Item Description
/font gt Eclipse Roger Waters All that you touch, And all that you see, All that you taste , All you feel.
And all that you love, And all that you hate, All you distrust, All you save.
And all that you give, And all that you deal, And all that you buy, Beg, borrow or steal.
And all you create, And all you destroy, And all that you do, And all that you say.
And all that you eat, And everyone you meet, And all that you slight, And everyone you fight.
And all that is now, And all that is gone, And all that s to come, And everything under the sun, is in tune, But the sun is eclipsed by the moon.
PINK FLOYD: The Dark Side Of The Moon LP, THE VERY RARE UK VERY FIRST PRESSING ON THE OPEN BLUE PRISM LABEL.
PRESSED BEFORE THE 24th MARCH, 1973 RELEASE DATE, THIS RECORD IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED THE FINAL ONE WITH A SOLID BLUE LABEL.
THIS SHARES THE SAME MAITRIX ENDING AND STAMPING CODES, THE VINYL IS IDENTICAL AND SOURCED FROM THE SAME 1st 2nd MOTHERS PER SIDE, SO IS THE SOUND QUALITY AND THE ASTONISHING SONIC/SOUNDSCAPE PROPERTIES.
Yesterday I listed a Dark Side Of The Moon tour programme, the most innovative Pink Floyd programme of them all in a comic format, that was from the following year, 1974.
The complexity of the pressing sequence of the UK Dark Side Of The Moon is similar to the Beatles Please Please Me album a decad earlier.
Not as a debut album, but how pre-release pressings underwent multiple changes to the label design and label text, only this time Dark Side Of The Moon had two individual posters and two peelable stickers.
Add in a later addition of a circular title sticker, a different type of cover and even inner sleeve, plus EMI were meticulously indexing every pressing batch, even complex is inadequate.
Most is known but a great deal is not, the fact Pink Floyd performed Dark Side live and developed the tracks and lyrics on stage before recording the album, the concerts take a role that cannot be ignored.
I listed the programme yesterday to leave this description free of too much background details of the live performances.
That can be read in the programme description and for those not around for the gigs in the early 1970 s, plus the programme gives a wonderful insight into the band in the inspired 1972 - 1974 period, it was not all intensity, the fun good humour and warmth is there in the programme.
The rarity of this record is not just in the known and undocumented details I will give below, a genuinely unplayed March, 1973 record is incredibly rare, the last I sold was inside a sealed, very first pressing about seven years ago on ebay, that had an EMI Factory Sample - Not For Sale sticker stuck on the shrink wrapping....
So does this unsealed cover, unlike those using fake stickers, the origin of this rarity is connected to some undocumented facts about the very first pressings, with and without solid blue prism labels.
Comparatively, there were literally untold thousands upon thousands pressed on the solid blue prism labels, they are offered on ebay and record fairs etc.
on a weekly basis, but only a handful of records had this record s unique direct connection, verifiable by machine stamping s alone, but there is plenty more.
This album is part of a collection that was not sold in record shops, but sent to the music publishing company for Pink Floyd and solo recordings in the 1970 s 1980 s.
I do not have direct contact with the former executive, an old friend and fellow record seller from our record fair trading years, is gradually buying his amazing collection sent from EMI.
None were played and as perfectly stored as it possibly gets for over 40 years, like the back cover of this album, most have an EMI red white sticker used for LP s, 12 7 singles that remained inside the music business Factory Sample - Not For Sale The beauty of them is the fantastic unused condition of the vinyl and connected printed items, although no Promo s/Demo s so far, Factory Sample Manufacturers Property records were from the beginning of the pressing cycle or the then current pressings take into account natural ageing and what you see on this and the other covers I sold in December 2013 and the last eight weeks, cannot be photo copied to con buyers with.
Even if stickers were inside the cover on the labels, glue seepage still had to affect the textured paper in varying degrees.
EMI /HARVEST TEXTURED LABEL: SHVL 804 As I wrote for a first pressing of Band on The Run a few days ago, in 1973 EMI were still using 1960 s quality thickly textured labels, the final pressing procedure was when the centre holes were removed.
The impact created spoke like lines in the textured paper radiating away from the hole, similar to the impact of bullet holes, they are not spindle traces and how records left the pressing plant when brand new.
