Life. Love. Unbroken.: AND / FALL ON PROVERB

22 copies in my collection as of Dec. 31st 2016. No two of them are exactly the same.

All of the color vinyl copies in my collection as of Dec. 31st 2016. Either due to vinyl or cover variations. Meanwhile I added another copy on grey vinyl.

28 copies in my collection as of July 27th 2017

Year of release:
1994

Tracklist:
A: And
B: Fall on proverb

The never ending story.

On this release they went all out. Currently I have 38 different variations but there are several more and most of it is just subtle differences that the general public doesn't give a shit about which makes it very hard to find what I am looking for. If you are crazy enough to care about that shit this is. Well, I definitely am so get in touch with anything you think I might not have. You can also check my WANTS section for what I definitely don't have.

Let the nerdario begin:

Looks like the pressing plant fucked up the A-Side Matrix for the 1st press run on black vinyl by etching UNBPOKEN instead of UNSPOKEN into the runout groove of Side A. Later pressings had that corrected!

The earliest pressing to have the correct Matrix is the one with off-white cover and 'three one g.' address plus $3.00 / $5.00 ppd. prices on the back cover and no Rebel Alliance 31g logo on the bottom inside cover. This pressing still has the Rebel Alliance 31g logo on the center labels though!!! Which means there definitely are 2 pressings that have the Rebel Alliance 31g logo on the center labels. Maybe even more. But they would have to be identical to one of those two.

All the evidence so far points to these standard pressings that were definitely different from one another and didn't just vary in either one or more of the following aspects: paper stock used for the cover, stamped, smudged, stickered or patterned covers, color of the Unbroken logo stamp on the front cover (standard is silver throughout all pressings except 4th press black cover version):

differences to the previous pressing are bold

- 1st press: off-white fold-over cover, black vinyl, large center hole, Rebel Alliance 31g logo on the center labels and bottom inside cover, '31g' used for the address on the back cover, $2.50 and $4.00 ppd. prices printed after the label address on the back cover, 'UNBPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 2nd press: off-white fold-over cover, black vinyl, large center hole, Rebel Alliance 31g logo on the center labels, bottom inside cover now has 'three one g.' and no Rebel Alliance symbol, 'three one g.' used for the address on the back cover, $3.00 and $5.00 ppd. prices printed after the label address on the back cover, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 3rd press?: off-white fold-over cover, black vinyl, large center hole, No 31g logo on the center labels at all but otherwise the center label design is identical to earlier pressings. Bottom inside cover still has 'three one g.' , 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover and no prices, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 3rd press?: black cover, black vinyl, large center hole, No 31g logo on the center labels at all, no idea about all the rest since I don't own a copy yet. Probably the same pressing as the one above only with the different cover.

- 4th press?: off-white fold-over cover, pink vinyl, large center hole, THREE.ONE.G logo on the center labels which are in general slightly different from earlier pressings, bottom inside cover still has 'three one g.' , 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover, no prices anymore on the back cover, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 4th press?: black fold-over cover, white unbroken logo, pink vinyl, large center hole, THREE.ONE.G logo on the center labels which are in general slightly different from earlier pressings, bottom inside cover still has 'three one g.' , 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover, no prices anymore on the back cover, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching. numbered and unnumbered copies exist. The numbered copies were sold at the Eric Allen Memorial show on Nov. 28th 1998

- 5th press?: black glue-pocket cover, grey vinyl, large center hole, THREE.ONE.G logo on the center labels which are in general slightly different from earlier pressings but the same as the pink vinyl ones, 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover, no prices anymore on the back cover, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 6th press?: black glue-pocket cover, black vinyl, large center hole, THREE.ONE.G logo on the center labels which are in general slightly different from earlier pressings but the same as the pink and grey vinyl ones, 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover, no prices anymore on the back cover, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 7th press?: black glue-pocket cover, clear w/ black splatter vinyl, small center hole, THREE.ONE.G logo on the center labels which are again different from all earlier pressings, 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover, no prices anymore on the back cover, 'UNSPOKEN' A-side matrix etching.

- 8th press?: 20th ANNIVERSARY PRESSING 2015. Different pressing plant used. completely new matrix. black glue-pocket cover. gold vinyl. back to large center hole but again another center label design. 'THREE.ONE.G' used for the address on the back cover, no prices anymore on the back cover.

So including the 3rd and 4th press variations there are at least 10 versions (11 if you count the not numbered 4th press pink vinyl black cover) that are substantially different from one another and would be needed to have a complete collection of this release even though some of them are not different pressings. (12 including the test press)

In order to keep better track of what is in my collection I chose to categorize them by assigning letters (A-J) to the major 10 versions and add numbers to reflect how many variations of a certain version I do own.

Decide for yourself how far you want to take this. Personally I wouldn't spend a lot of cash on a one off variant. To me that would only make sense if there would be only this one record that stands out from all the others and would therefore be 'needed' to complete the collection. But as there are countless unique copies what's the point? The thrill is finding one. Not being able to afford it.

That being said I want to acquire as many variations as humanly possible.

