Velvet Underground and Nico on Verve V6-5008 (Black Label)

I saw this copy at my local record store for about $20, and was wondering if it's worth picking up. I tried a search on the forums, but it looks like the only info on Verve VU albums is on the original pressing, and not the reissue black label on Verve. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Here's the info posted on the stores site:

"4th pressing on Verve with no man on back cover, peeled banana, side two reads RE-1 on trail-off groove"

 

Hey, I just saw a brand-new sealed one of these at my local store the other day and meant to ask about it but forgot.

It's clearly a new pressing, shrinkwrapped and everything, but I don't know if it's legit or not. I think it was priced about $12 or $13.

Anyone know anything about this?

(Sorry if I'm hijacking your thread, thomasec!)

 

There is lots of info here but I don't see any black label pressings with that matrix or a peelable banana...

http://members.aol.com/olandem5/odlpus.html

 

the original pressing had blue labels, or yellow for promos. the only black label i've seen of this title is on the mid 80's reissues.

edit--i just checked my records and i have a late 70s reissue with black labels, but no peelable banana and no RE1 in the deadwax.

 

Yeah I saw that site, but I'm not seeing the same copy I saw in the store. Hmm...anyone else know what this might be? What else should I look for if I go back to the store?

 

Maybe it's a composite - old cover w/ reissue record?

 

First black labels were in 1975. Assuming it's the record that came in the jacket, if the front cover has the words "The Velvet Underground and Nico" printed it's 1978 or later. Look carefully at the matrix numbers in the runout groove - they got sloppy on some of these 70s reissues and some actually used old mono stampers (no "6" in the catalogue number) on one side.

 

I believe that I bought my copy of the LP in Detroit in 1971. It has the black label and RE1 in the runout grooves. The cover has the non-peelable banana and "Andy Warhol" is the only text on the front cover.

Cheers,
Chris

 

True. I have one like that; sure is cheaper than finding an original mono.

 

I have a copy of The Velvet Underground and Nico that I got back in the 1970s. It has a black Verve label with the word Heroin mispelled as "Herion." The cover is the original cover. On the front the bananna has been peeled. The back cover features the original picture with the upside down dancer. His head and arms are in focus.

Not quite sure what to make of it.

Vernon Fitch
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