Matrix A: VK 10632 #105597 AudioMatrix (etched, AudioMatrix is stamped)
Matrix B: VK 10632 105599 BIZ 101-B TF (etched)
Pressing Plant: Unknown
Material: Vinyl
Mastered At: Audio Matrix, Inc., The Bronx, New York
Notes:
We have not been able to identify the pressing plant for this version yet. Side-A has some strange markings , some unclear sribble and an circular indent
The label has a misprint. Ruben is spelled Reuben.
This version has been wrongly referred to as the “first pressing”. I guess this has been assumed because of the misspelling on the label.
There are no first or second pressings of the Verve singles. They were released at the same time, but pressed at different pressing plants and that is why there are different versions.
Matrix A: VK 10632 #105597-2 (etched)
Matrix B: VK 10632 105599-2 (etched)
Pressing Plant: Midwest Record Pressings Inc., Chicago, Illinois
Material: Vinyl
Label images from Hans-Peter Schmidt.
Matrix A: VK10632 105597-4 Bestway LW (etched, Bestway is stamped)
Matrix B: VK10632 105599-4 Bestway (etched, Bestway is stamped)
Pressing Plant: Bestway Products, Mountainside, New Jersey
Material: Vinyl
Mastered At: Longwear Plating, Long Island City, New York (LW)
Notes:
“Bestway” on side-B is very faint and almost impossible to notice. for a long time I thought that only the A-side had “Bestway” stamped.
The image above is matrix variation 2 and was sent to me by Alan Mansfield. here is what he wrote:
“Greg Russo in his book ‘Cosmik Debris’ gives the release date for ‘Deseri’ as 12/30/68. If this is correct then the date stamp of ‘Jan 4 1969’ is just five days later, which suggests that it could have been stamped on the day it was received as a promo at the radio station or wherever it was sent. An alternative scenario could be that the date is stamped by a ‘plugger’ as an indication for the DJ as to when the single was available e.g. the record is played and the DJ say something like ‘…and if you like that, it’s available from January 4th…’ Pure speculation of course.”
More from Alan Mansfield:
“Further to the R&TJ Deseri promo with the Jan 4 – 1969 date stamp – I have learned that the USA magazine Billboard dated January 4th 1969 carried a full-page advertisement for this single, which ties-in with the date stamp.”
Matrix A: MX157020 VS11-1 (etched)
Matrix B: MX157021 VS11-2 (etched)
Pressing Plant: The Australian Record Company Limited, Artarmon, New South Wales
Material: Vinyl
The label has a misprint. “Jelly Roll Gum Drop” is spelled “Jelly Roll Gum Drops”.
