There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Pink Floyd’s 1973 opus, Dark Side of the Moon, is one of the most iconic albums of all time. The Hipgnosis designed sleeve, A prism refracting white light into a rainbow on a black background, is in some cases more recognisable than the music itself. Even those who haven’t heard a note of Pink Floyd’s music will know what it is. Then, however, something different appeared on the market from Japan.
While details are somewhat scarce, is said that this alternative sleeve was created sometime in late 1977 or 1978 for Toshiba-EMI’s (TOEMI) mail-order only record club in Japan. These were a popular marketing tool in Japan at this time, and it is believed TOEMI wanted to expand their international artist repertoire through their club releases.
The unique sleeve artwork depicts a live stage scene from their 1977 Animals Tour, which adds to the narrative that this was released between 1977/78. The famous tan and red EMI label design also supports this date range. Further evidence in support of its record club origin is that there is very little on the sleeve or label that’s printed in English. The song titles, band name and album title of course, but very little else. The back cover is virtually all Japanese script. The lyric insert is similarly basic, albeit with English lyrics.
This is, without doubt, the rarest pressing of The Dark Side of the Moon, and it’s widely regarded to be the rarest Pink Floyd record never issued. This has sold as high as £3500, and is one of the ultimate investment pieces. Regardless of its origin and the divided opinion about when and why it was manufactured, there is no doubt about its authenticity and extreme rarity.
This article appeared in issue 25 of Long Live Vinyl magazine, available now
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PINK FLOYD The Wall (1979 UK 26-track double vinyl LP with picture labels complete with card lyric inners & title sticker, gatefold picture sleeve which does not list the band member names inside. Both the sleeve & vinyl are astoundingly Near Mint. An album that no collection should be without! SHDW411) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
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- Pink Floyd - More - 5th - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £20.00, $24.40, €23.60 (New Item) (arrived 13-Jan-2025 14:57)
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- Pink Floyd - The Wall - 1st + Sticker - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £595.00, $725.90, €702.10 (New Item) (arrived 13-Jan-2025 15:05)
PINK FLOYD The Wall (1979 UK 26-track double vinyl LP with picture labels complete with card lyric inners & title sticker, gatefold picture sleeve which does not list the band member names inside. Both the sleeve & vinyl are astoundingly Near Mint. An album that no collection should be without! SHDW411) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
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- Pink Floyd - More - 5th - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £20.00, $24.40, €23.60 (New Item) (arrived 13-Jan-2025 18:00)
PINK FLOYD More (1978 UK fifth issue of the 1969 13-track stereo LP on the two EMI box logo label with 'EMI Records' perimeter text, a fantastic soundtrack to Barbet Schroeder's exploration of drug addiction on the Balearic Island of Ibiza, starring Mimsy Farmer & Klaus Grunberg, front laminated picture sleeve. The sleeve is Excellent with the odd faint crease and ring wear, while the vinyl appears seldom played SCX6346)
- Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - 1st (a) - G - UK - vinyl LP - £295.00, $359.90, €348.10 (New Item) (arrived 13-Jan-2025 18:00)
PINK FLOYD The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (Rare 1967 UK 11-track first press MONO LP, front laminated flipback picture sleeve manufactured by Ernest J. Day & Co. Ltd without the 'File Under Pop' text on the back SX6157) See 'More Info' for further details of this classic release... #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
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