Incus label question?

[Homefromtheforest]

Maybe some UK readers of the board can help me. I'm interested to know about the pressing variations on the Incus label...more particularly the actual labels of the records. I know that later 70s issues have white labels with black text, but I have seen two different labels of Incus 1 "topography of the lungs". One is a turquoise label and the other is a dark blue label(similiar to the label on Wheeler's "song for someone" but not black).

Does anyone know which is the first issue? The Turquoise or the dark blue label?

[David Ayers]

No help from me, I'm afraid. I do have a few Incus LPs but have never worked out questions of labeling and I don't have LP of Topography.

[Homefromtheforest]

Thanks anyways David...hope somebody on this board knows this very trivial bit of info

[mjazzg]

Nope, sorry can't help either. A local store did recently have two different editions of Topography but i didn't get to look at them hat closely

Sounds like a question for Clifford T maybe?

Edited March 15, 2014 by mjazzg

[sidewinder]

Just checked my Incus copies of 'Song For Someone'. The original is black label with white text. I also have another (later) pressing with white label and black text that originates from the late 70s I think. The earlier pressing has a very clear 'INCUS 10' in the runout, which is worth checking for the early pressings. Not sure if this helps your question - paging Clifford!

Edited March 15, 2014 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

Just checked my Incus copies of 'Song For Someone'. The original is black label with white text. I also have another (later) pressing with white label and black text that originates from the late 70s I think. The earlier pressing has a very clear 'INCUS 10' in the runout, which is worth checking for the early pressings. Not sure if this helps your question - paging Clifford!

Two copies?!! that's just greedy! (if one's feeling ignored....)

[sidewinder]

Just checked my Incus copies of 'Song For Someone'. The original is black label with white text. I also have another (later) pressing with white label and black text that originates from the late 70s I think. The earlier pressing has a very clear 'INCUS 10' in the runout, which is worth checking for the early pressings. Not sure if this helps your question - paging Clifford!

Two copies?!! that's just greedy! (if one's feeling ignored....)

The second one I actually picked up from ebay as a vinyl only, no sleeve. I think it was a batch that was sold off by Evan Parker from NYC. Cost about $10-15 at the time. Use it as a play copy.

[Homefromtheforest]

Thanks guys...just got an email from Mats Gustafsson(who must have probably the most insane free jazz collection) and he thinks the dark blue label is first, but will confirm when he gets back home. It just strikes me as interesting because I can't think of any other Incus album with *3* different label designs!?

[Homefromtheforest]

Well Mats is right. Just heard back from Evan Parker himself who told me the first pressing was a dark blue label(1000 copies). The second pressing (500 copies) was on a turquoise label. Then there was a Japanese pressing(he figures around 1000) and finally the late 70s Nimbus pressing of 1000 copies.

Then of course the PSI CD that was published in two editions. I find this all very interesting to know; does this make me a hopeless nerd? My wife would probably say yes...

[sidewinder]

This whole thread brings up memories of regular listening to an excellent BBC Radio programme called 'Jazz In Britain', where most of these Incus releases were previewed by critic Charles Fox - at the time they came out. They were real obscurities even then.

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, see, I would've assumed the turquoise was first. Both copies I've had were black text on a white label, but had the original cover design.

I've seen the turquoise label on Incus 1, 2, and 3/4:

The black label was used on Incus 5-11. The white label (non-beveled) on 12-32, and the beveled white label came around in 1980 with Incus 33. At least this is my understanding.