Audio: International Album Releases (Regular)

Before The Flood (1974)

This page is part of a new section of original releases by release date of international commercially-released regular stereo Dylan albums. They do not contain rarities or obscurities and are not eligible for the Searching For A Gem list. Nevertheless, their interest value or scarcity means they're worth listing here - as far as I know some are not included on any other Internet site. Promo releases of regular albums are now listed here and not in the yearly Promo sections.

This page is still incomplete - more entries required. For releases of this album in CBS/Columbia multi-packs, see International Album Releases (Regular) - Multi-Packs.

The Basement Tapes (1975)

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Original US stereo LP, Columbia PC 33235, 20 Jan 1975
20 Jan 1975 is the release date given by bobdylan.com, Brian Hinton's 2006 book "Bob Dylan Album File & Complete Discography" (Cassell Illustrated), dates it as 17 Jan 1975.

The front picture is by Paul Till based on a photograph he took of Bob in Toronto in Jan 1974. The first US (and all UK) pressings of the album had a rear sleeve with notes by famed New York journalist and author Pete Hamill surrounding a painting by David Oppenheim. Unfortunately these notes were based on and quoted lyrics from the original versions of the songs on the Blood On The Tracks test pressing, see 1974. Also the original New York musicians were credited, but not those from Minnesota. The sleeve notes were then removed and replaced by a new larger painting by David Oppenheim. The New York musician credits were also lost. However, to the great embarrassment of Columbia, Pete Hamill was subsequently awarded a Grammy for his sleeve notes! The original rear sleeve was then restored, but with white text because the original black text had been almost unreadable. The Minnesota musicians were never credited! (Information from Rod MacBeath.)

From Michael Krogsgaard's series of articles about "Bob Dylan's Recording Sessions", the Minnesota Dec 1974 musicians were: Greg Inhofer (keyboards), Bill Berg (drums), Chris Weber (guitar), Bill Peterson (bass), Peter Ostroushko (mandolin) and Kevin Odegard (guitar). The Minnesota sessions were produced by David Zimmerman (Bob's brother).

Up to Sep 2003 the then current CD insert did not contain the sleeve notes, but they have now been restored in the booklet with the Sep 2003 hybrid SACD edition (see below).

Now, however, this title is one of the fifteen Dylan albums released in Sep 2003 as a hybrid CD/SACD. This is playable both in stereo on an ordinary CD player and in enhanced stereo on an SACD player or a DVD player that also plays SACDs (Sony's higher range models all do this). Blood On The Tracks is also available in 5.1 surround sound.

Blood On The Tracks test pressing dated "9/25/74" - Side 1 scan from Michael Krogsgaard's book "Master of the Tracks"

Thanks to Jon McAuliffe for information and photos.

Thanks to Larry Weaver for information and scans.

The front cover has a promo strip with track timings. The back cover is the first design - for this, see below. The records have white Columbia labels with stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL-33235-2A, Side 2 - PBL-33235-2AA. The "1A/1A" matrix numbers must have been on the Blood On The Tracks test pressing, which contains rarities, see 1974.

Information and scans from Hans Seegers. For more information about US vinyl releases, read here.

For a promo copy of this pressing, see above.

Information from Hans Seegers.

Presswell Records were based in Ancora, NJ, and normally made records for Atlantic. As Columbia's own pressing plant was at Pitman, NJ, it would at first sight seem odd that they asked Presswell to make a test pressing of an already released album. However, the album was selling well, and Columbia may have wanted more copies of the record than they could press themselves and needed to contract another pressing plant. This happened all the time in the days of vinyl (Beatles records were often pressed by Decca and other companies, because Parlophone couldn't keep up with the demand, and Columbia pressed Beach Boys albums for Capitol). Presswell could therefore have carried out some contract pressings for Columbia, because of excess demand, and this was a test pressing made by them as proof of quality.

I'm told Presswell pressings have "PW" somewhere in the wax around the label, near where the matrix numbers usually live, whereas Columbia pressings have a "C". My informants have never seen any copies of Blood On The Tracks with "PW", but the sales may have been confined to a small part of the USA, or Presswell may not actually have pressed any commercial copies after making this test pressing.

