This is going to be
a short chapter about collecting the handful of rare & not-so-rareNeil Young picture disc
and colored vinyl records. The occassional
"important" promo single, and many bootleg LPs had been pressed
on colored vinyl since the 1950's. Usually at least "sort-of" rare,
but always cool and, almost invariably, never
commercially available. With the "colored vinyl fad" of the late
'70's/early '80's, that all changed. Both promo
and commercial records in every imagineable color, shape and,
to a lesser extent, picture (as in PictureDisc)
flooded the market. In a career spanning over forty
years, very few unique,high-profile promotional items ever
appeared with Neil Young's name on it, but with the concept
of "unique" records re-defined as "main stream",
even Reprise had to throw some odd Neil records onto the fire.
Of the five "official" "collectible vinyl" records
issued, one (promo) picture disc and four colored
vinyl records (two promo-only and two commercial releases
--one of 'em a Europe-only release). All five of
these are pretty well-documented; virtually
undocumentedare
the "unofficial" "collectible vinyl" that will be detailed
mid-page, along with THE TRUTH (da-da-duh-daaa)
about the "Canadian promo" orange vinyl "Cowgirl In The Sand" 12" single!!
Related colored vinyl records (like the Dutch brown vinyl CSNY "Dèjá Vu" album)and rumoured Japanese
pressing colored vinyl NeilYoung-releated records have not been included here simply because we're trying to
focus on U.S. NeilYoung records.Even so, related data received will beconsidered for additions to this article.
Please Note: values based on M- condition records; obviously, lesser condition records are
worth less. |
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Comes A Time 3:03/Motorcycle Mama 3:09
(Reprise RPS 1395) December 1978
"promotional" 7" Picture Disc single
value: $300+
In the midst of the colored vinyl/picture disc fad
of the late 70's, Kent Crawford (a WB Records
Promotions Department executive) came up with
the idea for a unique Christmas Card:a7"picture
disc. 200 copies were pressed at the Fitzgerald-
Hartley PicDisc plant in Los Angeles, & the discs
were sent to industry associates. The official 200
45s were issued in a clear plastic sleeve with a 2"
round (hand-numbered) title sticker on the front.
However, between the 8-10 Advance Copies, at
least ten number ones (for top-level execs) and the
standand overrun (usually 10-20%
of the intended |
pressrun), at least 240-250 copies were actually made.
Stickers were not attached to Advance or overrun
copy sleeves (subtract 15-20% from value).
The record plays the regular stereo 45 versions of both songs.
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Hawks & Doves 3:30/Union Man 2:08
(Reprise PRO-A-901) October 1, 1980
promotional blue vinyl 12" single
value: $10 ($15+ if cover & sticker are M-)
It is relevant that (arguably) the most "redneck"
record that Neil Young has ever produced was
promoted with what was then the "hippest"
promotion device of the day: a 12" colored vinyl
single with a custom diecut cover and title sticker.
The dark blue vinyl plays fold-down mono mixes
of the LP versions of both songs. The back cover
design is completely different (blue & white stripes).
Although this release is pretty common, it is just
impossible to find a cover without dirt, shopwear,
bent corner(s) &/or damage or wear to the sticker.
Worth $3-4 tops without a truly "M-" cover. |
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Southern Pacific 3:59 edit/Motor City 3:11
(Reprise RPSP 49895)
unreleased (pressed November 1981)
prototype GREEN vinyl value: $400+ |
December 9, 1981
promotional BLACK vinyl value: $15+
commercial RED vinyl value: $15+ |
With
the continued interest by consumers and collectors in special-issue vinyl, Neil authorized
a unique limited edition version of his current single "Southern Pacific" in November of 1981.
Once again, Fitzgerald-Hartley was contracted to press the unusual disc for Reprise. Black vinyl
was chosen for the promo copies (housed in commercial "fold open" envelope covers, with a
promo sticker) while red vinyl was chosen for consumer copies. Occasionally, "promo drill-hole"
copies (with no sticker) turn up passed off as promos, but these are always red vinyl and are most-
likely non-returnable cutouts rather than promos. And, it should be noted, that the drill hole goes
right through the vinyl.
If you're buying an open/used copy, check the tab-lock (usually tattered).
There were/are many
contributing factors involved with manufacturing a record. And like any
other manufactured product, individual hand-made copies (referred to as "prototypes") are almost
always made. In the case of records, Test Pressings were made one at a time on hand-operated
pressing machines. By no stretch of the definition, Test Pressing records are prototypes.
No one knows for sure if,
when the initial order was placed, Reprise specified black and red
vinyl or if someone at Fitzgerld-Hartley did, but when the Test Pressings of the triangle-shaped
"Southern Pacific" single were delivered to Warner Bros., green vinyl pressings were included.
