Velvet Underground Loaded lp -Spotting an original?

My pleasure.

Sounds good to me. Needs some cleaning for dust, but it's not scratchy.

It was languishing at my Mom's house for, oh, over 20 years or so.

 

Even VG-ish condition on VU promos are exciting. This is a white label right?

 

Yep.

 

Ok, I went through my storage room to find my other copy of this one. I have the original as well as the next one a mid 70s.

As mentioned in a previous post, the STEREO lettering should be in blue for first issues. The very next ones have STEREO in black lettering. Sorry to say your copy is 2nd pressing. But still an early one with same basic "Broadway NY" label.

I did compare sound, and came away feeling that first pressings had a bit more clarity than the black lettered copies had.

But Atlantic had a way about them with some later pressings and really improved things in many cases. So the later pink label could in fact be better than those two earlier ones. That's right, later 80s thinner vinyl, yet sometimes better sound quality. CSNY Deja Vu is one that sounds really great on some of the late pressings. When they brought back the fake leather cover with bright golded embossed lettering, that was a very nice version.

 

The original copy has more clarity and warmth than the first pink-label reissue.

 

Good to know, I take you word for it. I did notice the original was best out of my two copies. You could tell instantly.

 

I remember buying my first copy of this back in the early 80's as well, and like the first poster, mine had the Cotillion blue-green label. I've since picked up a white label promo pressing that I'm almost positive is an original - the album cover seems of sturdier cardboard stock, it has the Cotillion/Embryo inner sleeve, and deadwax codes are:

ST-CTN-702029-A
ST-CTN-702030-A

I've attached a label scan...

 

I've got the same exact thing, with the embryo inner sleeve as well.
Neat.

 

Back on post #4, I attached an image of the label from my copy of the LP. It's an early (not sure if it's a first) Canadian pressing with the red Cotillion label. Even the VU discography at http://members.aol.com/olandem/vu.html does not list this variation. Anybody have any comments on this version?

Cheers,
Chris

 

It's been a long time since I compared but I didn't have a clear preference between my marble and pink label copies.

 

I anyone is still looking for a nice original US copy of Loaded check my Third Party Sales & Auctions post in Marketplace. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

 

Reviving this old thread because I just saw sort of an odd duck in a store. A Loaded ... that was an LW/AT pressing, pressed at Waddell, and cut by Al Brown (it's signed aB in the deadwax).

I've never seen this cut before, it has to be the original (or, perhaps they cut it in-house at the same time for some reason?). I've never seen a copy that wasn't cut in house at Atlantic previously.

 

See post #10.

 

Thanks - read the whole thread and managed to skim past the post I needed!

 

Ancient thread, but I wonder if the OP ever figured out that the "Atlantic Group" innersleeve pegs it as an '80s copy.

 

just look at the VU site
http://olivier.landemaine.free.fr/vu/discog/lps/usa/lpsusa.html
and search for "Loaded"

 

Not convinced with the seal
Wrap looks slack.

 

Anybody got a promo copy ?
Also, assuming someone's got
multiple copies....
What's the best sounding one ?

 

Just noticed.

 

I believe the first pressing, as noted above, has STEREO in blue.

I believe the first pressing, like the WLP, is from Specialty (SP). The matrix code on the label has parenthesis around it--just like the WLP. My copy is on heavier vinyl than my later SP copy.

There are also Monarch (MO) (with parens), Presswell (PR) (no parens), and Columbia Terre Haute (CTH) (no parens) pressings with STEREO in blue.

Then there is the RI pressing (parens), still 1841 and STEREO in blue, but that plant didn't open until 1972.

After that is another marble Cotillion with 1841 address, but STEREO in black. My copy has the square brown "The Atlantic Group" inner with 75 Rock address. This would appear to be a mid-70s press, though sold into the 1980s according to testimony on this thread. But perhaps a repress AFTER the pink label below.

After that there is a pink label Cotillion, first with no barcode, then with barcode, initially issued in 1977.