Tag Archives: Variants

The Boys of Dungeon Lane – The Collectors Who Have them All

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Even on popular discussion forums (like the Steve Hoffman Music Forum – currently up to 846 pages talking about The Boys of Dungeon Lane), there are fans who doubt anyone could possibly try to collect each and every variation of the latest McCartney release. We’ve tried to capture all of the current variations we’re aware of in this chart. Here’s the latest version:

[Click image to see a larger version]

However, there ARE collectors out there who do go for gold (and silver, and red, and white, and splatter…..etc. etc.!) and try to get everything.

One of our readers, Guy in the United States, has now amassed no less than 18 versions of Dungeon Lane. He sent us through this image:

The variants in the covers are: red, green, blue, embossed white (i.e. ‘the gatefold’), Third Man Records, Jacaranda Records, and Amoeba.

The vinyl LP variants: red, white, black, silver, green, yellow, pink, blue, purple, gold, splatter, picture disc, and white label.

Inner Sleeves: red, green, blue. Booklet.

Other Formats: red CD, green CD, red CD sleeve, green CD sleeve, cassette and booklet.

Doo Dads: eight different postcards, plus the Dungeon Lane tote bag from the listening party (not pictured).

I think you’ll agree his collection is an impressive sight displayed as it is. Thank you Guy for sending through the image, and big congratulations on the effort in tracking each of those variants down.

Another avid collector is Beatle Dustino, who has been detailing on YouTube his quest to collect every variant of The Boys of Dungeon Lane from around the world. As each came in he’s been uploading an unboxing video. As an example, here’s his video showing all the different lyric cards and photo prints that came in various editions.

As you can see he includes the lyric cards that came with the McCartney Store exclusive green vinyl; the Target exclusive red vinyl; and the Target CD. Plus the photo prints exclusive to the McCartney Store green CD; the Walmart exclusive CD; the Barnes & Noble or Rough Trade gold vinyl; and the listening party exclusive silver vinyl. Plus he shows the lyric card, photo print and post card that came with the Japanese SHM-CD Deluxe Edition. Phew!

New McCartney – The Boys of Dungeon Lane

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No doubt you’ve heard by now there’s to be a brand spanking new Paul McCartney solo album called The Boys of Dungeon Lane – due in stores from May 29. Very exciting to get a whole album’s worth of new material from the master – especially after a five year wait.

A new Paul McCartney release means inevitably there’ll be lots of variations to collect. Already there are 8 different vinyl colours you can pre-order, plus four different CD packages. Based on his last solo release (McCartney III), there’ll no doubt be more….

If you are collecting, here’s a bit of a guide to what’s available so far. And please bear in mind we haven’t seen the packaging in full as yet, so who know what artwork will be on the rear covers, spines, etc.

However, with the guide below you need to note some subtle differences between some of the versions – especially if you are a real packaging nerd. A few come with slightly different features (inserts, etc.), so we’ll try to point these out for you as we go along.

OK. Lets start off with the most obvious, and it’s the black vinyl. It is available from the official McCartney store, at Universal Music stores in various parts of the word (Australia for example), and seems to be widely available at most other places too from May 29:

The black vinyl includes embossed cover artwork (with red and black lettering), a printed inner sleeve and a 12-page lyric booklet.

There’s also a green vinyl which looks pretty nice. This is a McCartney store exclusive (plus at various Universal Music outlets – Umusic Shop Canada for example):

As you can see above, this comes with a unique cover with green and black lettering on the front (not red and black). It includes the store-exclusive green vinyl LP, a lyric card, and the 12-page lyric booklet. So, different to the black vinyl.

The gold vinyl will be available from Barnes and Noble stores in the US and is most probably the same gold vinyl as the Rough Trade exclusive offering.

The Rough Trade listing says “Includes 12-page lyric booklet and embossed cover artwork”. The Barnes and Noble listing is a little more vague as to what this version contains packaging-wise, but the hype sticker clearly states “Includes Photo Print”:

Now, until the launch of The Boys of Dungeon Lane last week we’d never heard of TalkShopLive. A quick Google reveals it is “the live streaming, social selling online network for anyone, anywhere, to buy & sell almost anything!” Hmmm. Still not exactly sure what that even means….BUT, the site has a purple vinyl exclusive. Could this have the potential to become the rarest version?

There’s precious little detail of what the packaging is for this TalkShopLive edition.

At the other end of the spectrum is the big online retailer, Amazon. They get a white vinyl Amazon exclusive:

Pressed on Amazon exclusive white vinyl, this LP includes the 12-page lyric booklet and embossed cover artwork.

The red vinyl is going out as an “exclusive” to a number of the big bricks-and-mortar stores like HMV in the UK, Target in the US, plus other large chain stores (like JB HiFi in Australia, fnac in France, jpc in Germany, etc.). This actually looks pretty good:

The red vinyl edition comes with the lyric card and the 12-page lyric booklet and embossed cover artwork.

Actually, jpc in Germany has quite clear images of the labels (which are common across the variants). Obviously they’re printed but look to be originally hand-written by Paul?

The pink vinyl is going to quite a lot of independant record stores (both bricks-and-mortar stores and online) right around the world, including Rough Trade, the SuperDeluxeEdition store, Juno Records in the UK, Badlands in the UK, the iMusic online store in Denmark etc., etc.:

This Indie-only pink vinyl features an embossed sleeve and comes with a 12-page lyric booklet.

So as you can see there are a number of little packaging wrinkles amongst the coloured vinyls.

But the biggest variation (so far) is probably the Amoeba Music exclusive just announced. It has completely out there alternate cover artwork (riffing on the Amoeba store’s official logo), and is on exclusive limited edition yellow vinyl:

No word on what else is included in this love-or-hate packaging! This looks to have unique labels as well.

As far as CD’s go it looks like there’s the widely-available standard CD: white disc, embossed cover with red lettering. Includes lyric booklet.

There’s an exclusive “green cover” CD: white disc, green lettering on front cover. Includes a “Paul McCartney photo print”, and lyric booklet. This again is a McCartney store exclusive (plus through various Universal Music outlets – Umusic Shop Canada for example):

Meanwhile in Japan there are two different SHM-CD variants available for pre-order. The first is the standard SHM-CD:

Not a lot of detail about what you get here, but it is almost certain to come with a lyric booklet and an insert with a Japanese translation of the lyrics.

There is also a limited Deluxe Edition SHM-CD described as a “Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP) in a 7-inch cardboard sleeve. Bonus item(s) are planned. Includes commentary, lyrics, and a Japanese translation”. Both SMH-CD’s do not have any bonus tracks.

A Rainbow of McCartney III LPs!

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If you don’t believe there are collectors out there intent on having every single variation, then think again:

This is a photograph from the collection of one of our readers and contributors – Guy from the USA. Guy has managed to secure no less than 16 different McCartney III colour variants, and 10 different McCartney III Imagined double LPs.

You can check them off against our two guides to all the known variants below (they include CDs and cassettes – which Guy also has BTW!). Click on the images to enlarge: