The Virgin Discography: the 1970s - updates & additions
When The Virgin Discography: the 1970s was published, there were very few real unknowns and only a handful of unaccounted for catalogue numbers. What is gratifying is that not much has changed - it looks as though my research in the twenty-five years prior to publication paid off.
So, there are only a few bits to add here so far - though, hopefully, details about the missing promotional releases and Nigerian-only Front Line LPs will appear one day.
NOTE: This is not supposed to be a comprehensive list but provides additional information that was not available when the discography was published.
So, there are only a few bits to add here so far - though, hopefully, details about the missing promotional releases and Nigerian-only Front Line LPs will appear one day.
NOTE: This is not supposed to be a comprehensive list but provides additional information that was not available when the discography was published.
LP SEQUENCES
Virgin V 2000 LP sequence
V 2014 - SLAPP HAPPY: Slapp Happy. This has two label variations, both on the original coloured girl & dragon design. One (presumably the first) does not include an album title, whist the other states that LP to be called "Casablanca Moon" (I was not aware of this second variation when the book was published). The sleeve did not change and only states the group's name.
V 2033 - KEVIN COYNE: Matching Head And Feet. The sleeve has two errors. It states Rock 'N' Roll Hymn to be track A5 and One Fine Day to be track B5. This is incorrect and the labels get it right, the former is B5 and the latter is A5. As far as I can tell, Virgin never bothered to correct the sleeve, at least not on any 1970s copies I've seen. Also, early copies had a large, fold-out insert with handwritten lyrics, which I failed to mention, even though my database mentioned it - a lack-of-transcription error!
V 2098 - STEVE HILLAGE: Green. Green vinyl copies of this are now known to have been exported to the US shrink-wrapped with a poster and an overall SPOTS set number. So far I have not been able to find what number was assigned after the SPOTS prefix (the photo of a copy sold on eBay is not good enough resolution). I'll bet it turns out to be SPOTS 002!
Discogs.com infers that the first 5,000 green vinyl copies also came with a poster, which is almost certainly 'generally' incorrect. These were probably only intended for the export packs but a few probably crept out with posters in the UK. See the Export sequences section below for further details and a photo of the poster.
Discogs.com infers that the first 5,000 green vinyl copies also came with a poster, which is almost certainly 'generally' incorrect. These were probably only intended for the export packs but a few probably crept out with posters in the UK. See the Export sequences section below for further details and a photo of the poster.
V 2103 - NO RELEASE. It has now been confirmed that this catalogue number was originally assigned to Planet Mars Dub by The Icebreakers with The Diamonds, which was, instead, issued on the Front Line label as FL 1010. Front Line copies have “V-2103-A1” and “V-2103-B1” etched and crossed out in the run-outs. Tracks are dub versions of those on V 2102 with (mostly) suitably altered titles. It is possible that this was originally intended to have been given away with V 2102.
V 2105 - SOLID SENDERS: Solid Senders. Anagrammatically misspelled song title - All Abroad should be All Aboard. Also, unknown at publication that there had been a limited edition cassette also including the bonus live tracks. See the Cassettes section for further details.
V 2106 - DEVO: Q. Are We Not Men? A. We Are Devo! Various different coloured vinyl copies of this are now known to have been exported to the US shrink-wrapped (some also with poster) with an overall set number of SPOTS 006. See the Export sequences section below for further details.
V 2107 - JULIE COVINGTON: Julie Covington. Copies of this are now known to have been exported to the US shrink-wrapped with two singles with an overall set number of SPANK 004. See the Export sequences section below for further details.
V 2109 - PENETRATION: Moving Targets. Luminous vinyl copies of this are now known to have been exported to the US shrink-wrapped with a poster with an overall set number of SPANK 003. See the Export sequences section below for further details.
V 2114 - PUBLIC IMAGE LTD: Public Image. Copies of this are now known to have been exported to the US shrink-wrapped with a poster with an overall set number of SPOTS 007. See the Export sequences section below for further details.
