Germany (West & East) issued ELO LPs & CDs.
Harvest, United Artist and Jet Record LPs were issued in (West) Germany. LPs carried the "Gema" Rights Society text for the German market.
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EMI, Warner Bros. & Polydor record companies did their own vinyl pressings in the early 1970’s and printed their own sleeves in Germany. EMI used codes starting 1C for Germany.
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Warner Brothers: All of the sleeves were printed in Germany and the discs were pressed in Germany (GEMA is stated for Germany)
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Polydor: All discs were pressed in Germany and all sleeves were printed in Germany.
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United Artists: were distributed in Germany from Ariola Eurodisc, manufactured in Germany and sleeves printed in Germany.
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CBS chooses in 1972 that they would manufacture all their records for Central Europe in a pressing plant in Holland. Germany (West) is the biggest music market in Central Europe with the most inhabitants.
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When ELO changed to CBS for Distribution in May 1978, all German LP Discs were then manufactured in Holland and issued and available in some Central European Countries such as as Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Austria, Switzerland...
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Holland, being a smaller country, did not need the amounts of records they were pressing/manufacturing. So some "Made in Holland" products were NOT AVAILABLE in Holland and instead released only in Germany ! (E.G. Perfect World Of Music compilation)
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The only remaining JET/CBS album was “Discovery” Half Speed Mastered, which was pressed Germany and available for all European Countries (inkl. UK)
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The Label Code (LC XXXX) was invented implemented from 1st. May 1976 for German releases and then in 1977 it was implemented by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for the rest of the world.
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So if you bought a German record that was originally released before May 1976 which does not have a Label Code sign, it was manufactured prior 1st. May of 1976.
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But if you bought a German record with a LC XXXX on it, it was manufactured after 1st May of 1976.
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Note - this page is in Album Issue/Release order.
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Thanks to Patrik Guttenbacher - Face The Music German - for information and details on this page.
East Germany
Title
The Electric Light Orchestra
Format
Vinyl
Label
Harvest
Catalogue
1C 062-92970
Issue Date
1972
Chart Position
-
Notes
1st original issue for German market, the LP had a sleeve of 3 one sided flaps which were glued together so the record was placed in the middle of the gatefold sleeve and slid in to sleeve from the centre of the gatefold cover as opposed to the more normal open edge direction.
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It did not come with a yellow lyric sheet.
Missing From My Collection
Title
The Electric Light Orchestra
Format
Vinyl
Label
Harvest
Catalogue
1C 064-92970
Issue Date
1976
Notes
The ELO LP was re-issued in 1976 as 1C 064-92 970 in a regular gatefold sleeve.
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It did not come with a yellow lyric sheet.
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Also has "LC 1305 logo/stamp on the record label
Missing From My Collection
Title
ELO 2
Format
Vinyl
Label
Harvest
Catalogue
1C 062-05243
Issue Date
1973
Chart Position
-
Notes
Made in Germany with a plain white inner sleeve.
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A later 1976 re-issue has "LC 1305 logo/stamp on the record label and different rim text.
Missing From My Collection
Missing From My Collection
Missing From My Collection
Title
On The Third Day
Format
Vinyl
Label
Warner Brothers
Catalogue
WB 56 021
Issue Date
1973
Chart Position
-
Notes
1st issue for Germany. Tri-Cover design, Made in Germany with a blue grey WB Reprice advert inner or a plain windowed white inner sleeve.
Unlike the UK issue, the LP slots in to the right hand side / third section of the tri-cover. Side 2 also has the correct track name of Dreaming of 4000 listed.
The main tri-cover/sleeve is made of shinny thick card.
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There are 3 versions:
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First 1974 issue with just WB logo and Cat Number WB 56 021
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Second version has the Warner Bros Logo with a "Records" in it and Cat Number WB 56 021​
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Third version from 1976 has the Warner Bros Logo with a "Records" in it and and Cat Number WB 56 021 and has a "LC 0392" stamp/logo.
Versions 2 & 3 have "A Warner Communications Company" in the label rim text.
Title
On The Third Day
Format
Vinyl
Label
Warner Brothers
Catalogue
Promo WB 56 021
Issue Date
1973
Chart Position
-
Notes
Promo LP issued to German Press & Radio stations to promote On The Third Day.
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Came with a blue grey WB Reprice advert inner
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Pictures & Info - Patrik Guttenbacher from Face The Music Germany
Missing From My Collection
Title
On The Third Day
Format
Vinyl
Label
United Artists
Catalogue
UAS 30091 XOT
Re-Issue Date
May 1977
Notes
Re-issue as part of the European United Artists re-Issues, with inner lyric sleeve.
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"Showdown" was printed on back cover and Inner sleeve but not on LP label and the track was missed off the actual record !
