This is part 14 of the Mike Oldfield Discography by Rainer Muenz:
labels.htm - the label history, descriptions and comments.
Please notice: This text is written with 72 characters / line!
========================================================================
Labels:
=======
=======
In this appendix I'd like to try a summary about labels which had been
used on Mike Oldfield records and CDs. I don't know all ever designed
and released labels, so please excuse all mistakes, but I think I have
enough different labels on the records of my own collection to write
this chapter.
But first: the word "label" has two meanings. On the one hand a label
can be a record company (like the "Virgin label"), on the other hand
it can be an etiquette (a sticker) (like "Johnny Walker - black label").
In this case it is the "sticker" in the center of a record, where you
can find all the info you need (Side 1/2, play times, copyrights...).
In this chapter you will find a label history (when was a label used),
a description of all interesting labels, comments about country
differences and very collectable labels. There are also a few words
about CD labels, but usually they aren't as important as record labels.
Label history (Virgin labels only):
===================================
It is not easy to write a label history with exact dates and times.
Some labels had been used for longer periods outside UK, others had
never been published. Because Virgin Records is a British company and
UK is the original release country for Mike's records, this history
was written for UK labels only. Comments about differences to other
countries follow.
Roger Dean was the designer of the famous Virgin label with snakes
and dragons, and he is also well-known as the painter of record covers.
He made the artwork for Asia and Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe
releases and more.
Part One: LP labels
-------------------
1973-1974 white Roger Dean label
1974-1976 coloured Roger Dean label
1975 (?) fawn & mauve Roger Dean label
1976 (?) blue label with double Virgin writing logo
1976-1977 red twin label
1976-1978 green twin label
1978-1987 green/red alternative label (Side 1 / Side 2)
1987-xxxx grey-white label
This listing needs to be discussed. Specially designed art labels were
used for one album only - there is no necessarity to include them in
the history. More about them later.
Mike's Virgin years started with "Tubular Bells" in 1973. The original
pressing of this record has the white Dean label. In some countries it
has been released later (not before 1974), so there are original foreign
pressings with coloured Dean label.
The original of "Hergest Ridge" (1974) must have the white Dean label,
too. Although a lot of people claim that the UK issues started already
with the coloured Dean label, the German original has the white Dean
label, and I believe I have heard from owners of the UK edition with
the very first label as well. There are several countries which have never
seen a "Hergest Ridge" release with white Dean label, so a lot of
originals have the coloured Dean label, even in Europe (e.g., France).
Mike's first album with the second label, the coloured Dean label, was
"The Orchestral Tubular Bells" (1975). There is certainly no edition
with white Dean label of this record, and there are albums from other
artists which have been released before also with the coloured Dean
label.
The fawn & mauve Dean label is a strange label. Nobody knows the exact
time of release, but the UK pressing of "Ommadawn" (V 2043) with this
label might be the original. Pressings with coloured Dean label, which
is certainly the older label, have higher matrix numbers. The album
"The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" by David Bedford (V 2038) has never
been released with coloured Dean label, the original pressing has the
fawn & mauve Dean label, and there are reissues with green twin label.
Please notice that Bedford's record had been released before "Ommadawn".
Probably the fawn & mauve Dean label should replace the coloured Dean
label in summer 1975, but has been used only a very short time. All
records with this label are very collectable and have a higher value
than other editions. The fawn & mauve Dean label hasn't been used
outside UK.
The blue label with double Virgin writing logo is well-known on single
releases, but I know only a few albums with this label. There's a
rare UK edition of 4LP "Boxed", a special Quadrophonic pressing of
"Tubular Bells", and also an old LP by Gong, but that's all we know
today. More info would be helpful. All records with this label are
very collectable.
The red twin label is also a rare label. It can be found on several
Virgin albums even outside UK, but it's not sure if this label is
older than the green twin label. It has been used a very short time
only, and all records with this label have a pretty high value, often
higher than older editions with coloured Dean label. Because there
is no "Boxed" edition with red twin label I think that it has been
used earlier than the green twin label. The red twin label is easier to
find on records from New Zealand and Australia than from other countries.
The green twin label is easy to find. It has been originally published
in 1976 ("Boxed"), and it is also available on reissues of older
releases. In UK it has been used till 1978, but in other countries
(Japan, Spain) there are records up to 1982 with this label.
The green/red alternative label is probably the best-known Virgin label.
