE AGES (1973)
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Line-up:
Tony Carr, perc/
Jon Curle, voc/ Gerry Conway, dr/ Alan Eden, dr/ Stan Gordon, voc, gtr/
Gordon Huntley, steel/ Dave Peacock, bsgtr/ Jean-Alain Rousel, keyb/
Chris Simpson, voc, gtr/ Graham Smith, harm/ Glen Stuart, voc/ Danny
Thompson, cb
Production:
Tony Cox.
Cover-art
by Roger
Dean.
Photography by Roger Dean Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Sound Techniques. Track listing A-side:
Wish
It Was/ Two Old Friends/ Lord Of The Ages.
Track listing B-side: Isn't It Funny (And Not A Little Bit Strange/ Song Of Evening/ Father John/ That Was Yesterday/ Falkland Greene. All tracks by Chris Simpson. No Vertigo logo on front.
There are no running time indications anywhere. Matrix number A-side:
6360093 1 1 520 11 Matrix number B-side:
6360093 2 1 520 12 Rarity scale:
R2
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|
The brilliant backing band can hardly be blamed for another ill-advised effort on Vertigo. This sounds often pretty nice, but there is so hopelessly little substance in the music that it is ultimately only the surface that shines. Underneath, a big void stares mercilessly at us. The lyrics are as pretentious as they come and will cause many of us to blush involuntarily. Sugar is everywhere on the music in thick layers. Sad low point: the Elton John imitation of That was yesterday, or is it satire?
At least Mr.Dean is in form. Three wild cloud-riders on very eager mounts appear over the horizon. One with no face, one with a Viking hairdo and one with glasses! The colours are quite restrained for a design of Dean. The violence of the image stands in stark opposition to the music within. On the back a great photograph of a stone-green sea. On the insert we find the lyrics imposed upon two photos of clouds.
The modest lettering serves its purpose and has the right colour, too.
Notes: There is no extra letter in the catalogue number, but on the label an asterix appears before it.
6360
098 L
STATUS QUO - HELLO (september 1973)
STATUS QUO - HELLO (september 1973)
This
is discussed in both
the Germany
and
the Netherlands
section, the Italian
release is
virtually the same as the Dutch. The lyrics inner sleeve and the cover
itself were not imported from Britain but manufactured in Italy.
6360
100 L
NUCLEUS - ROOTS (1973)
NUCLEUS - ROOTS (1973)
 |
Scan
from one
of our contributing
readers.
This is discussed in the Germany section, the Italian release is virtually the same.
6360 102 L
SPENCER DAVIS GROUP - GLUGGO! (1973)
SPENCER DAVIS GROUP - GLUGGO! (1973)
This is discussed in the Germany section, the Italian release is virtually the same.
6360
103 A
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - NEXT (1973)
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - NEXT (1973)
This
is discussed in the USA
section, the Italian
release is
virtually the same.
6360
106
STATUS QUO - QUO (1974)
STATUS QUO - QUO (1974)
This
is discussed in the Norway
section, the Italian
release is
virtually the same.
6360
110 A
NUCLEUS - UNDER THE SUN (1974)
NUCLEUS - UNDER THE SUN (1974)
 |
Scan from one
of our contributing
readers.
6360
112 A
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM (1974)
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM (1974)
 |
Scan
from one
of our contributing
readers.
6360
116
THIN LIZZY - NIGHT LIFE (1975)
THIN LIZZY - NIGHT LIFE (1975)
 |
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
6360 117 A
STATUS QUO - ON THE LEVEL (1975)
This
is discussed in the Netherlands
section, the Italian release differs from the Dutch inasmuch as the
gatefold cover was discarded and substituted with a single sleeve.
6360 119 A
NUCLEUS - SNAKEHIPS ETCETERA (may 1975)
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Line-up:
Bob Bertles, sax,
fl, voc/ Ian Carr, trp, flhrn, keyb/ Geoff Castle, keyb/ Roger Sellers,
dr/ Ken Shaw, gtr/ Roger Sutton, bsgtr.
Production:
Jon Hiseman.
Cover-art
by Michael
Farrell.
Photography by unknown. Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by Grafica Centonze. Recorded at unknown. Track listing A-side:
Rat's
Bag (Bob Bertles) 6'00''/ Alive And Kicking (Roger Sutton) 9'12''/
Rachel's Tune (Geoff Castle) 7'02''.
Track listing B-side: Snakehips Etcetera (Ian Carr) 10'25''/ Pussyfoot (Ian Carr) 4'00''/ Heyday (Ian Carr) 7'40''. The Vertigo logo on front is white. Matrix number A-side:
6360119 1 1 520 30075 Matrix number B-side:
6360119 2 1 520 300575 Rarity scale:
R2
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OK, so Mr.Carr strides on and on. Or did we state so before? Some new folks around, though. The cliché-filled half-funk of Rat's bag is probably overestimated by its creators, a poor statement to begin with. Alive and kicking does better. Mysterious and widely spaced reeds are the intro to a much more supple and driving kind of jazz-rock. It's quite a bit too long, though. The rest of the album has its share of inspired playing, but the context is often too predictable. The strange incisions of the title track escape this predictability and do not always lead where you already expected the music to land. Pussyfoot is by virtue of its magical flute solo the best track. No need to remark, probably, that the playing is immaculate throughout.
What this erotically inclined airbrushed image has to do with the music is anybody's guess. The crocodile background suggest through its overkill a parody. On the back the members are assaulted by a scarcely clad lady, while most lay around in a heap on the ground. Another parody, we hope.
The lettering is obviously chosen, but as it works well, why complain? This is a single non-laminated cover.
6360 120 A
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND - TOMORROW BELONGS TO ME (july 1975)
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Line-up:
Zal Cleminson,
gtr, voc/ Chris Glén, bsgtr, voc/ Alex Harvey, voc, gtr,
harm/
Hugh McKenna, keyb, voc/ Ted McKenna, dr, voc.
