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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 - Atom Heart Mother - 3rd - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £20.00, $25.80, €23.80 (New Item) (arrived 26-Jul-2024 17:04)
PINK FLOYD Atom Heart Mother (1978 UK issue of the 1970 5-track LP, with 'EMI Records' perimeter label print & small boxed EMI logo. The gatefold picture sleeve is Excellent with little shelf wear & the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with only a few faint signs of play SHVL781)
- Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon - 1st - Complete - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £2,495.00, $3,218.55, €2,969.05 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 13:30)
PINK FLOYD The Dark Side Of The Moon (Ultra rare 1973 UK first pressing 10-track vinyl LP with SOLID PRISM labels with silver lettering, Gramophone Co. perimeter text, black inner, two stickers & two posters. This has A2/B2 matrices andDOES 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.... #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Pink Floyd - Delicate Sound Of Thunder - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £195.00, $251.55, €232.05 (New Item) (arrived 19-Jul-2024 16:38)
PINK FLOYD Delicate Sound Of Thunder (1988 UK 14-track double vinyl LP, recorded live over five nights at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, New York in August that year, complete with illustrated credits inners, gatefold picture sleeve. Thesleeve shows just a little light general wear and the inners are flawless, whilst the vinyl is fantastic with very little evidence of play, one of the best copy we have seen in a a very long time EQ5009)
- Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon: Remastered - 180 Gram Vinyl - UK - vinyl LP - £24.99, $32.24, €29.74 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 11:51)
PINK FLOYD The Dark Side Of The Moon (2016 UK/EU limited edition audiophile issue of the classic 1973 10-track LP, expertly remastered from the original analogue master tapes by James Guthrie, Joel Plante & Bernie Grundman and pressed on 180gram Vinyl. Complete with two stickers & two posters in a deluxe gatefold picture sleeve reproducing the original album artwork. The sleeve has just minor wear, due to its textured finished and the vinyl remains in Excellent condition with only light signs of play) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon - 2nd + Posters - UK - vinyl LP - £75.00, $96.75, €89.25 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 11:59)
PINK FLOYD The 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 two fold-out posters. The sleeve shows little wear with oneof the stickers affixed to the inside on the gatefold, the posters are unused and the vinyl has light cosmetic wear with little sign of play SHVL804) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Pink Floyd - Ummagumma - 2nd - EX - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £35.00, $45.15, €41.65 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 12:14)
PINK FLOYD Ummagumma (1969 UK second press 9-track double LP with 'Gramophone Co' perimeter label text & EMI boxed logos, front laminated gatefold 'Gigi' picture sleeve. The sleeve shows a little light ring wear scuffing & the vinyl remains inExcellent condition with minimal play SHDW1/2)
- Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon - 5th - Complete Stickered - EX - UK - vinyl LP - £75.00, $96.75, €89.25 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 12:52)
PINK FLOYD The Dark Side Of The Moon (1979 UK issue of the classic 1973 10-track LP with 'EMI Records' label perimeter text, housed in the iconic gatefold picture sleeve with the custom sticker attached & the blue copyright statement inside lower left, complete with two large fold-out colour posters & two stickers. The sleeve [VG+] shows a little edge scuffing from shelf wear & the posters are unused. The vinyl is clean & in Excellent condition with just a few minor cosmetic signs of play SHVL804) #Top 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time
- Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £20.00, $25.80, €23.80 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 12:52)
PINK FLOYD A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (1987 UK 11-track vinyl LP with picture labels, the group's first album after the departure of Roger Waters, gatefold picture sleeve with illustrated lyric inner. The sleeve has some minor general wear/foxing with light scuffing, whilst the vinyl has a few cosmetic surface scuffs, overall a Very Good example EMD1003)
- Pink Floyd - More - 1st - VG - UK - vinyl LP - £95.00, $122.55, €113.05 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 13:15)
PINK FLOYD More (1969 UK first press 13-track stereo LP with stamped matrices ending '1G' & silver & black one box EMI labels, only used in 1969 before the introduction of the two box design in 1970. The Hipgnosis flipback sleeve is front laminated with the green tinted image of a West facing couple on the back, complete with the period company inner. The sleeve shows few signs of wear, whilst the vinyl shows light wear, mainly to Side 2. A decent copy to complete the collection SCX6346)
- Pink Floyd - Meddle - 2nd - UK - vinyl LP - £30.00, $38.70, €35.70 (New Item) (arrived 22-Jul-2024 14:15)
PINK FLOYD Meddle (1978 UK second issue of the 1971 6-track vinyl LP with 'EMI Records' label perimeter text & EMI logo, featuring the epic classic Echoes. The sleeve and vinyl both remain in a stunning Near Mint condition! SHVL795)
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