It has been used for a very long time on albums and singles. Because
all Oldfield albums from "Incantations" to "Discovery" had specially
designed labels "The Killing Fields" is the first album with green/
red alternative label in UK (1984). But there are a lot of other
releases (from other artists, and also Oldfield's single releases)
with this label since 1978. The area of the green/red label ended in
1987 (UK), but in different countries it has been used longer (Spain,
1990, Germany, 1988). Items with the green/red label have normally not
very high values, but some special editions (club editions, foreign
pressings) of records which usually have designed labels are interesting
for collectors ("Incantations", Portugal, "Amarok", Spain and others).
The grey-white label is still in use since 1987 (UK). The first album
by Mike Oldfield with this label was "Earth Moving" (1989), but some
12" releases to "Islands" have a similar label. The grey-white label
has been published some months later in foreign countries (1988).
Because Mike Oldfield left Virgin in 1991 there was no Oldfield album
with this label after "Heaven's Open". "Elements" (1993) has a
designed label.
Part Two: 7" labels
-------------------
1974-1975 black-white Dean label / white Dean label
1976 blue twin label
1976-1978 blue label with double Virgin writing logo
1978-1987 green/red alternative label
1987-xxx silver label
In UK there was no Mike Oldfield 7" with the white Dean label. Between
"Mike Oldfield's Single" and "In Dulci Jubilo" Virgin used the black-
white Dean label. But several countries (France, Italy, Australia)
published on the white Dean label. In some countries the white or
the black-white Dean label was longer in use (Germany, 1977). Spain
was the only country that used the coloured Dean label on singles
(instead of the white or black-white Dean label).
The blue twin label (which has never been used for albums) was issued
in UK only (some "Portsmouth" copies, 1976). It's a very collectable
label.
The blue label with double Virgin writing logo was used first in
1976 (Portsmouth). In UK the last single with it was "Cuckoo Song"
(late 1977). In some countries it was longer in use (Spain, 1979).
The first Oldfield single with the green/red alternative label was
"Take Four" (1978). During the 80's most UK singles from Mike had
specially designed labels, but we can say that the period of this
label ended in 1987 (according to albums). "The Time Has Come" was
issued on the green/red alternative label (1987), but the following
"Flying Start" had already the silver label (1988).
The silver label was in use until Mike left Virgin. In UK "Heaven's
Open" was his last single for Virgin with this label. There are
other countries that also had a silver label in use (Germany, France),
but they started much earlier. Germany published "Five Miles Out"
with a silver label (1982), France started in 1983.
Part 3: 12" labels
------------------
1978 - 1987 green/red alternative label
1988 - xxxx grey-white label
Mike's first 12" release was a record to promote "Ommadawn" (1975)
and had a specially designed yellow label. His first officially
released 12" was "Take Four" with the green/red alternative label
(1978). This label was in use until "The Time Has Come" (1987).
"Flying Start" was issued with the new grey-white label (not
exactly the same label as on LP's) which is still in use.
Part 4: CD labels
-----------------
I don't want to make a time scale for CD labels. The first CDs have
been made in 1983, but most albums had been issued on CD years after
the original LP release.
Old CD's normally had a blue label (a kind of light blue layer on the
silver disc) because the producers had problems with the printing on
the blank silver surface. Such CDs have often a rather high value,
but not all of the blue CD's are rare ("Crises", "Five Miles Out" and
"The Killing Fields" have been sold a long time in this condition,
even in the early 90's).
Some of the middle-old editions have silver labels with red printing
("Tubular Bells", "Discovery"). These CDs are also pretty collectable
and newer editions have black printings.
CDs from the 90's are normally silver with black printings. All EMI
reissues (1992-xxx) have also black printings on silver labels.
In some countries there are specially designed CDs (Japan) or gold-
plated discs (Australia). Such editions (and of course picture discs)
have higher values.
There are some CDs in UK which had been reissued on the small Pickwick
label. The design of these items is different to the original Virgin
editions. Their values might be a bit higher, but most are easy to
find (and they are special mid-price items in the stores).
Label descriptions:
===================
In this part I'd like to describe the design and the colours of the
most important labels. After reading this chapter you should know what
phrases like "coloured Dean label", "green label with twins" or "grey-
white label" mean. I can't describe all ever found labels because there
are still some that I have never seen. And I don't want to describe
each of the specially designed labels that have been used on a few
records only. But at the end you should know how to read my lists
correctly. Although in some cases there is only written "red label"
or "blue label" without any more details (and there are perhaps a lot
of blue or red labels published all over the world) I always try to
give enough details that should help you to identify each record you
will find (at least in combination with release country and order
number).