Production:
David
Batchelor.
Cover-art
by Dave
Field.
Photography by Heiwa. Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Scorpio Studios. Track listing A-side:
Action Strasse (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson + Hugh McKenna) 3'15''/
Snake Bite (Alex Harvey) 3'55''/ Soul In Chains (SAHB) 3'50''/ The Tale
Of The Giant Stoneater (Alex Harvey + Hugh McKenna) 7'30''/ Ribs And
Balls (Alex Harvey + Chris Glén) 1'51''.
Track listing B-side: Give My Compliments To The Chef (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson + Hugh McKenna) 5'36''/ Sharks Teeth (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson) 5'54''/ Shake That Thing (Alex Harvey) 3'30''./ Tomorrow Belongs To Me (Fred Ebb + John Kander) 4'14''/ To Be Continued (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson) 0'50''. The Vertigo logo on front is white. Matrix number A-side:
6360120 1 1 520 290775 Matrix number B-side:
6360120 2 1 520 290775 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
A clear step forward for the SAHB, this album is the best they made so far. The theatrical vocals of Harvey finally find their surroundings adequately dramatic to not sound overdone. The fine opening cut throws dark and decadent stage-rock at the listener, but ends wholly unexpectedly with balkanized folk-rock. Muscular rock on Snake bite (administered by a lady, of course) keeps the record going, although Soul in chains sounds common by comparison. The heart of this side certainly is the giant stoneater, every inch as demented as the title would suggest. SAHB flies though an array of styles and moods that knows no boundaries. Stormy strings appear, a hint of Peter Gabriel (as in early Genesis) even pops up. Or is it Arthur Brown, or even Peter Hammill? Top-notch! The other side knocks off quite convincingly too. Give my compliments to the chef is complicated almost-hard-rock with theatrical interceptions and another bite-lyric on Sharks teeth is clad in swinging funk with, again, a contrasting middle-piece boasting clarinet, good-time leanings and the sea-shore. The rest is, though certainly acceptable, not of the same class, but that shouldn't detain you from enjoying it.
Modern times symbolized by an excavating machine clash violently with a creature and some plant-life of the Trias era. The world is buildable. Or is it? Again prominent teeth here. The backcover shows a handwritten lyric for the Giant Stoneater on a messy sheet of paper. There is no gatefold as on the British issue, but an inner sleeve with all lyrics and some live pictures.
The lettering is fitting, but a shade too big and so dominates the image too strongly. We do not like the location of the frame with the bandname very much either.
Notes: In Britain this was assigned the catalogue number 9102 003, but had, of course, a spaceship label and a gatefold cover.
6360
121
THIN LIZZY - FIGHTING (197?)
THIN LIZZY - FIGHTING (197?)
We
have received reliable
information
about its existence, but no scans.
6360 123 A
STREETWALKERS - DOWNTOWN FLIER (1975)
 |
Ah!
Received a fine scan
of this,
finally!
6360 124 A
NUCLEUS - ALLEYCAT (1976)
 |
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
6360 133 A
STREETWALKERS - RED CARD (1974)
 |
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
Issued with a red inner sleeve.
6360 510 L
VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR - THE AEROSOL GREY MACHINE (june 1974)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Hugh Banton, keyb,
voc/ Keith Ellis, bsgtr/ Guy Evans, dr/ Peter Hammill, voc, gtr/ Jeff,
fl.
Production:
John Anthony.
Cover-art
by unknown.
Photography by unknown. Liner notes
by John Anthony
& Peter Hammill.
Cover manufactured by Dotti. Recorded at Trident Studios & Marquee Studios. Track listing A-side:
Afterwards (Peter Hammill) 4'53''/ Orthenthian St. [part I] (Peter
Hammill) 2'23''/ Orthenthian St. [part II] (Peter Hammill) 3'53''/
Running Back (Peter Hammill) 6'32''/ Into A Game (Peter Hammill)
5'56''.
Track listing B-side: Aerosol Grey Machine (Peter Hammill) 0'56''/ Black Smoke Yen (Keith Ellis + Guy Evans + Hugh Banton) 1'18''/ Aquarian (Peter Hammill) 8'27''./ Necromancer (Peter Hammill) 3'30''/ Octopus (Peter Hammill) 7'41''. The Vertigo logo on front is white. Matrix number A-side:
6360510 1 1 520 060674 20 Matrix number B-side:
6360510 2 1 520 060674 20 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
As only USA Mercury saw fit to release this in 1969 (even in two versions), all European releases are more or less reissues. Never a hugely popular band anywhere, the VDGG still had built enough of a following to warrant this belated release of a formative album. Depicted is the second version with Necromancer instead of Giant squid. If you expect the highly emotional dark-grey rock of later albums, you will be partly disappointed. The tempi take uniformly the same half-fast pace and the instrumentation is sparse, especially when compared with later albums. The complexity of the arrangements is quite modest. Highlights are the strangely modulating Into a game and the bleak atmosphere of Aquarian where embryonic traces of the later style already can be discerned. The bizarre soundjungle of the flopped single Necromancer is rather special too. If you enjoy the highly personal voice of Hammill, then this album will be gratifying nonetheless.
A spray-can emits a cloud of vapour behind which hardly discernable portraits of the band members appear in circles and ovals. A memorable image, despite the somewhat clumsy execution. The location of the Vertigo logo could hardly be more ill-chosen: it interrupts a very important movement in the image. Just compare this with the original image on the US Mercury album. The backcover is grey with information and liner notes. The second spray-can has been deleted. This is a single cover.
The lettering is straight from the font-catalogue but adapts itself to the swing of the lines quite succesfully.
Notes: This was released in the USA on Mercury (SR 61238) in 1969 and in Germany on Fontana (6430 083) probably also in 1969.
The label has the extra letter ''L'', while the cover has an ''A''.
