Vertigo

In 1967, Polydor released Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" single on their new rock orientated label "Track Records". By 1969, the music scene had progressed into a more heavier and experimental jazz ~ rock feel, as well as a "hippy folk scene". Keeping up with the times, the Phonogram record company decided to bring out a label dedicated to this genre. Thus, the Vertigo label was set up.

If you are new to this sphere (pun intended!), and decide that you want to amass the whole catalogue, it would be advisable to leave the lesser commercially known Affinity, Linda Hoyle (vocalist with the aforementioned), Catapilla, and Clear Blue Sky to last, so that you will not be too disappointed with some of the other artist's compositions, especially by comparison!

There are 86 (confirmed? by yours truly) UK albums to collect that have the black and white "swirl" label, issued 1969 ~ 1973. Wealth warning: a high collector's price usually refers to the scarcity, and not necessarily the musical content! Near mint examples of DR Z, PATTO's "Hold Your Fire", & DR. STRANGELY STRANGE are particularly desireable. Each having an intricate sleeve design, these 3 are more susceptible to damage. Oh, and there are also 5 very collectible albums on the offshoot/ subsidiary "NEPENTHA" label, all issued in 1971.

Artist	Title	Year	Grade	Plays	Price
ATLANTIS .	ATLANTIS * lam. sleeve Germany / Disc UK * German outfit, post FRUMPY * P * more Atlantis on the German Rock page	1972	VG-/NM	EX+	£17
BLACK SABBATH	MASTER OF REALITY * lam. slim-box slve * no Poster Grade of MOR sleeves pertains to edges; center area ok	1971	VG/G all - over scuffs	min. VG to EX	£16
BLACK SABBATH	MASTER OF REALITY * lam. slim-box slve * no Poster	1971	VG / s1 VG+ s2 G	VG to VG+	£20
BLACK SABBATH .	BLACK SABBATH VOL 4 * g/f * affixed 4 pge insert VG+.. signs of handling	1972	EX-/EX+	1st 2 mins VG+ rest EX- to NM	£32
BLACK SABBATH UK LP	BLACK SABBATH VOL 4 * g/f * affixed 4 pge insert NM	1972	VG+/NM	NM	£58
COLOSSEUM .	DAUGHTER OF TIME * lead vocalist Chris Farlowe * small Vertigo logo labels * g/f	1972	EX / s1 EX- s2 VG+	s1 EX+ s2 VG+	£24
JUICY LUCY	LIE BACK AND ENJOY IT * no sleeve	1970	-- / G+	VG to VG+	free
MAGNA CARTA	IN CONCERT * g/f * Live in Amsterdam Nov 1971 * P	1972	EX/EX-	VG+ to EX	£24
MAGNA CARTA .	IN CONCERT * g/f * Live in Amsterdam Nov 1971 * P s2 trk2 clicks on 12 revs, o/w...	1972	VG+/EX-	VG+ to NM	£18
MATTHEWS, IAN . .	TIGERS WILL SURVIVE * tex. g/f * USA pressing * slve has small drill hole top right * front signed by Ian later Ian Matthews albums also in stock	1972	EX / s1 EX s2 NM	VG to mainly EX mainly EX	£28
STATUS QUO	PILEDRIVER * g/f * P	1972	EX-/EX	s1 VG+ s2 EX	£20
STATUS QUO .	PILEDRIVER * front g/f autographed by Rick & Francis at Exmouth Radio 1 Roadshow early 90's: obtained by yours truly	1972	VG+/VG	VG+	£45
STEWART, ROD STEWART UK LP .	AN OLD RAINCOAT WON'T EVER LET YOU DOWN * g/f * P slve has several light scratches, hence..	1969	VG/VG	VG+	£10
STEWART, ROD STEWART UK LP	AN OLD RAINCOAT WON'T EVER LET YOU DOWN * g/f* P	1969	VG+/VG+	VG+ to EX+	£18
STEWART, ROD STEWART UK LP	AN OLD RAINCOAT WON'T EVER LET YOU DOWN * g/f* P	1969	EX/NM	EX to mly NM	£28
STEWART, ROD	GASOLINE ALLEY * grey textured g/f* P	1970	EX+/EX	VG+ to EX+	£25
STEWART, ROD STEWART	GASOLINE ALLEY * matte g/f * P	1970	EX+/EX	VG to VG+	£8
STEWART, ROD STEWART	GASOLINE ALLEY * matte g/f * P * top spine damaged; o/w..	1970	EX/VG	EX to NM	£10
STEWART, ROD German press	GASOLINE ALLEY * lam g/f * P spine end yellow, hence..	1970	VG/NM	VG+ to EX	£7
VARIOUS: BLITZ, HEEP, LUCY, CRESSIDA, CARTA, GRACIOUS +	THE VERTIGO ANNUAL 1970 * dble * g/f * an excellent introduction into this label's concept * Polydor inners	1970	VG+/NM/NM	d 1 EX to NM disc 2 VG+	£32
VARIOUS: BLITZ, HEEP, LUCY, CRESSIDA, CARTA, GRACIOUS +	THE VERTIGO ANNUAL 1970 * dble * g/f * an excellent introduction into this label's concept * Swirl Inners	1970	EX+/NM/NM	as new	£65