Part 1: LP labels:
------------------
The first part of this chapter is about Virgin labels used for Mike's
own records. Guest projects and labels used on albums with cover
versions follow later.
White Dean Label:
-----------------
Long Name: White Roger Dean Label. Designed by Roger Dean. Sometimes
called "white Virgin label", but this name can lead to confusions
because there are some other white labels used for Virgin's LPs.
I do not use the expression "black-white Dean label" when I write
about the white Dean label. What I call the "black-white Dean label"
is a different label (see later), but a lot of people don't take care
about the differences between both labels.
Description: Completely in black-white there is a drawing of two
girls ("virgins", "twins") that are grew or sticked
together like Siam twins. They are sitting on a
meadow with a tree (without leaves). There is also
a dangerous reptile like a dragon or a snake in the
grass. The reptile is on the left side, but its tail
wriggles everywhere (even between the twins). "Virgin"
is printed under the twins. The background is totally
white, not filled-out with black colour at all. The
drawing needs only the first half of the label, the
bottom is also white.
Coloured Dean Label:
--------------------
Long Name: Coloured Roger Dean Label.
Description: Exactly the same as the "white Dean label", but in
colour. Details are easier to see now. The virgins
are pale yellow-white with black hairs. The grass is
green, the dragon is red. The top of the label is
blue like a sky. "Virgin" is printed in a kind of
dark green or brown colour. The bottom of the label
(no drawing) is white with all the printing.
Fawn & Mauve Dean Label:
------------------------
Long and other names: Fawn & Mauve Roger Dean Label or Fawn & Mauve
Twin Label.
Description: Doesn't look like the white or coloured Dean label, but
there are still the virgins or twins. They are bigger
and need the first half of the label. Their seat
arrangement is different and the head positions are
not exactly the same, but they are still together like
Siam twins. The virgins are partly white (not all parts
are filled with colour), their contours and the hairs
are mauve (light purple). There is no reptile or meadow
or anything else at all. The virgins are not in a circle.
The rest of the label is fawn (a kind of green-brown).
"Virgin" is printed on the label's bottom, in white
colour on side one and mauve on side two. There is a
small white circle or stripe around the whole label
with the copyright printing.
Blue Label with double Virgin writing Logo:
-------------------------------------------
Other name: Sometimes simply called "blue label". In this disco-
graphy is has this short name because of space trouble in the
tables.
Description: Middle-blue colour that changes from the top to a
lighter colour at the bottom. At the top there is a
light pink "Virgin" flourish (printing), and a second
red "Virgin" printing covers it slightly shifted.
Red Label with Twins in a Circle:
---------------------------------
Other names: Red Twin Label or Red Label with yellow Twins in
Circle or Red Label with circled Twins etc.
Description: The label is completely in red colour that changes into
a lighter red at the bottom. At the top side there are
the twins in yellow colour (with black hairs) and a small
white "Virgin" printing in a circle. The circle's edge
is white and black-lined, but inside it has pink colour.
The virgins are smaller than on the fawn & mauve Dean
label, but bigger as on the white or coloured Dean label.
Their seat arrangement is different again, both arms of
the virgins are visible now.
Green Label with Twins in a Circle:
-----------------------------------
Other names: Green Twin Label or Green Label with yellow Twins in
Circle or Green Label with circled Twins etc.
Description: Exactly the same label as the Red Label with Twins in a
Circle, but now in green colour that changes into a
lighter green at the bottom. The twins are still yellow,
but the circle is now filled with a pale green.
Green/Red Alternative Label:
----------------------------
Other names: Green-Red Label or Green-Red Alternative Label or
Green/Red Label. Sometimes Green Label with Red Stripe/Red Label
with Green Stripe.
Description: Green label on side one with a red stripe going from
10 o'clock to 1 o'clock (circa). The colours are re-
versed on side two with a green stripe on a completely
red label. The stripes can be more or less inflected.
There is a big white "Virgin" printing at the bottom's
right side.
Grey-White Label:
-----------------
Other names: New Grey-White Label or (New) Grey-White Virgin Label.
Don't be confused - this label has the same name as a
label used on 12" releases but has a different design.
Description: The label is completely white except a huge grey "Virgin"
printing over it and a grey box with white "V" in the
middle of the bottom.
These are the most common labels. Please don't forget that most labels
can be found in various variations dependent on the release country.
