Elvis Costello on vinyl

peter - Do you have all of the original Island Press & Post coloured backs? I believe I have all of them, but, won't assume anything after seeing what appears to be a blue lettered UK cover. In addition to the laminated yellow 1st pressing, I have 11 of the P&P covers (including a matte yellow that matches the laminated yellow one.) I've got a better laminated one than shown in the pic... I just grabbed the one closest to the matte yellow to snap a quick image. If you see a UK colour I'm missing, please let me know.

I'd have to double check, but, I'm pretty sure these are arranged in stamper order (with some crossover.) Most P&P copies I've examined over the years seem to correspond roughly to what I've assembled, and I'm pretty sure both copies of the Stiff giveaway version I know of have matte yellow backs, which could suggest the possibility that the coloured covers came out in succession -- having not seen the greatest sampling of these backs, I couldn't state this definitively, of course.

 

BTW - Because of some colour shift, I thought I'd better describe the backs:

01 - Laminated Bright Yellow
02 - Matte Bright Yellow
03 - Purple
04 - Aqua Blue
05 - Hot Pink
06 - Pale Green
07 - Bubble Gum Pink
08 - Pale Blue
09 - American Cheese Yellow
10 - Darkish Green
11 - Eggshell Brown
12 - Darkish Blue

 

I think I have yellow, green & blue backed copies, but the fronts are ALL B&W.

 

Thanks - I would expect that to be the case. All the P&P Island pressings had the B&W photo on the front - the ones in my pic are from this initial Stiff UK pressing before the re-cut was done. I was just hoping you might've had 11 (or more) of these so I could possibly confirm that there were only 11 of the Island ones; I've never been able to get a definitive answer, even from some of the heaviest EC collectors I know.

 

so my copy with the blue printing and yellow back is definitely a uk. black and white stiff label, but no writing on the runout grooves. just printed stamper numbers (seez 3A 9 P 77 FE 710/SEEZ 3B 9 P 77 FE 710). any guesses what it is?

 

I just pulled out my copy of MAIT. It's a West German pressing, Stiff 6.23318 AO, b&w front with red lettering and back is yellow, both sides laminated. The inner sleeve is black with white text around and underneath the round label cut-out, and the labels are black and white. Matrices are: 6.23318-01-1/6.23318-01-2.

It has the fade out on 'Mystery Dance'

 

sberger - Wow. I have no idea about the one you have... I've never seen it, and its codes don't seem similar to any pressings from other countries I can think of. I have a spare pale green (I-22 & I-25 stampers) I'd gladly trade, but, it has some surface marks that might be audible. It is, however, an original Island Press & Post edition with both sides cut by George Peckham. Unfortunately, I have no spare earlier stamper versions.

 

Chanty Stovall - Red lettering and German? Egads, another one I'm missing. Stop it, guys! You're killing me!

 

I just checked my 4 copies again. All do indeed have black & white covers but the name ELVIS COSTELLO and title MY AIM IS TRUE is in red on the front cover.

As for backs, mine are green (6), yellow (1), blue (4) and yellowy-orange (9).

My (9) looks more orange-y than yellow.

 

Orange is probably more accurate, but, I've opted to describe it as "cheese" to provide a visual reference and allow for the possibility there might be a more true orange version. Asking dealers which colour they have for sale can be tough when there are a couple shades of each colour. I'd hate to miss out on an orange version if the seller thinks I mean something else.

 

I'm tempted, but I guess I'll hold on to it until I at least listen this weekend and try to figure out the origin.

 

It dawned on me that some of you might be interested in something related to the 1st issue of MAIT being laminated. The first 1000 copies of "Less than Zero" (BUY 11) were laminated as well. The 2nd issue is uncoated. Both must say "Delga" on the rear left flap to be original sleeves. The cutout at the top of the sleeve should have angled cuts and the long portion parallel to the sleeve itself (no curves.) The original records themselves had a distinguishing puckered "lip" around the spindle hole on one side; later pressings, such as the ones from the four pack (GRAB 3) did not.

 

so i played my blue letter copy, and it sure does have a nice, punchy sound to it. "mystery dance" is the fade ending. were there any later cuts with the fade ending, or just early(peckham) ones? thoughts?

 

Anyone ever have this rare "3rd" version of TYM? It's the Swedish edition on "Smash" records. I used to, but sold it when I was needing cash. Wish I'd went hungry, as I've never seen another copy.

 

I have copies of it with both of the different inner sleeves, TV on and TV off . The one I'm trying to get is another variant, the Finnish Arletty pressing with that photo, but, the registration "error". The three major variants are below:

 

Most of the copies with the green posterised cover are the re-cut with more abrupt sounding ending on "Mystery Dance". There are a number of non-UK issues that have the black & white cover than might feature the fade out, but, I'd have to check (they sometimes add a track, and who knows what else?)

 

holy jezus! you're incredible

 

i guess, ultimately, i'll have to hear a peckham cut to compare and see what if what i have is the same, or different. i have a re-cut, "steve" copy, and this new one is much better sounding. so who knows? god, what a hobby we all have.

 

Mine has the fade out.

Tim

 

There's a 4th TYM variant? I thought I at least had that album covered...

I'd given up trying to collect all the MAIT variations...

 

Unfortunately, it never ends, does it? I keep hoping I'll meet someone in Finland that can find me one, cheap.

I take it you have both issues of the 1st pressing of "Less than Zero" single I mentioned before?

BTW - A real beauty as far as TYM is the Belgian red vinyl below, far more difficult to track down than the blue vinyl MAIT:

 

Oh yes. I have all the variants of the UK singles, so far as I'm aware. Not that there's that many...

 

When you add it up, there's a decent amount of variant 7" singles when you count the ones already mentioned in the thread, the 2 or 3 that came in coated and uncoated sleeves, centre punch holes, 3 different pic disc rims, etc. -- the 2 UK ones I never got around to getting were the tan label "Radio Radio", and "Good Year for the Roses" with misspelled songwriting credit. It's less important these days, but, eventually...

 

ok, another question. so i just received a copy of "this year's model" on radar. it has the shrinkwrap still on it, and a sticker regarding the free single enclosed. the single was in it, but "a porky prime cut" is only etched on side b. side a has the etching regarding calling a number for a prize, etc. i thought the single only came with the first pressing, and i thought all first pressings were mastered by peckham. is this right, or would it be correct to assume that somebody might have switched lp's and i ended up with a later pressing?

 

That's the correct 1st pressing (George Peckham wrote the messages in the dead wax on yours.) I'd be curious to see a pic of this LP with the shrinkwrap. I've seen the sticker on the LP or single sleeve, but, not on plastic.