Ordering
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Artist	Title	Year	Grade	Plays	Price
CROCE, JIM	JIM CROCE albums are listed on the Folk 1 page	.	.	.	.
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	FRAMED * g/f, with die-cut window	1972	VG+/EX-	NM	£14
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	FRAMED * g/f, with die-cut window	1972	VG+/NM	NM	£20
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	FRAMED * g/f, with die-cut window	1972	VG+/M-*	as new	£25

Artist	Title	Year	Grade	Plays	Price
BLACK SABBATH	TECHNICAL ECSTASY * lyric inner EX	1976	EX/NM	NM	£15
GENTLE GIANT .	IN A GLASS HOUSE * tex slve * die-cut window with printed acetate + white photo insert + lyric inner	1973	EX-/NM	NM	£25
GENTLE GIANT .	IN A GLASS HOUSE * tex slve * die-cut window with printed acetate + white photo insert * ex-Phonogram Holland file * no lyric inner issued * German press	1973	M-/M-	M-	£48
GENTLE GIANT	PRETENTIOUS * dble g/f *	1977	VG+/NM/NM	VG+ to EX+	£16
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	NEXT * silver on sleeve scuffed	1973	VG-/NM	NM	£10
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	LIVE	1975	EX/EX+	EX to NM	£8
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	LIVE	1975	EX+/NM	NM	£15
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	THE PENTHOUSE TAPES * photo inner + credits inner	1973	VG+/VG+	EX+	£12
SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND	BIG HITS AND CLOSE SHAVES	1977	VG+/EX-	EX-	£10
VARIOUS: SABBATH, GIANT, CARTA, A. HARVEY, A. CHILD, QUO, JADE W, KRAFTWERK +	SUCK IT AND SEE * dble * lam. g/f	1973	VG+/NM/NM	disc 1: VG to EX 2: VG+ to EX+	£17
VARIOUS: SABBATH, GIANT, CARTA, A. HARVEY, A. CHILD, QUO, JADE W, KRAFTWERK +	SUCK IT AND SEE * dble * lam. g/f	1973	EX+/EX+/EX+	EX to mainly NM	£28

