Difference between revisions of "The Last Magician Of Rational Thought"

Revision as of 14:43, 28 March 2020

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"

• 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 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

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.

• the 26 refers to copies coming in silver gatefold sleeves with green text numbered with the letters from A - Z
• these are all accompanied by white vinyl singles with plain white labels
• the letter A exists twice

Pictures of Standard Versions

White sleeve with red print version

Cover and vinyl with black label

Back cover and vinyl with black label

Silver gatefold sleeve, green print

Common gatefold version (complete view)

White sleeve with green print

Special Edition

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

Special Edition - white gatefold sleeve, red print

Special Edition with white vinyl

Special Edition - The inside is silver.

Unreleased Editions & Testproofs

• The second set of the standard versions (white cover in red and green print, accordingly, with black-labelled 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 has 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 some
  black 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 those covers themselves are
  not gatefold. There is no vinyl attached to these testproofs. However, just like
  with the blue testproofs, only few were printed and marked with the letters starting
  from A towards Z.

Additional Pictures

- Please click into the files for larger´views -

Unique issue with b/w textured card sleeve

Back cover without numbering or text

Silver Gatefold Edition with Insert showing the standard red print cover version and black labelled vinyl

Glossy testproof covers - front

Glossy testproof covers - back

Simulating the creation of the back coverart

Floodland - Cover Artwork (front)

Floodland back cover artwork - The lettering and the faces are covered with black ink

Floodland back cover artwork - The image with a strong filter of contraste

The Last Magician Of Rational Thought - Cover (back)