Virgin TCV 2000 cassette series
TCV 2105 - SOLID SENDERS: Solid Senders. Unknown at publication (in fact I only found out late November 2022) that there had been a limited edition cassette also including the bonus live tracks from the free LP included with early UK copies and export copies of the album. These were appended, three per side, after the normal album tracks.
Either the New Cassettes & Cartridges does not include notification of a cassette release (Virgin was hit and miss in advising of new releases), or it might have been notified in one of the editions missing from the British Library holdings, hence the tape not being listed in the Cassette appendix. At least I cheerfully pointed out that the Cassette section was a best guess based on incomplete evidence. That said, it is not listed in the 1979 Music Master trade publication, so it looks as though Virgin didn't bother notifying anyone about this one.
Presumably, then, there was also a non-limited edition version without the bonus live tracks?
Either the New Cassettes & Cartridges does not include notification of a cassette release (Virgin was hit and miss in advising of new releases), or it might have been notified in one of the editions missing from the British Library holdings, hence the tape not being listed in the Cassette appendix. At least I cheerfully pointed out that the Cassette section was a best guess based on incomplete evidence. That said, it is not listed in the 1979 Music Master trade publication, so it looks as though Virgin didn't bother notifying anyone about this one.
Presumably, then, there was also a non-limited edition version without the bonus live tracks?
Virgin VD 2500 2-LP series
VD 2509 - NO RELEASE. The rumour at the time was that the soundtrack to Space Movie was intended for release but subsequently shelved. The other rumour at the time was that this was the reason for this gap in the VD 2500 double LP sequence. This has now been blown out of the water thanks to a list of then currently available catalogue supplied by Virgin to Trouser Press in 1979 (edition information still to come). This states VD 2509 to be "Mike Oldfield: Incantations (also on VDT101)".
That the LP as issued was a stereo mixdown by Phil Newell of the quadrophonic mix is well documented, but this makes it look as though there were either intended to be two versions, stereo on VD 2509 and quadrophonic on VDT 101, or, far more likely, what with the album originally intended to be available only in quadrophonic form, that VD 2509 was a administrative 'placeholder' to show where VDT 101 fitted in the VD 2500 sequence (as Island did with the HELP sequence - early ones, at least, were also given corresponding ILPS numbers, which appeared on the cassette versions, e.g. HELP 1 was also assigned to ILPS 9177, the tape versions being ZCI 9177 and Y8I 9177).
That the LP as issued was a stereo mixdown by Phil Newell of the quadrophonic mix is well documented, but this makes it look as though there were either intended to be two versions, stereo on VD 2509 and quadrophonic on VDT 101, or, far more likely, what with the album originally intended to be available only in quadrophonic form, that VD 2509 was a administrative 'placeholder' to show where VDT 101 fitted in the VD 2500 sequence (as Island did with the HELP sequence - early ones, at least, were also given corresponding ILPS numbers, which appeared on the cassette versions, e.g. HELP 1 was also assigned to ILPS 9177, the tape versions being ZCI 9177 and Y8I 9177).
Virgin VDT 101
Apart from this also being assigned to the otherwise unused VD 2509 - see above for information - an interesting variation has come to light from (as far as I can remember) 1979. Double-checking my original copy (as in the copy I first bought) to see if there were any matrix markings appertaining to VD 2509 (not on this later copy), I noticed that my A7/B8/C7/D7 copy has "MADE IN FRANCE" handwritten alongside the Utopia 'lyre' mark on each side. All is otherwise exactly the same as any other UK copy, complete with CBS style inners.
Virgin VGD 3500 2-LP 'two for the price of one' series
VGD 3502 - STEVE HILLAGE: Live Herald. I have finally found a copy with the original price sticker, so here it is. I've still never seen a copy with the lyric insert, though.
Advertising this series as two for the price of one was a little disingenuous because the average price for a single LP when this was issued was around the £4.35 mark.
