Impulse! labelography.

[Dmitry]

When did the black label with the red Impulse! logo and the "Product of ABC Records" make its appearance? My guess - early to mid-70s.

[JSngry]

I was getting them as early as 1972, I believe.

[Stefan Wood]

That seems right. And before that was the black label with orange circle with impulse and abc on it -- late 60's to early 70's. The original was orange label with black circle.

[brownie]

From a 1992 edition of the Goldmine Price Guide to Jazz Albums 1949-1969:

''Original Impulse albums (1-100 and the first few titles on the 9000 series) through 1968 had an orange and brown label...

...From 1969 through 1972, the label was red and black; from 1973-74, black; and from 1974-78, purple and green.'

[Claude]

Here are scans from a german book. The pictures are black/white, but there is a color description in german below (identical to brownie's Goldmine quote)

Part one:

Edited July 28, 2004 by Claude

[Claude]

Part two

[Claude]

Part three

[Claude]

Part four (last)

[Dmitry]

Great stuff, Claude! Thanks.

I will take some color photos of the labels and post them here tonight, hopefully.

[Clunky]

Here's a UK Impulse of an uncertain age, the sleeve is gatefold thick card type and says made in USA but the LP is from the UK

Edited July 28, 2004 by Clunky

[GA Russell]

Brings back memories! Thanks guys!

[Leeway]

Labels can be a thing of beauty. Another reason to love vinyl.

[Chuck Nessa]

Couple of corrections to the Goldmine info (big friggin' suprise). The first Impulse! labels were printed in orange and black (like the jackets). What they see as brown is the result of overprinting orange with black ink. Later the purple and green label was also reproduced occasionally as yellow and orange.

[atom]

Here are scans from a german book.

Could you please tell me the title and the author of this book?

[Claude]

It's the "Vinyl Lexikon" by Frank Wonneberg

http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3896022261/

It contains several pages with label reproductions (in B/W)

[atom]

It's the "Vinyl Lexikon" by Frank Wonneberg

Thanks Claude.

I didn't buy this book yet, because I'm waiting for Frank Wonnebergs new book called Labelkunde Vinyl.

[Claude]

Atom,

Do you know when this is supposed to come out? In this discussion on the german Analog Forum it is said that the book has been delayed and that it would cost 100 Euro because of the expensive color print.

[atom]

Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf told me, that the book will come out later this year or maybe in spring 2005, because of other important jobs Frank Wonneberg is working on (other designing jobs for S&S).

[sidewinder]

Here's a UK Impulse of an uncertain age, the sleeve is gatefold thick card type and says made in USA but the LP is from the UK

Clunky - I can tell you exectly when these came out. Summer of 1976. I remember picking up a bundle with some of my very hard earned Summer job cash. The jackets were from the US and a bit worn, even as new. The vinyl was pristine - in fact the version of 'Love Supreme' I have from this vintage is about the best I've ever heard. From that first batch I also picked up 'Blues and the Abstract Truth'. At the time they were a source of major excitement, as Impulses were pretty thin on the ground here in the UK (I believe that the originals were issued here in the UK on the HMV label with dog logo - I have an Archie Shepp LP with this).

The one Impulse pressing that I thoroughly hate are those mid-70s flimsy green pressings. Every time I look at them they just reek of 70s oil price escalation and third-hand inferior vinyl. And they are always invariably warped..

Edited August 16, 2004 by sidewinder

[Clunky]

Here's a UK Impulse of an uncertain age, the sleeve is gatefold thick card type and says made in USA but the LP is from the UK

Clunky - I can tell you exectly when these came out. Summer of 1976. I remember picking up a bundle with some of my very hard earned Summer job cash. The jackets were from the US and a bit worn, even as new. The vinyl was pristine - in fact the version of 'Love Supreme' I have from this vintage is about the best I've ever heard. From that first batch I also picked up 'Blues and the Abstract Truth'. At the time they were a source of major excitement, as Impulses were pretty thin on the ground here in the UK (I believe that the originals were issued here in the UK on the HMV label with dog logo - I have an Archie Shepp LP with this).

The one Impulse pressing that I thoroughly hate are those mid-70s flimsy green pressings. Every time I look at them they just reek of 70s oil price escalation and third-hand inferior vinyl. And they are always invariably warped..

Thanks, sleeve is actually pretty crisp and vinyl is super quiet, I follow your advice and avoid any green Impulses !!

[sidewinder]

Just checking out my Impulses in the rack right now. The other one I have from that US/UK release batch is 'Africa Brass'. As you say, the vinyl is super quiet, hardly a crackle, just an awesome LP. The second batch of these I recall actually had UK sleeves (they were not so substantial ) but the vinyl quality was again excellent. I have 'Coltrane', 'Out of the Cool' and 'Mingus Mingus Mingus..' from this batch.

The worst problem I've had has been with those double LP 'Dedication Series' sets. Some wonderful music on these but the vinyl sucks...

[kh1958]

What is the last title to be originally issued with the orange and black label? The last that I have is Dizzy Gillespie, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, A-9149.

Similarly, what is the last title to be originally issued with the red and black label? My last one is John Coltrane, Sunship, A-9211.

[Chas]

Afaik , the last with the orange & black label was 9152 : Mel Brown - Chicken Fat , and the last with the red & black label was 9229 : Pharoah Sanders - Best Of (twofer) .

[kh1958]

Afaik , the last with the orange & black label was 9152 : Mel Brown - Chicken Fat , and the last with the red & black label was 9229 : Pharoah Sanders - Best Of (twofer) .

Thanks.

[gutrotfrenzy]

Funny that this thread should reappear right now, since I have a question to ask:

What's the story with the Capitol-versions of the orange/black-issues?

I've lately received two of these from eBay, both of the time thinking I was getting the read deal. The main difference in these is the ugly non-laminated sleeves, which rob a lot of the appeal of the original Impulse-sleeves. They still have the original labels, but with SMAS prefix, instead of AS, and with manufactured by Capitol Records text.

The two I've seen are Spellbinder by Gabor Szabo and Live at the Village Vanguard, Again! by John Coltrane.

Why were these issued?

Edited November 23, 2009 by Gutrotfrenzy