The liner notes contain the same error as on the USA Mercury version: the composer's credits still mention Giant squid.
6360 609 L
ATLANTIS - ''same'' (1973)
 |
Almost identical to other versions.
6360 617 A
TEA - ''same'' (december 1974)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Roli Eggli, dr/
Philippe Kienholz, voc, keyb/ Turo Paschayan, voc, bsgtr, gtr/ Mark
Storace, voc/ Armand Volker, voc, gtr.
Production:
Dieter Dierks.
Photography by unknown. Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Dierks-Studios. Track listing A-side:
Cool
In The Morning (5'40'')/ Glorimont (8'09''/ Hatred Or Love (3'35'').
Track listing B-side: Surfer (5'57'')/ Hazy Colours (6'30'')/ Lady (7'00''). All tracks by Tea. The Vertigo logo on front is black. Matrix number A-side:
6360617 1 1 520 3012 1974 Matrix number B-side:
6360617 2 1 520 2912 1974 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
Fronted by an English vocalist, Tea (from Switzerland) plays melodic, but not very inventive, hard-rock with more than just a nod towards British examples. Some tracks show a slight symphonic tendency, everything is played impeccably, but even this cannot mask the lack of songwriting ability. A typical and rather commonly sounding middle of the seventies album.
The band goes to great lengths and dives deep into submarine space to get its picture on the cover. Quite a nice shot, actually. It is difficult to connect the image with the music, though. The backside has more of this ultramarine sea-space, some sparse information and the bandname manifold all over the surface.
The lettering is sly enough not to mix with the image and this is a good and modest idea. It's a single cover again.
Notes: The catalogue number would be typical for a record by a signing from Vertigo Germany. Indeed, this and the following, are essentially German releases, although they were not granted a swirl label over there.
This was released in Britain on Philips (6305 238).
6360 618 A
LUCIFER'S FRIEND - BANQUET (december 1974)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Herbert Bornhold,
dr/ Herb Geller, sax, fl/ Peter Hecht, keyb/ Peter Hesslein, gtr/
Dieter Horns, bsgtr/ John Lawton, voc.
Production:
Lucifer's
Friend.
Photography by S.F.B.Dietrich. Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Studio Maschen. Track listing A-side:
Spanish Galleon (Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 11'55''/ Thus Spoke
Oberon (J.F.Barcardi + John O'Brien-Docker) 6'45''.
Track listing B-side: High Flying Lady - Goodbye (Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 3'41''/ Sorrow (Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 11'49''/ Dirty Old Town (Dieter Horns+ Peter Hesslein + John Lawton) 4'44''. The Vertigo logo on front is white. Matrix number A-side:
6360618 1 1 520 3012 1974 Matrix number B-side:
6360618 2 1 520 3012 1974 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
This takes off with some kind of ill-digested jazz-rock with a rock guitar, massive reeds included, but suddenly turns into an American sounding slice of rock-cum-orchestra and a women's choir pops up too. Effortless switching between styles makes for compellent listening further on: you never quite know what's up their sleeves. An outrageous electric sax solo by Geller over ''spanish'' harmonies follows suit and turns into desintegration, which in its turn gives way to a romantic passage and there is the funky American part again. Only the attempt at a ''hook'' in the refrain is a bit irritating. Some mellotron is discernable but the rest of this large track consists of a tedious (but fortunately very short) drum solo that turns into jazz-rock again. Overkill, but a few wonderful episodes are to be admired, nonetheless. At least you can't deny their versatility. The rest of side A is half-way credible big production pop with progressive leanings. Side B starts horribly with pumped-up pop-rock of the worst kind. As this is followed by over-organized brass-rock on Sorrow, though enlivened by an excellent guitar solo, the scales are tipped and an infavourable impression wins out. Luckily Dirty old town, with its twisting melody and otherwise simple structure turns out to be very listenable. A mixed affair.
Somehow we think that we have already seen this image before, but somehow it slips our minds where that can have been. Maybe you know?! This is a single cover.
The lettering suggests ''gothic'', though in a slighly subdued way. The lettering of the bandname seems totally out of place.
6360
622
HARDIN & YORK WITH CHARLIE McCRACKEN - ''same'' (197?)
HARDIN & YORK WITH CHARLIE McCRACKEN - ''same'' (197?)
 |
Scan from one of our contributing readers.
6366 115 A
BLACK SABBATH - SABOTAGE (october 1975)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Geezer Butler,
bsgtr/ Tony Iommi, gtr/ Ozzy Osbourne, voc/ Bill Ward, dr.
The English Chamber Choir directed by Will Malone. Production:
Mike Butcher
& Black Sabbath.
Cover-design by Graham Wright Photography by unknown. Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Morgan Studios London & Brussels. Track listing A-side:
Hole
In The Sky (4'00'')/ Don't Start [Too Late] (0'48'')/ Symptom Of The
Universe (6'28'')/ Megalomania (9'39'').
Track listing B-side: Thrill Of It All (5'54'')/ Supertzar (3'42'')/ Am I Going Insane [Radio] (4'13'')/ The Writ (8'17''). All tracks by Black Sabbath. There is no Vertigo logo on front. Matrix number A-side:
6366115 A 1 520 241075 Matrix number B-side:
6366115 B 1 520 241075 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
An album that usually books as a disappointment, but it all depends on what you expect. Everything you may wish to hear on a BS record is available here: screaming vocals, portly doubled guitar riffs, doomy lyrics. Not any worse than on other albums by this combo. A highlight anyway: the flipside of a single, Am I going insane [radio], which is as insistent as anything they made. The very monotony and general density of Megalomania (wrongly spelled on the label) is worth a mention too.
The cover-shot. looks like a badly parodized image of Magritte. The robes of Ozzy are a delight, of course. And does this nazi-''S'' really have to appear here? The backside shows the same image, but now we see the lads from the back. How inventive can you get? A single cover again.
The lettering is distasteful (but no problem there, we guess) but also renders the images top-heavy. Very poor graphical designing.
