Sunday, December 29, 2013

More info about the RSO Sedated singles

A white label copy pressed at Columbia in Terre Haute. 
This one has a info sheet from RSO.

Since I wrote about the different U.S. pressings of the I Wanna Be Sedated-single on RSO records I have found more information.
RSO used at least four different printing plants for this single and each one have their own, unique label. A small number on the label indicates which plant that was used. Each printing plant also have a code written in the dead wax.
Three plants was pressing the record on styrene and one, The PRC Record Company in Compton, California, used vinyl. The easiest way to tell the difference is to look at the labels, on a styrene record the labels are glued on. You can feel the edge to the label. On a vinyl record the labels are stamped into the vinyl, no edge.
The styrene record feels lighter but is more rigid than vinyl. It feels like it would easily crack if you try to bend it. As far as I know the technique was only used in the USA, I have not seen any styrene records from other parts of the world. The reason that it was used was money, it is a cheaper way of making records.
Near the end of 1981 RSO redesigned the label and changed color to silver.

Here are the different pressings plants that was used for the I Wanna Be Sedated single on RSO records:




PRC Recording Company in Richmond, Indiana. 
This plant was running between 1972 and 1990.
Pressing plant code on label: 72
Code on dead wax: PRC and the code "RI" at the end of the matrix number.
Printing technique: Styrene.


Title: I wanna be sedated//The return of Jackie and Judy
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1981?
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS PRC RI  Side A: RS 1055 BS PRC RI
Note: Late press, made of styrene plastic.  Released in a RSO company sleeve. Pressed at PRC in Richmond.

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Columbia Records Pressing Plant in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Closed in 1983.
Pressing plant code on label: 73
Code on dead wax: CT
Printing technique: Styrene.


Title: I wanna be sedated//I wanna be sedated
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS-CT-2  Side A: RS 1055 AM-CT-2 
Note: !st press, white label promo with stereo/mono versions, vinyl. Released in a RSO company sleeve. Pressed at Columbia, Terre Haute.

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PRC Recording Company in Compton, California.
Started in 1975. This was the second PRC pressing plant after PRC in Richmond. Also called PRC West.
Pressing plant code on label: 26
Code on dead wax: CMP
Printing technique: Vinyl.


Title: I wanna be sedated//The return of Jackie and Judy 
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS-CMP-1  Side A: RS 1055 BS-CMP-1  
Note: !st press, vinyl.  Released in a RSO company sleeve. Pressed at PRC, Compton.



Title: I wanna be sedated//I wanna be sedated
Number: RSO 1055 DJ
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS-CMP-1  Side A: RS 1055 AM-CMP-1  
Note: !st press, DJ copy with stereo/mono versions, vinyl.  Released in a RSO company sleeve. Pressed at PRC, Compton.
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Bestway Products in Mountainside, New Jersey.
This prersing plant started in the 40's and was running to the mid 80's.
Pressing plant code on label: 19
Code on dead wax: BW
Printing technique: Styrene.


Title: I wanna be sedated//IThe return of Jackie and Judy
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS BW-1  Side A: RS 1055 BS BW-1  
Note: First press from Bestway, Mountainside, made of styrene plastic. Released in a RSO company sleeve.


Title: I wanna be sedated//The return of Jackie and Judy
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1981?
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS BW-1  Side A: RS 1055 BS BW-1  
Note: Second press, from Bestway, Mountainside. Made of styrene plastic.


Monday, December 23, 2013

We Want The Airwaves – the singles

Mr Programmer
I got my hammer
And I'm gonna
Smash my
Smash my
Radio!


Joey Ramone made ​​a correct analysis when he predicted the death of Rock & Roll on the opening track of the album Pleasant Dreams in 1981, We Want The Airwaves.
The 80's wasn't a good time for true rock music and as usual the single didn't make any success on the radio charts. The single was released in the U.S, UK, Canada, Belgium, Spain and Ireland. There are Picture sleeves for the belgian, the UK and the spanish edition. A funny thing is that the title on the spanish single is misspelled, We Want The Airways! Another interesting thing with this release is the US mono/stereo promo-version. A seller on Ebay sold it as a "translucent" record. I have not noticed it before this but the guy is right, the record is transparent if you are looking at it towards a lamp.
Here are the different pressings of We Want The Airwaves:




Title: We Want The Airwaves//All's Quite On The Eastern Front
Number: Sire SRE49812
Year: 1981
Country: US
Notes: Stock version
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//We Want The Airwaves
Number: Sire SRE49812
Year: 1981
Country: US
Notes: Mono/stereo promo-version on black transparent vinyl. 
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//You Sound Like You're Sick
Number: Sire SIR 4051
Year: 1981
Country: UK
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//All's Quite On The Eastern Front
Number: Sire SRE 49812
Year: 1981
Country: Canada
Notes: White label promo version.
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//All's Quite On The Eastern Front
Number: Sire SRE 49812
Year: 1981
Country: Canada
Notes: Stock version.
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//You Sound Like You're Sick
Number: Sire WB 17.850
Year: 1981
Country: Belgium
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//You Sound Like You're Sick
Number: Sire 45-2131
Year: 1981
Country: Spain
Notes: Title misspelled on sleeve and label, We Want The Airwaves.
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Title: We Want The Airwaves//You Sound Like You're Sick
Number: Sire SIR 4051
Year: 1981
Country: Ireland

