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Permalink Reply by Jim McFiver on October 16, 2017 at 6:08am

As a former indie record store owner/operator, maybe I can help.

Promotional records (or PROMOS as they're commonly referred to) were album freebies sent from the record labels to radio and press in advance of the official release date. This enabled timely reviews and airplay.

The most valuable promos are those manufactured separately from the standard issue, which often had white labels and/or unique sleeves & album covers. The Beatles VJ white label singles, for example, command a huge premium as there were few pressed compared to the regular issue.

In the 1980s-90s, the record companies, to save money, simply took official LP and 12" single releases and had them stamped on the cover and label "FOR PROMOTIONAL ONLY" instead of incurring the cost of a separate advance release. Because these stamped records were the exact same product as the official release, they're of little collector's  value - unless they were significantly different (different song edits, white labels, special printing or the cover or - had an artist's signature). 

Regarding your Fagen Quiexx promo pressing, if I remember correctly, the first batch of that albums pressing were Quiexx and thus available to the general public and not particularly rare. Signed, of course, enhances the value but I'll defer to other Steely Dan collectors insight.

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Permalink Reply by sling on October 18, 2017 at 3:30pm

Here is the inset sleeve for Damn the TORPEDOES album.  Was it a special promo insert for an insert special to the promo copy?

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Permalink Reply by marc e on October 18, 2017 at 4:42pm

.if ur asking was the sleve differnt for the album becuase it was stamped on the outside the answer is no

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Permalink Reply by sling on October 19, 2017 at 5:25pm

thanks, i screwed up but that was what i was asking

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Permalink Reply by marc e on October 16, 2017 at 7:16pm

as a long time record company employe i can chime in

there are a few differnt reasons. the first is as a promo the labal actualy own the itiem ,it was never ment to be resold  so when they sent it out to radio stations , reviews , booking agents and trade people indirectly there realy loaners  but they were never asked back for.

there are a few type of promo albums stickerd , burnt in usualy with gold with the usauly saying and eventualy the went to just cutting the corners of the vynyl wich meant they coudnt be returned if they went unsold at a record sold.

we would use a term call cleans and promo versions.cleans were used as a bribe meaning they could be sold leagaly over the register  as they had no promotional markins.

cds also have not for sale promotional use only or there drilled in the plastic and thru the cd sleve. same as albums

albums or cds stamped promo only do hold a higher value than regular albums or cds.

we also gor cassette advances.i had cassete advances of the nirvana nermind album for a month or 2 before it came out but no artwork yet.

another questions

its realy industry stuff. there was a good magazine in the 90s called goldmine that sold all promo stuff .cds ,swaf u name .we made a killing on it i know goldmine still around buts its not the same

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on October 16, 2017 at 7:33pm

"The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" 1984 gold stamped promotional LP (on Reverse - like an emboss "not for resale"etc). Signed 7.31.84 Quebec after a show with Clapton. Artwork by Garland Scarfe.

 

"David Gilmour in Concert" promotional DVD signed 2003:

 

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Permalink Reply by marc e on October 16, 2017 at 7:39pm

 u know why the put the not for sale stamp over the bar code area 

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on October 16, 2017 at 7:42pm

Hi John,

I dunno. I have some CD's where the artist has blacked out the4 barcode with Sharpie. Laurie Anderson is good fort this. I think I saw Bowie do this once. What do you think?

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Permalink Reply by marc e on October 16, 2017 at 7:47pm

i can tell u. so it coundnt  be sold.

and when billboard switched to sounscam for there ratings u coudnt scan it as a sold itiem,

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on October 16, 2017 at 7:49pm

Yes John, I figured that - so it could not be sold.

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Permalink Reply by marc e on October 16, 2017 at 7:29pm

gnr stamped promo cd

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Permalink Reply by Jim McFiver on October 17, 2017 at 12:24am

The marked and stamped Promos also prevented retailers from returning them to labels and distributors for credit, which many tried to do. It's also why you'd find LPs and CDs with punch-holes or saw notches on the side or in the barcode. Record stores could remove stickers - but they couldn't very well repair them cut-out holes!

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