Notes: This was assigned the catalogue number 9119 001 in Britain and released on Warner Bros (BS 2822) in the USA.
6366 116 A
BLACK SABBATH - WE SOLD OUR SOUL FOR ROCK 'N' ROLL (januari 1976)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Geezer Butler,
bsgtr/ Tony Iommi, gtr/ Ozzy Osbourne, voc/ Bill Ward, dr.
Production:
various.
Cover-design by Results Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by Grafica Centonze. Recorded at various. Track listing A-side:
Black
Sabbath (6'18'')/ The Wizard (4'28'')/ Paranoid (2'47'')/ War Pigs
(7'53'')/ Iron Man (5'53'').
Track listing B-side: Fairies Wear Boots (6'14'')/ Sweet Leaf (5'03'')/ Children Of The Grave (5'15'')/ Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (5'44'')/ Am I Going Insane [Radio] (4'20''). All tracks by Black Sabbath. The Vertigo logo on front is white. Matrix number A-side:
6366116 A 1 520 250176 Matrix number B-side:
6366116 B 1 520 250176 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
A sampler from mainly the first three BS albums plus two assorted tracks from other LP's. We contemplated all these outings before, under their respective parent albums.
The cover underlines Third Reich connotations through the colours and the inclusion of three ''nazi'' letters ''S''. As this attitude is not reflected anywhere in the music, the main impression this conveys is one of helplessness. The backcover confirms the lack of graphical inspiration by repeating the front, this time augmented with some information on the tracks. The band did not seem to know anything of this album, but protested fruitlessly against its release. Small wonder they did so, since there is no need to own this album from any point of view. It's wrapped in a single cover.
The lettering is already discussed above. A large poster was included. An undead woman lies upon a bier clutching a Christian cross made out of neon light in her hands. She looks the part: eyes averted from reality, black dress and a lily draped beside her head. The connection with the music fails to seep through.
Notes: This was released in 1975 on NEMS (6641 335) in Britain and in 1976 on Warner Bros (BS 2969) in the USA with two additional tracks as a double album.
6370
111 A
GREENSLADE
- SPYGLASS GUEST (1974)
Virtually
identical to the Dutch pressing,but without FOC, please refer to the Netherlands page.
6370
113 A
GREENSLADE
- TIME AND TIDE (1975)
Virtually
identical to the Dutch pressing, but without FOC, please
refer to
the Netherlands page.
6370
401 L
NAZARETH - RAMPANT (may 1974)
 |
 |
|
Cover-design
by
Hipgnosis, illustrated by Joe Petagno.
Photography by unknown. Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Track listing A-side:
Silver Dollar Forger Parts 1 & 2 (Nazareth) 5'37''/ Glad When
You're Gone
(Nazareth) 4'07''/ Loved And Lost 5'10'' /Shanghaid 'n' Shanghai
(Nazareth) 3'33''.
Track listing B-side: Jet Lag (Nazareth) 6'39''/ Light My Way (Nazareth) 4'08''/ Sunshine (Nazareth) 4'13''/ Shapes Of Things (Paul Samwell-Smith + Keith Relf + Jim McCarty) ?/ Space Safari (Nazareth) ?. No Vertigo logo on front.
Matrix number A-side:
6360401 1 1 520 090574 19 Matrix number B-side:
6360401 2 1 520 090574 19 Rarity scale:
R1
|
|
We do not own this record personally, so we cannot discuss the music. Maybe this is fortunate for both us and the band.
The same goes for the cover. It seems unfair to judge by a small scan only....
There was an inner sleeve with this record with the lyrics on one side and a group photo with bare chests on the other.
It has been spotted with both an ''A'' and an ''L'' suffix.
6370
404 A
BAKER
GURVITZ ARMY - "same'' (1975)
 |
Label scan from one of our contributing readers.
6370
405 A
NAZARETH
- HAIR OF THE DOG (1975)
Virtually
identical to the Dutch pressing, please refer to the Netherlands page.
6370
407 A
BAKER
GURVITZ ARMY - ELYSIAN ENCOUNTER (1975)
 |
Label scan
from one of our
contributing readers.
6370 408 A
SENSATIONAL
ALEX HARVEY BAND - LIVE (november 1975)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Zal Cleminson,
gtr, voc/ Chris Glen, bsgtr, voc/ Alex Harvey, voc, gtr, harm/ Hugh
McKenna, keyb, voc/ Ted McKenna, dr, voc.
Production:
David
Batchelor.
Cover-design
by Dave
Field & Alan Field.
Photography by Ian Dickson & Tom Busby Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Hammersmith Odeon. Track listing A-side:
Fanfare (Derek Wadsworth) 1'24''/ Faith Healer
(Alex Harvey + Hugh McKenna) 6'50''/ Tomahawk Kid (Alex Harvey + Hugh
McKenna + David Batchelor) 5'50''/ Vambo
(Alex Harvey + Hugh McKenna) 9'25''.
Track listing B-side: Give My Compliments To The Chef (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson + Hugh McKenna) 7'05''/ Delilah (Les Reed + Barry Mason) 5'17''/ Framed (Jerry Leiber + Mike Stoller) 11'04''. No
Vertigo logo on front.
Matrix number A-side:
6360408 A 1 520 151175 Matrix number B-side:
6360408 B 1 520 151175 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
With
the band at the
height of their
ability, this concert must have been fun to attend. It is the last gig
of a long tour and the playing is carefree, yet tight. Logically, some
all-time favourites are presented like Framed, Faith healer and Vambo. An
over-the-top cover
of Tom Jones'
Delilah,
including a ridiculous little waltz, evokes peels of laughter, but
unfortunately we cannot see the antics of the singer. As mostly with
live concerts, the rocking side of the band is emphasized. The biting
guitar solo on Vambo
is
totally different to the studio solo and better, too. Only on Give my compliments to the chef
the
studio is missed. This track contains much less depth than the studio
effort on Tomorrow
belong to me.
