Authenticity of my Division Bell LP?

[eddie_fox]

Hi guys,

I wonder if anyone with the same LP or adequate knowledge of this PF album vinyl can help me here..

I had purchased a blue vinyl of the 'Division Bell' album, a few months ago, off ebay at a rather steep price of about 50. This is a blue (marble) semi-transparent vinyl, similar to the attached image off google. It has the code C 64200 on the spine of the jacket (image attached). It has the same code on both sides of the record label with just 'side one' and 'side two' on the design. It mentions 'columbia' on the back of the jacket along with the song titles. There is also a bar code with '0 7464 - 64200 - 1 o' on the backside. The recording sounds alright, not great. (like,on side two, from track 2 onwards there is a constant muffled but heavy 'woomph, whoomph' pulse till the end. It is low but slightly annoying'

Now, I had found out that there are Columbia US pressings, UK (EMI) pressings and some other country pressings like the Korean double LP, but not many. Also, this record has been counterfeited a lot.

So, the nagging question in my head, is whether what I have is an original or not. Is there any way of checking this using the code on the sleeve or the bar code?

I know it is a little late to do anything if it turns out to be a fake and I also know it is the music that matters, but this has been gnawing my brain every time I play the record. So, any help will be welcome.

Thanks!

 

[G401fan]

Check this link:

http://www.discogs.com/Pink-Floyd-The-Division-Bell/release/1217799

 

[eddie_fox]

Check this link:

http://www.discogs.com/Pink-Floyd-The-Division-Bell/release/1217799

Well, everything mentioned on the link matches except this

Text around the bottom edge of label starts at 8 o'clock and says: 'C 64200/AL 64200/ 1994 Pink Floyd Music (1987) Ltd. under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment Inc./P 1994 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Also, how do you check for the Matrix / Runout or Side Run-Out Groove. It is supposed to say PAL 64200-1B and PBL 64200-1B on sides A and B. I can't see anything when I look through the record under lights.

Anyway, I have a sinking feeling that mine is not an original :sad:

Thanks though.

 

[peace_sells]

Well, everything mentioned on the link matches except this

Text around the bottom edge of label starts at 8 o'clock and says: 'C 64200/AL 64200/ 1994 Pink Floyd Music (1987) Ltd. under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment Inc./P 1994 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Also, how do you check for the Matrix / Runout or Side Run-Out Groove. It is supposed to say PAL 64200-1B and PBL 64200-1B on sides A and B. I can't see anything when I look through the record under lights.

Anyway, I have a sinking feeling that mine is not an original :sad:

Thanks though.

Looks like you have this one :
http://www.discogs.com/Pink-Floyd-The-Division-Bell/release/2969590
(Scroll down this page..a guy called Fishman313 has made a comment)

If your matrix code is not PAL 64200-1B/PBL 64200-1B then I guess your copy is not an original (BTW i hope you know where to look for the matrix codes)

 

[eddie_fox]

If your matrix code is not PAL 64200-1B/PBL 64200-1B then I guess your copy is not an original (BTW i hope you know where to look for the matrix codes)

I don't know where to look for the matrix code. Where is it?
Anywho, I think I may have paid good money for a fake. Sad! I will try and grab the remastered LPs to be released soon. I am also on the lookout for the 'Momentary lapse...' album. There is the 'Columbia' release and the 'EMI' release. Should I pick an EMI to be on the safer side?

 

[peace_sells]

I don't know where to look for the matrix code. Where is it?
Anywho, I think I may have paid good money for a fake. Sad! I will try and grab the remastered LPs to be released soon. I am also on the lookout for the 'Momentary lapse...' album. There is the 'Columbia' release and the 'EMI' release. Should I pick an EMI to be on the safer side?

Ah well..happens. Atleast you'll be careful from now on Here's where to look for the matrix runout:

As far as bootlegs of Momentary Lapse of Reason..I don't think they're hovering around. But whenever you buy an LP (esp albums whose bootlegs are flying all over the internet) make sure you ask the seller to send you a CLEAR snapshot of the matrix code.

