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Unexpected Tom Petty "stamper" discovery

Did some New Years cull of Rock albums. Went through the Tom Petty catalog.

My faves are his first 3 albums, with my interest fading by his 5th, "Long After Dark"
I was a big fan, saw TP & the Heartbreakers perform arguably at their peak -New Years Eve, 1978 at the Santa Monica Civic.

Playing my 2nd least favorite album "Hard Promises," the great sonics kept me listening to it.

A quick Wiki revealed this, which I thought was cool:

"During the recording of the album, John Lennon was scheduled to be in the same studio at the same time. Petty was looking forward to meeting him when he came in. The meeting never occurred, as Lennon was murdered before the date of his planned visit the studio. Petty and the band paid tribute to the slain former Beatle by etching "WE LOVE YOU J.L." in the runout deadwax on early U.S. and Canadian pressings of Hard Promises."

After side 1 was finished, a quick inspection verified my suspicion-I have a Tom Port HOT STAMPER$$!!

All those Tom Port descriptors used for those $3-500 "WHITE HOT STAMPER" were heard!

Reality, I just thought the sonics were quite nice, so im keeping it. The album was a sealed copy. I found it during one of my neighborhood store, bin diving sessions years ago. It was played once back then, never saw daylight since.

Played side 2, then back on the shelf, where it likely won’t get played for another couple years.








tablejockey
tablejockey OP
743 posts
 
shadorne-
Yes, just being anti-reissue, stamper geek while thinning the herd.

Revised comments of SQ of TP's debut on the Shelter label.  After playing side 2, it is maybe another notch below in sound quality. Still quiet, but doesn't have the impactful drums/cymbals or presence of vocals like DTT at low volume.

Doesn't matter, that album is kick ass especially cranked.
Perhaps  the master tape just wasn't up to snuff as DTT? 

millercarbon-
I checked the deadwax of my DTT and noticed an etching "⬅️P➡️1" If there are several generations of Backstreets, maybe this has significance?

Maybe someone will chime in, and share their own Backstreet  pressings, "secret code?"





bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 

For Petty lovers who don't know about the original version of The Dwight Twilley Band, you will love their debut album Sincerely. In promotional videos made for the album, Tom is playing bass with Dwight, drummer/singer Phil Seymour, and guitarist Bill Pitcock IV.

Very kindred spirits, the success of that 1976 album was an inspiration to Tom. On their drive from Florida to L.A. to get a record deal, Mudcrunch stopped in Tulsa to ask Twilley for advice, and Dwight hooked him up with Leon Russell, whose Shelter Records (on which Sincerely had been released) had an office in town. Mudcrunch didn't make the grade, but Petty's career left Twilley's in the dust.

wlutke
294 posts
 
I just checked and I have that album on Backstreet Records with the inscribed deadwax.  It's also gold embossed on the cover "MCA 37239".  Am I rich? 
tablejockey OP
743 posts
 
 bdp24-

cool R&R history as always-thanks!

 millercarbon & anyone interested in 3 "stamper grade" presses, this is the skinny.
"Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" Shelter  SRL52006  
"You're Gonna Get It!"- Backstreet MCA 371
"Damn the Torpedoes "-Backstreet MCA 5105
printed on corner of jacket 

Checking Better Records,(Tom Ports site) TP apparently isn't in big demand. You can get a good copy for a reasonable price.
https://www.better-records.com/search_adv.aspx?sp=tom+petty&option=s_name&min_price=1&ma...

I happen to have what I think, is an exceptional copy like this:
https://www.better-records.com/product.aspx?pf_id=jethraqual_1901
Way out of my league !
Since all this stamper nonsense is subjective, FWIW-
Chrysalis 2033 upper right hand corner 

For extra record  snob appeal, maybe the British press is "better?"
Maybe not, according to stamper man:

"The American Pressing Is Still King (or should that be President?)

"Like we've noted so many times before, this British band, like many of their brethren, had their master tapes sent to America to make our much-maligned domestic pressings. I maligned them myself, wrongly I now realize. It takes an amazing stereo and a top quality Hot Stamper pressing to get this music to work its magic. If you are lucky enough to have those two things, you will not believe how good this album sounds, so much better than you ever thought possible. It's not perfect, but with the right pressing you can hear why Anderson, his bandmates, the engineer and producer all thought they had put a real winner down on tape. They had, but it took us a long time to find a good LP and be able to play it right."


I find  the record hunt more rewarding than gear madness. One must still get their system to a certain level though, to hear what the fuss is all about.






tablejockey OP
743 posts
 
wlutke-
I looked at my copy MCA 2015- DJ- 55.3
cryptic stuff. Gold embossed on cover, has me thinking its some kind of promotional copy? I have many albums like that.

Bases on what I posted earlier, TP's albums just aren't in demand. It's not a Beatles "butcher" cover.

The sound, however is fantastic and reason to never buy one of those pricey reissue 45's.

More to discover