Side 1 has a few of those impact lines and both labels are as textured as any 1960 s labels, the later Dark Side labels are smooth, the same bright sunshine for the Band on The Run pictures highlighted the details and in particular, the silver printing.
Which leads me into the text unique to this record and two items exclusively the same as solid prism labels, plus the actual colour of the prism or triangle that became exclusive to the 1973 first pressings/originals.
This is an ideal place to establish the unique features of the labels and the closeness to the solid prism records, I will discuss why I believe the change was made in the main description.
It is well known that EMI removed the Gramophone Co.
Ltd.
text from the 10 o clock position of the label rim text at the very early stage of manufacturing Dark Side, but not how with all the new alterations, a major error was made with another text on the labels, that will be Item No.
3 below: 1.
The blue colour tone of this record s prism on the labels, is exactly the same as the solid prism label, sky blue, precisely matching the sky blue colour on the outside gatefold cover s blue in the spectrum of colours leaving the prism.
Not only that, the inside left panel s bottom left corner has EMI / Harvest s logo s and credits in the same sky blue colour as the labels.
I am not referring to the blue hue of these very first edition gatefold covers, just the actual ink colour of the specified printing.
All following blue colour label prisms and the covers were gradually deepened to arrive at a much, much darker blue, I am not discussing heavily played, abused, worn out and faded labels or covers, only those still in top condition.
2.
This record s labels have an exclusive earlier music publishing credit, exactly as found on solid blue prism label records, located directly underneath the blue prism is World Copyrights Ltd.
All immediately following Dark Side Of the Moon labels have this amended music publishing credit Pink Floyd Music Publ.
Of interest only, the UK Quadraphonic Dark Side version had KPM added, to look like, World Copyrights Ltd./KPM , but no other UK first pressing /original included the next item, that was exclusive to this record alone and the few other s pressed with it.
I have never seen any other mention of the changed music publishing company that was exclusive to the very first made records, that simply has to apply to this record and music publishing was very much connected to this surviving in Mint condition.
3.
The removal of Gramophone Co.
Ltd.
was part of shifting the label rim text, that included moving Made In Gt.Britain from the 6 o clock position, to the end of the rim text on the bottom perimeter of the label.
It was just above the rim text and there it still is and bizarrely Made In Gt.Britain is also at 4 o clock on the end of the perimeter text.
Labels in transition often include remnants from previous designs the printer had missed, but I have never seen two Made In Gt.
Britain credits on any other EMI related label from 1973.
I am not interested in the extra dot mentality but the above is fundamental to the identification of a missing link between solid blue prism labels with Gramophone and only one Made In Gt.
Britain credit.
MAITRIX SHVL 804 A - 3 / SHVL 804 B - 3 I will go into full detail later, the final pressing with solid blue prism labels was, SHVL 804 A - 3 / SHVL 804 B - 3 and this proves the very next record made had the new labels freshly delivered by Garrod Lofthouse.
There was no break in the pressing, the open prism labels without Gramophone, were fed into the tubes fixing them to the records immediately following the final solid blue prism record, also stamped with A - 3 /A - 3.
The same metal stamping plates per side carried on pressing this record, all nonsense about second pressing is simply not true.
In theory, I could locate that very last solid prism label record that was made immediately before this very first open prism label, by looking at the stamping codes, assuming it still exists after 41 years.
EMI STAMPING CODES GRL 1 / AMM 2 2 was also hand scribed, many, many years ago, I sold another A - 3 /A - 3 open prism label pressing and that had 1 mothers on both sides.
A first second mother per individual side is perfectly normal for the solid prism label records, no questioning a first pressing with these credentials.
VIRTUALLY ALL FIRST PRESSINGS CAME IN DIE- CUT CENTRE BLACK INNER SLEEVES, A Factory Sample WAS NOT GOING TO RECORD SHOP AND THIS RECORD WAS PLACED INSIDE A 1973, WHITE EMI INNER SLEEVE WITH CURVED CORNERS, A PATENT NUMBER AND Made In Gt.Britain.
The same design from 1966 and predated EMI s Care Of Your Records design, I must stress this album is precisely how it left the pressing plant, then onto EMI s Head Office who sent it to Pink Floyd s music publishing executive.
I m certain he was more interested in the publishing credit that was about to change, than the colour of the inner sleeve.
I did take a picture of the record in the inner sleeve but it became one of the 18 considered essential, I had to whittle that down to the 12 available, it had to be one of the 6 pictures I reluctantly deleted.
