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BARRY MANILOW 1973 original Bell 1129 (white cover) mis-press hybrid?


MackDJ
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Hey folks, I just joined this group, looking for some assistance please.  I have an original 1973 Bell copy of the first Barry Manilow album (BARRY MANILOW, aka 'white album'), which was later re-recorded (in part) in 1975 and re-released as BARRY MANILOW I.  What I have here can't exist, and the internet agrees with me.  But it does, because I have it in my possession.  Side A of this album has the 1973 tracks/versions, with the matrix/runout "BELL-1129-A-1".  Side B has the 1975 tracks/versions with the m/r "BELL 1129-B-2 AL-4007-SB".  The word "STERLING" is stamped on both sides' runouts.  AL 4007 is the 1975 Arista (re-recorded, re-released) catalog number, BELL 1129 is the original Bell number.  I've never seen or heard of the 1975 tracks appearing on HALF of this album, and still being pressed on the original 1973 Bell label with the original white cover and copyright info.  This isn't a record club copy, nor is it a promo or an import.  I've been scouring the WWW (Discogs, et al) for WEEKS now and have found NOTHING.  Any help would be appreciated; I'd really just like to know exactly what I have here, other than an obviously gross mis-press.

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Maybe you just have one of the earliest pressings of the reissue and they used old cover/label stock? There are many examples of this when it comes to 45s, anyway. Certain pressing plants would use up their old remaining stock of a label style before switching to the new label style. It's always quite strange when you see an example of it since 99.9% of copies are using the "correct" label. 

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For some reason, I'm having trouble trying to explain exactly what I have here physically in my hands.  Not literally of course, but it's two feet in front of me  😎...

I know about labels and packaging and reissues and such, especially Manilow, but this actual record has SIDE A pressed with the 1973 Bell recordings, engraved BELL-1129-A-1.

SIDE B is pressed with the 1975 Arista re-recordings, engraved B-1129-B  T  AL-4007-SB-2.

The jacket, sleeve, labels, are all original Bell.  I wish I could post pictures of the run-outs I'm describing so you could see what I mean.

I'm not trying to sell this or anything, I've just never run across anything like this before.  It's as if they found a stack of Bell pressings that were half-done, and said "what the ___, let's run the other side two years later".  Which ended up as some bizarre hybrid.  I'm told by three different former record plant employees (two 70s and one 90s) and experts (?) that this just isn't possible.  But here it is...

I have an original first-run BARRY MANILOW I (Arista 1975), its runout is engraved AL-4007-SA, AL-4007-SB, respectively.  No mention of Bell whatsoever.

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On 12/28/2022 at 11:09 PM, blueeyesgetboring said:

Was going to recommend the Steve Hoffman forums but I see you already posted there. Unfortunately they are usually the bet for the type of info you are looking for. 

Yeah he's been my go-to for years... I'm at the point now I'm just Googling 24 hours a day trying to find someone... ANYONE... that might either have this or know where/how it came to exist?

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The matrix represent the pressing plates and are used by the plants as identifiers. I wouldn't look too much into that as it's not uncommon for that era.

 

As far as how a 75 year plate pressing ends up in an original jacket. People put things where they don't belong.  Very easily over last 50 years it just was swapped 

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PLATE!  That's the word I was looking for...sheesh!  Thanks!

Now I can hopefully better articulate this...

SIDE A was pressed with the original 1973 Bell plate...

SIDE B was pressed with the 1975 Arista plate...

Ended up with original Bell labels and original Bell jacket...

"STERLING" stamped on both sides, not a bootleg (I have several Sterling discs)...

I'm gonna upload these pics somewhere so I can post a link...

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There's no doubt it is a highly unusual pressing.  But considering Arista bought Bell, it isn't that hard to imagine they somehow ended up with all the parts and somehow accidentally made some of these frankenstein copies. The tougher thing to find out is how rare it is since I am going to assume not a whole hell of a lot of people are paying that much attention to it. 

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Cheapskate record company they cut costs wherever the could and used pretty terrible quality vinyl as well. I'm sure the B-side wasn't worn so they were trying to get the most out of the stampers and that specific plant just used the old A side and new B side stampers since it's what they pulled to do the pressing. Likely had old jackets sitting around

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On 1/2/2023 at 11:30 PM, chiefwahoo said:

There's no doubt it is a highly unusual pressing.  But considering Arista bought Bell, it isn't that hard to imagine they somehow ended up with all the parts and somehow accidentally made some of these frankenstein copies. The tougher thing to find out is how rare it is since I am going to assume not a whole hell of a lot of people are paying that much attention to it. 

I agree...  If it weren't for the different VERSIONS of the songs I'd never have noticed it myself.  I only eyeball matrix numbers when trying to identify record club copies (400 albums for ONE CENT!)...  The original "Could It Be Magic" from '73 is a completely different vocal, is 7:11 long, and has a VERY prominent electric guitar in the last two minutes or so.  After I played SIDE A and flipped it over, heard the '75 version of CIBM I was like "huuuuuh?!".  Anytime for the past 20 years or so when I run across an original Bell copy of this first album for under $10, I grab it.  I probably have about five or six copies of this thing (haven't counted lately), and have NEVER seen this before.  I like your description of 'Frankenstein copy '...  I'm borrowing that.   😎

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On 1/3/2023 at 12:19 PM, NapalmBrain said:

Cheapskate record company they cut costs wherever the could and used pretty terrible quality vinyl as well. I'm sure the B-side wasn't worn so they were trying to get the most out of the stampers and that specific plant just used the old A side and new B side stampers since it's what they pulled to do the pressing. Likely had old jackets sitting around

Yeah I know about the vinyl issue of the '70s...  pretty sad really.  There's a definite difference in '73 vinyl versus '75 and later vinyl.  This is absolutely a '73 hunk of vinyl, I can tell by the thickness and groove quality.

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