Title
Eldorado
Format
Vinyl
Label
Warner Brothers
Catalogue
WB 56 090 Z
Issue Date
1974
Chart Position
-
Notes
1st issue for Germany. This edition had a yellow frame and a one-sided black-printed sheet with the lyrics and line-up as insert (no band picture).
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The LP came in a WB advert inner sleeve. Plus a white label promo version of which 3000 were pressed.
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There are 4 versions:
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First 1974 issue with just WB logo and Cat Number WB 56 090 (Z)
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Second version has the Warner Bros Logo with a "Records" in it and Cat Number WB 56 090 (Z)
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Third version has the Warner Bros Logo with a "Records" in it and just has WB 56 090 on the label, so missing the (Z)
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Forth version has the Warner Bros Logo with a "Records" in it and just has WB 56 090 on the label, so missing the (Z) and has a "LC 0392" stamp/logo.
Versions 2, 3 & 4 have "A Warner Communications Company" in the label rim text.
Missing From My Collection
Missing From My Collection
Missing From My Collection
Title
Eldorado
Format
Vinyl
Label
Warner Brothers
Catalogue
WB 56 090 Z
Issue Date
1974
Chart Position
-
Notes
Promo LP issued to German Radio stations to promote Eldorado.
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3000 copies were printed and came with a "Press Pack" that included a specal sleeve that could be stood up like a framed picture.
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Pictures & Info - Patrik Guttenbacher from Face The Music Germany
Missing From My Collection
Title
Eldorado
Format
Vinyl
Label
United Artists
Catalogue
UAS 30 092 XOT
Re-Issue Date
May 1977
Notes
Re-issue as part of the European United Artists re-Issues, with plain white inner sleeve.
The German issue only got a one-sided black printed lyric sheet, like the WB edition. But of course without the WB Logo.
Title
Face The Music
Format
Vinyl
Label
Polydor
Catalogue
2310 414
Issue Date
1975
Chart Position
Notes
1st Issue made in Germany with double side, single sheet with lyrics and "hand" photo on the other side.
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LP came in plain white inner sleeve.
Title
Face The Music
Format
Vinyl
Label
Polydor
Catalogue
2310 414
Issue Date
1975
Chart Position
Notes
Promo LP issued to German Radio stations to promote Face The Music.
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With double side, single sheet with lyrics and "hand" photo on the other side.
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LP came in plain white winder inner sleeve.
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Pictures & info - Patrik Guttenbacher from Face The Music Germany
Missing From My Collection
Title
Face The Music
Format
Vinyl
Label
United Artists
Catalogue
UAS 30 034 XOT
Re-Issue Date
February 1977
Notes
Re-issue as part of the European United Artists re-Issues,
with inner lyric/hand photo sleeve.
Title
A New World Record
Format
Vinyl
Label
United Artists
Catalogue
UAS 30 017 XOT
Issue Date
1976
Chart Position
7
Notes
LP made in Germany. UA Cream Label Layout, Marketed by United Artists.
ELO Logo on side 2 of the LP label.
With thick paper glossy inner sleeve with printed lyrics & band photo.
Title
A New World Record
Format
Vinyl
Label
United Artists
Catalogue
Club Edition 66 488 8
Issue Date
1976
Notes
Club-Sonderauflage Edition
Made in Germany - Different UA Cream Label Layout.
Issued with only a plain white window inner sleeve without a lyric/band photo sheet or sleeve.
Title
Out Of The Blue
Format
Vinyl
Label
United Artists Records
Catalogue
UAS 30 309 FT
Issue Date
1977
Chart Position
6
Notes
LP made in Germany, UA Cream Label Layout, Marketed by United Artists.
With thick paper inner sleeve with printed lyrics and a band poster.
Original pressing also came with a instruction sheet for building the cardboard spaceship which was printed in German.
Title
Discovery
Format
Vinyl
Label
Jet Records
Catalogue
JETLPH 500
Issue Date
1980
Notes
Half-speed mastered, extended range recording from the CBS Mastersound-Series, issued in a gatefold sleeve.
The Record was made in Germany and the Sleeve was printed in Holland
Title
Electric Light Orchestra - ELO II
Format
Double LP
Label
Harvest
Catalogue
1C 128-15 7685 1
Issue Date
1987
Chart Position
-
Notes
German"Fame" Series from EMI Electrola. Re-issue Edition of ELO's first two albums in double gatefold sleeve in 1987. Made in Holland with an 1C… German Cat. No.
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This Editions Album’s name was not “ELO 1” – “ELO 2” as the Holland Issues. It was simply called “ELO II”. The II stands for the double pack.