Advertising this series as two for the price of one was a little disingenuous because the average price for a single LP when this was issued was around the £4.35 mark.
Virgin VMP promotional LP (sequence?)
VMP 13 - VARIOUS: The Virgin Song Sampler (1978). The label states "Not for Public Performance, Broadcast or Sale" and this looks to have been intended to drum up trade in the shape of cover versions by showcasing songwriters published by Virgin Music and related publishers. The "VMP" prefix stands for 'Virgin Music Publishing'. That the suffix is "13" would tend to suggest that there were twelve previous LPs, though I'm sure that at least some of these would have crawled out of the woodwork by now - on the other hand, only two copies of this current LP are known to exist on the collectors market.
Chrysalis had put out a series of themed LPs a couple of years previously which did much the same (Hardly Beginners Luck!, etc.), including scant information about the artists as recorded, but concentrating on the writers of the pieces. This LP, similarly, only indicates the writers and not the artists (though Kevin Coyne is a bit easy to guess).
Some sources state that these are demo recordings, but these are almost certainly the tracks as released (apart from the two otherwise unreleased tracks).
Side 1
1. Tonight (Mighty Diamonds, from V 2078, Ice On Fire)
2. Limbo Love* (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment and VS 178)
3. Older Woman (Kevin Coyne. Not released)
4. California Calling (Boxer, from V 2049, Below The Belt)
5. Sunday Morning Sunrise* (Kevin Coyne, from V 2033, Matching Head And Feet)
6. After The Show (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment)
7. Listen To Me Crying (Jabula, from CA 2004, Jabula)
8. Love And The Single Girl* (Roogalator, from VS 185)
Side 2
1. I Believe In Rock And Roll (Geoff Appleby. Not released)
2. Let The Feeling Grow* (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment)
3. Shangri La* (Kevin Coyne, the b-side of VS 126)
4. A Little Something (Slapp Happy, from V 2014, Casablanca Moon)
5. More Than Meets The Eye* (Boxer, from V 2049, Below The Belt)
6. Bad Time (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment)
7. I Know You're Leaving Me Now (Link Wray, from V 2050, Stuck In Gear and VS 142)
8. Rock 'N' Roll Hymn (Kevin Coyne, from V 2033, Matching Head And Feet and VS 119)
* Only these tracks have the lyrics reproduced on the rear sleeve.
Kevin Coyne's Older Woman was eventually given a proper release on I Want My Crown: The Anthology 1973-1980 (Virgin, 6840232, 4-CD set, 2010)
Presumably, the Geoff Appleby recording is the same as released in 2016 by Freetownway on the double CD, A Perfect Combination: Fairview Studios 1973-1993 (no catalogue number).
On the label, Sunday Morning Sunrise is erroneously credited as "Karski/Robertson/Donnelly", from Supercharge. The rear of the sleeve correctly states "Kevin Coyne". Sunday Morning Sunrise is presumably the studio version, and not the live version from the double LP, VD 2505, In Living Black And White.
Geoff Appleby's surname is misspelled as "Appelby" on the label but is correctly spelled on the sleeve.
Chrysalis had put out a series of themed LPs a couple of years previously which did much the same (Hardly Beginners Luck!, etc.), including scant information about the artists as recorded, but concentrating on the writers of the pieces. This LP, similarly, only indicates the writers and not the artists (though Kevin Coyne is a bit easy to guess).
Some sources state that these are demo recordings, but these are almost certainly the tracks as released (apart from the two otherwise unreleased tracks).