A fine performance, though not much is added to what we already knew.
Desperately trying to impart an impression of velocity by its diagonal divisions and entertainment by its arrangement of the pictures, the cover fails hopelessly to do so. Looking at them from close distance the small live photo's are actually quite good. A single cover once again.
The lettering is mostly corporate identity and a little ''dynamics''. Well, what are you sulking about? It's live album, man!
Desperately trying to impart an impression of velocity by its diagonal divisions and entertainment by its arrangement of the pictures, the cover fails hopelessly to do so. Looking at them from close distance the small live photo's are actually quite good. A single cover once again.
The lettering is mostly corporate identity and a little ''dynamics''. Well, what are you sulking about? It's live album, man!
6370
411 A
NAZARETH - GREATEST HITS
(december 1975)
 |
 |
|
Cover-design
by
Petagno.
Photography by Chuck Pulin & Colin McDonald. Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Track listing A-side:
Razamanaz (Nazareth) 3'50''/ Holy Roller
(Nazareth) 3'25''/ Shanghaid 'n' Shanghai (Nazareth) 3'45''/ Love Hurts
(Bob Bryant) 3'59''/ Turn On Your Receiver (Nazareth) 3'20''/ Bad Bad
Boy (Nazareth) 3'58''.
Track listing B-side: This Flight Tonight (Joni Mitchell) 3'24''/ Broken Down Angel (Nazareth) 3'43''/ Hair Of The Dog (Nazareth) 3'22''/ Sunshine (Nazareth) 3'52''/ My White Bicycle (Keith West + Keith Hopkins) 3'23''/ Woke Up This Morning (Nazareth) 3'53''. No Vertigo logo on front.
Matrix number A-side:
6360411 A 1 520 091125 Matrix number B-side:
6360411 B 1 520 091275 Rarity scale:
SC
|
|
Nothing
new on this one,
but if
anything, it serves to illustrate the daring choice of covers, which is
about the only interesting feature of this band at this stage as far as
we are
concerned. Not that Tomorrow's My
white bicycle
gets anything like an intelligent treatment, but it's nice to hear the
tune again, anyway. The Joni Mitchell cover is quite unexpected too,
but suffers again from hamfisted treatment.
The single cover (with an insert containing small live pictures) evokes the atmosphere of the Middle East through the combination of lettering and desert-alike colouring. This is nice inasmuch as the bandname suggests an occupation with that area, but has nothing to do with anything in the music. The backcover shows a stroboscopic device and six previous Nazareth albums.
The single cover (with an insert containing small live pictures) evokes the atmosphere of the Middle East through the combination of lettering and desert-alike colouring. This is nice inasmuch as the bandname suggests an occupation with that area, but has nothing to do with anything in the music. The backcover shows a stroboscopic device and six previous Nazareth albums.
6370 412 A
NAZARETH - CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ROCK 'N' ROLL (july 1976)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Pete Agnew, bsgtr,
keyb/ Manny Charlton, gtr/ Dan McCafferty, voc/ Darrell Sweet, dr.
Production:
Manny Charlton.
Cover-design by Hipgnosis. Photography by Hipgnosis. Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at Le Studio, Montreal. Track listing A-side:
Telegram part 1: On Your Way (Nazareth) / part 2: So You Want To Be A
Rock 'N' Roll Star (Roger McGuinn + Chris Hillman)/ part 3: Sound Check
(Nazareth)/ part 4: Here We Are Again
(Nazareth) 7'11''/ Vicki [instrumental] (Nazareth) 2'24''/ Homesick
Again (Nazareth) 4'30''/ Vancouver Shakedown (Nazareth) 4'09''.
Track listing B-side: Born Under The Wrong Sign (Nazareth) 3'56''/ Loretta (Nazareth) 3'20''/ Carry Out Feelings (Nazareth) 3'18''/ Lift The Lid (Nazareth) 3'52''/ You're The Violin (J.Berry) 4'45''. The Vertigo logo on front is white. Matrix number A-side:
6370412 A 1 520 020776 Matrix number B-side:
6370412 B 1 520 020776 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
An
attempt to slightly
complicate both
sound and intentions. Especially the end of the long opening track
sounds out of character: a symphonic touch and an unforeseen structure.
The inclination to strange cover versions shows itself on the Byrds'
song.
Blasphemic, but courageous, too. Vicki
turns out to own a lyrical touch and Born
under the wrong sign boasts a funky bassline. That's all
for
now, folks.
We duly peer into the empty interior of a car and see hordes of, well probably, fans flatting their noses against the windows. It's a single cover but there is an inner sleeve with the bandmembers sitting inside the car. Some lyrics are printed there too. On the backcover the same recipe is followed, but logo and lettering are mirrored. Yawn!!
The lettering is already showing signs of the decade to come: they could have adorned any eighties album. So this is either trendsetting or else just simply an unfitting kind of lettering.
Notes: This was released in 1976 on Mountain (TOPS 109) in Britain.
We duly peer into the empty interior of a car and see hordes of, well probably, fans flatting their noses against the windows. It's a single cover but there is an inner sleeve with the bandmembers sitting inside the car. Some lyrics are printed there too. On the backcover the same recipe is followed, but logo and lettering are mirrored. Yawn!!
The lettering is already showing signs of the decade to come: they could have adorned any eighties album. So this is either trendsetting or else just simply an unfitting kind of lettering.
Notes: This was released in 1976 on Mountain (TOPS 109) in Britain.
6370
413 A
SENSATIONAL
ALEX HARVEY BAND - THE PENTHOUSE TAPES (march 1976)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Zal Cleminson,
gtr, voc/ B.J.Cole, steel/ Chris Glen, bsgtr, voc/ Alex Harvey, voc,
gtr, harm/ Hugh
McKenna, keyb, voc/ Ted McKenna, dr, voc.
Production:
David
Batchelor.