Sometimes there are small bell symbols on the green/red or the grey-
white labels or small black twins in circle on the green/red.
The next part of this chapter is about labels that are extra-ordinary
but still not specially designed for one album. These labels can be
very common for record companies outside UK, but are unusual for Mike
Oldfield releases. The following labels were used in one or a few
countries only because Virgin Records might have a special distributer
or publisher there.
Blue Epic-Label:
----------------
Other names: Dark Blue Epic-Label or Blue Virgin-Epic Label. It was
used in USA and Canada by CBS / Epic.
Description: Dark blue label that is a bit lighter at the label's
bottom. There is a coloured "Epic" flourish at the top
side (changing from red to green and blue). Right below
there can be a small silver Virgin logo (stylized twins).
The blue can be almost black on some records.
Orange Epic-Label:
------------------
Other name: Orange Virgin-Epic Label. Used in Canada.
Description: Orange label with black and white printing. No coloured
"Epic" flourish, but a small white logo like an "e"
constructed with the help of white circles. Above the
middle hole there is a small black "Virgin" logo (the
twins and a flourish). There are four white circles
in constant intervals.
Black Epic-Label:
-----------------
Other name: Black Virgin-Epic Label. Used in USA.
Description: Not exactly similar to the blue Epic-Label because the
colour has the same black from top to bottom and doesn't
change to lighter tones. The "Epic" flourish at the top
is smaller than on the other labels.
Apricot Virgin International Label:
-----------------------------------
Other names: Virgin International Label or simply Apricot Label. Was
used for reissues in USA.
Description: Light orange (apricot) label with a red circle around
the info printing that goes over into a "Virgin" flourish
at the label's top. "International" is printed in smaller
letters below it.
Black Label with Blue Triangle:
-------------------------------
Other name: Black Label. It was issued by Virgin Records America.
Description: Completely black label with a blue triangle (one corner
points to the center) at the top side. Small blue
"Virgin" printing at the bottom. Track list is printed
in silver. Sometimes this label looks more dark grey or
dark blue than black.
White Label with Blue Printing:
-------------------------------
Other name: Sometimes it's simply called "White Label" or "White Label
with Blue Stripe" (USA). This label has been used in the early 1980s
in USA and slightly different in France.
Description: Like the green/red alternative label, but in white with
blue stripe on both sides (USA). The stripe is missing
on the French label. The "Virgin" flourish is blue, other
printings are black (USA) or blue (France). The blue is
darker in France.
Pickwick-Label:
---------------
Other names: Virgin-Pickwick-Label or Grey Pickwick-Label. Was issued
on LP reissues made by Pickwick under license (UK only).
Description: Grey label with a triangle at the top. The triangle
points to the center hole. A bigger part is white with
grey "VIP" and red "Virgin" printing, a smaller part at
the triangle's bottom is black with the number of the
side.
Blue AWA-Label:
---------------
Other name: Blue Amiga-Label. Used in East Germany by the record
company Amiga.
Description: Completely blue label. "Amiga" can be printed in black
colour at the top. "AWA" is printed left or right,
dependent on the album or edition. No drawing or
designed logo at all. Promo label looks different,
missing the "Amiga" printing, but is still completely
blue without any designed logos.
Black Tellydisc-Label:
----------------------
Other names: Black Telly-Label or simply Black Label. Tellydisc is
a mail order company in UK that offers records with the help of
adverts. These records are not available in shops at all and are
only licensed for the UK market. Outside UK they are nothing else
than bootlegs.
Description: Black label with white printing. At the top there is a
rectangular box with well-rounded corners. The left part
of this box is blue with a "Telly" printing in black,
the right part shows a black record with white "Disc"
printing.
Dark Red Virgin Label:
----------------------
Other name: Dark Red Label. Was used on some records distributed in
France by Polydor.
Description: Similar to the green/red alternative label, but in darker
red with silver printing. The stripe and the "Virgin"
flourish is silver, too. This label is used on both sides
of a record, so it is not an alternative label as above.
Black Virgin Label:
-------------------
Other name: Sometimes simply called Black Label. Was used like the
dark red Virgin label on some French releases by Virgin Polydor.
Description: Exactly the dark red Virgin label but in black colour
with silver stripe and printing. Used on both sides of
a record.
The next part of this chapter features labels that were used on records
with Mike Oldfield as guest musician. They are no Virgin labels but
ordinary labels from other companies like EMI Harvest, Islands, Love
Records etc. The following list isn't complete because I don't want to
describe all labels that were ever used on guest projects, some perhaps
only on special editions.