BTW did the seller tell you that the Division Bell was a bootleg? If not then you could have opened up a case against him.

 

[reubensm]

The Pink Floyd catalog is currently with Warner. This is how it reached their hands (this is an extract from The Endless River post on wikipedia)

"The band's previous studio album, The Division Bell, along with subsequent live and compilation album releases were previously published by EMI in Europe and Sony counterpart Columbia Records for the rest of the world. The band, along with many other artists with EMI, were caught up in the sale of the company to the Universal Music Group, which lasted from 2011 to 2013. The European Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, after a review of Citigroup sale of the company, approved Universal's deal to buy the company, although under heavy conditions. One of the conditions was to sell off certain EMI assets. Pink Floyd, along with many other bands under the EMI roster, were transferred to different labels during the process. The Parlophone Label Group was formed under Parlophone as one of many assets to be sold off by Universal following the acquisition of EMI, with Pink Floyd being transferred to the Parlophone Label Group during the sale. The Warner Music Group, in 2013, struck a deal with Universal to buy the Parlophone label Group from EMI, acquiring publishing rights to Pink Floyd's back catalog and future releases in the process"

The complete post on Pink Floyd's latest release, due in October 2014 (The Endless River), can be found here: The Endless River - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bootleg or not, The Division Bell is a fantastic album

 

[Simon Wires]

btw, bootleg is not something to frown upon.

Many a bootlegs are collectors item, and command a ten times premium than the original.


And if they owned a the technology to press a vinyl, how difficult it would be to engrave the same Matrix number?

 

[reubensm]

btw, bootleg is not something to frown upon.

Many a bootlegs are collectors item, and command a ten times premium than the original.

That's true but bootlegs are not to be confused with fakes or duplicates. A bootleg is a recording generally made during a live performance, by the audience and then circulated (generally by tape trading in the olden days). There are also bootlegs of studio session either from stolen studio libraries or someone just running an unauthorised wire off a studio mixer and recording. Basically, any material not officially released by the artist/band, but circulated, is called a bootleg. On the other hand, a fake or duplicate is a version of released material that is copied or re-released unofficially, without any authorization what so ever.

Hence eddie's Division Bell LP cannot be technically classified as a bootleg and could be more of a pirated copy. This is unless the content on the LP is completely different from the original studio release.

You are right, some bootlegs are extremely rare and very valuable.

 

[peace_sells]

btw, bootleg is not something to frown upon.

Many a bootlegs are collectors item, and command a ten times premium than the original.


And if they owned a the technology to press a vinyl, how difficult it would be to engrave the same Matrix number?

There are 2 kinds of bootlegs. One is which is authorised by a band member but not a record label. For e.g. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater used to circulate boots at live shows among fans. Those kinds of boots are extremely rare! Other kind is just plain piracy (which is the case with division bell). The latter kind should be absolutely not supported. There are lot of illegal boots of extremely rare, out of print records floating around ebay these days and the bands/artists have no idea about it! That is totally unfair and cheating. For a band like Pink Floyd it doesn't matter i guess since they have no shortage of money. But what about bands that really need financial support? Bands that just released one album in their career back in the day..and now suddenly that album is considered a classic and is in high demand.

Here's a news report that was covered earlier this week in Germany. Have a look:

German Police Raid Europes Biggest Counterfeit Pressing Plant | Billboard

 

[reubensm]

yes, although this is a big off-topic here, just to add, some bands like the Dave Matthews Band allowed people to make bootleg recordings and even sold tickets for special bootleg areas at the concert venue. Greatful Dead was also famous for allowing bootleg recordings as almost none of their live performances were officially recorded. Some other bands found people showing up with boom microphones and crowding the audience areas and to avoid this, even gave live feeds from the board for recording. Other bands even had their own "official" bootlegs made and and distributed after the concert. There are many flavours to this concept.

 

[gangof4]

Hi,

There are a lot of these pirates Lps, esp coloured ones, available in EU fringe economies like Spain and Italy. I found Wire's Pink Flag at a record store in Barcelona few years back. Although I paid just 8 euros for that not 50! But i am sure pirated copies are definitely in circulation out there.