Side 1
1. Tonight (Mighty Diamonds, from V 2078, Ice On Fire)
2. Limbo Love* (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment and VS 178)
3. Older Woman (Kevin Coyne. Not released)
4. California Calling (Boxer, from V 2049, Below The Belt)
5. Sunday Morning Sunrise* (Kevin Coyne, from V 2033, Matching Head And Feet)
6. After The Show (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment)
7. Listen To Me Crying (Jabula, from CA 2004, Jabula)
8. Love And The Single Girl* (Roogalator, from VS 185)
Side 2
1. I Believe In Rock And Roll (Geoff Appleby. Not released)
2. Let The Feeling Grow* (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment)
3. Shangri La* (Kevin Coyne, the b-side of VS 126)
4. A Little Something (Slapp Happy, from V 2014, Casablanca Moon)
5. More Than Meets The Eye* (Boxer, from V 2049, Below The Belt)
6. Bad Time (Supercharge, from V 2067, Horizontal Refreshment)
7. I Know You're Leaving Me Now (Link Wray, from V 2050, Stuck In Gear and VS 142)
8. Rock 'N' Roll Hymn (Kevin Coyne, from V 2033, Matching Head And Feet and VS 119)
* Only these tracks have the lyrics reproduced on the rear sleeve.
Kevin Coyne's Older Woman was eventually given a proper release on I Want My Crown: The Anthology 1973-1980 (Virgin, 6840232, 4-CD set, 2010)
Presumably, the Geoff Appleby recording is the same as released in 2016 by Freetownway on the double CD, A Perfect Combination: Fairview Studios 1973-1993 (no catalogue number).
On the label, Sunday Morning Sunrise is erroneously credited as "Karski/Robertson/Donnelly", from Supercharge. The rear of the sleeve correctly states "Kevin Coyne". Sunday Morning Sunrise is presumably the studio version, and not the live version from the double LP, VD 2505, In Living Black And White.
Geoff Appleby's surname is misspelled as "Appelby" on the label but is correctly spelled on the sleeve.
Camembert confusions (qv. Wet Cheese Delirium)
Nothing conclusive has turned up on the reason for two seemingly simultaneous issues of Gong's Camembert Electrique on different catalogue numbers on two label imprints, nor for a subsequent release on yet another number, but the lack of evidence as it is (where I did a lot of 'bet-hedging' in the discography) points to VC 502 being intended for the UK market only (at 59p), whilst C 1505 was geared directly at Caroline's export market (at the higher price of £1.49).
Most copies of C 1505 offered for sale online are located in countries other than the UK. It is possible that C 1505 was deleted at the same time as VC 502, possibly by mistake - after all, if you say that you're deleting a title, then you're deleting a title, aren't you, never mind the catalogue number? However, what they probably intended was to delete the cheap, loss-leading version but maintain the mid-price version for export. Probably.
The final version on C 1520 was issued (£1.99 this time) at almost exactly the point at which Gong ceased to be signed to Virgin - it doesn't do not to exploit back catalogue when you drop an act, does it? My guess is that, once someone had had a look to see what other Gong product was available for exploitation, it was simply reissued on the next Caroline number with no-one by this time remembering (or caring?) that it had already had a Caroline release and could be repressed on the earlier number.
Of course, the original deletion on both Virgin and Caroline may have been because of the terms of the original contract with Byg, the French label from which the LP was licensed, with a subsequent quiet reissue once Byg had foundered.
If anyone out there knows for sure, then please let on!
Most copies of C 1505 offered for sale online are located in countries other than the UK. It is possible that C 1505 was deleted at the same time as VC 502, possibly by mistake - after all, if you say that you're deleting a title, then you're deleting a title, aren't you, never mind the catalogue number? However, what they probably intended was to delete the cheap, loss-leading version but maintain the mid-price version for export. Probably.
The final version on C 1520 was issued (£1.99 this time) at almost exactly the point at which Gong ceased to be signed to Virgin - it doesn't do not to exploit back catalogue when you drop an act, does it? My guess is that, once someone had had a look to see what other Gong product was available for exploitation, it was simply reissued on the next Caroline number with no-one by this time remembering (or caring?) that it had already had a Caroline release and could be repressed on the earlier number.
