The Last Magician Of Rational Thought

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The Last Magician Of Rational Thought - cut from the back cover - view of the cover notes
The Last Magician Of Rational Thought - Cover (Front)


This is the fourth of Palazzograssi's bootleg production.
The first release was Silence Is Platinum, the second one
was the Victims Of Circumstance 7" single and the third
was to be Reverberation Across The Nation, which first got
postponed, but then never saw the light of day.

Back cover with a number above 1526

Release Notes

  • Label: Palazzograssi Records Inc.
  • Catalogue#: PG04
  • Format: 7" Vinyl Single
  • Release Date: 1988


General remarks

  • Pressed on white vinyl. The records play at 33rpm.
  • According to the back cover notes this EP is limited
    to 1526 copies, although copies with higher numbers
    have also been seen, see the image on the right.
  • The labels are either plain white or black. The black ones
    have the bootleg title spread with "The Last Magician" and "A"
    on Side 1 and "Of Rational Thought" and "B" on the b-side.
  • A-side ROGI: "PG04-A", B-side ROGI: "PG04-B"


Sources


A very interesting article on how the tracks for this bootleg were chosen and produced
by the Phantom Twins is available in the HEAVYLEATHER blog bootlegs archive under
The Sisters Of Mercy – The Last Magician Of Rational Thought.


Track List

SIDE A SIDE B
A1   No Time To Cry    3:46                   B1   A Rock And A Hard Place          3:44
A2   First And Last And Always          3:26 B2   Walk Away    3:22


Numbered green print standard cover (back)

Varieties

A number of varietes exist which can basically be described as:

The Standard Versions

  • white sleeves with red text, numbering on the back, plain white labels on white vinyl
  • white sleeves with red text, numbering on the back, black labels on white vinyl
  • white sleeves with green text, numbering on the back, plain white labels on white vinyl
  • white sleeves with green text, numbering on the back, black labels on white vinyl

These are the numbered copies of the common limited edition of 1,500 copies.

The "26" missing from the given limited-edition number of 1,526 refers to a series of copies

coming in silver gatefold sleeves with green text, which can be describes as:

  • numbered with the letters from A - Z
  • white vinyl singles with plain white labels
  • the letter A exists twice


White sleeve with red print version
Cover and vinyl with black label
Red print version - back cover and vinyl with black label
White sleeve with green print
Numbered red print standard cover (back)
Silver Gatefold Edition with an insert that looks like the standard red print cover version and black-label vinyl


Special Edition
Apart from the above issues, a Special Edition of some 26 further copies was released.
These have white gatefold covers with red or green print. The vinyls are white with plain white labels.
They are numbered from A - Z on the back. The inside of the gatefold covers is silver.

Special Edition - white gatefold sleeve, red print
Special Edition - The inside is silver.
Gatefold version with green print, numbered A-Z (overview)


Special Edition with white vinyl
Unique issue with b/w textured card sleeve
Back cover without numbering or text


Unreleased Editions & Cover Test Prints

  • A second set of standard versions (white covers with red or
    green print and black-label vinyl), i.e. the numbers
    002 (red text edition) and 602 (green text edition), were not released.
  • A second gatefold edition of 26 numbered from A - Z similar to the
    released version but with Palazzograssi in black instead of green
    letters on the back cover was produced as for private distribution but
    never got that far. The accompanying vinyls have plain white labels.
    The covers are glossy silver gatefold sleeves with green print.
  • More or less logically, a set of promos was produced as well. The
    sleeves are gatefold ones in silver with green text but without any
    numbering on the back. The issue came with white labels on white
    vinyl and have been kept for private use only. We have no information
    on how many of these exist.
  • One unique issue exists which has a white textured card cover with
    black outline text. This copy is neither numbered and nor has it the
    usual Palazzograssi print on the back, see the picture on the right.
  • Furthermore, some glossy blue testproof covers were produced
    of which only very few exist. Allegedly, the accompanying vinyls have
    white labels with someblack print on them. However, so far we have not
    been able to find any photographic evidence for the latter. Although only
    few were made, the existing ones are marked with the letters starting
    from A towards Z.
  • Finally, there are some glossy silver covers with green print which served as testproofs for the original gatefold version,
    while these covers themselves are not gatefold. And there is no vinyl attached to them, either. However, just like with
    the blue testproofs, only few were printed and marked with the letters starting from A towards Z on the back.


Glossy testproof covers

Glossy testproof covers - front
Glossy testproof covers - back
Glossy silver testproof with green print (front)
Glossy blue test sleeve numbered "V" (front)
Glossy blue test sleeve numbered "V" (back)

Additional Pictures

Simulating the creation of the back coverart for this bootleg

Floodland - Coverart (front)
Letters and faces covered with black ink
A strong contrast filter is applied
Bootleg Cover (back)