Thanks to Jason Draper of "Record Collector", Derek Barker and Ian Woodward for information. Thanks to Arie de Reus for scans.

The second commercial release of the album has red Columbia labels.  Michael Palinkas has a copy with matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL 33235-2B, Side 2 - PBL 33235-2AA. Craig Callahan's copy is later and has matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL-33235-2F, Side 2 - PBL-33235-2K). His copy of the third release (see below) has matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL-33235-2E, Side 2- PBL-33235-2J, which are ostensibly one pressing earlier! I can only assume that there was some overlap between the records and the sleeves.

The rear sleeve is the second design with the full picture, and it has the original inner sleeve.

Information from Hans Seegers and Craig Callahan. Thanks to Jean-Pol Hiernaux for finding the copy of the second release on eil,com with a "song hype" sticker promoting Tangled Up In Blue, Idiot Wind, and Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts. The rear sleeve of this album is as shown on right.

The third commercial release of the album is the same at the front, but the rear has the first sleeve design restored with white text instead of black text.  On the spine of the outer sleeve is a sticker with " JC 33235" covering the original catalogue number of "PC 33235". It has the original inner sleeve.

The record itself has red Columbia labels and stamped matrix numbers. I have information on three copies:
1) Matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL-33235-2C, Side 2 - PBL-33235-2AH (possibly the first pressing of this release)
2) Matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL-33235-2E, Side 2 - PBL-33235-2J
3) Matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL-33235-2H, Side 2 - PBL-33235-2M

Information from Hans Seegers, Craig Callahan and Michael Palinkas, scan of album still in shrink-wrap from Craig Callahan.

Before the hybrid SACD release came out, this was the best version to buy! This album has special "Half Speed Mastered" covers and labels and the record has stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - HAL 43235-2F, Side 2- BL 43235-2J. The back cover is the third US design with white text and an added bar code. On the front there is a gold rectangular promotional stamp. This release has a glossy cover and a gate-folded insert.

Information and scans from Hans Seegers.

This release has special "Jazz Masterpieces" labels and written matrix numbers: Side 1- <P.AP> AL/BL-33235-G2D/G2H, Side 2 - <P.AP> AL/BL-33235-G2D/G2H.  The back cover is the third US design with white text and an added bar code This release also has a glossy cover.

Although this is not a jazz album, these labels were also used for other "pop" artists like The Byrds. The cover does not have the "Jazz Masterpieces" logo.

Information and scans from Hans Seegers.

Columbia JC 33235 (USA) - "Jazz Masterpieces" Side 1 label scan by Hans Seegers

Columbia JC 33235 (USA) - "Jazz Masterpieces" Side 2 label scan by Hans Seegers

This release has standard Columbia labels and written matrix numbers as the "Jazz Masterpieces" release above: Side 1- <P.AP> AL/BL-33235-G2D/G2H, Side 2 - <P.AP> AL/BL-33235-G2D/G2H.  The back cover is the third US design with white text and an added bar code This release also has a glossy cover. Craig Callahan tells me the later Columbia vinyl releases were pressed under licence by a company called Scorpio, and are of poor quality. This is because they were not pressed from new masters made from the original source tapes, but from old masters left over from the 1980s.

Information and scan from Hans Seegers.

This release again has standard Columbia labels and the same written matrix numbers as the two releases of JC 33235 above: Side 1- <P.AP> AL/BL-33235-G2D/G2H, Side 2 - <P.AP> AL/BL-33235-G2D/G2H.  The back cover is the third US design with white text and an added bar code This release also has a glossy cover. On the front cover is a gold on black sticker with 180 gram vinyl information.

Information from Hans Seegers.

The record comes in a plain maroon cardboard inner sleeve with CBS 69097 but has old-style CBS orange labels with the catalogue number CBS S 69097 and stamped matrix numbers CBS-S-69097-A2/B2. This was the last UK CBS Dylan album to have orange labels.

There were two further pressings of the UK vinyl album, one on CBS and one on Columbia - scans to follow.