Green EMI Harvest Label:
------------------------
Other names: Yellow-Green Harvest Label or Green Harvest Label etc.
Was used in several countries by EMI.
Description: Yellow label with track list in black. From 9 o'clock
to the center there goes the "Harvest" printing. Top
right there is the Harvest symbol in yellow-green
colour (a figure in a circle).
Black EMI Harvest Label:
------------------------
Other name: Black Harvest Label. Used on some rather late releases by
EMI Harvest.
Description: Black label with silver printing. Same design as the
green EMI Harvest label.
White BGO Label:
----------------
Was used for reissues of EMI Harvest releases (Kevin Ayers) on the
BGO label.
Description: White label divided in two parts. The left half shows a
big "BGO" logo in 3D-letters. The right part shows all
details and order numbers. All printing is in black
colour.
Coloured Island Label:
----------------------
Other name: Island Label or Original Island Label.
Description: White clouds, blue sky and yellow sunbeams, blue sea
and the "Island" logo designed like an island with green
meadow and a palm.
Coloured/White Transatlantic Label:
-----------------------------------
Other name: Sometimes simply called Transatlantic Label. Used on
Sallyangie releases.
Description: One side shows a colourful drawing of planes, birds,
ships and boats around a globe with flags and the red
"Transatlantic" flourish on a white ribbon. The other
side has a white label with black printing and the
track lists for both sides. There is a smaller black-
white drawing of a picture that is not exactly the
picture of side one (but also a plane and a ship around
a globe with flags and ribbon) at the top.
Grey-Blue Decca-Label:
----------------------
Other name: Blue Decca Label.
Description: Greyish blue label with silver printing and blue
"Decca" writing in a rectangular silver box at the top.
White Love Records Label:
-------------------------
Other name: White Love Label. Used in Finland and Sweden for Pekka
Pohjola's album with Mike.
Description: White label with black printing. A vertical stripe
divides the left side of the label. Left to this stripe
there is the Love Records logo with two red hearts in a
small box.
Blue-Brown Love Records Label:
------------------------------
Other name: Blue-Brown Love Label. Used in USA for Pekka Pohjola's
untitled album.
Description: The label shows perhaps a kind of landscape but totally
plane. A red-brown desert at the bottom turns into a
dark blue sky, shortly before the sunset. But perhaps
everybody sees something different?
Orange Happy Bird Label:
------------------------
Used on some reissues of Pekka's untitled album.
Description: Orange label with "Happy Bird" writing and a comic bird
at the label's top. Black printing.
Red Happy Bird Label:
---------------------
Used on some reissues of Pekka's untitled album, the reissues are
exactly the same as with the orange label.
Description: Exactly the same label as the orange Happy Bird label,
but in a dark red with white printing.
Yellow Rare Bid Label:
----------------------
Other name: Yellow Bellaphon Label. Used on a special reissue of
Pekka's untitled album.
Description: Yellow label with "Rare Bid" logo in a circle at the
top. The circle is filled with red colour, the letters
are orange with black lines.
Blue-Brown Arista-Label:
------------------------
Other name: Original Arista-Label.
Description: The label colour turns from blue to brown from the top
to the bottom. At the top there is a big brown "A" as the
Arista logo. Some small logos are around the big one.
Arista-Label With Black Hills:
------------------------------
Other name: Black-Red-Blue Arista-Label.
Description: The biggest part of the label shows black hills on the
horizon. Above the hills there is some red colour, sym-
bolizing the sunset. At the top there is a dark blue
sky with black "Arista" writing.
Green Radar-Label:
------------------
Other name: Yellow-Green Radar-Label.
Description: Green label with yellow lines like a coordinate system.
There are two mathematical functions printed from 9
o'clock to 3 o'clock in white colour. One has inter-
rupted lines.
Red CBS-Label:
--------------
Used e.g. on Sally Oldfield albums.
Description: Red label with white "CBS" writing at the top.
The following part of this chapter describes labels that were used on
albums with cover versions of Oldfield songs. It's also not complete,
there are only the most important labels listed that one can find on
more releases (Warner, Zyx Records etc.).
Warner Label With Trees:
------------------------
Other names: Coloured Warner Label or Warner Avenue Label or simply
Warner Label. Used for releases of The Exorcist music score.
Description: A narrow street with trees left and right and a blue
sky with white clouds.
