Rod Stewart AN OLD RAINCOAT WON'T EVER LET YOU DOWN

Was Rod Stewart's first solo album originally released in the U. S. as "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down" (as it was in the UK on the Vertigo label) or was it "The Rod Stewart Album" with a different album jacket (Mercury Records)? Also, which vinyl pressing of this album do you prefer? Thanks!

 

I love this album - got 2 copies of each title! I prefer the sound of the original UK laminated "...Raincoat..." LP - I have a German one as well. I love to see that crazy Vertigo label spinning around!

I have two US LPs - one with a yellow and white sleeve, and one that looks more like the one you posted. I don't think the "Raincoat" title or design was ever issued in the US.

Also, "Gasoline Alley" and "Every Picture Tells A Story" both had different sleeves in the UK/US - although only the back sleeve of "...Story" was different.

Old Rod UK Vertigo and Mercury vinyl sounds killer!

 

The yellow sleeve version of "The Rod Stewart Album" was the first. If it was ever issued in the US under the British title, and I'm not aware of it.

 

With the text on the front in white or black?

 

How about the CD format(s)?

 

The first batch of the US version had the title "Thin" somewhere on the cover.
Rod says it was in anticipation of low (or thin) sales figures.

 

i've read it was because they were all so skinny . . . like the origins of "the MG's," prb diff stories at diff times.

doug

 

Black, I think.

 

Was this one ever released on CD as a West German/Atomic? Don't think I've ever seen one...

 

The yellow US sleeve has the title text written in white.

 

My local record store has US copies with the yellow sleeve but some have the text in white and others in black. The white is harder to read so a guess might be that it was later changed to black for better legibility. The labels of the record inside are the same.

 

I'm 99.9% sure it was white. I know I (used to) own a first pressing, bought within the first two weeks of release, and that's how I remember it. My only confusion comes from seeing the variants over several years of working in record stores.

It's funny because I can still remember the store I bought it in (Grasshoppa in Whittier) and the fact that the owner (Jim) recommended it and played it for me. It was an instant sale.

 

I prefer the US LP gate fold cover; the UK Raincoat album cover is a clunker IMO. I'm not a fan; its cheesy and looks too posed. That being said - the album is killer good. And as far as the vinyl, its hard to beat those UK Polydor pressed Vertigo's for richness/clarity/smoothness /presence. The US one isn't too bad either. Gilbert Kong did cut (initialed) lacquers for a later US Mercury pressing.

 

Love it!

Always wondered about that. Very interesting! I have seen "thin" on the cityscape reissues as well. Anybody know the difference/provenance of the Mercury Black label versus the Orange? My understanding was that Black came first.

 

Nevermind the album, what's the deal with that creepy looking molester guy on the cover with the kid?

Zoinks he's scary!!!

 

Just picked up a clean 1st press CDN copy of this one and my first "Rod Stewart Album" for me. It only cost $4 bucks but I could tell it was in great shape and came out beautifully after a good scrubbing/cleaning on the Nitty Gritty. To answer my own earlier question, at least here in Canada, the black label is the first (1969)and the orange labels came later in the early 70's. This one's a black label Mercury and only has the catalog # SR-61237 a/b scratched in the deadwax, followed by a solitary H.

It's a bit bright to me, at least compared to my early CDN copies of Gasoline and Picture, which sound fantastic. I'd love to hear a Gilbert Kong to compare but they don't seem too plentiful in these parts.

 

How does the early 90's Repertoire (4148-WP) compare with the Mercury? I haven't found any evaluations on that release in the archives.

 

Is he Aqualung?

 

Great album, easily one of his best, but far too short.

 

It certainly was as Mercury 830 572-2 and unfortunately with the US album title and cover. It's really difficult searching on eBay for the Rod Stewart Album, as you tend to get a lot of results, and they are almost all not the album in question.

 

Has anyone compared the UK Mercury of "Old Raincoat" in the two-fer set (Old Raincoat/Gasoline Alley) to the UK Vertigo or US Mercury "Rod Stewart Album"? I had all three at one time, and remember liking the two-fer. Seemed to have less distortion and the vinyl was quieter, compared to the other two.

 

The two-fer is a later cutting if you check the matrices, its still a Polydor though, and sounds great. I've had a number of them. The first Vertigo pressing (Polydor as well) has a little more 'oomph' to it, typical of first cuttings. The Polydor vinyl is practically identical though, its very consistent and high quality, both should be darn near dead quiet.

The US Mercurys are pretty good sounding too. These can be found cut by Gilbert Kong and so marked, although they're not necessarily 'better' sounding than the originals.

 

I just picked up a German copy on Vertigo. I wonder how it stacks up against the U.S. & U.K. pressings?

 

I agree with Raunchnroll. That twofer is mighty fine. Knows his stuff.

I could stare at that Vertigo label for a long while. Love that label for sound and looks..just cool. Dont think Ive ever heard a bad Vertigo lp. Sabbath, Lizzy, Rods stuff..so many more great UK pressings on that label.

 

I hate the font on "An Old Raincoat..." That curved font seemed to be overused everywhere in the 70s. Seems like every decade has a "font". I just got Gasoline Alley (original pressing) and what a great album. Never got Rod Stewart until The Faces, and wow, some great Rock n' Roll.