The Smiths HATFUL OF HOLLOW 1984 Rough Trade #Rough 76 UK Aston Clinton Pressing

$

50

Hatful of Hollow is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released on 12 November 1984 by Rough Trade Records. The album features tracks from BBC Radio 1 sessions, their first single "Hand in Glove" (a different mix of which had been included on their first album) and two new singles – “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” and “William, It Was Really Nothing” – and their B-sides. Hatful of Hollow reached No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart, remaining on the chart for 46 weeks. In 2000, Q magazine placed the album at No. 44 on its list of the "100 Greatest British Albums Ever".

A NOTE ABOUT THE COVER:  The original sleeve features a picture of the otherwise unknown Fabrice Colette taken by Gilles Decroix.  It includes a tattoo of a Jean Cocteau drawing on Colette's left shoulder, which Colette commissioned in June 1983 because he idolized Cocteau. The photograph is taken from a July 1983 special edition of the French newspaper Liberation.  Additionally, the old cover had a large sky-blue frame with the legends "The Smiths" and "Hatful of Hollow" above and underneath the picture

For sale here is an original 1984 first Aston Clinton Pressing from the U.K. (Variant 1, see notes, below).  The vinyl has some light marks visible, but per a test listen, nothing that affects playback.  It is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition.  The original gatefold cover is in Very Good Plus [VG+] condition.  The main flaw - which isn't much - is that an original "Hype" sticker was removed from the front cover and "repositioned" on side one of the inner sleeve (see photo).  When it was moved, the gloss of the cover underneath it was removed.  This is only visible when the cover is held at certain angles.  The same is true for a small price tag that was removed (but not repositioned LOL) from along the top edge of the front cover towards the right hand side.  The original inner sleeve, which is made of light cardboard instead of just paper, is in Excellent [EX] condition - and, of course, has the "bonus" addition of that repositioned Hype sticker.

Notes

This UK first issue variant has the following distinguishing attributes:
Gatefold sleeve, no barcode, and a printed inner sleeve;
'Printed and made in Great Britain by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd' at bottom rear sleeve;
Aston Clinton 'A' or 'Λ', or other stamped letters i.e. 'F', 'D' in runouts and characteristic Aston Clinton pressing rings;
Hype sticker at front has 'Rough 76' at top, '1983+84 John Peel' and a R.R.P. of £3.99, unlike later stickers; [“repositioned” to inner sleeve on this copy]
Correct black dot on rear sleeve before 'Girl Afraid', as distinguished from the misprinted Hatful Of Hollow;
Inner sleeve has lyrics in correct running order, with side B songs on the flipback side.

Copies may exist with or without hype sticker.

Runouts are entirely hand-scribed, apart from the stamped Aston Clinton text i.e. 'A', 'D', 'F', etc.

A2, A4, A6, A8, B2, B6 and B7 from the BBC Radio 1 John Peel Show.
A3, B3 and B4 from the BBC Radio 1 David Jensen Show.
Released by arrangement with BBC Enterprises Ltd.

℗ 1984 Rough Trade Records Ltd.
© 1984 Warner Bros. Music Ltd.

Made in the UK
UK distribution by The Cartel.
Printed and made in Great Britain by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Label Code (Both labels and rear sleeve): LC 5661

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A, var. 1): ROUGH 76 A1 A THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B, var. 1): ROUGH 76-B2 A Ian (EIRE)

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A, var. 2): ROUGH 76 A1 A THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B, var. 2): ROUGH 76-B3 A Ian (EIRE)

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side A, var. 3): ROUGH 76 A1 F THE IMPOTENCE OF ERNEST

Matrix / Runout (Runout, side B, var. 3): ROUGH 76 B1 D Ian (EIRE)

ENJOY!