Let It Bleed

 

Mono LK5025

Stereo SKL5025

LIB was issued on December 5th of 1969, the day before the Altamont mega gig

 

Let It Bleed is again an interesting LP to collect as there are lots of versions existing. The LP was sold in large quantities for a number of years, resulting in lots of reprints.
Another contributing factor is that it came out just around the time when lots of production changes were taking place at DECCA, label change from non boxed to boxed
and mono production being dropped. This is also the first LP were you can say that the boxed logo is an original. You could probobly have found four different LIBs
 in the record shop at the same time in December of 1969, Mono non boxed and boxed, Stereo non boxed and boxed.
By having a look on matrix numbers together with label type it also gives an indication that non boxed and boxed logo was in the shops at the same time.
I have a boxed with -1W matrix and a non boxed with a -5W matrix in my collection.

Another interesting label discovery I did in the end of the 90's was an LP up for sale in Sweden by a record dealer, side one had a boxed label and side two had a non boxed label!
Asking price at that time was 3000 Skr which is roughly 300 Euros.
That was a very expensive LP at that time so I did not buy it, now I wish I would have, seeing the price development of today, but thats another story.
 

In addition to the label varsions there are a number of other things to look out for. The cover has lots of differences, so has the inner bag.
You also have the famous poster and the poster stickers and text on the cover. Taking into consideration all variants found on LIB,
you may end up with a collection on something like 25-30 different LP's

 

Vinyl versions

Non grooved label

Only non grooved labels are existing of LIB as the grooved label type was not in production after summer of 1968. So no actual vinyl versions are existing on Let It Bleed.
 

 

 

 

Cover versions

Then again the cover of Let It Bleed is another story. Lots of versions are existing.
To be noted is that the same cover was used for Mono and Stereo LP's so all versions pictured here are only cover versions.
The record inside was either a Mono or a Stereo.

 

There are four different "Sleeve printed" versions
 

"Sleeve printed in England" is found only on covers having the Mono / Stereo hole in the upper right corner. In use probably 1969 and 1970

 

"Senol Printing Limited" is probably the first company that did LIB sleeves. It is a rare one and I have only seen it once on a Mono non boxed LP

 

The majority of sleeves are made by "Upton Printing Group". Both Mono and Stero LP's can be found with this cover.
All of them has the Mono / Stereo hole in the upper right corner

 

"Clout & Baker Ltd" covers can be found from late 70's and for the remaining Decca production. No Mono / Stereo holes on these covers

 

 

The upper right corner

 

The Mono / Stereo hole was in production from 1969 until early 70's
Red inner bag = red in the hole = Mono LP inside
Blue inner bag = blue in the hole = Stereo LP inside

"Printed in England" / "Senol Printing Limited" / "Upton Printing Group" covers all had this hole

 

"Clout & Baker Ltd" covers from end of 70's have (POSTER INCLUDED) text added. LP's inside are still blue DECCA Stereo boxed labels.
No Clout & Baker covers have been found with the Mono / Stereo hole

 

"Clout & Baker Ltd" covers from early 80's have no Poster Included text. The vinyls are with silver coloured labels.

 

 

Inner bag Versions

All original LIB's have an innerbag like this. Songs and personnel on the songs are listed. Red bag for Mono and blue bag for Stereo

         

 

Shortly after the issue of the LP, The London Bach Choir got upset with something on the LP and they did not want their name to be associated with the record anymore.
A quick fix of the situation was that DECCA coverd up The London Bach Choir with a big black bar. This was done on both Mono and Stereo bags

         

 

 

The London Bach Choir was then left out on later inner bags. This corrected version is known only on Stereo bags.

 

The original LIB inner bag was used only a qouple of years and from c 1972 to 1975 they used the
"Mono/Stereo" bag on the left and from the mid 70's to the bitter end, the standard bag to the right was in use.

         

 

 

 

 

 

Poster

 

This poster is included in all original first prints from end of 1969 and beginning of 1970. Original posters are made on a glossy paper.
Reprints from end of the 70's are made on a "semi buff" paper and do not have the same glossy shine as the original ones

 

The sticker on the left was used in 1969 and 1970 to indicate that the LP had the poster with it. The sticker is almost always on the front cover but there are copies
known with the sticker on the back side as well. Reprints of the poster from the end of the 70's has no sticker but this text seen on the picture to the right.

         

 

 

 

Booklet

 

A 12 page promtional booklet was available together with the LP in December of 1969.
It is not know if the booklet actually was inside the cover when sold in the shops or if it was separately handed out.
Anyhow, it is a rare booklet. Better pictures will be added at some point

         

     

  

 

 

 

 

 

Label Versions

Lots of label version are existing. Again because of the hugh amount of LP's pressed. Here are a few of them

 

Mono LK5025 non boxed label

         

 

This label picture was supplied by Stonerelics. Side 2 of this LP has the same label as above

Mono LK5025 boxed label

         

 

Stereo SKL5025 non boxed label

Side 1, Speed + BIEM/NCB + GEMA   Side 2, Speed + BIEM/NCB + GEMA Mirage

         

 

Side 1, Speed + BIEM/NCB + GEMA   Side 2, Mirage BIEM/NCB + GEMA

         

 

Side 1,  BIEM/NCB + GEMA   Side 2, Mirage + BIEM/NCB + GEMA

         

 

Stereo SKL5025 boxed label

 

BIEM/NCB logos on the right side on side 1 and side 2. This is probably the first boxed label taken into use late 1969.

         

 

The next 3 label pairs have different combinations of BIEM/NCB and other texts

         

 

         

 

         

 

Boxed label an original on Let It Bleed

The lay out on the boxed stereo label here is almost identical to the non boxed mono label. This would indicate that these two labels were designed and done
 by the same person at the same time. Most probabl the printing of the labels took place on the same time and in the same place. This designe may be the very first
boxed label done and should be considered as an original stereo Let It Bleed

 

         

 

 

Stereo SKL5025 PROMO

Promo copies of Let It Bleed had this sticker on the label

 

 

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