Of course, the original deletion on both Virgin and Caroline may have been because of the terms of the original contract with Byg, the French label from which the LP was licensed, with a subsequent quiet reissue once Byg had foundered.
If anyone out there knows for sure, then please let on!
Oval OVL 3000 LP series
Unknown at time of publication was that original copies of OVL 3001, Another Saturday Night, came complete with a company-branded price sticker (probably because the first thing that you did back in those days was to remove price stickers from budget LPs so that potential girlfriends didn't know what a cheapskate you were as you frightened them off for good with The Faust Tapes, or whatever).
Front Line FL 1000 LP series
As per the notes for FL 1038, below, there is now some doubt whether the Virgin and Caroline label reggae LPs that were rebranded as Front Line releases expressly for the Nigerian market, and given new FL 1xxx sequence numbers, were actually ever pressed in the UK. Perhaps the early Front Line releases sold in Nigeria were UK pressings, though by the time that the Virgin and Caroline reggae titles were rebranded, it is likely that Virgin had organised local pressing of LPs, along with the previously exported early Front Line titles, so as to preclude the expensive practice of hiring Jumbo Jets to fly the records over. At least, Nigerian-pressed copies of FL 1001, FL 1020 and FL 1023 have turned up on discogs.com since publication in 2013.
FL 1010 - THE ICEBREAKERS WITH THE DIAMONDS: Planet Mars Dub. As per the Virgin V 2000 LP sequence section above, this was originally planned for release on the Virgin label proper - run-out grooves have “V-2103-A1” and “V-2103-B1” etched and crossed out. Tracks here are dub versions of those on Planet Earth by The Diamonds (V 2102) with (mostly) suitably altered titles, e.g. Just Can’t Figure Out becomes Finger Out. It is possible that this was originally intended to have been given away with V 2102.
FL 1028 - I ROY: Ten Commandments. There is now some doubt as to whether this was issued in the UK in 1978. Several websites list this album on this catalogue number, for example, rateyourmuisc.com lists this number but shows the 1980 Front Line coloured vinyl issue in die-cut sleeve showing the larger than usual label design, as per image here of still-sealed copy in overprinted PVC wrapping. This, however, was issued as ONLY 1 and not as FL 1028.
Perhaps this was licensed to Virgin for Nigerian distribution only. What may support the possibility that Virgin didn't have the rights to issue it in the UK is that the 1980 release, although pressed in the UK, was intended only for export only. The rear sleeve includes the Caroline 'moon-face' export logo and almost every copy viewed has either been sealed for export with Union Jack logos and 'Specially imported from Great Britain' printed on the PVC packaging or has been in a country other than the UK.
What is odd is that, in terms of original 1978 pressings, only Canadian and Jamaican copies have turned up on discogs.com - and the Virgin Music publishing credits on both tend to suggest that there would be little bar to UK issue. You'd expect a UK copy to have crawled out of the woodwork by now if there was even a small handful of the things about. Or perhaps every UK-pressed copy (if these exist) was sent direct from the pressing plant to Nigeria, which might explain a lack of copies on the collector's market. Who knows?
Perhaps this was licensed to Virgin for Nigerian distribution only. What may support the possibility that Virgin didn't have the rights to issue it in the UK is that the 1980 release, although pressed in the UK, was intended only for export only. The rear sleeve includes the Caroline 'moon-face' export logo and almost every copy viewed has either been sealed for export with Union Jack logos and 'Specially imported from Great Britain' printed on the PVC packaging or has been in a country other than the UK.
What is odd is that, in terms of original 1978 pressings, only Canadian and Jamaican copies have turned up on discogs.com - and the Virgin Music publishing credits on both tend to suggest that there would be little bar to UK issue. You'd expect a UK copy to have crawled out of the woodwork by now if there was even a small handful of the things about. Or perhaps every UK-pressed copy (if these exist) was sent direct from the pressing plant to Nigeria, which might explain a lack of copies on the collector's market. Who knows?
