DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK UK LP, 1973 DECCA Contract Pressing, SUPER RARE PRESSING

	£		72
	$		95

 This is the original UK LP by DEEP PURPLE, DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK, 1970 Stereo on HARVEST label SHVL 777

This is no ordinary Pressing though!. THIS IS A SUPER SUPER RARE 1973 DECCA contract Pressing. To my knowledge this is undocumented, and only a VERY VERY limited amount were Pressed at DECCA, possibly only one press run of 500. This you might think is a outlandish claim, considering that this is undocumented?

Here are the FACTS:- 

1) The vinyl when held out a angle in strong day light or strong lighting has the very distinctive 'shimmer' patina, exclusively and ONLY seen on UK DECCA Pressings, this shimmer is UNIQUE to the DECCA Plates used to Press vinyl records through the 1960's and 1970's, and No other UK record company's Pressing plates produced this appearance in the vinyl records.

2)  In the dead wax run-off area at the 3'oclock position on Side 2, their are NO stamper letters, none at all, the wax is blank. Side 1 at the 9'oclock position, again the dead wax is blank, no stamper letters or numbers. Decca didn't use it's 'BUCKINGHAM' stamper letters, most likely at EMI's request. This can be consistently seen in DECCA LP and 45 contract Pressings in the 60's and early 70's

3) Without doubt this was pressed in 1973 by DECCA, as the vinyl is heavy weight, comparing my copy of EMI's original 1970 1st Pressing of the album, this pressing is much heavier!!!!.

 Supporting this are the label's. Their are several and stark differences between the original 1970 1st Pressing and these label's.

On both sides their is the EMI logo. Side 1's label has EMI credits around the top half of the rim, where Side 2's has GRAMOPHONE rim credits. Side 1 at the bottom of the label 'Made in Great Britain' is missing!, Side 2 it is there. Clearly these are transitional label's. This is can be seen on the documented Deep Purples 1972 LP, Made in Japan, further and consistent evidence that this is a genuine UK DECCA contract Pressing. Also the label's are NOT EMI's 1970 label's, clearly by what iv'e just said, by the hue and texture of the label. 1973 EMI Harvest label's are noticeably darker in hue and have a glossy finish to them, where by these label's are matt in finish and consistent in hue to the original 1970 label's.

4)  The gatefold cover - this is clearly a original 1973 UK issue cover, noticeably by how the cover has been made and its finished appearance. 1st issue covers ', like many in that period have a domed effect, tapering down slightly towards the top and bottom edges. This gatefold cover is flat and does not taper towards the top edges. The cover is beautifully laminated though, maintaining a high gloss finish and vibrant colour.

5) Why did EMI contract out this album to Decca in 1973?. Its most likely because they wanted more copies of the album on the shelves in records shops, to co-inside with new releases coming out, 'WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE' and 'BURN', using the album as a back catalogue buy. As EMI were impossibly busy Pressing  'WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE' and later 'BURN' the anticipated demand that EMI predicted was overwhelming and simply contracted out 'DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK' to DECCA to ease the pressure of it's its Hayes Middlesex Pressing plant employees. The label's area a telling facter, as EMI usual quality control was high, but they obviously gave DECCA some left over label's and DECCA used as the seemed fit, not paying attention to the some might say subtle differences in Side 1's and Side 2's labels.

6) Its interesting that the label's don't have the groove indentation that you do see in the 1960's Decca contracted label's. This is simple, if you know your label's through the years. By the very end of the 60's and early 70's onwards, original 1970 UK DECCA pressed LP records had NO groove in the label and were flat, so that answers that question.

Altogether with the facts laid out, I Believe this to be a super rare find, and a super rarity!, from my many many years of experience with original UK 1960's and 1970's EMI and DECCA Pressing, their is no doubt in my mind and would stake my years salary on this being a genuine 1973 UK DECCA contract Pressing.