Cover-design
by
unknown.
Photography by unknown. Liner notes
by Alex Harvey.
Cover manufactured by Grafiche Dotti. Recorded at Basing Street Studios. Track listing A-side:
I
Want To Have You Back (SAHB) 2'42''/ Jungle Jenny
(SAHB) 4'07''/ Runaway (Del Shannon + Max Crook) 2'46''/ Love Story
(Ian Anderson) 5'10''/ School's Out (Alice Cooper Band) 5'02''.
Track listing B-side: Goodnight Irene (Ledbetter + Lomax) 3'23''/ Say You're Mine [Every Cowboy Song] (Alex Harvey) 3'23''/ Gamblin' Bar Room Blues (J.Rodgers + Shelley Lee Alley) 4'09''/ Crazy Horses (A.W.Osmond + M.Osmond) 2'54''/ Cheek To Cheek (Irving Berlin) 3'52''. No Vertigo logo on front.
Matrix number A-side:
6360413 A 1 520 160376 Matrix number B-side:
6360413 B 1 520 160376 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
This
contains so many
cover versions,
that suspicions about a low inspirational period.are inevitable. The
first two tracks, however, are by Harvey and his men themselves and
they are dangerously close to glam-rock of a kind we have heard too
often for comfort. The unprobable series of covers is opened with Del
Shannon's Runaway,
which is
treated smoothly and ironically. Jethro Tull's Love story is wild
and expertly
arranged and directly flowing into Alice Cooper's School's Out, which
does not quite
match the outrage of the original. Side B opens with an ironic and epic
little blues and two more or less neutral tracks. Another pair of very
strange covers materialize first in the form of The Osmond Brothers' Crazy horses,
though without
whinnying and more like common hard-rock. Secondly, Irving Berlin's
standard Cheek to cheek
sounds like big fun
in the whiskey-soaked timbre of Harvey. Innocense incarnate sung by a
very earthy voice. Mmm, that's nice, Max! On the whole, though, this
album
marks a step backward from the diverse and inspired Tomorrow belongs to me.
Painted-up, but deadly pale nonetheless, the lads pose in a horrible common room. The lamps, the curtains and the carpet, as well as the eye-insulting beige of most objects, are clearly chosen to annoy us, and so they do. Almost a pity that the bandname blocks the rest of the ceiling from our view. On the back four have changed to nightgowns, one has discarded his jacket only. This is a single sleeve, but carries an inner sleeve with two more pictures taken at the same sessions. in a magenta duotone. No lamination anywhere.
The lettering is another part of the corporate identity syndrom, but fits better here than on most albums.
Notes: This was given the catalogue number 9102 007 in Britain.
Painted-up, but deadly pale nonetheless, the lads pose in a horrible common room. The lamps, the curtains and the carpet, as well as the eye-insulting beige of most objects, are clearly chosen to annoy us, and so they do. Almost a pity that the bandname blocks the rest of the ceiling from our view. On the back four have changed to nightgowns, one has discarded his jacket only. This is a single sleeve, but carries an inner sleeve with two more pictures taken at the same sessions. in a magenta duotone. No lamination anywhere.
The lettering is another part of the corporate identity syndrom, but fits better here than on most albums.
Notes: This was given the catalogue number 9102 007 in Britain.
6370
416 A
BAKER GURVITZ ARMY - HEARTS ON
FIRE (may
1976)
 |
 |
|
Line-up:
Ginger Baker, dr/
Brian Chatton, keyb/ Adrian Gurvitz, voc, gtr/ Paul Gurvitz, voc,
bsgtr/ Ann O'Dell, keyb/ Snips, voc.
Strings by The Martyn Ford Orchestra Production:
Eddie Offord.
Cover-design
by
Michael Ross.
Photography by Paul Wakefield. Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Recorded at The Point, London. Track listing A-side:
Hearts On Fire (Ginger Baker) 2'30''/ Neon Lights
(Snips) 4'35''/ Smiling (Paul Gurvitz) 3'12''/ Tracks Of My Life
(Adrian Gurvitz) 4'40''/ Flying And Out Of Stardom (Adrian Gurvitz)
2'17''.
Track listing B-side: Dancing The Night Away (Adrian Gurvitz) 3'25''/ My Mind Is Healing (Adrian Gurvitz) 3'50''/ Thirsty For The Blues (Adrian Gurvitz) 5'15''/ Night People (Adrian Gurvitz) 3'19''/ Mystery (Snips) 4'02''. The Vertigo logo on front is
white.
Matrix number A-side:
6360416 A 1 520 050776 Matrix number B-side:
6360416 B 1 520 050776 Rarity scale:
R2
|
|
Although
this mostly
sounds like
standard seventies British heavy rock, that doesn't mean this has no
moments of inspiration. Most of the guitar parts are expressive and the
interplay maybe a bit simple, it surely sits tight enough. In between
all the violently stomping tracks there even is room for a
heartbreaking ballad Tracks
of my
life, that boasts an enjoyable string arrangement, but
also an
awful female choir. The slow blues of Thirst
for the blues also brings a welcome variety. Still, the
best
track seems to be Night
people,
which incorporates all the virtues and almost none of the drawbacks of
the style.
Ace, king, queen and jack of hearts, held by a manicured female hand on a black background. Flames emerge from the cards into the void. Very much seventies, not very original. No lamination anywhere on this single sleeve. We are not sure whether or not the inner sleeve that went with the British issue was included here.
The lettering is at least coloured slyly to make room for the fire, but the letters are not very elegant and do not fit the overall image.
Notes: This was released in Britain on Mountain (TOPS 111) with an inner sleeve and released in the USA on Atco (SD 36-137), also in 1976.
Ace, king, queen and jack of hearts, held by a manicured female hand on a black background. Flames emerge from the cards into the void. Very much seventies, not very original. No lamination anywhere on this single sleeve. We are not sure whether or not the inner sleeve that went with the British issue was included here.
