ULTIMA THULE / COLLECTOR'S INFO / BRAIN

Brain (Metronome)

	version 1	version 2	version 7

Green Brain Metronome: 1972-1974
1001-1055 > LP
501-511 > 7" singles

Green Brain: 1974-1976
1056-1091 > LP
888 > sampler LP
60.007-019 > LP 1976 although I have 031 also listed as Green Brain
80.001 > 2LP 1976

Green Brain specifics...
Brain Metronome logo on the cover = original on the Green Brain Metronome label (that is the rule, excepting 1056 Release Music Orchestra - Life, which has Brain Metronome logo on cover, but is the first release with Green Brain labels omitting the metronome text)!
Catalogue numbers are etched by hand on the run-offs (varies, depending on the cutting engineer).
Matrix numbers 0664 etc are stamped on some pressings, but etched on most (the number sequence includes all Metronome labels)
Copyright text "all rights of the...made in germany by metronome records gmbh" is low-case inward, anti-clockwise.

Pressings (revised) earlier ones have dark olive green labels, later ones are more normal green. There are many manufacturing variations too, including at least 4 different pressings of green Brain Metronome LPs, especially by more popular artists like Guru Guru and Neu!. The early originals are conspicuous by the deeper recess (dink ring) at the centre of the label. All pressings to 1973 had a more square outer edged and wider run-in and 140-150g (approx) vinyl. Later pressings had bevelled edges (less run-in) and vinyl got lighter 130g > 120g.
You can also identify some different pressing by matrix number variations. For example the very first Guru Guru "Känguru" should have A side run-off matrix 1 C st-1007-A 0664.147 S1 PF with nothing crossed out nor additional.

Green Brain versions: (original examples) description

Green Brain Metronome LP label
Version 1: (Brain 1001-1003 only) deep olive green label with 30mm dink ring and 15mm raised ring 1972
Version 2: (Brain 1004-1010 only) deep olive green label with 30mm dink ring 1972
Version 3: (Brain 1011+1012+1014+1020 known) slightly lighter olive green label with 20m & 15mm rings 1972
Version ?: (Brain 1013+1015+1016) not confirmed, documented with Version 6 labels
Version ?: (Brain 1017-1018) not confirmed, documented with Version 5 & 6 labels
Version 4: (Brain 1019) Khan - Space Shanty 1st press, as version 3 but with raised 30mm ring 1972
Version ?: (Brain 1021-1022) not confirmed, documented with Version 5 & 6 labels
Version 5: (Brain 1023-1050) label as version 3. Raised centre 20mm ring with 3 raised dots 1973-74
Version 6: (Brain 1051-1055) label as version 3. Raised 20mm ring has no dots 1974

Green Brain LP label
Version 7: (Brain 1056-1091) similar to version 6, but no large metronome text 1974+

Pressings companies...
Versions 1+2. Deutsche Grammophon
Versions 3+4. Phonogram (Hamburg) unconfirmed
Version 5. Philips / Phonodisc (Hannover)
Versions 6+7. Metronome (Hamburg) unconfirmed

Original covers...
1001-1033, 1036-1044, 1048, 1051-1054, 1062, 1075, 1084, 1088, 1089 (and all doubles) are standard gatefold covers, except
1034 Kollektiv had a novelty gatefold, with self assembly extra panel (rarely found intact)
1045 Yatha Sidhra had a wallet style cover with die-cut text on the front (later single sleeve versions exist)
1046 Krautrock triple LP had a multi-fold cover
All other known covers were standard single sleeves (some with inserts)

Covers types...
Most gatefolds are glazed laminated outside, unglazed inside. A few have no laminate (i.e. 1st press of 1003 Gomorrha).
Some are matt laminated like the second press of 1003 Gomorrha, 1017 Creative Rock "Gorilla", 1020 Sameti.
There are problems with the laminate on many Brain pressings, it tends to bubble or peel, which can result in damaged covers!

A typically tatty, peeling original Green Brain Metronome issue of Ballermann (with Browser text) and Price sticker!

Browser text...
Most original April 1974 to February 1975 pressings can be identified by "artist name brain 10??" info text, top-left of the front cover.
First known: Lindner & Bohn - Vollbedienung Of Percussion, Brain 1047 (released April 1974)
Last known: Release Music Orchestra Garuda, Brain 1072 (issued Feb 1975)
It is not known if all within this period had the "Browser text" although most (and many of the 2001 Brain "This Is" releases) did.
Also, to confuse matters, some retained the text on further represses, but with most it was removed.
Example...