Black-White Roger Dean Label:
-----------------------------
Other names: Black-White Dean Label or in this case Black-White
Caroline Label. Only available on old records from Caroline Records.
This is not the same label as the Black-White Dean Label for Virgin
singles.
Description: Black-white label with two virgins, again with a
different seat arrangement. They are looking to each
other now. No reptile and no circle. The company's
name (here Caroline) is printed in red colour at the
bottom of the label and not under the twins. The back-
ground is partly filled-out with black colour (label's
top and edge).
White ZYX-Label:
----------------
Other name: White Zyx Records-Label.
Description: White label with big ZYX logo in grey (Z and Y) and blue
(X) at the bottom, more right than centered. A small
semicircle is left to the logo, blue colour.
Descriptions of some special promo labels that you can find on album
releases follow now. Some promo labels are exactly the same labels
that are already described with additional printings. Such labels are
not discussed again. Other promo labels are well-known labels with
some stamped information and not interesting here. And there are of
course several white label promos without any special design. I don't
want to describe each of them.
Red Label:
----------
Used in Argentina on several albums.
Description: Red label with green stripe similar to the green/red
alternative label, but used on both sides of the record.
White Label:
------------
In this case the description is about a Japanese White Label used
on a lot of promo records.
Description: White label with black printing. No special design or
logo, but always the same layout. The title is printed
at the upper, the tracks at the lower half. At the left
side there are the order numbers and the promo symbols
(Japanese letters in a small box). The side number and
"Stereo" is printed right.
If you want to know if your Japanese LP is a promo (because there are
a lot of promos with the ordinary labels) here is an attempt to write
the signs in ASCII:
--------- | / --
| | | --- / |
--------- -------|------- |\| / \_/
| | /|\ ----- ------
--------- / | \ ||| \__/
| | / | \ / _| _/ \__
--------- / | \
| | / | \ ----------
/ | -- --|-- -- | | | |
_/ |__/ | --------------
Sorry, my Japanese friends, but I think this drawing is for people
outside Japan better than nothing (but of course the dimensions can't
be exactly correct)...
On CD promos there are different Japanese letters in use.
It's not necessary to describe all specially designed labels exactly
because most people know them already or can easily imagine the design
by comparison with the cover's artwork. But there must be a short des-
cription of the most common labels at least and at last. The following
labels are unique (that means made for one title only) and were used
for Mike Oldfield's own LP releases.
Sea & Rock Label:
-----------------
Used on "Incantations". There are two different Sea & Rock labels.
The most common label is described first.
Description: Design like the album cover, but not exactly. A big rock
(a bit like an island) in yellow-brown colour stands in
the blue sea. There is a rocky landscape at the horizon.
This label was used in most countries. The next label was used on
Korean editions only.
Description: The same rock but in darker colour, brown that looks
a bit like a greyish blue. This rock is bigger, the
center hole is in the middle of it. There is almost no
landscape at the horizon, looks like a closer camera
position. This picture is exactly a snapshot from the
album cover.
White Art Label:
----------------
Used on "Exposed".
Description: White label with a different concert snapshot on each
side. The picture is always at a different position.
Side one shows Mike playing guitar with red light. Side
two shows Mike with a guitar in front of a green-brown
wall. Side three shows a blue picture with Mike playing
guitar, but totally blurred. Side four shows Mike
sleeping in a concert hall with red seats.
Blue Drop Label:
----------------
Used on "Platinum".
Description: Dark blue label with a shimmering drop at the top. The
drop has different colours, from a shimmering white-
silver to a dark blue-black.
Life-Belt Label:
----------------
Used on "QE2". There are two sligthly different labels. The most
common label is described first, the other label was used in Spain
only.
Description: The center of the label is black with a red and white
circle around it (life-belt). The white is at the top
and the bottom, the red colour is left and right. The
white parts are a bit longer.
Another label was issued in Spain, but only on old editions of
"QE2".
Description: Same as above, but changed colours. The red is at the
top and bottom, the white colour is left and right. The
white parts are much longer.
Plane Label:
------------
Used on "Five Miles Out".
Description: Same design as the album cover, a flying plane and
clouds everywhere.
Moon Label/Black Label:
-----------------------
Used on "Crises".
Description: Side one shows a pale moon, side two is black with all
info printing.
Blue Art Label:
---------------
Used on "Discovery".
Description: The label is inhomogeneous dark blue like the album
cover, but without the face.
Swallow Label:
--------------
Used on "The Complete Mike Oldfield".
