Dick’s Picks: A rare export copy of Pink Floyd’s psychedelic trip, A Saucerful of Secrets

This is an extremely rare 1968 UK first export release of Pink Floyd’s psychedelic trip, A Saucerful of Secrets. The 7-track stereo LP was released on the Odeon label, with ‘UK’ printed front laminated flipback picture sleeve, with gold Odeon sticker over the Columbia logo on the back of the sleeve.

It was common practice in the UK to press a small quantity of domestic release LPs as Export only copies. Sometimes they would use UK release type labels, for example the Parlophone presses of some Export Beatles LPs, and sometimes they would need to press on a different label, for example the London releases of some Export Rolling Stones LPs.

This first release for Export copy was pressed with Odeon labels as ‘Columbia’ was a registered trademark of CBS in other parts of the world & not a trademark of EMI. Subsequent releases of this album had the familiar boxed logo Columbia labels with gold Odeon stickers over the label logos, making this the only UK Export release with Odeon labels on the disc.

Like subsequent issues, this release used the UK printed Garrod & Lofthouse sleeve with a gold Odeon sticker placed over the Columbia logo on the back. Unlike the later issues, this sticker has ‘Regd. Trade Mark Of The Gramophone Co. Ltd.’ text instead of ‘Regd. Trade Mark of E.M.I. Records Limited’. This confirms that the sleeve and the vinyl match up.

Documenting a time where their eccentric genius, Syd Barrett, was fast deteriorating with mental health problems, this is the only Pink Floyd album that features five menbers. Syd himself appears on just three, contributing slide guitar to Remember A Day and second guitar on ‘Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun’, as well as on his sole songwriting contribution, Jugband Blues.

Found out more about this item and other Pink Floyd rarities in stock over at eil.com, and if you have any items to sell, please call us on 01474 815099

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