FL 1029 - TAPPER ZUKIE: In Dub. There is now some doubt as to whether this was issued in the UK. For a start, copies are that scarce that not one has appeared during over twenty-five years of research. Perhaps this is a similar scenario to FL 1028 above (except that original Jamaican copies make no mention of Virgin, indeed, it was issued there two years prior to the set up of Front Line).
FL 1038 - U ROY: Natty Rebel. Nigerian-only reissue of V 2059. This was included in the discography but some images of labels and a much better photograph of the rear sleeve than previously available (above) have brought to light that copies were manufactured in Nigeria. The question is, then, were any export copies pressed in the UK or are there only Nigerian pressings?
FL 1045 - THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS: Deeper Roots (Back To The Channel). Although various sources list this as having been released on this catalogue number it is starting to look as though it was assigned to the album for administrative reasons (and was indeed issued as a single album in the US as VIFL 1045 by Virgin International - see label image) but that only the FLD 6001 2-LP version was issued in the UK. That both this supposed issue and the FLD 6001 issue seem to have been pretty much simultaneous makes one wonder. Let's see if a FL 1045 UK copy crops up any time in the near future.
FL 1046 - NO RELEASE. Looking at FL 1045 above, this was most likely originally assigned either to the dub album issued with FLD 6001 or, more likely, perhaps, to I-Roy’s The General, which was also issued with free dub LP as FLD 6002.
Front Line FLD 6000 2-LP series
FLD 6001 - THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS: Deeper Roots (Back To The Channel). Minor update. What I forgot to mention in the discography was that all four UK labels mistakenly credit the subtitle as “Back At The Channel”.
Export sequences - SPOTS & SPANK
Further information has dribbled in about records exported with added extras and assigned specific export numbers. The SPOTS sequence was already on the radar, thanks to wide knowledge of export copies of the Sex Pistols' first LP. Finding out what other LPs were assigned export set numbers is a slow process, but the following have dropped in since the latest edition of the book (i.e. the updated eBook version). Two are from a previously unknown sequence, "SPANK", which might simply slot in amongst the SPOTS!
SPOTS 00? - STEVE HILLAGE: Green (V 2098). It is now known that green vinyl copies were exported with a sticker on the shrink-wrap stating ""The Cosmic Gypsy" is back again on GREEN VINYL", and also stating inclusion of a poster, and a SPOTS export set number. So far I have not been able to find what number was assigned after the SPOTS prefix (but I'll bet it is SPOTS 002).
SPOTS 006 - DEVO: Q. Are We Not Men? A. We Are Devo! (V 2106). Various different coloured vinyl copies of this were shrink-wrapped (some also with poster) with a sticker on the shrink wrap that says "this slice was manufactured in Great Britain and is pressed in yellow, or blue, or green, or pink, or purple, or orange BUT NOT BLACK!" Not all of the colours stated are known to exist, whilst copies are also known to exist on grey vinyl - further information to come. Some copies included another sticker on the rear near or over the Virgin catalogue number, stating "26 353 XOT".
SPOTS 007 - PUBLIC IMAGE LTD: Public Image (V 2114). Shrink-wrapped copies with a poster included a sticker on the shrink wrap that says "This demon packet includes a FULL-SIZED POSTER of JOHNNY ROTTOEN LYDON" with "ROTTEN" crossed out.
SPANK 003 - PENETRATION: Moving Targets (V 2109). Shrink-wrapped luminous vinyl copies included a sticker (which is the same overall design as that used on the Dead On Arrival sampler), though with the SPANK 003 export number and a suggested US RRP of $13.98. Another sticker says "COLOURED VINYL INCL. EXTRA CHARGE £1" - yes, in Stirling, even though for export.
SPANK 004 - JULIE COVINGTON: Julie Covington (V 2107). Shrink-wrapped with two singles and a sticker on the shrink wrap stating "The ROCK FOLLY lady's new package includes her new L.P. and TWO SINGLES (one in pink vinyl)". The curious thing about the singles is that one is Don't Cry For Me, Argentina on MCA (MCA 260), which was cut by Denis Blackham at the Master Room (yes, trivia), whilst the pink vinyl one is closer to red, this being Only Women Bleed (VS 196) - and red vinyl fits the song title better.