Description: A swallow drinking water, exactly the same as on the
album cover.
Yellow Art Label:
-----------------
Used on "Islands".
Description: The biggest part of the label is in a pale yellow
colour. A small stripe at the left side is white.
Blue WEA-Label:
---------------
This non-Virgin label was used on "Tubular Bells II".
Description: No special design, only blue with some white printing.
Exists in two slightly different colours.
Blue-White Art Label:
---------------------
Used on "Elements".
Description: A smaller part of the label (left side) is blue, the
bigger part is white.
Earth Label:
------------
This WEA-Label was used on "The Songs Of Distant Earth".
Description: Dark blue label with the contours of a planet and a
shining sun.
Part 2: 7" Labels:
------------------
Some labels were used on LPs and singles together, others have been
designed for singles only. The first listing is about the ordinary
labels used by Virgin Records on several releases, the next parts
are about unusual labels.
White Dean Label:
-----------------
Exactly the same label that was already described in the LP section.
Black-White Dean Label:
-----------------------
Other names: Black-White Roger Dean Label or simply Black-White
Virgin Label. Don't confuse this label with the White Dean Label
or the Black-White Dean Label of the LP part (Caroline-Label).
Description: Two virgins sitting back to back (same seat arrangement
as on the Fawn & Mauve Dean Label but different to the
White Dean Label) in white colour with black hairs
with the reptile (similar to the White Dean Label but
with shorter tail) and a tree. No meadow at all. The
label's top has a black background, there is almost
nothing to see from the dragon's tail at the right
side. The "Virgin" flourish is printed below the twins.
Coloured Dean Label:
--------------------
Similar to the Coloured Dean Label of LP's except the pictures
position. It was used on singles in Spain only.
Description: The picture with the twins and the dragon doesn't need
the whole top side of the label. It's printed smaller
in the form of a semicircle, that means there is some
white background at the left and right sides of the
drawing, and of course below it.
Blue Label with Twins in a Circle:
----------------------------------
Other names: Blue Twin Label or Blue Label with yellow Twins in
Circle. Rare label used on a few Virgin singles only.
Description: Exactly the same design as the Red Twin Label or the
Green Twin Label (see LP section for details). The label
is completely blue with a lighter colour at the bottom
and yellow twins in a circle at the top. The colour
inside the circle is a very light blue.
Blue Label with double Virgin writing Logo:
-------------------------------------------
Exactly the same label that was already described in the LP part, but
much more ordinary on single releases. In the discography the short
form "Blue Label" is normally used.
Green/Red Alternative Label:
----------------------------
There is no difference to the Green/Red Label used on LPs. We know
a few records with reversed colours. The Dutch 7" Guilty (Live) has
the red label on side one and the green on side two.
Silver Label:
-------------
Other name: Silver Virgin Label. There are several different labels
called Silver Label available in different countries (e.g. UK,
Germany, France). Each label has its own design, but no one has
a special logo or drawing on it. So there is no special description
for each variation.
Description: Silver label with black writing.
The following list features uncommon labels and non-Virgin labels used
on single releases, and also specially designed or unique labels. Promo-
Labels are included as well.
White Label With Blue Stripe:
-----------------------------
Rare Label used on "Guilty" (a special edition in UK only).
Description: Similar to the green/red alternative label, but white
colour with blue stripe and "Virgin" writing on both
sides. This label is also known as LP label in USA
(compare "White Label with Blue Printing" in the LP
section).
Dark Orange Label:
------------------
Used on the Hongkong Edition of "Guilty". Some LPs can have this
rare label, too.
Description: Like the green/red alternative label, but in dark
orange colour with black stripe on both sides.
Green/Pink Label:
-----------------
Used on the UK edition of "In High Places" (as well on 7" and 12").
Description: Exactly the green/red alternative label, but with
lighter colours. The red colour on side two is no red
any longer but pink.
Pink/Grey Label:
----------------
Used on a few releases in South-Africa.
Description: Similar to the green/red alternative label, but here in
pink with grey stripe on side one and grey with pink
stripe on side two. The pink is very dark, almost
purple. It's a totally different colour as on the green/
pink label. The "Virgin" flourish is white on both sides.
Black Label:
------------
Used on "Pictures In The Dark" in UK. There is also a black label on
the "Nurofen TV Commercial" release, but without the stripe.
Description: Black label like the green/red alternative label with
white stripe on both sides.
Black Label With Blue Circle:
-----------------------------
Used on the UK edition of "Tricks Of The Light".
