BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID VERY RARE UK VERTIGO SPACESHIP

	£		26
	$		34

BLACK SABBATH

VERY RARE

1973

 "PARANOID" LP

UK Pressing on the

RARER VERTIGO 'SPACESHIP' LABEL

6360 011

6360011 1Y//2 420

6360011 2Y//2 420

Why is this so rare?

This is what I have been told by a Black Sabbath expert......

Black Sabbath's first four albums on the 'Swirl' label sold very well in the UK, consequently, it is not too difficult to obtain  UK 'swirl' label pressings - although they are still highly sought after and command high values when in nice condition.

However, when Black Sabbath changed record labels to WWA in 1973, they managed to secure the rights to their back catalogue (Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality & Volume 4) which meant that from mid 1973 onwards, Vertigo no longer had the right to issue these albums on the Vertigo label - although they continued (under contract to WWA) to manufacture and distribute Black Sabbath albums for Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,  Sabotage & Technical Ecstacy.

Shortly before leaving Vertigo, it is alleged that some 500 copies of each of the first 4 Black Sabbath albums ('Black Sabbath', 'Paranoid', 'Master of Reality' & 'Volume 4') were manufactured in the UK on 'Spaceship' labels - Vertigo having changed their labels from 'Swirl' to 'Spaceship'. These were manufactured and distributed in the UK some time in early to mid 1973 - just  before Black Sabbath joined WWA. These can be clearly identified by the '420' number in the run-off groove which denotes the pressing as a UK manufactured one. 

It is possible that this modest (c500 each) re-release of the first 4 Black Sabbath albums was a spoiler tactic by Vertigo -  who wanted to capitalise on BS's success before their contract expired, knowing that WWA would want to re-release these albums themselves. More likely, given that Vertigo continued to contract with WWA to supply overseas markets, this was simply a production run that was intended to be larger but was curtailed to 500 copies of each LP when it was realised that Black Sabbath would definitely be leaving the Vertigo label  in 1973; and the Vertigo UK production rights therefore expired.

Either way, it is now incredibly difficult to find UK 'Spaceship' (sometimes called 'UFO') label versions of the first 4 Black Sabbath albums. You only need to check out ebay listing for Black Sabbath, at any time, to see that the Swirl labels far outnumber the spaceship labels for these first 4 LPs.

If anyone has any more information to add to (or dispute) what I have been told, do please contact me and I will add the information to the listing.

Cover: Unlaminated gatefold cover is in excellent condition. No writings, doodles or seam splits.  These spaceship label pressings came in plain white inner sleeves rather than 1st pressing 'swirl' inners.

Labels: Near Mint. 420 UK pressing matrix.

Vinyl: Not play tested but looks to be Excellent+. Not played for many years. Lightly played in the past and very well cared for.

POSTAGE: £3.50 (UK) £5 (EUROPE) & £7 (REST OF THE WORLD)

Please read the following before bidding:

Buyers outside the UK. All items over £41 will only be sent to a winning bidder outside the UK by ‘International Signed For’ postage. This adds an additional £4.25 to the postage costs mentioned above. 

Paypal address. If you pay by Paypal, please do not ask me to post your item to an address other the one listed with Paypal.

Returns. If for any reason you are not happy with your purchase, do please contact me to discuss as soon as possible. If the item has to be returned, in addition to refunding your payment I will also refund your initial postage costs when buying the item. However, I'm afraid I cannot reimburse you for the postage cost for returning the item.

Gradings.......

Mint - The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality.

Excellent - The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality.

Very Good - The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality despite noticeable surface marks and occasional light scratches.

Good - The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and more significant scratches.

Fair - The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise, it may even jump.

Poor - The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc

Bad - The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection filler.