The Last Magician Of Rational Thought
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.
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"
- The back cover image is a modified version of the Floodland
back coverart. The lettering and the faces of Andrew Eldritch
and Patricia Morrison were removed, the image cut and the
contrast increased, see the images down below.
Sources
- As noted on the cover back the four tracks featured on this EP
were recorded on January 11th 1985 and are alternative studio
recordings taken before the final sessions of the First And Last And Always album.
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 |
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
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.
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
Additional Pictures
Simulating the creation of the back coverart for this bootleg
