Jethro Tull - This Was (pink rim Island palm tree label)

I stumbled on a beautiful copy of This Was with the pink rim Island palm tree label yesterday, only $6 at a local record shop. They thought it was in far worse shape than it actually was. An application of wood glue later, and I have an LP that looks and plays in near-mint condition. Frankly, this sounds quieter than some recent new releases I've purchased!

Now my question on this version comes down to the Discogs listing. I understand this is the fourth label variation this LP had in a 2-year span; and on top of that, it's also a new mix compared to the mix on the first three label variations.

But when I look at copies for sale, this version is selling starting at $35 for a VG+ copy, while a first pressing is apparently going for $22.

Is there a reason this particular version is apparently worth more than an earlier one?

 

What is the matrix information. I am sure one of our seasoned Tull collectors will know.

 

In the 2000 book "Flying Colours:" by Greg Russo he claims that the first UK pressing of the stereo mix was replaced with a "slightly revised stereo edition on all subsequent pressings". I stumbled upon one of these years ago and the most noticeable thing is that the lead vocals are switched between channels on at least some of the tracks. In a thread about different mixes for later releases, a forum member stated that there were minor changes on two other tracks.

A telltale sign based on my copy is that the vocals for the first track are in the right channel. On all other copies I have the vocal is in the left channel.

 

A 1968 UK 1st pressing will be on the pink label with the dot eye 'ball' logo, and if in excellent condition goes for far more than $22. And thats stereo. Mono is double the value. The 1st stereo is a wide mix, it was narrowed and EQ'd a bit around 1969 and thats the way it remained for decades, on all subsequent pressings. Most pink rims will be EMI cuttings and show the -#U matrix.

Incidentally, the US stereo is the original wide mix same as the UK, but the channels are reversed. We never got the 2nd narrowed mix to my knowledge but who knows, it could be on some later US pressing.

 

I think the wide stereo is on the first CD issue too and a remix is on the deluxe edition 2cd. In case you want to go digital with this title.

 

My stereo matrices are ILPS + 9085 + A / ILPS + 9085 + B

I have a mono copy on the same "eye ball" label. Matrices are ILP + 985 + A / ILP + 985 + B. I know that the mono mix was also revised. Not sure if these are the matrices of the first mix.

 

My matrices are ILPS + 9085 + A2 / ILPS + 9085 + B2.

 

Thats the 'narrowed' second cutting. Pressed by Orlake.

The wide mix (UK) is +A / +B

A great find for $6!

 

If anyone wants to hear samples of how this pressing sounds, for comparison against their own versions of this LP, I've uploaded the first minute of each song on side 1 in the Needledrop thread.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=7916240&postcount=649

 

I have a very obscure UK mono on the third pink label (the "I" label) but never heard before that it differed from the 1st mono version. Does anyone know the differences?

 

I may have misinterpreted what I read in Greg Russo's book. He indicates that the mono mix was "withdrawn". I initially thought that meant a re-mix was released, but I think he may have meant that the mono mix was only available for a short period of time. What are the matrices on your mono copy?

 

The fact that a record has different pattern/color paper labels does not mean the pressing (or the source it was pressed from) is different. The key is the dead wax information.

The pink w/ white 'i' label started in late 1969... barely a year after 'This Was' was first released. In the UK many monos titles remained in production and were not withdrawn as quickly as in the US. Some mono titles that didn't have a stereo mix remained in production through the '70's.

 

Yes, sure, it's not just the label, I just assumed that mine would necessarily be latest mono available of This Was, but of course the dead wax would need to be different. I actually have a eyeball label mono as well so I'll compare the matrixes and let you all know if they are at all different.

 

I might as well ask here. I just bought a tan two-tone US Reprise (stereo, $9.99), is that the first label? (matrix: A-1C/B-1C)

 

This link says it should be:

http://www.discogs.com/Jethro-Tull-This-Was/release/1477748

 

So let me get this straight. Is the wide stereo availible on the Pink Rim label? I thought that was a later pressing?

 

thanks,

 

That's why I tossed up my rip via the link above, so Tull fans can compare. I don't have the other mix to compare myself, but what I have sure sounds wide to my ears. But the matrices indicate it should be the narrower version.

 

Wide stereo is only on pink islands - but also US Reprise pressings.

The pink rim label didn't exist until the end of 1970.

 

my US Reprise certainly is w i d e stereo

 

My copy of This Was is a Canadian Reprise. I take it this will be the same version as the US Reprise?

 

So wait . . . it was narrower, then was remixed into wide for the US, and appeared on the pink rim Island label . . . and then went back to the narrower mix?

Could someone please listen to the sample I put up and compare to their versions, and let us know your results?

 

Where did you get that? Its really simple - the album was originally mixed in mono and a pretty wide stereo. Records were then made for the UK and US market. (In the UK the wide stereo is the +A/+B matrix).

Apparently someone didn't like the stereo mix so the album was re-mixed - probably in '69 but definitely by 1970. This narrowed the image a bit - not a lot. There were also a few other minor changes made such as the placement of vocals and minor EQ. That became the standard mix for subsequent pressings. Its not radically different, but is apparent.

For some reason the wide mix continued and lived on in the US. I've never checked later 1970's US pressings though. No need to.

 

Ah. So the narrow mix is still wide by most standards, just not as wide as the original. Okey doke.

It's a beautiful-sounding record by any chalk.

 

So now I understand that my UK stereo first pressing is the same as my US two-tone Reprise with the channels swapped. Yikes.

What mix was used for the non - remix CD?

Looks like I now I need to find a later UK pressing with the narrow mix just to have a complete picture?