US
1969- Label and catalog number
- Sound Stage 7 SSS15008Sound Stage 7 SSS-15008
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
H9B-832 125 MGCRunout, side A
H9B-833 125 MGCRunout, side B
H9B-832Center label, side A
H9B-833Center label, side B
Joe Simon...Better Than Ever
Vinyl pressings
...Better Than Ever
by Joe Simon · 1969
11 pressings6 countriesRhythm & BluesSoulCountryFunk / Soul
...Better Than Ever was first pressed on vinyl in 1969. 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 ...Better Than Ever
8 pressings came out in 1969, the album's first year, in 5 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
1969- Label and catalog number
- Sound Stage 7 SSS-15008Sound Stage 7 SSS15008
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Monarch Pressing
- Runout / matrix
H9B-832 MR △/14001 M_G.C.Runout, side A [MR in circle, _ under M]
H9B-833 MR △/14001-X M_G.C.Runout, side B [MR in circle, _ under M]
H9B-832Center label, side A
H9B-833Center label, side B
US
1969- Label and catalog number
- Sound Stage 7 SSS15008
- Format
- LP, Album, Promo
- Runout / matrix
H9B-832Runout, side A
H9B-833Runout, side B
H9B-832Center label, side A
H9B-833Center label, side B
Germany
1969- Label and catalog number
- Monument SLP 5008
- Format
- LP, Album
Jamaica
1969- Label and catalog number
- Monument SSS 15008
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo
Mexico
1969- Label and catalog number
- Monument MOL 10043Monument SSS 15008
- Format
- LP, Album
- Runout / matrix
LPE•MOL•10043•A 11•XII•69•LeRunout Side A, handmade
LPE•MOL•10043•B• 11•XII•69•LeRunout Side B, handmade
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 11 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1960s9 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Germany | Monument SLP 5008First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | Germany | Monument SLP 5008First yearLP, Album, Promo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo · Promo |
| 1969 | Jamaica | Monument SSS 15008First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | Mexico | Monument MOL 10043 / Monument SSS 15008First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | Netherlands | Monument SSS 15008 / Sound Stage 7 SSS15008First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Sound Stage 7 SSS15008 / Sound Stage 7 SSS-15008First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1969 | US | Sound Stage 7 SSS-15008 / Sound Stage 7 SSS15008First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1969 | US | Sound Stage 7 SSS15008First yearLP, Album, Promo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo · Promo |
| 1969 | US | Sound Stage 7 LPS 77538LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
1970s2 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | UK | Monument SMO 5033LP, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressing | LP, Test Pressing, Stereo · Test pressing |
| 1970 | UK | Monument SMO 5033LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
Tracklist
- A1Silver Spoons And Coffee Cups2:57
- A2It's Hard To Get Along2:56
- A3In The Ghetto2:44
- A4I Got A Whole Lot Of Lovin'2:28
- A5Wounded Man2:55
- A6Time And Space2:43
- B1Straight Down To Heaven3:45
- B2When2:17
- B3After The Lights Go Down Low2:45
- B4San Francisco Is A Lonely Town3:19
- B5Rainbow Road3:00
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of ...Better Than Ever are there?
11 vinyl pressings of ...Better Than Ever are listed here, from 6 countries, released between 1969 and 1970.
When was ...Better Than Ever first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1969, in US, Germany, Jamaica, Mexico and more. One of them is Sound Stage 7 SSS15008.
How do I tell if my copy of ...Better Than Ever is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use SSS15008, SSS-15008, SLP 5008, SSS 15008) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, H9B-832 125 MGC and H9B-833 125 MGC. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is ...Better Than Ever 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.