I know this is all very confusing so here are a few pictures comparing the major differences to give you a better idea:

Address variations on the back cover.
1st press on top w/ '31g.' logo and $2.50 / $4.00 ppd. prices
2nd press in the middle w/ 'three one g.' logo and $3.00 / $5.00 ppd. prices
all later pressings (incl. black covers) use the 'THREE.ONE.G' logo with no ppd. prices

Regular and reversed printing on cover inside.
The version on the left has the lyrics printed the way most of my copies do so I call this the regular variation.

Logo variations on bottom cover inside.
1st press has the 'Rebel Alliance 31g.' logo on the bottom inside cover
2nd press has the 'three one g.' logo on the bottom inside cover (while still featuring the 'Rebel Alliance 31g' logo on the center labels)
Later fold-over cover variations have the 'three one g.' logo on the bottom inside cover and either no 31g logo at all or the 'THREE.ONE.G' logo variation on the center labels

Center label variations
Top left is used for 1st AND 2nd press and comes mostly with off-white cover. Never seen one with a black cover but there are 1st press covers on blue and yellow.
Top right is used for the 3rd press and comes with either off-white or black cover. Note the different font that was used while sticking to the same layout that was used for earlier pressings. Label color is grey instead of silver.
Bottom left is a 6th press. Same labels were used on the pink (4th press) and grey (5th press) vinyl variations. Label color is back to silver with yet another font that causes the credits to spill over into the 2nd line.
Bottom right is the latest and maybe also the last pressing with a completely different label and small center hole now.
update August 9th 2016:
a while ago there was a 20th anniversary pressing with black center labels, large spindle hole and yet a new font/ layout.

Crazy fun fact!
These are all the label flyers that came with either one of the 1st and 2nd press copies I had until the July 27th 2017 update and all of them are printed on different paper stock next to these more obvious variations:
Top row says 'THREEONEG' underneath the 'Rebel Alliance 31g' logo
Middle row says 'THIRTYONEG' underneath the 'Rebel Alliance 31g' logo
Bottom row says '31g' and has the Rebel Alliance logo without 31g in it.

Ok. That's about it for the general differences now let's get into even more details

TEST PRESS
One set of test pressings is known to exist. AND I STILL NEED ONE.

A-Side Matrix: 31G No.1A UNSPOKEN L-43713
B-Side Matrix: 31G No.1-B UNBROKEN L-43713-x

It's pretty strange that the Matrix of the Test Press has the correct A Side etching (UNSPOKEN) and not the fucked up etching (UNBPOKEN) of the first press.
Ferry and I had the following idea of how it might have gone down:
31G sends the info for the pressing to the plant. They make the test and send them back to 31G. They confirm but before the actual pressing was made someone at the plant has another close look at the matrix and believes to have discovered a mistake that no one had noticed and etches two additional lines into the 'master' which lead to the wrong 1st press matrix. if you take a really good look at that one you'll see that it originally said UNSPOKEN and that someone went in to 'correct' it to something that looks like UNBPOKEN probably not realising it still doesn't say UNBROKEN.
if that's true it raises the question of how the 2nd pressing came out to have the correct matrix. the only way to fix the problem of the first press would have been to make a new 'master'. which should have resulted in another set of test pressings but info so far has it that there was only one set made.
but if it's not true how did the 1st press end up with the fucked up matrix and all the other pressings without? you might see a solution in the possibility that what i claim to be the first press is actually not the first press but how do you explain the cheaper prices on the back cover then? i don't think postage prices had gotten cheaper before they had the 2nd press made. well this little nugget only adds to the mystery of this release and makes it even more interesting.

Another explanation might be that they didn't have test pressings made for the first press and then realised the matrix got fucked up which might then have led them to have test pressings made for the 2nd press.

So the 2nd scenario is more likely as long as no Test Press with the fucked up matrix turns up.

What still is a mystery though is the fact that the 20th anniversary pressing has a completely different matrix but I haven't heard of or seen a Test Press for that one yet.

Pictures of the only confirmed Test Pressing from the collection of Ferry xthreesomex

These pictures i took from an eBay auction and are of the copy that once belonged to Eric Allen

Version A1:
Label: 31g Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNBPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: black
off-white cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'31g.' address on back cover with $2.50 and $4.00 ppd. prices
fold-over cover
Rebel Alliance 31g logo on center labels and bottom of inside cover
large center hole

Version A2:
The lyrics on the inside of the cover are printed the other way around than with most of the other copies I have. A2, A5 and F1 are the only ones like that in my collection so far.

Version A3:
sticker on cover
pink triangle stamp on inside cover

Version A4:
marbled paper stock used for the cover

Version A5:
RATHER GOLD Unbroken logo stamp on cover
The lyrics are printed upside down like on Version A2
STAR STAMPED cover and dust sleeve

Version A6:
BLUE cover
MAROON Unbroken logo stamp on cover

Version A7:
MAROON Unbroken logo stamp on cover
The lyrics are printed upside down like on Version A2
Another kind of marbled paper used for the cover
THE PHOTOSTRIP PRINTED ON THE COVER IS BIGGER THAN ON ANY OTHER COPY I HAVE

Version A8:

YELLOW cover
BLUE Unbroken logo stamp on cover

Version A9:
RATHER GOLD Unbroken logo which is hard to see because it's completely on the photostrip
yet another kind of marbled paper used for the cover

Version A10:

UFO stamp on back cover

Version A11:

DARK GREY LOGO STAMP.

