Tubular Bells b&w Dean label question

[Ldg]

Anyone know roughly how many were issued with the b&w Dean label, the 1973 1st uk edition ?

[goatbreath]

Not sure but I have a B&W one too,,with a laminated sleeve..I've only seen my one..

[yarvelling]

I have one too!

[Ldg]

Yes, I also just obtained a copy, was wondering about where it sat in the run history. It's said to be first uk edition, and I wondered how many? It's definitely a different mastering to the also early coloured Dean label uk copy I have. Different run out spacing, dead wax markings. Needs a clean before playing, so I'll look forward to listening to that !

[Audio_Man]

Loads I would imagine - at least a few thousand maybe 10K+. Total UK sales for album are 2.65 million. Sold a lot of copies even in it's first year.

[kingdhansak]

Whilst I couldn't give an accurate answer here, I can confirm that the B&W design would have probably been in production for a good year before switching to the same design in colour. A quick look on Ebay will confirm plenty of copies of this issue for sale, so I reckon you re looking at a definate 5 figure amount here.

Being a collector of records for many years, this has always been a subject of interest for me - ie - how many copies were pressed? There seems to be a wealth of knowledge around about label designs, matrix numbers, when labels designs changed and how much they are worth. Sadly the actual amounts sold seems to be an unavailable statistic.

[Audio_Man]

Whilst I couldn't give an accurate answer here, I can confirm that the B&W design would have probably been in production for a good year before switching to the same design in colour. A quick look on Ebay will confirm plenty of copies of this issue for sale, so I reckon you re looking at a definate 5 figure amount here.

Being a collector of records for many years, this has always been a subject of interest for me - ie - how many copies were pressed? There seems to be a wealth of knowledge around about label designs, matrix numbers, when labels designs changed and how much they are worth. Sadly the actual amounts sold seems to be an unavailable statistic.

This lack of info enables ebay sellers to claim rarity value for first pressings of popular titles. Getting clean copies can prove more difficult but given the number of sales for this, Led Zep I-IV. Pink Floyd DSOTM/WYWH etc there must be a lot of good copies around. I would base this on the fact that the majority of high seling albums are purchased by non fans who play once or twice and put away.

[danieldust]

I have owned two copies of the original Tubular Bells with the black & white label. They're probably not that rare, but still cool to have (especially for someone in the US).

The original black & white Virgin label was also used on a few other albums. Does anyone have a definitive list of which albums these were? If I remember correctly, there was a Gong album and possibly the first Hatfield & the North album with this label as well. I am tempted to say there was a Henry Cow LP too, but I may be wrong about that. Anyone know for sure? It would be really cool to have a complete set of these original black & white labels, especially since these were some great bands.

[kingdhansak]

I have owned two copies of the original Tubular Bells with the black & white label. They're probably not that rare, but still cool to have (especially for someone in the US).

The original black & white Virgin label was also used on a few other albums. Does anyone have a definitive list of which albums these were? If I remember correctly, there was a Gong album and possibly the first Hatfield & the North album with this label as well. I am tempted to say there was a Henry Cow LP too, but I may be wrong about that. Anyone know for sure? It would be really cool to have a complete set of these original black & white labels, especially since these were some great bands.

There doesn't seem to be a definitive list on this. A shame, as other collectable labels in the UK such as swirl Vertigo and pink Charisma have comprehensive websites dedicated to them. I did however find a rough timeline of the Virgin label designs from Discogs:

For LP's following designs were used:
1973-1974 white Roger Dean label
1974-1976 coloured Roger Dean label
1975 (?) fawn & mauve Roger Dean label
1976 (?) blue label with double Virgin writing logo
1976-1977 red twin label
1976-1978 green twin label
1978-1987 green/red alternative label (Side 1 / Side 2)
1987-xxxx grey-white label

With a good browse online, I'm sure you could work out where the B&W design ceased. It's worth noting that this design was resurrected for a one-off release in 1985 for The Dukes of Stratosphere's 25 O'clock LP (XTC under a different name)

[danieldust]

Hi kingdhansak. That's a great reference there. I have seen that list of the Virgin label designs before, but I hadn't seen it lately. It's interesting that there isn't better documentation about early Virgin releases like there is with the other labels you mentioned. I guess Virgin doesn't have the collector cache that these other labels do due to the company's ventures into much less interesting musical territory in the '80s and beyond.

[Ldg]

Thanks for info & replies.

It has a place in history, Tubular Bells. It seems to have been remixed and remastered several times along the journey. As it predates fader automation, it must have been a real handful, and the whole content seems to change each time, to an extent at least. I find it intriguing when in the right mood, so I look forward to hearing the original form.

[goatbreath]

I have Camembert Eletrique on a B&W Virgin Label too.. Danieldust..

I have all the labels mentioned also..Plus a couple of later ones..I have also seen White with Red Logo,,But mainly on Singles..White an Pink double headed Virgin..Lenny Kravitz and a Pink version of the grey label..Kirsty MaColl and I think I saw a reissue of the first XTC LP on pink label too....

The Blue with the double red Virgin writing seemed to be mainly Punk and New Wave stuff...Pistols,,magazine,,Skids,,XTC..

But I have a Mike Oldfield 7 inch on this label I am sure..

I own Tubular Bells on...B&W two headed Virgin..Coloured Two headed Virgin...Green/Green smaller 2 headed Virgin..Weird Mix,,but still stereo..Green/Red Writing..This actually sounds nearest the B&W mix to me..I've never seen Tubular Bells on a Blue with double Red writing..There are also rare Quad copies..Plus the box set mix of course..Will need to check that one again..I also have the box set..I think it is in Quad in the box set..It also has Vivian Stanshall doing some of his genius rambling of nonsense on the Sailors Hornpipe section..

The Mauve label I have Mike Oldfield Ommadawn on and Tangerine Dream Ricochet..I only have one Red/Red two headed Virgin,,Alpha Centauri/Atem one is Red/Red one is Green /Green..

Lots of Green/Greens,,a few coloured virgins..Lots of Green/Red..some have a tiny 2 headed virgin,,some don't...A few Blue/Red writings..Very few greys..

ZZZZZZZZZ sorry did you fall asleep there...