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So all 4 sides are called E.L.O. II
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Front and rear covers had the "Milestones" printed sticker badly airbrushed out. The spine of the cover has the name ELO II and the 1C 128-15 7685 cat code.
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The cat code was removed from inside the rear cover. Outside rear of the cover last line has "Printed in Germany". and has cat code 1C 128 157685 3 and a barcode printed top right.
Came with plain white inner sleeves.
All Holland Pressed/Manufactured LP Records/Issues were also issued/available/released in Germany in 1978/1979:
Jet LP 200 – A New World Record,
Jet LP 201 – Face The Music,
Jet LP 202 – On The Third Day,
Jet LP 203 – Eldorado,
Jet DP 400 – Out Of The Blue
Jet LP 901 – The Electric Light Orchestra,
Jet LP 902 – ELO II,
Jet LP 903 – OLE ELO,
Jet LX 500 - Discovery,
Jet LX 525 – ELO Greatest Hits
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LP - JETBX 2 – (Made in Holland) released in July 1981 was also available in Germany
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All CBS Holland Made LPs/CD were issued/available/released in Germany in 1980/1981/1982/1983/1984/1985/1986
Jet LX 526 - Xanadu
Jet LP 236 - Time
Jet LX 527 – Secret Messages
EPC 32700 - The Night The Light Went On (In Long Beach)
Jet NP 1202 – On The Third Day
Jet NP 1203 - Eldorado
Jet 32544 – Face The Music
Jet 32545 – A New World Record
Jet/EPC 26467 – Balance Of Power
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To a certain point, it was now nonessential anymore in which county the LP, or CD was made and/or the sleeve was printed. Most of the releases were planned for the whole EU-market, but still with some only domestically in a selected country.
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See Holland/European Discography HERE
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Record shops would watch for every European release, and so you could buy several releases from other EU Countries in your country.
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ZOOM / Mr Blue Sky / Electric Light Orchestra Live 2001 issue LPs & CDs were all made in Italy by Frontiers Records for the whole world, (except Japan and South Korea)
Frontiers was too small to deliver to the whole world, so the vinyl LP’s were re-issued in the UK by Let Them East Vinyl for the whole world.
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East Germany
Title
Discovery
Format
Vinyl
Label
AMIGA
Catalogue
8 55 722
Issue Date
1980 + 1981
Chart Position
-
Notes
Issued in German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in a single cover with plain white window inner sleeve.
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The Red label version was issued in 1980 with the Blue label version issued in 1981.
Title
Time
Format
Vinyl
Label
AMIGA
Catalogue
Jet 236
Issue Date
1981
Chart Position
N/A
Notes
Test pressing issued in German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
Unverkäufliche Musterplatte.
Came in neutral LP-Sleeve in orange colour.
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VEB Deutsche Schallplatten Berlin DDR. Testpressing
Was never released as a AMIGA GDR album, but see info below.
The history of the East German records was far more adventurous than first thought !
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“Discovery” was released in 1980 on the state record company Amiga, as a licensed product. Pressed and Printed in the pressing plant Babelsberg GDR
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“Time” was pressed as a Promo test pressing (Sample copy) and then only sold in the Intershop markets.
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The Intershop markets were founded as shops in East-Germany where you only could buy with convertible currency (Deutsche Mark DM, US-Dollar, Francs, etc.) so the government could get foreign (Western) currency, so they could buy things from the "capitalist" world-market.
In theory, also GDR inhabitants could also buy items there, if they had foreign currency, BUT it was not allowed to have foreign currency from your West-German relatives.
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For the "Time" regular issue, the records were pressed in the GDR (with a new master, you could see only a stamped JET LP 236 as matrix no.), but the sleeves (only the outer cover) and the labels were imported from CBS pressing plant in Holland, the “capitalist class enemy” (so-called in communist terms!).
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The Intershop pressing can only be recognised by the stamped JET LP 236 in the run-out groove. In addition, the run-out grooves are much wider because the LP was not cut so far into the centre.
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For comparison, the run-out groove of the albums produced in Holland for the Federal Republic of Germany reads in handwriting: ELO AS, a flower symbol (for Brian Gardner) and in block letters 20-JET-236-A3A and Mastered at Allen Zentz L.A., Calif.
While only plain neutral white inner sleeves were used in the GDR, both issues list the familiar "Made In Holland" on the LP label and main sleeve/cover.
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In the end, Secret Messages, ELO’s Greatest Hits, and Balance Of Power were released in Dutch outer sleeves, Dutch labels (printed in Holland) but were pressed fom a new master in GDG pressing plant.
Again, you can only detect GDG pressings by checking the matrix numbers. Only stamped JET L. XXX no. No handwritten, no allen Zents, or such names or figures and the neutral plain inner sleeves.
Credit - Patrik Guttenbacher from Face The Music Germany