I even had to compile the maitrix pictures, when I really wanted them in full scale and individual pictures, for obvious reasons, the same was true for the front and reverse sides of the first edition stickers.
UNUSED, UNSPLIT WITH ONLY A RECORD IMPRESSION AND MILD NATURAL AGEING, THE ORIGINAL INNER SLEEVE IS IN NEAR MINT CONDITION.
THE TWO Dark Side STICKERS ARE DISTINCTIVELY FIRST EDITION ONLY, MEASURING 6 x 4.
Identified by having Crack Back , Fasprint Bend along the lines , printed on the reverse side s removable paper to reveal the adhesive.
Those lines are in a diagonal brown colour and they alone were placed inside the first issues, eventually they became one sided thin cards, in between that various printers made them.
Please see my pictures for how unfaded the colours are.
ONCE AGAIN, UNUSED AND NEVER TAKEN OUT OF THE COVER SINCE 1973, THEY TEND TO CURL SLIGHTLY AT THE EDGES WITH AGE, SO NEAR MINT CONDITION.
TWO INDIVIDUAL FIRST EDITION Dark Side POSTERS, APPROXIMATELY 20 x 20 IN MINT CONDITION.
I have shown then in full scale individual pictures, the colours are spectacular because they have also never been outside the cover since March, 1973.
The first issue were positively not glossy and on the other hand, not matt or textured, a slight sheen is how I would describe the top surface, later posters even lost the borders around the pictures.
BOTH ARE EXACTLY HOW THEY FIRST PLACED INSIDE THE COVER, THAT WAS 41 YEARS GO NOW, BUT THEY ARE BOTH COMPLETELY UNAGED WITH THE ORIGINAL PRINTER FOLDS, IN MINT- CONDITION.
FIRST ISSUE, Solid Prism Open Prism GATEFOLD COVER, THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS HERE, BUT THE BLUE HUE I MENTIONED BEFORE WAS UNIQUE.
Some had the front compartment glued or sealed, this cover did not, you can actually see the blue tint better when they are badly worn and overcome by ring wear.
This was only handled by EMI and briefly by the recipient in the form of Pink Floyd s music publisher.
So still really close to how it was seen in 1973, the front is immaculate and the corners, edges and spine as close to perfect as time allows, which applies to the inside panels.
The outside back has a record impression and minor signs of being 41 years old and by that I only mean the minor and absolutely minimal handling I have ever encountered...apart from the ultra rare sealed copy I mentioned way back.
I could and should get carried away by the outstanding, beautiful appearance overall, it was stored inside a plastic outer sleeve like the other albums singles from the same unplayed collection.
The authentic Factory Sample sticker was placed near the catalogue number on the back right corner, as a matt, open grain cover, even that was part of handling.
AN OVER CAUTIOUS AND OVER HARSH GRADING IS, EXCELLENT / NEAR MINT CONDITION.
AS MY REVEALING PICTURES SHOW, THE IMMACULATE, AS NEW LABELS DO NOT HAVE ANY SPINDLE ALIGNMENT TRACES.
THERE ARE NO MARKS AT ALL ON THE ULTRA GLOSSY, STUNNING CONDITION VINYL, AS I HAVE FOR THE OTHER PINK FLOYD AND SOLO RECORDS FROM THE COLLECTION, I WILL OFFER THIS AS UNPLAYED BY MYSELF.
THE RECORD IS IN UNPLAYED, MINT CONDITION.
SIDE 1 a 1 Speak To Me Nick Mason a 2 Breathe In The Air Roger Waters / Richard Wright / Dave Gilmour b On The Run Roger Waters / Dave Gilmour c Time Nick Mason / Roger Waters/ Richard Wright /Dave Gilmour d The Great Gig In The Sky Richard Wright SIDE 2 e Money Roger Waters f Us And Them Roger Waters / Richard Wright g Any Colour You Like Richard Wright /Dave Gilmour h Brain Damage Roger Waters i Eclipse Roger Waters Roger Waters - bass, vocals tape effects David Gilmour - vocals guitars Richard Wright - keyboards vocals Nick Mason - drums, percussion tape effects Dick Parry - sax on Us And Them Money Doris Troy- backing vocals Lesley Duncan - backing vocals Liza Strike - backing vocals Barry St.