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

How to indentify the canadian pressings

I have been taking a closer look at the canadian pressings of the early Ramones albums because I have seen a lot of different versions. The thing is that canadian WEA had a system in the 70's and 80's where they printed a letter on the label that indicated witch pressing plant that had made the record. This means there could be three or maybe four versions of an album, all released at the same time! For example there are pressings of End of the Century with pressing code C, Q and I.
After some research I have identified the following pressing plants:

Code: C
The Ontario plant Don Mills that was running between 1971 and around 1989. WEA Canada used the label code "C" for this plant.



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Code: Q
Quality Records Ltd.
Starting in the late 70's the WEA label code for this plant was "Q".




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Code: I
I can't find any information about the canadian pressing plant that used the code "I". Anybody who knows?



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Code: CR
Records pressed by Cinram at Toronto. This vinyl plant was opened in 1979 and closed at 1991. WEA Canada's label code for this plant was "CR" and "CI".



To make it even more difficult to get the whole picture there are also canadian pressings without the code.
As far as I know all singles on canadian WEA/Sire are pressed at Don Mills and have the "C" on the label. The exception is the Rock'n'Roll High School 45 that don't have any pressing code at all. You can see the singles here. It would be interesting to know if anyone out there have a single with another pressing code.
And if you can help me fill up the list of different canadian album pressings please let me know.
Thanks to ramones.fi for help with pictures!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Record of the week: The japanese Sheena


I got a mail from Alejandro who was missing his favorite picture sleeve here on the blog, the japanese Sheena is a Punk Rocker. I agree, it's killer single!
As always with the japanese singles there are a stock version and a white label promo version. A funny thing with this single is the english lyrics on the back of picture sheet. This is not exactly the words that Joey sings...


With a guitar on
I'm groovin', ready to go
They got it for certain
Cause they goin' for the blues
Content to go-go
But she just couldn't stay
She had to break away
Wonder if she really has it all
Oh yeah, oh yeah

Sheena is a punk rocker...

 White label promo-version.

 Stock version.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Ramones records up for trades


I got two records I'm willing to trade if someone is interested out there. The records are:

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker/Swallow my Pride, the rare original spanish press. Philips 6078 513.
Sleeve: vg++, a bit ring wear, no writing, no seam split. Looks great! Vinyl: vg++, have a sticker on side A label. Maybe it is possible to remove it.

Do You Wanna Dance?/It's a long way back to Germany. Original dutch press. Philips 6078 521. Sleeve: vg. A bit worn with ring wear but a decent copy. Vinyl: vg++, plays perfect.

The records I'm looking for are early Ramones 45's pressed in Australia and New Zealand. If you are interested and think you have anything I might look for, send me a mail! I'm not selling the records, sorry.



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

One more version of the "Sedated" RSO-single


I have found another pressing of the U.S. version of the RSO-single I Wanna Be Sedated. This means that there are six different pressings of this single – so far.
This latest one have the silver label which indicates that it is a late pressing, RSO changed from brown to label the silver label in 1980, the same year this single was released in the U.S. It is also made of styrene plastic like the other late pressings, not vinyl.



Title: I wanna be sedated//The return of Jackie and Judy
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS PRC R1  Side A: RS 1055 BS PRC R1
Note: Late press, made of styrene plastic.  Released in a RSO company sleeve.

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Title: I wanna be sedated//The return of Jackie and Judy
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS BW-1  Side A: RS 1055 BS BW-1  
Note: Late press, made of styrene plastic.

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Title: I wanna be sedated//IThe return of Jackie and Judy
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS BW-1  Side A: RS 1055 BS BW-1  
Note: 2nd press, made of styrene plastic.  Released in a RSO company sleeve.

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Title: I wanna be sedated//The return of Jackie and Judy 
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS-CMP-1  Side A: RS 1055 BS-CMP-1  
Note: !st press, vinyl.  Released in a RSO company sleeve.
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Title: I wanna be sedated//I wanna be sedated
Number: RSO 1055 DJ
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS-CMP-1  Side A: RS 1055 AM-CMP-1  
Note: !st press, DJ copy with stereo/mono versions, vinyl.  Released in a RSO company sleeve.
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Title: I wanna be sedated//I wanna be sedated
Number: RSO 1055
Year: 1980
Country: US
Matrix number: Side A: RS 1055 AS-CT-2  Side A: RS 1055 AM-CT-2 
Note: !st press, white label promo with stereo/mono versions, vinyl. Released in a RSO company sleeve.