Description: Black label with a thin blue circle and some blue
printing.
Black-Blue Roger Dean Label:
----------------------------
Used on the Japanese single "Tubular Bells".
Description: Like the black-white Dean label (not the white Dean
label), but in blue colour with black background. The
lower part of the label is also blue.
Blue Amiga-Label:
-----------------
Other name: Blue AWA-Label. East German label used on LPs and on
the "Amiga Quartett" Four-Track-EP. Same label as discussed in the
LP section.
Brown Wall Label:
-----------------
Used on the UK edition of "Shadow On The Wall".
Description: Design like the cover, but not exactly the same colours.
The stones are lighter on the label. No window or light.
Purple Art Label:
-----------------
Other name: World-Holder Label. Used on the UK edition of "Shine".
Description: Similar to the cover, but completely in purple colour.
Green Label:
------------
There are different green labels existing. The green label here is a
label used in France on some Virgin singles distributed by Polydor
("Portsmouth" 3rd Edition, "Arrival", "Moonlight Shadow").
Description: The colour is a kind of metallic-green, but not really
shimmering or bright. It's different as the green of
the green/red alternative label. There can be several
designs with and without bell symbols and there can
be variations in the colour dependant on the release
date.
Red Label:
----------
Promo-Label in Argentina. Similar to the LP label.
White Label:
------------
There are of course several white promo or testpressing labels. Only
one is described here - a white promo label used in USA ("Magic
Touch").
Description: White label with black triangle at the top. The white
is almost yellow, a kind of pastel shade. Similar to the
black label with blue triangle.
Red WEA-Label:
--------------
Used on "Tattoo". There is also a Red WEA-Label on "Sentinel" which
is a bit lighter, but side one of this label is specially designed
showing bells.
Description: Dark red label without any drawing. On side one there is
a barcode.
Black WEA-Label:
----------------
Used on "The Bell".
Description: Black label on both sides, similar to the red WEA-Label.
Side one shows additionally silber bells at the top,
side two the barcode.
Warner-Label With Trees:
------------------------
Similar to the label already described in the LP part. Used on the
single releases of "The Exorcist".
There are of course a lot of more labels existing, but this part
should be finished now. Only a few words about A-Labels must be
written. A-Label promos are special releases used as "advanced promos"
and the difference is a big "A" on one side of the label, no matter
which label was originally in use. We know A-Label promos e.g. with the
"Blue Label With Double Virgin Writing Logo". By the way, the UK
edition of "In Dulci Jubilo" which can have a big "A" in the center
is no promo.
Part 3: 12" Labels:
-------------------
Most 12" labels are already known on singles and LPs. It's not
necessary to list all of them again. There are also some special labels,
promo labels and designed labels, but I'd like to comment only one
label that has the same name as an LP label but looks totally different.
Grey-White Label:
-----------------
Other names: New Grey-White Label or (New) Grey-White Virgin-Label.
This label is not the same as the so-called LP label although both
have been used at the same period.
Description: White label with a grey part at the right side. Perhaps
half the right side is divided in two parts of the same
size. The upper part is light grey, the lower part is
darker grey. In this lower part there is the "Virgin"
flourish with a white "V", the other letters are light
grey.
Part 4: CD Labels:
------------------
There are several different designs for CDs apart from very ordinary
silver discs. It's not necessary to describe any of them because their
label designs don't have that history like LP labels. Although there are
some series like Pickwick editions, EMI reissues or Caroline editions in
USA everybody can distinguish between them. I wrote that appendix to
tell beginners what a Dean label or an alternative or a twin label is
with some detailed descriptions of other important labels, but it would
be too much to list CD labels as well. Collecting CDs is a rather new
job and there is not that language with special collector's expressions
yet. A list with dozens of "silver labels with black printing" (but a
little different layout) wouldn't make any sense, and it's too much
to describe all unique designs.
Summary:
========
There is still a lot to say about labels and country differences. I
think it would be possible to write a thick book about Virgin labels,
but this is not my intention at all. I hope I could give newcomers
a good introduction with this appendix to the discography where all
the names like "coloured Dean label", "blue Epic-Label" etc. are
used. I made the experience that a lot of people didn't know what I
mean although this is a common collector's language in Germany and
UK. It was not the aim of this text to describe all ever released
labels or picture-discs at all.
Critic about this text is very welcome. Please tell me if you think
that I forgot an important label, if there is a language or grammar
mistake or if there's anything else to say.