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 Dark Side Of The Moon - 2nd - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £45.00, $54.90, €49.95 (New Item) (arrived 19-Oct-2019 13:57)
PINK FLOYD Dark Side Of The Moon (Classic 1973 UK 10-track vinyl LP with 'The Gramophone Co.' perimeter text, housed in the custom stickered & iconic gatefold picture sleeve with die-cut jet black inner. The sleeve shows just a little edge scuffing and creasing, the vinyl reveals just a few faint hairlines not affecting play - a superb copy SHVL804)
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Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon - 1st - Complete - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £1,695.00, $2,067.90, €1,881.45 (Back In Stock) (arrived 18-Oct-2019 14:12)
PINK FLOYD The Dark Side Of The Moon (Ultra rare 1973 UK first pressing 10-track vinyl LP with SOLID BLUE PRISM labels with silver lettering, Gramophone Co. perimeter text, black poly lined inner, two stickers & two posters. This has A2/B2 matrices but DOES NOT have the well known skip during the song Money. This gatefold picture sleeve differs from later issues in that it displays a slight green colour tinge unlike the jet black print of later issues SHVL804) Please see Tracklisting/Additional Information for more details....
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Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason + Promo Booklet - Japanese - vinyl LP - Promo - £495.00, $603.90, €549.45 (New Item) (arrived 18-Oct-2019 10:52)
PINK FLOYD A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (Very Rare 1987 Japanese CBS Sony promotional sample 10-track LP, housed in a deluxe gatefold picture sleeve with 'sample' sticker on the back, complete with lyric inner, four-page Japanese text insert &blue & peach title/discography obi-strip. Also includes a super rare promotional-only eight-page colour picture booklet with Japanese text. The packaging shows very few signs of its age with only the lightest spot of shelfwear & the vinyl remains in Near Mint condition. Now highly sought after 28AP-3405)
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Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - Complete - Japanese - vinyl LP - £150.00, $183.00, €166.50 (New Item) (arrived 18-Oct-2019 10:45)
PINK FLOYD Wish You Were Here (Wonderful 1975 Japanese original 5-track LP, housed in the iconic picture sleeve complete with lyric inner, fold-out Japanese text 'History of Pink Floyd' insert, a 20" x 30" fold-out poster, glossy Hipgnosis designed postcard & remains in the original custom stickered blue shrink with both obi-stickers attached. The poster is unused & the sleeve remains in Near Mint condition, with the shrink keeping all components in superb condition. Naturally, theshrink shows some light scuffing & minor discolouring [small historic tape mark in corner to hold it in place due to tiny split]. The vinyl remains in Excellent condition with a deep sheen & just some minor paper scuffs to show play SOPO100)
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Pink Floyd - Money - US - 7" vinyl - £25.00, $30.50, €27.75 (New Item) (arrived 17-Oct-2019 13:50)
PINK FLOYD Money (1978 US wide-centred 7" single, the first Starline re-release with no label prefix before the catalogue number print, also featuring Any Colour You Like, plain die-cut paper sleeve, the vinyl displays some light surface scuffs but remains excellent)
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Pink Floyd - A Saucerful Of Secrets - 1st - VG+ - UK - vinyl LP - £395.00, $481.90, €438.45 (Back In Stock) (arrived 15-Oct-2019 15:04)
PINK FLOYD A Saucerful Of Secrets (Rare original 1968 UK blue & black Columbia label STEREO LP. Most original copies of this album that surface are mono as many shops did not stock stereo copies of albums in 1968, they had to be ordered in! Housed in its original front laminated flipback picture sleeve SCX6258) See 'more info' for further details on this stunning rarity...
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Pink Floyd - Animals - Barcoded - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $30.50, €27.75 (New Item) (arrived 10-Oct-2019 17:28)
PINK FLOYD Animals (80s UK issue of the 1977 5-track LP, the band's tenth studio concept album based on the conditions of seventies British society, loosely influenced by George Orwell's Animal Farm, glossy barcoded gatefold picture sleeve with lyric inner. The sleeve shows very little wear, however the vinyl has cosmetic surface scuffs and hairlines leaving it excellent with light signs of play SHVL815)
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Pink Floyd - A Nice Pair - 1st - Stickered - EX - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £35.00, $42.70, €38.85 (New Item) (arrived 10-Oct-2019 11:07)
PINK FLOYD A Nice Pair (1973 UK first press 18-track double LP repackaging of the albums, Piper At The Gates Of Dawn & A Saucerful Of Secrets, with 'The Gramophone Co' perimeter label text, complete with the original shaped cornered artwork inners & withdrawn 'Dr Phang' gatefold sleeve with plain blue sticker over the offending picture after complaints from the doctor himself! The sleeve shows light wear with a small tear to one inner & both vinyl discs have just the odd light signof play SHDW403)
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Pink Floyd - Interstellar Overdrive - RSD17 - UK - 12" vinyl - £25.00, $30.50, €27.75 (New Item) (arrived 09-Oct-2019 15:14)
PINK FLOYD Interstellar Overdrive (2017 UK limited edition 1-track single sided 12" vinyl single released exclusively for Record Store Day featuring 11 minute long, previously unheard / unreleased recording from 1966, within a hype stickered picture sleeve with a printed inner, bonus poster and postcard. The sleeve displays minimal wear and the vinyl looks barely played PFR12S6)
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Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - 2nd - Complete - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £175.00, $213.50, €194.25 (New Item) (arrived 09-Oct-2019 15:07)
PINK FLOYD Wish You Were Here (1975 UK second issue 5-track LP with 'Waters' credit for Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Part 5, complete with straight cut illustrated lyric inner & serrated edge postcard, picture sleeve. This copy remains in the original opened black shrinkwrap with title sticker on the front. The sleeve shows just a little light sheflwear & the vinyl remains in excellent condition with just a couple of light surface scuffs to show for over forty years SHVL814)
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