Heartland

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 15:53**

Guys ... 'nuther question having just looked through my record collection

... a couple of my 12" releases of the earlier stuff - Alice and Temple of Love have releases with both a non-spined cover and one with a printed spine. I guess I collected them both because of this.

Did the others around that period come with and without a spine?

I have 'Reptile House' and 'Body and Soul' with a printed spine and 'Walk Away' and 'No Time to Cry' without spines.

It sounds a bit OCD, but I'd like to get my vinyl collection complete with all the oddities

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 18:02**

Hi Orca, (pretty user name btw ...

...)

I don't know about spine and not spine, but would love to see/have a picture of yours. Is that possible?

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 18:56**

Here's what I'm referring to:

The top picture shows the relative sizes of the two types of sleeve, while the second picture shows the actual spines. Both have 'The Sisters of Mercy' at the top, the single name in the middle and 'Alice' has "Made in England" ... 'Temple' has "Made in Holland".

Perhaps the ones with spines are later pressings?

Likewise, my 'This Corrosion' and 'Lucretia' are spineless, while 'Dominion' (remix?) has a spine. I know I bought 'This Corrosion' and 'Lucretia' at the time they were in the charts, so perhaps this is an initial pressing thing. I did buy 'Dominion' at the time and don't recall a spine, but broke it ... that copy was bought a lot later. Remix? Not sure what that's about.

Later, all the 1990 onwards singles have spines ... all bought at the time of release:

... while we're on spines, have a look at these two copies of the 'Floodland' LP:

Notice the one at the top has a sort of spine at the top of the face of the record? There's no crease, but it is a difference shade of black and at the top of the face ... as well as on the spine.

Flip 'em over:

... the top one was "manufactured in Germany". Is this common to German manufactured records?

Being645 wrote:Hi Orca, (pretty user name btw ... ...)

Ha! Cheers

It comes from my old car, which at the time of purchase reminded me of a killer whale. The name stuck.

... got a black 'un as well:

'nuff cars ... even though it's a "long black car" ... back to spineless singles

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 20:12**

...

... thanks for all the pictures. Now I know what you are on about.

I shall check my - quite usual - singles later and see what sort they are.

Pretty cars ...

... look like SAAB ... oh, had always loved to drive one of these,
but well, I'm stuck to VW Passat C, a 1987 model at the moment, the last and most
perfect type of that series, with central locking, lambda controlled catalytic converter and fuel-injection ...

...

I love it. Just passed the technical check in Dezember. Uff, another two years ...

...

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 20:37**

I think I have found an answer here from Nic: http://www.myheartland.co.uk/viewtopic. ... 980#286980

He lists 'Alice' as having a French issue (which I am certain I have read that the "Made in England" is a red-herring ... this was a French issue) and 'Temple of Love' as having a Dutch issue (so, "Made in Holland"?).

There is then mention of issue and re-issue for all the singles. I wonder if the spineless were the ones released initially, or the ones with the spines. The spineless ones appear cheaper.

How might we tell? The serial numbers and bar codes are the same.

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 22:50**

Orca wrote:Guys ... 'nuther question having just looked through my record collection

... a couple of my 12" releases of the earlier stuff - Alice and Temple of Love have releases with both a non-spined cover and one with a printed spine. I guess I collected them both because of this.

Did the others around that period come with and without a spine?

I have 'Reptile House' and 'Body and Soul' with a printed spine and 'Walk Away' and 'No Time to Cry' without spines.

It sounds a bit OCD, but I'd like to get my vinyl collection complete with all the oddities

Curious, I have the same. The spined ones are definitely the older ones. The Reptile House spined one originally had a printed lyric sheet within, which I believe to be a bit on the rare side.

Posted: **20 Feb 2011, 23:07**

unholyracket wrote:
Orca wrote:Guys ... 'nuther question having just looked through my record collection

... a couple of my 12" releases of the earlier stuff - Alice and Temple of Love have releases with both a non-spined cover and one with a printed spine. I guess I collected them both because of this.

Did the others around that period come with and without a spine?

I have 'Reptile House' and 'Body and Soul' with a printed spine and 'Walk Away' and 'No Time to Cry' without spines.

It sounds a bit OCD, but I'd like to get my vinyl collection complete with all the oddities
Dammit, now I am looking at it all again and trying to piece together history from an alcohol addled brain... Spined are definitely older versions and definitely the UK releases as I remember buying the specific ones in record shops at the time of release. This is further backed up by all the nice freebies like the lyric sheet and flexi disc of Long Train with Walk Away sitting with the spined ones.

Most of the singles will have had reissues or at least reprints of the sleeve at a later date and they came in the smooth and shiny spineless sleeves (usually had no inner sleeve either).

The Floodland pics you put up are of the Ltd release that had a lyric sheet and then the the general release copy of the album. There were three UK vairants of this album in vinyl. 1st had a ltd number and lyric sheet, another just had the lyric sheet and a third had no number and no sheet.
All released as MR441L but had a sticker on the front of the cover identifying the version which read 'Limited Edition - Special Numbered Sleeve also Include Lyric Sheet', 'Include Lyric Sheet' and no sticker.

If some-one can tell be how to upload piccies I will take a photo of the variants. There is a also a Japanese version with a very nice side banner in Japanese and a lyric sheet with English and Japanese. A US version I have also has the lyrics on the actual inner sleeve rather than a sheet.

Posted: **21 Feb 2011, 00:30**

I'm finding this link really useful: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sisters+Of+Mercy%2C+The

That's a neat tip about the spined versions being the initial releases ... so, I have the early stuff with spines excluding 'Walk Away' and 'No Time to Cry' (although, I've just snapped up a 'Walk Away' with sticker and flexi off the 'Bay).

Into the 'Floodland' era ... I am certain I bought 'This Corrosion', 'Dominion' and 'Lucretia' at the time and two of those are pictured above - 'This Corrosion' and 'Lucretia' without spines. 'Dominion' (pictured), I bought later although the sticker would suggest it was a first issue. So, a couple more to pick up there to complete the spined versions.

From the 'Vision Thing' era, they're all spined and all bought at the time of release. All stickered, too ... and I have the limited and un/limited releases of 'Dr Jeep'.

Discogs helps piece together the UK, French, German and Dutch releases of these singles. I guess the rest of the knowledge could come from folks here who have these various national releases.

Off topic a little ... I've been out of the loop for a few years and completely missed Rhino's re-release of the albums, remastered. I understand the 'First and Last and Always' re-issue is of the original mixes that I have on vinyl and cassette. I picked up the 'Merciful Release' box off Play to get these latest remasters. Also, back in the day, I snubbed CDs and so collected little on CD and completely missed the 1988 and 1992 issues of 'First and Last and Always' which I gather are different mixes to the vinyl I have - again, just snapped up a copy of the 1992 off the 'Bay.

I'm starting to catch up now

Thanks for the reply, pal.

Posted: **21 Feb 2011, 01:05**

ok, now i have to get all my records out in the morning when i get home lol

Posted: **21 Feb 2011, 14:52**

Orca wrote:I'm finding this link really useful: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sisters+Of+Mercy%2C+The

That's a neat tip about the spined versions being the initial releases ... so, I have the early stuff with spines excluding 'Walk Away' and 'No Time to Cry' (although, I've just snapped up a 'Walk Away' with sticker and flexi off the 'Bay).

Into the 'Floodland' era ... I am certain I bought 'This Corrosion', 'Dominion' and 'Lucretia' at the time and two of those are pictured above - 'This Corrosion' and 'Lucretia' without spines. 'Dominion' (pictured), I bought later although the sticker would suggest it was a first issue. So, a couple more to pick up there to complete the spined versions.

From the 'Vision Thing' era, they're all spined and all bought at the time of release. All stickered, too ... and I have the limited and un/limited releases of 'Dr Jeep'.

Discogs helps piece together the UK, French, German and Dutch releases of these singles. I guess the rest of the knowledge could come from folks here who have these various national releases.

Off topic a little ... I've been out of the loop for a few years and completely missed Rhino's re-release of the albums, remastered. I understand the 'First and Last and Always' re-issue is of the original mixes that I have on vinyl and cassette. I picked up the 'Merciful Release' box off Play to get these latest remasters. Also, back in the day, I snubbed CDs and so collected little on CD and completely missed the 1988 and 1992 issues of 'First and Last and Always' which I gather are different mixes to the vinyl I have - again, just snapped up a copy of the 1992 off the 'Bay.

I'm starting to catch up now
Thanks for the reply, pal.

I never quite sussed how they got the mixes slightly different on re-issues/releases. Not sure it is a conscious decision (particulalry as the band had no input to some of the reissues). I think it sometimes comes down to folks picking up a slightly different version of the master tape. There are some very distinct differences on some of the album versions though. The Japanese version of 'First and Last and Always' has quite a different intro to 'First and Last and Always' on the UK version. Again not sure it is planned. It would need someone with recording studio experience to explain how tapes were marked up in the day. Mind you, half of that lot were probably blasted and coudn't remember.

Posted: **21 Feb 2011, 23:07**

This is curious ... all the details for the UK originals check out for the spineless copies of 'Alice' and 'Temple of Love' - no barcode or serial number on the reverse of the sleeve and identical in every way to the version with the spine down to run off messages, logo on the A side and details on the B-side ... even "Made in France" on the actual records of 'Alice', yet "Made in England" on the spine of the spined version.

Posted: **21 Feb 2011, 23:43**

'Bout time I update that list.

Posted: **23 Feb 2011, 19:58**

Glad someone else has the 'spine' OCD

it used to bother me immensely when I was in the market for buying Sisters records...

There was a period ('bout 1986) when our local record stores sold Body & Soul, NTT and Reptile House without a picture sleeve at all - most annoying!

Anyhow my spine OCD was so bad when I took my empty sleeve of the This Corrosion 12" up to the counter I ensured I had picked the spine version, only to be handed back a non spine version. I had to run back in the shop and pinch the spine version they had in the racks!

Apart from risking arrest for a 25 year old crime, it does provide evidence that for This Corrison at least there was no time lag between the availability of the spine / non spine selvees as they were in the shop at the same time..

Posted: **23 Feb 2011, 20:25**

jparton wrote:... it does provide evidence that for This Corrison at least there was no time lag between the availability of the spine / non spine selvees as they were in the shop at the same time..

Now that is an interesting nugget.

I have it in the back of my mind I sourced both the spine and non-spine versions to use the non-spine as an inner sleeve for the spine version. We are talking about 20 years ago ... and I've drunk a LOT of Guinness and vodka ... I think I've remembered that right

Posted: **23 Feb 2011, 20:31**

Nic wrote:'Bout time I update that list.

It is very comprehensive and a really useful resource. When you do ... let me know ... I'll have another look through. What is the state of your 12" singles? Do they have spines?

Posted: **23 Feb 2011, 22:33**

Orca wrote:
Nic wrote:'Bout time I update that list.
It is very comprehensive and a really useful resource. When you do ... let me know ... I'll have another look through. What is the state of your 12" singles? Do they have spines?

It's a mix between spines and non-spines.
I can have a better look when I have the time for it if it helps.

Posted: **03 Mar 2011, 21:54**

Orca wrote:
That's a neat tip about the spined versions being the initial releases ...

Into the 'Floodland' era ... I am certain I bought 'This Corrosion', 'Dominion' and 'Lucretia' at the time and two of those are pictured above - 'This Corrosion' and 'Lucretia' without spines. 'Dominion' (pictured), I bought later although the sticker would suggest it was a first issue. So, a couple more to pick up there to complete the spined versions.

I also bought 'This Corrosion', 'Dominion' and 'Lucretia' at the time of their release - but mine have spine... I bought them in Dublin but they'd be standard UK editions I imagine so the spine being original I don't think applies - certainly not to the WEA releases although I always thought it did to the Merciful Releases?
I've Alice (with & without - no other differences), Reptile (with but no inner) & Temple (without)

I also picked up Walk Away in Leeds back in the early 90's on a trip to see Jane's Addiction (I went because I couldn't get tix for the 10 anniversery. It took until last month to finally see the Sisters at Leeds! But I digress wildly...) I'd been looking for it for years & had only ever found the standard wea sleeves. When I got it, and in Leeds, I was made up... it's only reading this has made me realise it's not an original... 20 years living a lie...!

Posted: **03 Mar 2011, 22:01**

This issue of spines is not as clear cut as we think it might be. I reckon a number of singles were released with and without spines at the same time. It makes an interesting twist for any collector

Heartland

Early 12" releases with and without spines

Early 12" releases with and without spines

Re: Early 12" releases with and without spines

Re: Early 12" releases with and without spines