ALBUM 7: Sparkle in The Rain | 1984| designer: Assorted iMaGes
Virgin Records | UK | LP | V 2300
Back cover
When Simple Minds followed a dramatically different tangent on their follow up to the breakthrough “New Gold Dream” album, designer followed along, albeit with one foot in the past. The imagery still drew from antiquity with heraldic imagery used in lieu of the more typical band shot. And there was still a five color sleeve with metallic gold inks, but the images were rendered with a clean, modern touch that was best reflected by the use of a fluorescent orange ink [that does not transmit its vibrance online] as one of the basic colors.
The inner sleeve delved deeper into the op art that the back cover hinted at with negative areas in the grid contained within circular holds.
Inner sleeve
The UK labels also picked up on this motif for a custom look that trumped the generic A+M labels used on the US copy that was on my racks.
Side A
Side B
The front cover design never quite worked for me as it didn’t really reflect the music inside of it as well as the earlier covers had done, but the op art imagery was more successful in this regard. Simple Minds had followed an album of subtle tonal range with one of high contrast, so this made sense to me. The cover imagery touches on this, but seems to be holding back as mentioned by once again referring to historical imagery. I think that the back cover comes closer to more accurately representing the music. Only the edge trim in gold sends a false note.
As I mentioned, I never owned a UK LP of this title. By that time, A+M Records were working that action, and I never saw imports of titles that also got a domestic release unless they were issued abroad far in excess of the release schedule at home [cf. Altered Images “Pinky Blue”]. I went from the A+M LP to the A+M CD two years later, and there I sat, until in 2001, a trip to Toronto yielded this gem.
Virgin Records | CANADA | LP |VL-2274
I was aware that the Canadian copy of this album had its first pressing issued on clear vinyl back in the day, but then I saw this in the bins, I had to give a look and viola, there it was, albeit without the sticker on the cover. I chortled at my luck that saw this added to my haul that weekend for a pittance. Only records of use to hip hop sampling [ca. 2001, jazz and lounge records] were selling for big money in that environment at the time. As was common with many Virgin territorial labels, this featured the familiar red/green label variant of the day. I’ve yet to actually own a UK pressing of this album in any format, but that super deluxe boxed set was released last month and is still calling my name.
ALBUM 8: Once Upon A Time | 1985| designer: Mick Haggerty
Virgin Records | UK | LP | V2364
Back cover
I’ve recently read Jim Kerr talking about the notion behind their top selling “Once Upon A Time” album as a result of seeing what David Bowie had done when recording in America and aiming for the pop charts instead of arty obscurity. Seen in this light, the decision to use Mick Haggerty for the cover art [Anton Corbijn took the photographs] makes all the sense in the world. Especially given that Haggerty had a strong relationship with their American label, A+M Records and had in fact, designed the cover to “Let’s Dance,” not to mention top selling discs by Supertramp and The Police. Even I have to admit that the “Breakfast In America” project was a graphic design tour de force; fully worthy of its many accolades. We’ll not see its like again.
Chances were not being taken here at any level, so the steadfast Malcolm Garrett was ejected for this time only [he’d return soon enough] and the resulting album cover for once featured the band bold as brass on its cover; albeit with an arty edge still [barely] remaining. As if to give no doubt as to where the loyalties of this album lay, the covers [front and back] were designed to be a seamless tile; all the better for covering the wall or front window of a record store!
NOTE: Please don’t try this at home!
Is it me or does Jim Kerr look hypnotized on the cover shot? He was probably dreaming of the filthy lucre that lay ahead and would be filling his coffers soon enough. As if to hammer home the banality of this album, the most exotic variation available was the UK picture disc LP; possibly the least interesting pic disc I’ve ever seen.
I’ve seen this in stores back in the day and I was not touching that with a ten foot barge pole.
Next: …[if you can believe it] Still More Covers!
