The Vertigo Swirl Label

ISBN: 978-3-9810109-1-6

Warning: This book can seriously damage your bank balance….

I love books like this.  Compiled by Ulrich Klatte and published last year by the German CPG Books group I received this for my birthday and it’s going to cost me a fortune!

It’s not so much the words that make this book.  There aren’t actually that many.  A brief foreword and an introduction in both English and German are about it actually.  It’s the pictures that do it.  Every release ever issued on the famous Swirl label has its cover reproduced in glorious colour along with a guide to the mint vinyl value, the personnel involved and the catalogue information.  Some of the artwork on these albums, released from the late 60s to early 70s when Vertigo was arguably at the forefront as the label of quality for serious, progressive rock music releases, is simply stunning.  Drawing the reader in and making it essential that the music is sampled as well.  After all Ian Matthews 1972 LP “Tigers Will Survive” (Vertigo 6360056) or Catapilla’s self-titled 1971 album (Vertigo 6360029) may just be the best LP I’ve ever heard waiting to be discovered!

Are therein lies the reason why this book will ultimately cost so much more than the €25 cover price.  With no comment about the music whatsoever it falls to me to investigate each album in turn, see what the label bosses heard that made it suitable for release on the “serious rock” label and record my thoughts here for posterity.  Now I’m not made of money so on this occasion, especially as I’m sure there is some stuff way off my personal tastes, I’m looking to get a CD copy of every disc listed in the book.  Some of the vinyl goes for over €500 so I believe on this occasion I’m justified to forgo vinyl, at least until the lottery win!  Fortunately I already have a few of the discs, even the odd vinyl release, but to properly appreciate the growth of the label I’ve got to do this in order, and fit in the purchases around my normal buying too.

The first release to be adorned with the famous Swirl logo was Colosseum’s “Valentyne Suite”, part of six album “VO Series” and that has arrived from HMV recently so thoughts will follow soon….

—–

BL

Return To Main Page