CBS 69097 (UK) - catalogue number on maroon card inner sleeve

CBS 69097 (UK) - Side 1

Program 1: Tangled Up In Blue; Simple Twist Of Fate, You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Program 2: You're A Big Girl Now; Buckets Of Rain; if You See Her, Say Hello

Program 3: Meet Me In The Morning; Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts

Program 4: Idiot Wind; Shelter From the Storm.

Thanks to Hans Seegers for information and scans. Also thanks to Jon Wilson for finding this on eBay.

CBS 42-69097 (UK) - tape cartridge scan by Hans Seegers

CBS 42-69097 (UK) - slipcase end scan by Hans Seegers

This release has the same catalogue number as the UK release above. The record has CBS dark-red "original first pressing" labels with stamped matrix numbers 69097 A/B.

Information from Hans Seegers. There are two variations of this album.

Positive identification wanted!

Thanks to Hans Seegers for information and scans and to Lars M. Banke for further information.

CBS 69097 (Country?) - detail of rear, scan by Hans Seegers

This release has a unique rear sleeve (for the US sleeves see above), with the first US design with text in black, but the maroon background colour changed to white. The Pete Hamill sleeve notes are translated into Spanish, as are the song titles and credits. There are a number of mistakes, pointed out by Sergio Magnacca:
"Jack Of Hearts" is mistranslated as "El Rey de Corazones" ["King of Hearts". In a Spanish pack of playing cards the suit of Hearts is called "Corazones", but the Jack or Knave is called "El Caballo" (The Horseman). The correct translation is therefore "El Caballo de Corazones".
The song credits are to "Boby Dylan"
The recording is credited to "Phil Ramona" (actually Phil Ramone).

Matrix numbers: Side 1 - AL 33235, Side 2 - BL 33235 (same as the US catalogue number).

Information and photos from Sergio Magnacca. Hans Seegers informs me there is a second version of this release - scans to follow.

Thanks to Hans Seegers for scans and information.

This record is in the original inner sleeve, and has orange/cream labels with promo stamp, stamped matrix numbers: 25AP-286A2/B1.

The sleeve has a purple cover (as opposed to the regular maroon) and the back cover has a David Oppenheimer illustration (probably the full page one, see below). Scans to follow.

Information from Hans Seegers.

The sleeve background colour is purple rather than maroon, and the back cover has a David Oppenheim picture - I assume this is the second design with the large picture, see above. The record has orange/cream labels with stamped matrix numbers 25AP-286A2/B1.

There is a white/purple/black obi. The record was released two further times with different obis. Scans to follow.

Information from Hans Seegers.

Thanks to Peter Lindberg and Rowland Ford for information and photos, and to Stuart Moore for scans.

CBS SBP 234564 (Australia) - catalogue number on inner sleeve,  photo by Peter Lindberg (first release)

CBS SBP 234564 (Australia) - Side 1 photo by Peter Lindberg (first release)

CBS SBP 234564 (Australia) - Side 2 photo by Peter Lindberg (first release)

CBS SBP 234564 (Australia) - Side 1 photo by Rowland Ford (second release, first variant)

CBS SBP 234564 (Australia) - Side 2 photo by Rowland Ford (second release, first variant)

Thanks to Stuart Moore for information and scans.

CBS SBP 474262 (New Zealand) - Side 1 scan by Stuart Moore

Thanks to Paul Prince for information and photos.

CBS 137873 (Brazil) - Side 1 photo by Paul Prince

The record has red CBS labels with the added text "Disco promocional/Prohibida su Venta" [Promotional record/Sale Prohibited], and the song titles on the rear sleeves and the record labels are translated into Spanish as follows:

Side 1: Enredado En El Azul [Tangled Up In Blue]; Un Simple Giro Del Destino [Simple Twist Of Fate]; Ya Eres Una Gran Chica [You 're A Big Girl Now]; Viento Idiota [Idiot Wind]; Voy A Quedarme Solo Cuando Te Vayas [You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go]

Side B: Encuentrame En La Mañana [Meet Me In The Morning]; Lily, Rosemary Y La J De Corazones [Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts] (another example of the folks in CBS not asking a card player what the correct translation of "Jack" is! In Spanish he's "El Caballo de Corazones", see above); Si La Vés, Dile Hola [If You See Her, Say Hello]; Cobijo Contra La Lluvia [Shelter From The Storm) (Even I know this is wrong! "Lluvia" is "Rain", not "Storm", which is "la Tormenta"); Cubos De Lluvia [Buckets of Rain].

