Queen Rare Records  One comment

“Queen” was officially out in UK  on July 13th 1973;  you probably know everything about early days and how the come to an agreement with EMI records to release their first work. Here We will focus on the collector aspect of their debut LP. Sometime additional useful informations can be taken from original press sheets, withdrawn editons etc.. so let’s start…

Finding acetates or reel to reel copies of the master tapes is quite impossible. Only few appeared in the auction houses and on private sales.

A rare Trident 12″ acetate with full album, probably dated late 72. This version contains a different version of Keep Yourself Alive.

A Trident 10″ reel to reel tape (copy of Master) of the B side of their debut LP. Dated May 22nd 1973

The very...

 General | Queen Autographs  No comments

Some years ago I’ve been contacted from a Freddie’s or better a F. Bulsara’s school friend in his India period: Keith Winson.

He gently allowed me to show an unique personal message that the future Freddie give to him and a full story to share with all his fans.

****************************************************************

Hi Ferdy,

I first met Freddy when he came to our school, a boys boarding school, St Peters in Panchgani Bombay India in 1956, I think,He was 1 year junior to me, and we both immediately bonded somehow
as we were both shy and timid boys. I can remember he had to wear a very painful brace on his teeth which he hated, and some boys were very unkind about that. Even from about the age of
12 he was very talented on the piano and ...

 General | Queen Rare Records  No comments

UK acetate of the Long Lost version

UK acetate Short Version of the “Long Lost”

This acetate first was thought to be from c1972. But some years ago in an interview Brian confirmed that in 1975 it was re-recorde a new version for a possibly new release. Interestingly, the “long”  track is refered to as a “long lost retake” on the hollywood version.

This acetate should be from c1972. Interestingly, the “long”  track is refered to as a “long lost retake” on the hollywood version.

This acetate was made in the uk. It should be pre-emi, and  it was recorded at trident studios – but the band were not signed with emi. Remember the first LP was made in downtime – and not as official trident product.

Long Lost Re-take 4:05 Queen: US 1991 Hollywood HR-...

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This item worth a page in Queen Museum.com and you’ll understand why:
a handwritten letter sent by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury to Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, the legendary music executive who signed Queen..Mercury sent this letter to Holzman in 1973 as the band was finishing “Queen ll,” thanking him for his “genuine interest (in Queen) from the very start.” Holzman was very aggressive in pursuing and signing Queen, which he wrote about with great eloquence in his excellent book “Following The Music” (if you’re a fan of Elektra, or it’s artists, I can’t recommend this book more highly...

 Queen Rare Records  No comments

The original Smile Mercury promo single.The original American promo was believed to have the matrix number (45117-1-1-1 and 45118-1-1-1) written in block-printed characters on the vinyl, where all the pirates have handwritten, script printed matrix numbers. On a Record collector article about pre-Queen releases there was written that original Mercury promo 45 came not with handwritten matrix numbers. I never had a confirmation on this from any Queen serious collector.

SMILE – EARTH/STEP ON ME – 72977 – USA PROMO ONLY  RELEASE – MERCURY LABEL

The a-side run out states: 45117-1-1-1, then MR at 180degrees from the matrix number. B-side states 45118-1-1-1 then MR at 180deg from matrix...

 General | Queen Rare Records  One comment

The following informations are partially taken from an article pubblished in Record Collector on may 2012 about Beatles first pressings.

The Matrix code shows the master tape recordings used to cut the lacquer disc in the studio, usually three letters followed by a two- or three-digit number. For example, the Please Please Me album mono master tapes were denoted by the number XEX 421 for Side 1 of the album and XEX 422 for Side 2 of the album. These were also printed on the label as well as being stamped in the dead wax at the end of the record (close to the label)...

 Queen Rare Records  No comments

Making a research on Elektra discography you’ll see that the 5E-517 catalogue number is missing. Well, to be precise you can verify that no commercial release appeared with this cat. no. With the number after, the 518, many of you got in their hands a copy of the Queen’s Flash Gordon soundtrack LP in the USA Elektra version.
In November 1980 EMI uk planned to release the first Queen Greatest Hits, as you can see from this article. The stopped everything and then decided to release Flash Gordon, postponing the Greatest Hits in 1981.
As for the UK, you can find first promotional campaing informations for the cancelled 1980 issue with sleeve proof and test pressings vinyl, also in USA an advance promotional LP was also found clearing the mistery of ...

 Queen Rare Records  No comments

Picture disc from France – at least two different versions: white riders on black and black riders on white. Rumours of a third version with red riders, but this seems doubtful. Beware of bootlegs !! The bootleg Jazz PD is very recognisable. The main thing is the quality of the printing on the outer sleeve – on the real sleeve, the back has a smooth (gloss) feel to it, whereas the bootleg is rough (matt). Also, the background of the back of the real sleeve is pure white, whereas the bootleg is dirty grey (similar to a photocopy-of-a-photocopy… ). One other thing it’s that the front and back pictures are not aligned in the bootleg (i.e...

 Queen Rare Records  No comments

 Queen Rare Records  No comments

Greatest Hits red vinyl from Mexico

The Queen record hunting in Central/South America has given another fruit. Yes, we still have to update our Top rare Queen records list. Now for this incredible edition of the Greatest Hits LP made in red translucent vinyl in Mexico in 1981.

Informations on the run-off groove report the following matrix numbers: “SLEM-1040-1   28-XII-81 JE”

As you can see from the date of printing (dec 28th 1981) this should be one of the very first pressing in Mexico. GH was released in UK in November 1981. I have  other issues of the mexican Greatest Hits in black vinyl and they reports different date, one is from 1983 and the second is from 1984.

I think that this was a best selling LP in those times...