what was the first notable vinyl 'variant'?

[shamrocks]

you know, not pressed on black?  variations in covers do not count (i.e. yesterday and today, the velvet underground & nico)

[lexicondevil]

In the 50's Fantasy did jazz pressings on red.

[Route36west1]

my grandfather has some radio promo 45s from (I believe) the 60's which are blue / green. not as old as the 50's ^ but I was surprised they pressed on color back then.

[Guest]

I am pretty sure I have seen colored 78s, but not in real life...not sure what year they would be from either.

[oxxo]

Actually, the original 45's pressed by RCA (who debuted them in 1949) were pressed on a specific color of vinyl to indicate the type of music.

 

You can see an ad here.

[oxxo]

I am pretty sure I have seen colored 78s, but not in real life...not sure what year they would be from either.

 

Columbia had a famous (and now valuable) series of blue 78's in the 1930's. A company called Vogue made clear 78 picture discs in the 1940's.

[zacaroo21]

Actually, the original 45's pressed by RCA (who debuted them in 1949) were pressed on a specific color of vinyl to indicate the type of music.

 

You can see an ad here.

Very cool. That add reminds me of tootsie pops for some reason.

[isavedlatin54]

Very cool. That add reminds me of tootsie pops for some reason.

thought the same thing, haha

[paranoidantroyd]

Pretty sure Edison dropped an 11" filled with tears of children during the Great Depression, circa 1929.

[uniquemel0dy]

Pretty sure Edison dropped an 11" filled with tears of children during the Great Depression, circa 1929.

It would be all dried up by now, or no?

[moonbeams]

I think the poster was asking what was the first variant, not the first colored vinyl.

[hipsterasfolk]

Deez nutz in '69

[shamrocks]

okay, what was the first release that was able to capitalize on the idea that people would buy more than one copy of the same record.

[AlexH.]

I read somewhere (I think Our Band Could Be Your Life?) that Mudhoney's first single was pressed on brown vinyl, and when it went out of print super quick, they pressed more colors and marketed those as special collector's variants. It may be the first case of intentionally pressing limited runs of colored vinyl to bank on collector nerdery. This would be 1988.

 

Wikipedia & Pette Discographies seem to back me up on this, although it says they got the idea from Amphetamine Reptile, so who the fuck knows:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_Me_I'm_Sick

http://www.pettediscographies.com/subpop/sp18.asp

[zacaroo21]

I read somewhere (I think Our Band Could Be Your Life?) that Mudhoney's first single was pressed on brown vinyl, and when it went out of print super quick, they pressed more colors and marketed those as special collector's variants. It may be the first case of intentionally pressing limited runs of colored vinyl to bank on collector nerdery. This would be 1988.

 

Wikipedia & Pette Discographies seem to back me up on this, although it says they got the idea from Amphetamine Reptile, so who the fuck knows:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_Me_I'm_Sick

http://www.pettediscographies.com/subpop/sp18.asp

 

My dad bought me that book for my birthday. Haven't had a chance to open it yet, but looking forward to it.

[shamrocks]

great book, i missed that tidbit the first time through

[moonbeams]

I read somewhere (I think Our Band Could Be Your Life?) that Mudhoney's first single was pressed on brown vinyl, and when it went out of print super quick, they pressed more colors and marketed those as special collector's variants. It may be the first case of intentionally pressing limited runs of colored vinyl to bank on collector nerdery. This would be 1988.

 

Wikipedia & Pette Discographies seem to back me up on this, although it says they got the idea from Amphetamine Reptile, so who the fuck knows:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_Me_I'm_Sick

http://www.pettediscographies.com/subpop/sp18.asp

Road to Ruin was pressed on yellow in the UK in 78. Also in 78 were 25 black copies of the Misfit's Horror Business, the rest on yellow.

[mrrom92]

In the 50's Fantasy did jazz pressings on red.

Beat me to it. They were also pressed on blue, black, might be some other colors. But red was most common for 1st pressings. There was color vinyl before, but this is the first example I can think of where records were pressed on the same label for the same release, on different colored plastics. Fantasy 3-1 was released in either 1950 or 1951, if you'll excuse my rusty memory.

The 1949 RCA victor 7" 45s are colored vinyl, but I wouldn't call them variants.

[futures]

Actually, the original 45's pressed by RCA (who debuted them in 1949) were pressed on a specific color of vinyl to indicate the type of music.

You can see an ad here.

That is so awesome.

[One Hundred Fifty-Two]

My dad bought me that book for my birthday. Haven't had a chance to open it yet, but looking forward to it.

 

Stop posting and read this.

[Emo Revival]

I have a copy of Sgt. Peppers from the 70's on grey marbled vinyl. Def not the first colored vinyl but probably an early variant. 

[noalarmplanet]

I have a copy of Sgt. Peppers from the 70's on grey marbled vinyl. Def not the first colored vinyl but probably an early variant. 

Is it pinkish at all? I believe I have the same one. 

[mr. sincere]

Probably the Gaslight Anthem's first record.

[Emo Revival]

Is it pinkish at all? I believe I have the same one. 

 

Yup, it's this one http://www.discogs.com/Beatles-Sgt-Peppers-Lonely-Hearts-Club-Band/release/2441151

[withengineheart]

Joining the Beatles party with my copy of White on White pressed in 78.  First ''variant'' I can think of released for  collectability.  A bunch of releases had gimmicks and sthuff with releases (Sticky Fingers, Cheech n' Chong, Sgt. Peppers etc) but they were the main release most often and not a collectable variant.  

Hmm.. good question OP.