Thanks to Craig Callahan for finding this on eBay.

CBS 32388 (Spain) - detail from back showing titles in Spanish

Information and scans from Craig Callahan.

Information and scans from Éamonn Ó Catháin.

Columbia COL MD 69097 (UK) - rear of MiniDisc sleeve, scan by Éamonn Ó Catháin

Columbia COL MD 69097 (UK) - MiniDisc front scan by Éamonn Ó Catháin

Thanks to Patrick Helfrich for information and pictures.

Thanks to Jason Draper for information and scan. Details of authorised Columbia/CBS releases required!

This is one of the first Bob Dylan CDs released in Japan. The CD has a yellow, black, red and white shaped obi with a top flap and a price of ¥2,812 (¥2,730 before sales tax). The rear insert shows the first David Oppenheim picture (see above) plus a tracklisting. There was a 32 page booklet. The CD is silver with black writing.

Information and scans from Hans Seegers.

CBS/Sony 30DP 306 (Japan) - CD scan by Hans Seegers

Thanks to Jack from Canada for information and scans.

This later mid-priced CD has a black, red, white, blue and yellow obi with the price ¥1,800. The rear insert shows the second picture by David Oppenheim (see above) with the tracklisting superimposed. There was a 24 page booklet. The CD itself is green with silver writing. It is actually a promo, but the only indication is a promo mark in the transparent centre of the CD (not visible on the scan).

Information and scans from Hans Seegers.

Sony SRCS 6167 (Japan) - front insert (same as 30DP 306), scan by Hans Seegers

Sony SRCS 6167 (Japan) - rear insert scan by Hans Seegers

Sony SRCS 6167 (Japan) - CD scan by Hans Seegers

Even though this release is for the USA and Canadian markets the disc itself was manufactured in Japan.

Thanks to Stuart Moore for information and scans.

Columbia CDCBS 69097 (Australia) - rear insert scan by Stuart Moore

CBS CDCBS 69097 (Australia) - CD scan by Stuart Moore

It's just the standard commercial CD, not remastered even though Columbia was known to have remastered the album before then.

Information and scans from David Burgess.

There is an 8-page booklet with the original sleeve notes and two unpublished pictures of Bob from 1974. The picture on the rear of the booklet is the one used for the European/Australian release The Best Of Bob Dylan Vol. 2 and the exclusive Swedish release The Very Best Of Bob Dylan - for both see 2000. The picture used on the rear insert of 1997's Time Out Of Mind also appears to be from this session. The SACD design reproduces the Columbia US stereo vinyl label used in 1974.

The booklet for the Canadian releases has been printed in Canada. This release also has the sticker shown for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan on the outside of the shrink-wrap.

Thanks to Hans Seegers for information about the Japanese release. It has a black/purple/blue on violet obi with price ¥2,520 - scans required.
 

Columbia CH 90323 (USA/Canada) - outside of 8-page booklet

The Japanese release comes in a card sleeve reproducing the LP sleeve with a side obi.

Information from Hans Seegers.

This is a "left over" standard CD release of this album, not the Mar 2004 remastered CD layer from the hybrid SACD release.

Note the second picture by David Oppenheim (see above) is repeated on both the rear insert, and the inside of the front insert.

Thanks to Manfred Endtner for information and scans and to Hans Seegers for further information.

Thanks to Hervé from France for the photo.

In this release the first picture by David Oppenheim (see above) is repeated on both sides of the rear insert.

Thanks to Stuart Moore for scans of the Australian release.

Thanks to Jack from Canada for information and scans.

Columbia CK 92398 (Canada) - inside scan by Jack