Serpents Kiss

Serpents Kiss - Cover (front)/inlay of the first edition

Serpents Kiss - Cover (front) of the second edition

In the history of bootlegs of The Sisters Of Mercy
it's been relatively common that two existent vinyl
bootlegs were combined into one package to form
a "new" double album.

Early productions like these are for example
A Black Pack, Kings And Queen or The Dark,
which was released as a three record box even.

The present release is a similar case; and it was
produced in the cheapest possible way.

The two records combined here are left-overs of
the bootlegs by the same Australian manufacturer
The Garden Of Delight and Ice To The Eskimos.
The bundle was first issued with white vinyls
coming in a generic white cover with two inlays
for the front and the back cover, respectively.

The proof of the above circumstances shows in the identical run-outs, labels and vinyl colours. Also the bootlegger mentioned in online auctions, that this release

"CONTAINS THE LIVE IN NETHERLANDS 1984 LP AS LP 1 AND GARDEN OF DELIGHT AS LP2, REPACKAGED AS THIS",

while claiming the whole thing were an "ULTRA RARE USA 2LP" ...

After selling this low budget release as a first edition, the second issue came with green vinyls in a printed cover showing the same cover art in green on a black background. Meanwhile, both cover versions have been seen with both colours of vinyl, not mixed, though. But other, additional colours of vinyl have been combined for sales (see the pictures down below). Anyway, it is also remarkable, that the price is about double as high for the "Serpents Kiss" releases than for the individual bootlegs together. Compare popsike/The Garden Of Delight and popsike/Ice To The Eskimo with popsike/Serpents Kiss.

Serpents Kiss - Overview of the first edition

Release Notes

Label: Black Planet Music

Catalogue#: none

Format: 2 × 12" vinyl LP

Released: 2018 (Australia)

Run outs:

Record one: MN-84-A/B

Record two: GOD-01-A/B

Remarks

As mentioned before, there are two editions:

The first edition comes with a white generic cover

and includes two inlays printed only on one side,

so that they can be fixed to the sleeve as the front and back cover .

The two vinys are white. And on the cover front of these editions

is also a printed sticker saying: "Limited Edition White Vinyl"

Initially, the second edition came with two clear green vinyls

housed in a black sleeve with green print. Despite the different colours,

the cover art is the same as used for the first edition.

While sales went on, the vinyl colours changed commensurate to the stock

of remaining records from the two above mentioned single-LP releases.

The labels of both editions show a white head and star logo on a black background

with "SIDE A/B", respectively, printed in also white letters below it.

There is no hint, though, to whether you're holding record one or record two in your hands

which again is another logical result from the fact that these records were initially sold as

individual bootlegs titled The Garden Of Delight and Ice To The Eskimos , respectively.

Serpents Kiss - Cover (back)/inlay of the first edition

Back cover notes, beside the track list:

SIDE A & B RECORDED LIVE IN THE NETHERLANDS 26. 5. 1984

SIDE C & D STUDIO DEMOS AND OUTTAKES 1984

ANDREW ELDRITCH-VOCALS

WAYNE HUSSEY-GUITAR/VOCALS

GARY MARX-GUITARS/VOCALS

CRAIG ADAMS-BASS

DOCTOR AVALANCHE-DRUMS

BLACK PLANET MUSIC FRANCE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

LIMITED EDITION

Sources

Record one features the gig at Paard van Troje, The Hague, The Netherlands on 26 May 1984

Record two contains demos mainly taken from the Strawberry Sessions in 1984.

Track List

RECORD ONE	RECORD TWO
		Additional notes to record two
Side A	Side A
A1 Burn	A1 First And Last And Always	(MARIAN LYRICS MARX VOCALS)
A2 Heartland	A2 A Rock And A Hard Place	(INSTRUMENTAL)
A3 Body And Soul	A3 Knockin' On Heaven's Door
A4 Anaconda	A4 Marian	(VERSION 1 INSTRUMENTAL)
A5 Walk Away	A5 Black Planet	(INSTRUMENTAL)
A6 Emma

Side B	Side B
B1 Floorshow	B1 Walk Away
B2 Adrenochrome	B2 Garden Of Delight	(HUSSEY VOCALS)
B3 Alice	B3 No Time To Cry
B4 Body Electric	B4 Garden Of Delight	(ELDRITCH VOCALS)
B5 Gimme Shelter	B5 Serpent's Kiss	(INSTRUMENTAL)
B6 Sister Ray	B6 Dance On Glass