Approximately fifteen of each
color was delivered to Warner Bros., and it is unclear exactly how
many of the green ones "got out". Whether by chance or choice, front door or trash bin, a few of
the green vinyl triangle-shaped discs soon turned up on record dealer lists for $50. They sold out
quickly and, personally, I haven't heard of any copies for sale in over ten years. These green vinyl
triangle-shaped discs are definately among the rarest Neil Young records ever pressed.
Of additional interest is the fact that
although "Motor City" is the stereo LP version, "Southern
Pacific" is a unique mono mix with the steam engine bell sound effect clipped off at the beginning of
the song (same as the regular 7" 45rpm issue). |
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Southern Pacific 3:59 edit/Motor City 3:11
(Reprise RPSP 49895)
unreleased (pressed November 1981)
prototype CAR Picture Disc value: $500+
prototype TRAIN Picture Disc value $500+
Of the very few Neil Young records known to
be even more rare than green vinyl "Southern
Pacific" singles, two different versions exist
of the Legendary triangle-shaped Picture Disc
"Southern Pacific" single.
Two or three copies of each prototype design
were hand-made at Fitzgerald-Hartley during
the weeks that the other "triangle singles" were |
pressed. The car and locomotive images came from
trimmed regular-issue triangle single covers,
with the thin cardboard sandwiched between clear
vinyl. (Same master as other single issues.)
Obviously, like the green vinyl samples, none of
these were ever supposed to get offsite either.
Presumably, the same person(s) who acquired
those managed to obtain these as well. And none
of them (that I know of) has been offered for
sale since their initial $100 offering/sales in 1981. |
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foreign releases & counterfeit records |
Cowgirl In The Sand 10:01
b/w Southern Man 5:31
(Reprise 1RS-1) 1978 counterfeit record
orange vinyl value: $20+
As mentioned above, the late '70's/early '80's saw
a dramatic rise in record collecting, aided & abeited
by the record industry throught the proliferation of
promotional and commercial Picture Disc records,
colored vinyl and uniquely-shaped records.
Coincidentally, the "underground" record industry
(aka "bootleggers") were really hitting their stride in
this sellers market with a flood of 45s and albums
with high-quality full-color graphics & custom labels.
Many of them looked 100% legitimate --and many
collectors (& record sellers) are convinced (through
assumption or deceipt) that they are legitimate major
label releases. Most notableof these are The Beatles'
"Casualties" & "Collector's Items" LPs. Others, like
Elvis Costello's "Live At The El Mocambo" LP were
"pirate" (or "counterfeit") records. Unlike a "bootleg"
(the unauthorized release of copyrighted unreleased
recordings, i.e., concerts or studio outtakes), a "pirate"
is a third-rate "exact" copy of a legitimate release.
Then
there's this "Canadian" orange vinyl "Cowirl
In The Sand" "DJ" 12" single,
which is a little of both.
If Reprise Records really had released a 12" single
to promote the "Decade" 3LP back in 1977, it's pretty
likely they would have issued a single just like this one.
However, despite what you've heard, they did not.
Although they look like real Reprise Records labels
(with cleaner print than image shows), & the 12" plays
two "Decade" tracks, this record was not authorized or
pressed by Warner Bros. in Canada or anywhere else.
Nice
looking record, though. But definitely fake. |
"Harvest" full-length LP
(Reprise REP 44 131) Holland-ONLY issue
early 1980's value: $25
Although most colored vinyl records were new
releases, a third or more were "Limited Edition"
(limited to how many they could sell) reissues of
catalog titles. The entire Beatles catalog was re-
issued on red vinyl in Japan and in various colors
in theU.S.&Europe. Countless former"#1"LPs
(including Neil Young's "Harvest") were pressed
on colored wax somewhere in the world.
This Dutch issue was pressed on beige-colored
vinyl, vaguely similar in color to the album cover.
WEA-issue
German covers were used (STEREO
printed in black instead of white on cover spine.
LP plays original stereo mix throughout, as does
the Dutch CSNY "Dèjá Vu" brown vinyl reissue. |
text ©1997 jef michael piehler, Bry Carter & Peter Kraege ©1997, 1999 sidestreet publishing company
(originally published in Broken Arrow #67 May 1997, updated December 1999 & February 2008)
"Comes A Time" photo ©1978 Coley Coleman, © 1978 Reprise Records
"Hawks & Doves" artwork ©1980 Gary Burden & Jenice Heo for R. Twerk & Co., ©1980 Reprise Records
"Southern Pacific" artwork ©1981 Simon Levy, ©1981 Reprise Records
"Cowgirl In The Sand" record label ©1976 Reprise Records, ©1976 Reprise Records
This article is ©1997, 1999, 2001, 2004 jef michael piehler ©1997, 2008 sidestreet publishing company.
All rights reserved. No partof this
article may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic means,
including information storage,database &/or retrieval systems without permission in writing from the
, except
by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review of this or related materials.
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