Releases by popular artists like: Jane, Grobschnitt, Guru Guru, Neu!, Novalis, etc., exist with numerous different pressings.

There are also some very rare ones with cutting errors, like a first press of Creative Rock "Lady Pig" that is missing the last track, and also (reputedly) the very first press of Os Mundi "43 Minuten" is 43 minutes as it also misses the closing novelty track. Copies of Grobschitt "Ballermann" exist with a mixture of Green Brain Metronome and Green Brain labels (indicating that labels changed during the manufacture of the second pressing of this)

	version 1a	version 2	version 3

Orange Brain: 1977-1980
60.039-354 / 0060.039-354 > LP
80.013-048 / 0080.013-048 > 2LP

Distinctive new label more arty picture design based on the cover of 2/1091 "History Of German Rock 1972 - 1976" double.
Catalogue/Matrix numbers are stamped on the run-offs (very small on earlier pressings, larger on later ones).

Copyright text...
Version 1a. (early 1977) "all rights of the...made in germany by metronome records gmbh" low-case inward, anti-clockwise. No label code
Version 1b. (early 1977) as 1a. Plus label code
Version 2. (1977 - ca. March 1978) "all rights of the...made in germany by metronom musik gmbh" is low-case inward, anti-clockwise. That's all reissues during that period, and new releases up to the first pressing of: 0060.117 Liliental. Note the spelling mistake: metronom - not metronome!
Version 3. (March 1978+) the style changes filling the circumference of the label, with "ALL RIGHTS OF THE...RECORD PROHIBITED" outwards, clockwise,
and "MADE IN GERMANY BY METRONOME RECORDS GMBH" inward anti-clockwise at the bottom. All capitals. As picture right above.

See note below about leading zeros

Black Brain: 1980-1990
0060.365-519 > LP
0080.087 > 2LP 1981
811 994-1 + > Polygram Dist

When Brain was relegated to just another Metronome/Polygram sub-label, this more simple label design was adopted.
A good few popular titles from the earlier catalogue were reissued with this label, some with original catalogue numbers.

Other issue identifiers...

Price codes...
(0559) = Brain 1LP price code 1976 (as on Jane "Fire Water Earth & Air" 2nd/3rd pressings)
(0649) = Brain 1LP price code 1976+ (as on Release Music Orchestra "Get The Ball")
(0821) = Brain 2LP price code 1976+

Label code...
LC 3230 = registered in mid-late 1976. Appeared on some of the very last Green Brain, but was omitted on first Orange Brain labels.

Leading Zeros...
These were added after Metronome signed an exclusive export contract with RCA in the UK in mid-1977.
Thus 1083 became 0001.083, 60.039 became 0060.039, 80.013 became 0080.013, etc.

More recent pressings/reissues...

There are many different Brain label variations since the 1980s.
Some later 1990s LP pressings have black labels without the silver print (i.e. just white text on black background).
A few more recent reissues have olive green coloured labels with black text (as per the black label design).
There are also some on orange labels as per the 1977 pressings, but have "all rights of the...made in the eu" as copyright text in small case.

Original inner sleeve dating clues...

Often, if you have a copy that retains the original inner sleeve you can identify the pressing date by the code number, usually something like (example from an inner sleeve of Klaus Schulze Body Love): 4912 000 1533 40.83. I was told by Klaus Muller that the first block identifies the pressing plant, the third the job number, and in this case 40.83 means week 40, 1983.

CD issues...

Early 1984/85 issues mimicked the black Brain LP label
Later 1980s and after: issues are generally silver disc with black print only.

Disc type variations:
1. 1984-93 are all "silver to centre" flat discs (with no stacking ring) and black print only
2. 1994-98? issues are typically 18mm clear centre, silver label with black print
3. 1998?+ pressings 25mm clear centre, silver label with black print

1980s 2CD sets came in "fat boy" multiboxes. Later issues came in slim "brilliant box" cases.
Some Repertoire CD reissues replicated the Green Brain label (and invented some new variations).
Universal & Revisited reissues used beige background on most labels.

This page: referencecollectorinfo.html (first draft 25 August 2012) since split with extra pages