Classic Records reissues of Born To Run

[eddy_wehbe]

According to Discogs, Classic Records was a reissue label that specialized in audiophile LP reissues of classic albums. It employed its own custom-built tube-based mastering equipment on all of its releases, which were mastered from original master tapes or the best sources available. Classic Records used 180 gram vinyl until 2001. They introduced 200 gram "Quiex SV-P" in July 2002. In the 2000s, they also introduced lower-priced versions of many of their LPs, pressed from the same masters but on regular 150, 140, or 120 gram vinyl. Classic's assets were purchased by Acoustic Sounds in 2010.

As part of the acquisition of Classic Records, Acoustic Sounds got its hands on the Quiex SV-P and other vinyl formulation/process technologies.

Today, Classic Records reissues of Born To Run are hard to find and it's not easy to find much information about them. I'm researching and writing about this subject here to consolidate all available information in one place. This will help me and others collector to know more about these releases and make it easier to hunt existing versions. As always, please let me know if you have any corrections or additional information about this subject.

The 180-gram issue:

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According to Lost In Then Flood and Discogs (which wrongly uses the photo of the 140g issue), the 180g issue was released by Classic Records in 1999. A Backstreets #62 (spring 1999) article supports this date. The fascinating thing about the article is that there were two Classic Records 180g pressings in 1999, one in a regular jacket, and one in a gatefold jacket. See article attached at the bottom. I had my doubts buy finally I got my hands on both versions.
- My copy of the 180 gram Classic Records reissue in regular sleeve
- My copy of the 180 gram Classic Records reissue in gatefold sleeve

This issue has an oval golden sticker, unlike the later 140g and 200g issues which have black-and-white stickers. The sticker states "Classic Records 50th Anniversary LP Series". The same sticker can be found on other albums reissued by Classic Records in 1999 as part of a series commemorating the 50th anniversary of LPs.


The 200-gram issue:

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According to Lost In Then Flood and Discogs, the 200g issue was released by Classic Records in 2005. A sold-out copy is listed on eil.com and dated 2005.

But the most important proof of the date is from Classic Records itself. In an email they sent out in November 2005, Classic Records sent out emails with the following text:
On this the 30th Anniversary of one of the most important albums of the 70's and arguably of rock generally, Classic brings back, for the first time on our Quiex Super Vinyl Profile, "Born To Run". [...] this is the same version Classic previously has issued - now for the first time on our proprietary 200g Quiex Super Vinyl Profile.

If you got to www.classicrecords.com, the website redirects you to store.acousticsounds.com. They have an expensive second hand copy of the 200g issue (the page contains part of the text in the above mentioned email).

There are two versions of the sticker for this issue, but I'm not sure if they were both used in the same year (2005). They have the same oval black and white design, but one states "Heavy weight Classic Records Quiex SV-P super vinyl pressing" and the other specifies "200 gram Classic Records Quiex SV-P super vinyl profile". Both of course are 200g, which is the characteristic of "Quiex SV-P" records.

The 200-gram issue:

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It's not listed on Lost In Then Flood, but according to Discogs, the 140g issue was released by Classic Records in 2010. But other than Discogs (which is not always accurate), I don't see anything that confirms the release year. The only this that we know is that this issue came after the 200g issue.

The sticker has an oval black and white design and states "Classic Records regular weight 140 gram". I have a copy of this one.
- My copy of the 140 gram Classic Records reissue


Summary:

So, as far as we know, there are five issues/versions of Classic Records releases of Born To Run:

Code: Select all

Weight | sleeve   | Sticker                    | Year
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
180g   | regular  | Golden "50th anniversary"  | 1999
180g   | gatefold | Golden "50th anniversary"  | 1999
200g   | gatefold | Black/white "Heavy Weight" | 2005
200g   | gatefold | Black/white "200g"         | 2005
140g   | gatefold | Black/white "140g"         | 2010(?)

[eddy_wehbe]

I received a copy I bought from Discogs. It's a 1999 issue with golden sticker. Regular (non-gatefold) sleeve, presumably 180g. I updated the above summary accordingly.

[schrefel]

In my collection are only the golden sticker release, 180g with gatefold sleeve and the black sticker, 200g with gatefold sleeve. But if I remember right there was somewhere some discussion about the Scorpio release and it was considered a counterfeit pressing.

[eddy_wehbe]

Note: I updated the first post and removed the information related to the fake reissue since it's irrelevant to the subject. I now moved this information here for record purposes.

I recently bought a 180g pressing from a Dutch seller. See my copy here. I assumed that this was a Classic Records reissue (with a Classic Records sticker), but when the seller sent me photos I was surprised to discover that the sticker is not a "Classic Records" one ─ it's a rectangular black-and-gold one.

If you Google the text found on the black-and-gold sticker, you get results for some other albums with the same sticker. This Discogs entry is listed as a 140g European pressing. The notes at the bottom are very interesting: "The release seems not to be affiliated with any of the labels printed on the cover or vinyl, therefore being unofficial. It was released sometime after 2000. The company releasing it is unknown..." I also found some interesting statements on discussion forums. Post #21 on this thread and post #3 on this thread imply that a release with such sticker is a reissue by a label called Scorpio.

[eddy_wehbe]

I received a copy of the 180 gram Classic Records reissue in gatefold sleeve, did more research, and updated the first post accordingly.