The lettering is at least coloured slyly to make room for the fire, but the letters are not very elegant and do not fit the overall image.
Notes: This was released in Britain on Mountain (TOPS 111) with an inner sleeve and released in the USA on Atco (SD 36-137), also in 1976.
6370
417 A
SENSATIONAL
ALEX HARVEY BAND - SAHB STORIES (september 1976)
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Line-up:
Zal Cleminson,
gtr, voc/ Chris Glen, bsgtr, voc/ Alex Harvey, voc,
gtr, harm/ Hugh
McKenna, keyb, voc/ Ted McKenna, dr, voc.
Production:
David
Batchelor..
Photography by Gered Mankowitz. Liner notes:
none.
Cover manufactured by Grafica Centonze. Recorded at Basing Street Studios. Track listing A-side:
Dance
To Your Daddy (SAHB + David Batchelor) 5'43''/ Amos Moses
(Hubbard) 4'20''/ Jungle Rub Out (SAHB + David Batchelor) 4'25''/
Sirocco
(Hugh McKenna) 6'50''.
Track listing B-side: Boston Tea Party (Alex Harvey + Hugh McKenna) 3'23''/ Sultan's Choice (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson) 4'06''/ $25 For A Massage (Alex Harvey + Zal Cleminson + Chris Glen) 3'22''/ Dogs Of War (Zal Cleminson + Alex Harvey + Hugh McKenna) 6'10''. No Vertigo logo on front.
Matrix number A-side:
6360417 A 1 520 200976 Matrix number B-side:
6360417 B 2 520 200976 Rarity scale:
R3
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Now we have moderately heavy rock with
some prog traits on
Dance to your daddy
and bluesy rock
on Amos Moses,
both much more
subdued than previous releases lead us to expect, and even some mildly
experimental soft-rock on Sirocco.
Especially this track sounds like a different band, but also delivers a
welcome unexpected colour. Most of side B is much more predictable, but
the concluding Dogs of
war
combines heavy and theatrical episodes and blends them in to an
agreeable brew with again a trace of Peter Gabriel revealing itself.
Quite a nice album if you hop over the unnecessary fake-blues.
So we are in a bar, looking at the band in the mirrors at the rear of the room. Without the fold-out cover, this is a bit hard to follow and not very impressive. Some Arabian people are visible too. These are quite picturesque, but bear no relation to the music in any way. No lamination anywhere, but an inner sleeve is provided with another shot from the same bar and some loose comments on its other side.
The lettering is modest and suits the picture well..
Notes: This was in Britain on Mountain (TOPS 112) in the same year.
So we are in a bar, looking at the band in the mirrors at the rear of the room. Without the fold-out cover, this is a bit hard to follow and not very impressive. Some Arabian people are visible too. These are quite picturesque, but bear no relation to the music in any way. No lamination anywhere, but an inner sleeve is provided with another shot from the same bar and some loose comments on its other side.
The lettering is modest and suits the picture well..
Notes: This was in Britain on Mountain (TOPS 112) in the same year.
6370
850
FAR
EAST FAMILY BAND - NIPPONJIN (1976)
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Scans from our contributing readers.
6499
693 L
VANGELIS - EARTH (1973)
VANGELIS - EARTH (1973)
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So much for that, here you are! At least a promo is in existence...
6673 001 (1972)
6641
436 (1976)
APHRODITE'S CHILD - 666
APHRODITE'S CHILD - 666
This was
released
twice in Italy with catalogue numbers as above. Musically and
packaging-wise
it is strongly similar to the British issue. As often with
Philips/Phonogram double albums, the discs themselves had different
numbers, for the 1972 release these are 6333 500L and 501L, for the
1976
release these are 9286 089 and 090.
9124 100 A
BLACK SABBATH - TECHNICAL ECSTASY (september 1976)
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Line-up:
Geezer Butler,
bsgtr/ Tony Iommi, gtr/ Ozzy Osbourne, voc/ Bill Ward, voc, dr/ Gerald
Woodruffe, keyb.
Production:
Black Sabbath.
Cover-art by Richard Manning & George Hardie. Cover-design by Hipgnosis. Inner sleeve-design by Colin Elgie. Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by Grafica Centonze. Recorded at Criteria Studios, Miami, FL.. Track listing A-side:
Back
Street Kids (3'46'')/ You Won''t Change Me (6'34'')/ It's Alright
(3'58'')/ Gypsy (5'10'').
Track listing B-side: All Moving Psrts [Stand Still] (4'59'')/ Rock 'N' Roll Doctor (3'25'')/ She's Gone (4'51'')/ Dirty Woman (7'15''). All tracks by Black Sabbath. There is no Vertigo logo on front. Matrix number A-side:
9124100 A 1 520 300976 Matrix number B-side:
9124100 8B 1 520 300976 Rarity scale:
R2
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That
this album would
cause a schism is
not difficult to understand. Much more polished and commercial than any
previous BS album, this is destined to divide opinions. Is it still
Black Sabbath, or just another seventies hard-rock crew? Even so, It's alright is a
true pop song
with strings and there is more room for experiment in the backing parts
than ever before. Surely this sounds generally a lot more commercial
too. The concluding Dirty
woman,
despite its trite title, belongs to the best tracks BS ever laid down
on vinyl. There is nothing anywhere that would explain the title of the
album, though.
Also the cover-art treads new paths, but it really is difficult to connect the image and the music. Escalator robot love at first sight, probably a new category altogether, but the image is yet as sterile as you can imagine. The inner sleeve holds the lyrics and more of the image, this time in outlines, thus rendering it surprisingly similar to Oskar Schlemmer.
The lettering is too cheap to even notice.
Notes: This was assigned the catalogue number 9102 750 in Britain and released on Warner Bros (BS 2969) in the USA.
The letter ''A'' does only appear on backcover and inner sleeve, not on the label.