Artist	Title	Year	Grade	Plays	Price
BLACK SABBATH .	BLACK SABBATH * g/f * early 2nd pressing of debut album * WWA006 DE LUXE	1970/3	EX/NM	NM	£18
BLACK SABBATH .	SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH * g/f * WWA 005 lyric inner (paper ~ rounded corners)	'73/74	VG+/NM	NM	£15
BLACK SABBATH	SABOTAGE * textured slve * NEMS 9119 001 (3rd issue)	73/80	VG+/EX+	EX+	£5
BLACK SABBATH	SABOTAGE * textured slve * NEMS 9119 001 (3rd issue)	73/80	EX+/NM	NM	£12
BOND, GRAHAM BOND LP '	THERE'S A BOND BETWEEN US * as THE GRAHAM BOND ORGANIZATION Graham Dick, Ginger, Jack.. "the cream of British R & B" (ouch!) * vinyl has light all-over marks, but plays EX+ to mostly NM throughout ; labels +hole NM	1965	EX/ s1 VG+ s2 VG	as	£280
BOND, GRAHAM	WE PUT OUR MAGICK ON YOU * g/f * USA Mercury * dr	1971	VG/VG+	EX	£9
COLOSSEUM	THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOU	1969	VG+/VG-	EX to mainly NM	£10
COLOSSEUM	COLLECTOR'S COLOSSEUM * tex slve * Bronze ILPS	1971	VG+/EX-	EX+	£14
DULCIMER .	AND I TURNED AS I TURNED... * g/f * USA Mercury * UK press on Nepentha label * still sealed * 2 x dr o/w..	1971	NM/M-	??	£30
EARTH & FIRE	now listed on the Dutch Rock / Pop page	-	-	-	-
GENTLE GIANT	FREE HAND * lyric card insert M * green Chrysalis	1975	EX/EX	M-	£18
GENTLE GIANT	FREE HAND * lyric card insert * green Chrysalis	1975	EX/VG+	VG+	£12
GENTLE GIANT	INTERVIEW * green Chrysalis	1976	VG+/VG	EX+	£6
GENTLE GIANT	INTERVIEW * green Chrysalis	1976	EX-/VG+	VG+	£6
GENTLE GIANT	LIVE PLAYING THE FOOL * dble g/f * small Book * green	1977	VG+/EX+/NM	M-	£22
GENTLE GIANT	LIVE PLAYING THE FOOL * dble g/f * small Book * green	1977	VG+/EX-/EX-	EX	£15
GENTLE GIANT	GIANT FOR A DAY! * USA Capitol * del. hole	1978	VG+/NM	NM	£7
GENTLE GIANT	GENTLE GIANT * g/f with 10 pge affixed booklet * Italy	1980	NM/EX	NM	£16
GENTLE GIANT .	GIANT FOR A DAY! * NM lyric inner * NM mask sheet insert * light scuff 1 side * Chrysalis	1978	NM/EX	NM	£16
GRAVY TRAIN	STAIRCASE TO THE DAY * g/f * a Roger Dean sleeve	1974	VG+/ EX	EX to NM	£65
JACKSON HEIGHTS	see Rock LP's listing	'	'	'	'
MAGNA CARTA	SEASONS * 'Music for the Millions' series * Dutch comp.	1983	EX+/M-	new	£8
MAY BLITZ .	MAY BLITZ * g/f * USA issue on the Paramount label	1970	VG / s1 EX s2 VG+	mainly EX to NM	£15
PATTO .	ROLL 'EM SMOKE 'EM put another line out * orig. pink rim Island label	1972	EX / s1 VG+ s2 VG	VG+ to EX	£25
URIAH HEEP	LIVE * g/f dble * Bronze label	1973	EX/M-/M-	NM	£18
URIAH HEEP	FALLEN ANGEL * g/f * Bronze label	1976	VG+/EX	NM	£10
URIAH HEEP	FALLEN ANGEL * g/f * Bronze label	1976	VG+/EX+	NM	£12

Artist	Title, etc	Year	Grade	Plays	Price
BOND, GRAHAM	WE PUT MAGICK ON YOU * g/f * uninspiring BGO label	1988	NM/M-	NM	£12

Artist	Title	Date	Grade	Price
APHRODITE'S CHILD	BREAK/ BABYLON * looks NM	1972	VG+	£5
BLACK SABBATH	PARANOID / THE WIZARD * s2 wol * s2 intro VG, o.w plays NM	1970	G	£8
BLACK SABBATH	PARANOID / RAT SALAD * 6059 014 * Belgium	1970	EX-/VG	£14
BOND, GRAHAM + MAGICK	TWELVE GATES... -/ WATER p * "A" Promo * small logo	1971	NM	£20
LIGHTHOUSE	TAKE IT SLOW/ SWEET LULLABY	1972	VG+	£7
MAGNA CARTA	AIRPORT SONG/ ELIZABETHAN	1970	NM	£8
MANFRED MANN CH. III	HAPPY BEING ME * release date in pen	1970	NM	£8
STATUS QUO	PAPER PLANE - plastic middle	1972	VG	£4

Item	Information	Date	Price
RECORD SHOP BANNER .	"VERTIGO" with logo x 13 times 40" x 4" (100cm x 10cm) = complete! has a small piece missing from top right corner, o/w in nice condition	1969-1971	£44

Ordering
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Non ~ UK pressings of the "swirl" label"⁺⁺ (as with most UK records!) do not fall into the same price league, unless there was not a UK pressed/ issue. These would originate within Europe, usually Germany. Much later issues from Malaysia, etc, of the pop genre are not in any way comparable.

The "spaceship" design label is also of interest to some extent, due to bands like Nucleus and Gentle Giant's continued output.

Note that although the label is also colloquial referred to as "spiral", the actual design is not of such.
Apparently, is referred to as "swirlywhirly" in more recent times. Can anyone confirm this?

Beware of counterfeits. These 'usually' have label printing qualities similar to that found on side 2 of original USA issues. Recordings can be from a VG+ record. Non gatefold/ semi-shiny sleeves are of the norm. Most are obvious, some ingenious... Dr Strangely Strange being one example.. eh, M.K.

⁺⁺ = unless of a different sleeve design, or a varied assortment of tracks, this applies to nearly all UK equivalents.
Some UK gatefold's were issued as single sleeves in Germany, New Zealand, etc. Again, these are worth less.