Post-Punk Monk 
don’t forget Sparkle got a white vinyl pressing in the uk too though but everything else was the same except for another sticker on the front. The box set also has its problems with the dvd being pressed with a faulty stereo mix [ i’m amongst many waiting on a replacement from Universal with the corrected audio]
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Nick – I’m aware of the UK white vinyl, but decent images of that online are sadly missing. If I were an emoticon type, I suppose I’d put one here… but I’m not! If you ever see emoticons on PPM you’ll know I’ve been replaced with a clever imposter! I’m not only awaiting the replacement disc for the boxed set but also for the cash to buy it to fall out of the sky!
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Hi Mr. Monk,
Got the orange vinyl sparkle in the rain. and actually opened it up. looks very nice. (also its on sale for 23 UKP for those in the UK). here’s a comparison the covers, with the US, UK, Japanese, and colored versions.:
later
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Interesting reading and the contrast between 1984 and 1985 albums is really not only apparent, but quite shocking. A bit like a different band, really.
What do you think of the clear vinyl pressings in general? Are they really the better-sounding ones like I’ve read several times from various sources? Should I fork out for them instead of good old black vinyl editions?
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Vlad – In theory – clear vinyl should be always preferable, because it is virgin vinyl by its very nature. Virgin vinyl has been synthesized once and is not made from recycled PVC. Most record company output in the 70s and 80s when all I bought was vinyl was from reused stock. Unsold records melted down and returned to their molten state; along with any impurities that hitched a ride along the way. Vinyl quality was tanking at that moment in time, apart from the few labels who cared. What made a record sound great was the use of virgin vinyl, and it could be different colors or even [nominally] black. I will say that A+M Records pressings of the early to mid 80s used virgin vinyl expansively. Those pressings were marvelous with traits like increased dynamic range and reduced surface noise! Virgin vinyl was translucent. I bought records and held them up to the light to determine the quality of their vinyl. Virgin records could be dark purple or dark amber and they were head and shoulders above the garden variety of most vinyl. Of course the half-speed mastered records [that were costly] used virgin vinyl.
To me the quality of the vinyl, not the mere thickness of the pressing is what separates quality from run-of-the-mill. The modern 180G pressings I have now still don’t hold a candle to the virgin vinyl discs that I have of 30 years age. Some black vinyl discs that were pressed in the last two years that I have played are terrible! I’ve not had any recent clear or colored vinyl pressings to try. Given my interests, I have to say that modern vinyl is not even on my radar; except when it is the only way to buy music. What I’ve read about colored vinyl today suggests that it is no longer a cut and dried choice. This story on the running of a pressing plant handling lots of the current demand is eye opening reading.
http://thequietus.com/articles/17670-gz-vinyl-pressing-plant-record-store-day
Comments on that post suggest that much of today’s pressings are wanting in quality for various reasons. When the industry is relying on dilapidated, 50+ year old machinery held together with chewing gum and prayer to keep production running, I wonder if it’s worth it. To my knowledge, there are no modern pressing plants using machinery manufactured within the last 25 years, much less what might be possible with modern technology. The vinyl resurgence has caught everyone by surprise, but it is not yet at a point where big capital is ready to invest in the R+D necessary to make 21st century record production facilities. But my thought is, that when or if this becomes possible, it could transform vinyl production. That said, I still consider vinyl an outmoded step, and prefer not to deal with it any further in my life.
Then my big worry, is that we’ll lose digital disc manufacturing plants! Sony already closed their New Jersey plant in 2010 due to declining demand for CDs and DVDs. My fear is the complete phaseout of my preferred physical digital carrier formats as the world moves inexorably to cloud delivery that is rented, but never owned. The whole “rental culture” paradigm troubles me. At every level.
As for Simple Minds, yes. A different band indeed. A picture is worth a thousand words.
