Vinyl pressings
by Wings · 1978
London Town was first pressed on vinyl in 1978. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
59 pressings came out in 1978, the album's first year, in 35 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.
YEX 975-1 MASTERED AT ABBEY ROAD NICK W 1 [.] LRunout side A, variant 1
YEX 976-3 NICK 5 CTRunout side B, variant 1
YEX 975 - 3 MASTERED BY NICK W 4Runout side A, variant 2
YEX 976 - 1 2 GG...Runout side B, variant 2
SW-1-11777-Z7 ─◁ KENDUN-A JGVariant 1 runout A
SW-2-11777-Z-8 #3 ─◁ KENDUN-B JGVariant 1 runout B
SW-1-11777-Z20 ─◁ KENDUN-A JGVariant 2 runout A
SW-1-11777-Z22 ─◁ KENDUN-B JGVariant 2 runout B
SW-1-11777-Z-5 #7 KENDUN-A JG 0Runout A - variant 1
SW-2-11777-Z62 #4 KENDUN-B JG 0Runout B - variant 1
SW-1-11777-Z62 #4 KENDUN-B JG 0Runout A - variant 2
SW-2-11777-Z-14 #2 KENDUN-B JG 0Runout B - variant 2
SW-1-11777-Z21· #69 JGRunout Side A, Etched, variant 1
SW-2-11777-Z22· #69 JGRunout Side B, Etched, variant 1
1 KENDUN-B ✲Runout Side A, Stamped, variant 1
1 KENDUN-B ✲Runout Side B, Stamped, variant 1
SW-1-11777-Z-17 KENDUN-A JG (PR)PSide A runout, variant 1
SW-2-11777-Z17 KENDUN-B JG (PR)PSide B runout, variant 1
SW-1-11777-Z-17 KENDUN-A JG PR-PSide A runout, variant 2
SW-2-11777-Z17 KENDUN-B JG (PR)PSide B runout, variant 2
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Argentina | Capitol Records PMC 9512First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1978 | Australia | Capitol Records PAS.10012 / MPL PAS.10012First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | Australia | Capitol Records PAS.10012 / MPL PAS.10012First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | Barbados | MPL PAS 10012 / MPL 0C 064-60 521First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1978 | Brazil | Odeon 31C 066 60521First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | Canada | Capitol Records SWX-11777 / MPL SWX-11777First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1978 | Canada | Capitol Records SWX-11777First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | Chile | EMI 5188 / MPL YEX 975First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | Colombia | EMI 11590First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1978 | Colombia | EMI 11590 / CBS 11590First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | Ecuador | Odeon 302-0115First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | France | MPL 2 C 068-60521First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1978 | France | MPL 2 C 068-60521First yearLP, Album, White Label | LP, Album, White Label |
| 1978 | France | Pathé Marconi EMI 2 C 068-60521First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1978 | France | Pathé 2 C 068-60521First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Mexico | MPL SLEM-768 / Capitol Records SLEM-768LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| 1986 | Australia & New Zealand | Parlophone MID.166030LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1989 | UK | Fame FA 3223LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Brazil | MPL 31C 60521LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1994 | Russia | Santa Records П93-00603.04LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Unknown | MPL PAS 10012 / MPL 0C 064-60 521LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | Europe | MPL 1A 064-60521 / MPL 5C 062-60521LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | France | MPL 2C 068-60521LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Germany | MPL 1C 038-15 7768 1 / EMI Electrola 1C 038-15 7768 1LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Italy | EMI 3C 064-60521LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
| ? | Malaysia | Not On Label (Wings (2)) BLP 6744LP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial | LP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial |
| ? | Russia | Santa Records П93-00603.04LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial | LP, Album, Reissue, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial |
| ? | UK | MPL PAS 10012LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
77 vinyl pressings of London Town are listed here, from 40 countries, released between 1978 and 1994.
The earliest pressings are from 1978, in UK, US, Italy, Chile and more. One of them is MPL PAS 10012, released March 31, 1978.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use PAS 10012, SW-11777, K 5011, 54 1605211) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, YEX 975-1 MASTERED AT ABBEY ROAD NICK W 1 [.] L and YEX 976-3 NICK 5 CT. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
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.