John - backing vocals Clare Torry - vocals on The Great Gig In The Sky Recorded Between June, 1972 January, 1973, At Abbey Road Studios, London.
The lengthy sessions were due to recording the More soundtrack in 1972 Engineered By Alan Parsons.
Producer By Pink Floyd.
r During the initial UK pressing of Dark Side Of The Moon the first designed labels with solid blue prism or triangles, had a radical decision made about them, right at the beginning of the production.
The first labels were considered to be in need of redesigning, I have a theory why, which I gave in previous descriptions of solid blue prism copies I have sold.
You have to conclude any decision made very early in manufacturing an album, the first label s design was inadequate.
Record companies react instantly when major printing errors or incorrect credits for songs are in urgent need of amendment.
The changes have to made quickly in mid-production, time is vital to to make a scheduled release date, normally announced through press adverts and all promotional work have to be in place well in advance.
Silver printed titles on the pale sky blue colour are very difficult to read, even the last titles on both side of these open labels do blend in with the bottom line of the blue prism.
They must have considered black ink but as the rest of the label was black, that was not an option for the other printing and that would also require even more drastic alterations.
That is my theory and not factual, I feel it was much easier and more logical to just leave left the centre of the blue prism a black colour and kept all the surrounding silver printing uniform.
A theory, as ever based on facts though, exactly the same happened to the EMI / Apple labels in this same early 1970 s period.
The late 1960 s very dark green side of the Apple label was always hard to read, I couldn t resist that pun, for example, John Lennon s 1973 album Mind Games in the same year, had the labels lightened to a near yellow colour to provide a comfortable contrast.
I believe what happened in March, after two versions were pressed,the first batches made with the solid blues prism labels were distributed and sold together with the immediately changed open design label records.
How many records were made with the blues prism labels? There is no doubt a large amount were, because EMI s maitrix changes only happened when a new pressing batch was begun after it was time for a replacement mother to stamp the records from, needed after reaching the predetermined quantity, to prevent the worn metal discs from producing sound flaws.
They are of course rare but I am sure by now it has become obvious to all that the sheer quantity for sale on ebay every week confirms a huge amount were made.
This record on offer actually chronicles the very point EMI seamlessly kept the production of Dark Side Of The Moon moving in a continuous and unbroken chain.
This is the very first pressing with the re-designed open blue prism labels and amended rim text, actually the connecting link which in effect, was touching the very last last solid blue prism records.
I will now need to deal very thoroughly with the first pressing s maitrix numbers.
With my my long experience with EMI s complex Beatles Pink Floyd pressings , this is really simple, as I said before this record is the missing link.
EMI did not select 1 maitrix ending s for the standard solid blue prism label records, no logic required here but possibly that had been taken up by Test Pressings that required repressing, or as they often did, 2 was the starting point.
The first maitrix used was SHVL 804 A - 2 / SHVL 804 B - 2 , then a few more combinations per the sides with 3 now coming into the equation.
The final maitrix for the initial label design had ending digits of, A -3 / B - 3, it was there the solid blue prism labels ended.
This record s maitrix endings are also A - 3 / B - 3, becoming the very first record pressed with the non solid, open blue prism.
As I said, this is now a matter of simply following EMI s logical digit rises, with every batch made as part of a first pressing, this record was a direct continuation of that last pressing of the solid labels.
With the mother s digits in the run-out grooves as 1 2 that provides conclusive proof.
I have fully detailed the gatefold cover, the two posters and two stickers are the first editions with unique features and my pictures clearly show them as well.
Of course out there they has to be other 3 / 3 first pressings on the open labels, not many though and certainly not in the ultimate unplayed condition.
Of all Pink Floyd albums, Dark Side is the best loved and a joy to play for both the music and sensational soundscapes and the definitive stereo mix.
My input is to present the solid facts about the UK pressings in 1973, I have done that to the best of my ability.
Roy R M RECORDS.
My lifetime s love of music and records began at a very young age, the arrival of the Beatles and the 1960 s decade in general had a very profound effect.
It was only natural to bring all my first hand experience of collecting vinyl into becoming a professional record seller.
Over twenty years ago now we entered into the wonderful atmosphere of record fairs with the highest possible standards set.
When the Internet became the world s new market place for vinyl, in 2001 it was time to join ebay.
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i.e.
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