US
1973- Label and catalog number
- Grunt BFL1-0348
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Hollywood Pressing, Gatefold
- Runout / matrix
BFL1-0348A-8S [TLC] HRunout side A
BFL1-0348B-8S [TLC] HRunout side B
BFL1-0348-ASide A label
BFL1-0348-BSide B label
Vinyl pressings
The Phosphorescent Rat
by Hot Tuna · 1973
19 pressings8 countriesBlues RockPsychedelic RockRockBlues
The Phosphorescent Rat was first pressed on vinyl in 1973. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
How to spot a first pressing of The Phosphorescent Rat
4 pressings came out in 1973, the album's first year, in 3 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
US
1973- Label and catalog number
- Grunt BFL1-0348
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Indianapolis Pressing, Gatefold
- Runout / matrix
BFL1-0348A-5S TLC I A1Runout side A, variant 1
BFL1-0348B-5S TLC I A4 B2Runout side B, variant 1
BFL1-0348A-5S TLC I A1Runout side A, variant 2
BFL1-0348B-5S TLC I A1Runout side B, variant 2
UK
1973- Label and catalog number
- Grunt BFL1-0348
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
BFLI 0348-A .IE AICSide A
BFLI 0348-B-IE AICSide B
BFLI 0348-A .IE AIADVariant 2 Side A
BFLI 0348-B .IE AIAVariant 2 Side B
South Africa
1973- Label and catalog number
- RCA Victor BFL-1-0348
- Format
- LP
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 19 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1970s15 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | South Africa | RCA Victor BFL-1-0348First yearLP | LP |
| 1973 | UK | Grunt BFL1-0348First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1973 | US | Grunt BFL1-0348First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1973 | US | Grunt BFL1-0348First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1974 | Germany | Grunt BFL1-0348 (FTR)LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo |
| 1974 | Germany | Grunt BFL1-0348 (FTR)LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1974 | Japan | Grunt RCA-6199LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1974 | Spain | Grunt BFL1-0348LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1974 | Italy | Grunt BFL1-0348 / Grunt BFL1 0348LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1974 | Italy | Grunt BFL1-0348LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo |
| 1977 | France | Grunt FL 10348LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1977 | Spain | Grunt FL-10348LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1977 | France | Grunt FL 10348LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing | LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label · Test pressing |
| 1979 | Spain | Grunt FL-10348LP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Spain | Grunt FL-10348LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
2010s3 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | US | Grunt 88985310401LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 2017 | US | Culture Factory USA, Inc. CFU00399 / Culture Factory USA, Inc. 850703003996LP, Album, Limited Edition · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition · Limited |
| 2017 | US | Culture Factory USA, Inc. CFU01127 / Culture Factory USA, Inc. 819514011279LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue · Limited, Colored vinyl |
Year unknown1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | US | Grunt BXL1-0348LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
Tracklist
- A1I See The Light4:14
- A2Letter To The North Star2:30
- A3Easy Now5:10
- A4Corners Without Exits3:36
- A5Day To Day Out The Window Blues3:25
- B1In The Kingdom5:25
- B2Seeweed Strut3:24
- B3Living Just For You3:19
- B4Soliloquy For 23:41
- B5Sally, Where'd You Get Your Liquor From?2:55
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of The Phosphorescent Rat are there?
19 vinyl pressings of The Phosphorescent Rat are listed here, from 8 countries, released between 1973 and 2017.
When was The Phosphorescent Rat first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1973, in US, UK, South Africa. One of them is Grunt BFL1-0348.
How do I tell if my copy of The Phosphorescent Rat is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use BFL1-0348, BFL-1-0348) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, BFL1-0348A-8S [TLC] H and BFL1-0348B-8S [TLC] H. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is The Phosphorescent Rat on vinyl worth?
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