Also the cover-art treads new paths, but it really is difficult to connect the image and the music. Escalator robot love at first sight, probably a new category altogether, but the image is yet as sterile as you can imagine. The inner sleeve holds the lyrics and more of the image, this time in outlines, thus rendering it surprisingly similar to Oskar Schlemmer.
The lettering is too cheap to even notice.
Notes: This was assigned the catalogue number 9102 750 in Britain and released on Warner Bros (BS 2969) in the USA.
The letter ''A'' does only appear on backcover and inner sleeve, not on the label.
7199 001
VARIOUS ARTISTS - A SCATOLA CHIUSA (1971)
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Line-up: see track listing Cover-art
by unknown
Liner notes
none.
Cover manufactured by unknown. Track listing A-side: Life (Legend) 3'02''/ Come Away Melinda (Uriah Heep) 3'47''/ Gasoline Alley (Rod Stewart) 4'03''/ Paranoid (Black Sabbath) 2'45''/ The Daughter Of Time (Colosseum) 3'24''/ Sarabande (Beggars Opera) 3'22'' Track listing B-side: Lady In Black (Uriah Heep) 3'36''/ Pretty Woman (Juicy Lucy) 3'14''/ Evil Woman (Black Sabbath) 3'15''/ Telephone Girl (Assagai) 3'30''/ St. Louis (Warhorse) 3'40''/ Dulcie [It's December] (Jimmy Campbell) 2'45''. Rarity scale:
R4
|
Strange
fare, indeed,
although the
choice of material seems on the safe side. Almost a singles
compilation, actually!
The cover art
is not too exciting, but
certainly quite swirly.
Some confusion must have taken place in the Italian HQ, since B3 was misspelt (or misinterpreted), as 'Devil woman". Perhaps by a Manfred Mann fan...
Some confusion must have taken place in the Italian HQ, since B3 was misspelt (or misinterpreted), as 'Devil woman". Perhaps by a Manfred Mann fan...
SINGLES
Undoubtedly
Italian
Vertigo produced a
lot of singles too, but these are not very widely spread. We are
certain that
there are more swirl singles issued in Italy, than the ones
we have on display here. If you own any of these, please contact us!
Singles matrix numbers are machine-stamped and follow a logical pattern:
6059055 ▼ 1=1 * 520 270172 for the first single depicted below: catalogue number, side, mother, country code and pressing date.
The labels are very similar to those of the albums. The A-side label also carries a ''1'' inside the first white circle from above. Later releases show a B-side label for both sides.
And here are a few single sleeves for your pleasure:
Italy has a tradition of ''jukebox'' singles with different artists on each side. We have found seven of them with a Vertigo swirl label. None of these has a picture sleeve.
Singles matrix numbers are machine-stamped and follow a logical pattern:
6059055 ▼ 1=1 * 520 270172 for the first single depicted below: catalogue number, side, mother, country code and pressing date.
 |
The labels are very similar to those of the albums. The A-side label also carries a ''1'' inside the first white circle from above. Later releases show a B-side label for both sides.
And here are a few single sleeves for your pleasure:
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6021 299, Jo Lemaire + Flouze Fats rats/ Precious time. | Italian picture sleeve for 6059 010, Black Sabbath Paranoid/ The wizard. |
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Italian picture sleeve for 6059
015, Juicy Lucy Pretty Woman/I'm a Thief.
|
Italian picture sleeve for 6059
021, Legend Life/ Late
last night.
|
Italian picture sleeve for 6059 025, Uriah Heep Gipsy/ Come away Melinda. |
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6059 026, Beggars Opera Sarabande/Think | Italian picture sleeve for 6059 037, Uriah Heep Lady in black/ Bird of prey. |
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6059 027, Warhorse St.Louis/ No chance. | Italian picture sleeve for 6059 049, Gravy Train Alone in Georgia/ Can anybody hear me. | Italian picture sleeve for 6059 055, Freedom London City/ Thanks. |
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6059 061, Black Sabbath Tomorrow's dream/ Laguna sunrise. | Italian picture sleeve and label for 6059 072, Gentle Giant The advent of Panurge/ Prologue. It seems that this was released in Italy only. | |
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6059 061, Manfred Mann's Earthband Joybringer/ Can't eat meat. |
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6059 091, Sensational Alex Harvey Band Giddy up a ding dong/ Buff's bar blues. | Italian picture sleeve for 6059 139, Thin Lizzy The boys are back in town/ Emerald. | Italian picture sleeve for 6059 564, Dire Straits Private investigations/ Badges, posters, stickers, T-shirts. |
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| Italian picture sleeve for 6078 209, Nazareth Love hurts/ Down. | Italian picture sleeve for 6078 220, Nazareth Holy roller/ Railroad boy. | Italian picture sleeve for 6078 230, Baker Gurvitz Army The gambler/ Space machine. |
Italy has a tradition of ''jukebox'' singles with different artists on each side. We have found seven of them with a Vertigo swirl label. None of these has a picture sleeve.
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| Italian label for AS 109 (1970), Black Sabbath Paranoid/ Manfred Mann Chapter Three Happy being me. | Italian label for AS 156 (1972), Jethro Tull, Thick as a brick [part 1]/ Gentle Giant Peel the paint. | Italian label for AS 186 (1972), Black Sabbath Tomorrow's dream/ Orietta Berti Come porti i capelli bella bionda/ La Marianna. |
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| Italian label for AS 241 (1973), Sensational Alex Harvey Band Giddy up a ding song/ Joe Cocker Something to say. | Italian
label
for AS 247 (1973), Jim Croce, Bad, bad
Leroy Brown. B-side unknown. |
Italian label for AS 5000 364 (1977), Black Sabbath It's alright/ Chrisma U.. |
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| Italian label for AS 5000 364 (1979), Dire Straits Lady writer/ Elton John Victim of love |
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.
In case of any contributions or questions or even complaints, please use this here virtual address: e-mail.