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hi mr monk,
atttention vinyl collectors, the 100th anniversary 1921-2021 version
of Sparkle in the rain, in orange vinyl will be coming out. very limited
edition from hmv.
https://store.hmv.com/store/music/vinyl/sparkle-in-the-rain-(hmv-exclusive)-the-1921-cente
Sparkle in the Rain (hmv Exclusive) the 1921 Centenary Edition Orange Vinyl
Simple Minds
LIMITED TIME ONLY
£27.99
Released: Coming soon
This year marks a full century since the first hmv store opened its doors at 363 Oxford Street in London, and on July 24 we’ll be celebrating our 100th birthday in style with a brand new and exclusive range of limited edition vinyl just for you…
As part of our birthday celebrations we’re pleased to announce the new 1921 Centenary Edition range, for which we have carefully curated a selection of the finest albums and soundtracks from the last 100 years and had them specially pressed onto some beautiful coloured vinyl – all of which will be available exclusively in hmv stores on Saturday November 13th and from store.hmv.com at 4pm the same day. As ever, our exclusives will be available on a first come, first served basis… and when they’re gone, they’re gone!
If the early output of Scottish rock outfit Simple Minds had cast them as new wave outsiders, their experimental, ever-shifting sound had, by the time of 1982’s New Gold Dream 81/82/83/84, begun to evolve into something a little more accessible, their sixth album finally earning the band their first real commercial breakthrough.
Its follow-up Sparkle in the Rain arrived a year later and saw them settling into their creative stride with hits like ‘Waterfront’, their fluid sound solidifying into the more familiar style that would become their trademark throughout the rest of the decade. Their seventh full-length offering joins our 1921 Centenary Edition range in November with a new pressing of just 1000 copies on orange vinyl.
later
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negative1ne – Yikes. 1000 copies? That will be a three figure record in no time flat. Personally, I’m more than satisfied to only have the clear vinyl Canadian edition which I found in the used bins twenty years ago, during my last trip to Toronto. How I miss that city. That’s the only vinyl copy I have of that album. The rest being CD editions. I sold off my US LP from when it came out back when I was young + foolish. C’est la guerre! But thanks for giving notice in case anyone else has an interest. These days having a black vinyl record is a rarity!
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hi mr monk,
by the way 6 years later, there are pictures of the UK white vinyl sparkle in the rain for decent prices, although, again shipping prices will be high, unless you order multiple items.
i just finally finished off my midge ure clear 12 inch singles collection, and bought that along with a missing regular black vinyl 12 inch for dirt cheap, along with a few other items like the Gold (not mirrored) cover for simple minds alive and kicking along with 2 12 inch
picture discs.
the total was 17UKP, but the shipping was 24UKP, which is fine, since the items were so cheap:
Kissing The Pink – Love Lasts Forever (12″, Pic) 2UKP
Midge Ure – If I Was (Extended Mix) (12″, Single, Cle) 8UKP
Midge Ure – Answers To Nothing (12″, Single) 2UKP
Simple Minds – Alive & Kicking (12″, Single, Gol) 3UKP
Living In A Box – Different Air (12″, Maxi, Pic) 2UKP
i would never have been able to find these items in the US for these prices.
later
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negative1ne – Sigh. £24 is $32. A painful amount for 5 records. To me, at least. I’m used to a lifetime of inexpensive records and while only the the clear Ure 12″ can be called slightly costly, that’s still almost $60 for 5 12″ singles, or nearly $12/single. I’m just glad I pivoted back to buying records in 1992 and had a good 20 years of cheap collection building before the vinyl bubble started to happen in the last decade. The annoying thing to me is that most stores have purged any singles to make room for yet more new LP pressings of Classic Rock material they know will sell reliably. Just not to me.
I just looked and I also have the “Answers To Nothing” 12″ single. Have I ever played it? I don’t think so. I got the mirror card gold “Alive + Kicking” 9 years ago in an Atlanta store for $2.00. Can’t stand the song, but I’m crow-like with shiny record sleeves like that! So I had to buy it. I have the US promo of “Love Lasts Forever” with, it seems, the exact same tracks. Not as interesting looking, however.
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