ECM & JAPO
It is confirmed that Virgin distributed all of ECM and JAPO's then current back catalogue in the UK when they began handling new releases. I'd guessed this to be so (as documented in the book) but only listed those that I had documentary evidence for at that point. All titles still on catalogue are listed in Virgin's 1977 catalogue - see pages 28 and 29.
7" SEQUENCES
Virgin VS 7" series
VS 141 - TOM NEWMAN: Ebony Eyes / Draught Guinness. As per best guess in the discography, this has been confirmed, despite being advised to The New Singles as a 26 March 1976 release, to have had release cancelled. The source of this information was none other than Tom Newman, when I asked him via the Virgin Facebook group during December 2019. The reason for non-release was that Tom had recently become persona non grata at Virgin (for reasons unstated).
VS 210 - NO RELEASE. Thanks to Stephen Drennan from the Virgin Facebook group for pointing out that this was originally assigned to Althea & Donna's Puppy Dog Song/Sorry, which was instead transferred to the new Front Line label and issued as FLS 107. Yes, I should have spotted that early copies of the single as released have "VS 210" crossed out in the run-off. Oops!
VS 229 - NO RELEASE. Thanks to Stephen Drennan from the Virgin Facebook group for pointing out that this was originally assigned to Black Gold's Zombie Jamboree (no b-side listed), according to Virgin's 1979 catalogue. This was not listed in The New Singles and was almost certainly not issued.
NB 7" 'series'
NB 5 - NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS: Oh Bosanquet / Gob On You (After the Break Records)
This 1979* release (as per Music Master 1984, which also gives a 1981 deletion date) was not included in the discography because the link between Virgin and the made-up-on-the-spur-of-the-moment After the Break label was unknown.
The b-side label is shown purely for the eagle-eyed to spot that the composer was ex-Van der Graaf Generator ocarina player, Chris Judge Smith. See further details at 45cat.com.
Thanks to Mike Grant, from the Virgin Facebook group, for bringing this to my attention. The only thing to show a connection with Virgin, catalogue number apart, is the 'Marketed & Distributed by Virgin Records Ltd.' text. NB was a 'catch all' sequence for things that were sort of but not quite Virgin.
*According to the 45cat.com website, this was issued 14 December 1979, though The New Records does not corroborate this release date. I wonder where that date came from?
This 1979* release (as per Music Master 1984, which also gives a 1981 deletion date) was not included in the discography because the link between Virgin and the made-up-on-the-spur-of-the-moment After the Break label was unknown.
The b-side label is shown purely for the eagle-eyed to spot that the composer was ex-Van der Graaf Generator ocarina player, Chris Judge Smith. See further details at 45cat.com.
Thanks to Mike Grant, from the Virgin Facebook group, for bringing this to my attention. The only thing to show a connection with Virgin, catalogue number apart, is the 'Marketed & Distributed by Virgin Records Ltd.' text. NB was a 'catch all' sequence for things that were sort of but not quite Virgin.
*According to the 45cat.com website, this was issued 14 December 1979, though The New Records does not corroborate this release date. I wonder where that date came from?
Further information on the free Record Mirror EP - i.e. it wasn't exactly free
Some more information has come to light for this one. The four-track 33⅓ rpm EP was one of two records made available via Record Mirror simultaneously, the other being an EP on the State label. Both were 'branded' as "Squeels on Wheels EPs" in the adverts, which also stated that 25,000 copies of both EPs were pressed (though a guess is that this is overstated, otherwise more would pop up on the collectors' market).
To receive both records, you had to collect four out of six coupons that were printed in the paper weekly during September and October 1977. The coupons had to be from different editions of the paper and had to be sent, along with 50p postage and packing, to the Record Mirror offer address prior to 24 October and the records would be sent out from 5 December. With the disclaimer of allowing from 21-25 days for delivery, did any arrive in time for Christmas?
Despite the adverts stating "Something for Nothing", 50p was well over the top in terms of postage and packing in 1977. See further details at 45cat.com.
To receive both records, you had to collect four out of six coupons that were printed in the paper weekly during September and October 1977. The coupons had to be from different editions of the paper and had to be sent, along with 50p postage and packing, to the Record Mirror offer address prior to 24 October and the records would be sent out from 5 December. With the disclaimer of allowing from 21-25 days for delivery, did any arrive in time for Christmas?
Despite the adverts stating "Something for Nothing", 50p was well over the top in terms of postage and packing in 1977. See further details at 45cat.com.
Lentilmas
The Lentilmas Christmas flexidisc (pressed by Lyntone as LYN 3261) is no longer being touted as including the Sex Pistols and is now proven to be from Christmas 1975 instead of 1977, as previously stated. It was sent inside a Christmas card to favoured music journalists and so on. The front of the card was made to look like the front page of the New Musical Express. Listen to the flexidisc in all its unfunny 'glory' at Rick Chafen's Soundcloud account - Rick worked for Virgin at Vernon Yard and sadly died in 2020 (the track is also available to download below in case the online account gets deleted).
According to 45cat.com, the Rastafarian clips are from Ras Michael's Run Come Rally from the LP Dadawah - Peace and Love (Trojan, TRLS 103, 1975) and is a rendition of Psalm 47.
According to 45cat.com, the Rastafarian clips are from Ras Michael's Run Come Rally from the LP Dadawah - Peace and Love (Trojan, TRLS 103, 1975) and is a rendition of Psalm 47.
lentilmas.mp3 |
1979 Virgin Catalogue flexidisc
This has been on my radar for quite a long time, thanks to Mike Grant posting a recording of the flexidisc a while back to his Virgin Facebook group, but I've only just got around to remembering to add details thanks to a prod from Stephen Drennan and further conversation with Mike about what the mystery track at the end is.
It turns out that the mystery track is from a separate flexidisc, but one that Ken White stated was put out by Virgin. So, that's two flexidiscs that my discography doesn't contain. The disc with the Virgin 1979 catalogue was completely clear with no overprinting. The matrix number is LYN 7173-1S. Hopefully, Mike will head up to his attic and find out what the matrix number of the other one is at some point!
It turns out that the mystery track is from a separate flexidisc, but one that Ken White stated was put out by Virgin. So, that's two flexidiscs that my discography doesn't contain. The disc with the Virgin 1979 catalogue was completely clear with no overprinting. The matrix number is LYN 7173-1S. Hopefully, Mike will head up to his attic and find out what the matrix number of the other one is at some point!
Oval OVAL 1000 7" series
OVAL 1011 - NO RELEASE. Thanks to Stephen Drennan from the Virgin Facebook group for filling in details - OVAL 1011 is listed in Virgin's 1976 catalogue as being assigned to Barbara Lynn's Take Your Love And Run/Until Then I'll Suffer. Almost certainly subsequently shelved for whatever reason because no-one seems to have found a copy (it's not listed in The New Singles). I wonder if it got as far as demos?
Frontline FLS 100 7" series
FLS 107 - ALTHEA & DONNA: Puppy Dog Song/Sorry. Thanks to Stephen Drennan from the Virgin Facebook group for the following information. This was originally assigned to the subsequently unused VS 210 and on early copies this number is crossed out in the run-off.
Smirksongs
Both singles on this label are included in the discography, but just to add that both are stated as "Distributed by Virgin" in a listing of then currently available catalogue supplied by Virgin to Trouser Press in 1979 (edition information still to come). Only one of the two singles (DHSS 2) stated Virgin distribution, though that DHSS 1 was also Virgin distributed was assumed.
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