Not sure if it's good to see in the picture but comparing the dark grey to the standard silver stamp in real life really shows a difference. It's not just a matter of aging or wear.

Version A12:

HOLLOW STAR STAMP on BACK COVER

Yes, you already did scroll past a copy with a hollow star stamp but this one is on the back cover. Not sure if I'd have bought it if it wouldn't have been for the Akbar & Jeff Are Queer flyer. I love that one and didn't have it before so here you go.

Version A13:

PINK STAR STAMP

Version A14:

STICKER on the DUST SLEEVE.

Added to the collection in 2023 and at that point I had only seen copies with a sticker on the cover. 11 years working on this discography and I still find out things new to me. This release continuously amazes me.

Version A15:

YELLOW COVER with MAROON STAMP

Version A/B 1:

TWO LOGO STAMPS on this one and on top of it it's A MIX OF 1st PRESS VINYL WITH 2nd PRESS SLEEVE. The only one of this kind I've come across so far but there should be more of these mix-ups unless this is the case of someone upgrading their copy neglecting the difference in pressings. The cover and dust sleeve of this copy have a water damage so maybe something worse happened to the vinyl and it got replaced.

(There's also a mix up copy of 3rd press vinyl with 2nd press cover in my collection. Scroll down to find that listing.)

Version B1:
Label: three one g. Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: black
off-white cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'three one g.' address on back cover with $3.00 and $5.00 ppd. prices
fold-over cover
Rebel Alliance 31g logo on center labels only
bottom of inside cover now has 'three one g.'
large center hole

hand print on back cover

Version B2:
smudged cover

Version B3:
reversed printing on inside cover
2 Label Flyers
STAR STAMP on back cover
Dust sleeve stamped with "FUCK LOST AND FOUND"

Version B4:
this also has the reversed printing on the inside cover
plus Dust sleeve stamped with "FUCK LOST AND FOUND"
but no Star Stamp or additional flyer

Version B5:

THREE LOGO STAMPS

Version C1:
Label: three one g. Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: black
off-white cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
fold-over cover
reversed printing on inside cover
No 31g logo on center labels at all
layout is the same as on earlier pressings but they used a different font and the label color is grey instead of silver
has 'three one g.' logo on bottom inside cover
large center hole

Version C2:
this one is only different from C1 by the way the vinyl was pressed. not sure if that denotes a different pressing or if this can come up during a press run. i call this one a 'THICK RIM' copy. check the comparison picture below for more detail

as you can see in this picture the outer edge of the left one (C2) gets thinner while the outer edge of the right one (C1) is straight like it was cut off. also the left copy (C2) starts off thick and then gets thinner about 1cm from the outer edge while the copy on the right (C1) is fully straight.

Version C3:
this 3rd press comes with a 2ND PRESS COVER which might confirm my theory that what I call a 3rd press actually IS the 3rd and not a later pressing.
STAR STAMP on bottom inside cover

Version C4:
2 STAR STAMPS bottom left corner of back cover
THICK RIM

Version D1:
Label: three one g. Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
Matrix: probably the same as all the other above but as I don't own a copy I can't say for sure
Vinyl color: black
BLACK cover
??? color Unbroken logo stamp on cover
??? address on back cover with $??? and $??? ppd. prices
fold-over or glue pocket cover?
NO 31G logo on center labels at all
might have Rebel Alliance 31g logo or 'three one g.' on bottom inside cover
large center hole

NO PICTURES BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A COPY LIKE THAT YET.

Version E1:
Label: THREE.ONE.G Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: pink
off-white cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
glossy fold-over cover
'THREE.ONE.G' logo on center labels which are back to silver and have a slightly different design in general
bottom of inside cover still has 'three one g.'
large center hole

Because of the glossy cover the Unbroken stamp transferred onto the pvc sleeve

Version E2:

GRID PATTERN ON BACK COVER

First and so far only copy I've ever seen with the grid on the back cover.

I still need a copy of this pressing with the grid pattern on the front cover though.

Version F1:
Label: THREE.ONE.G Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: pink
BLACK cover
WHITE Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
fold-over cover
'THREE.ONE.G' logo on center labels which are back to silver and have a slightly different design in general. same as E1
bottom of inside cover still has 'three one g.'
large center hole
reversed printing on inside cover
numbered bottom right inside cover corner 636/666

Version F2:
without the extra 'we are developing a cure for aids' flyer
reversed printing on inside cover
numbered bottom right inside cover corner 190/666
STAR STAMPS IN BOTTOM LEFT CORNER ON BACK COVER
I know there's at least one variation of this version that has star stamps from the left bottom corner where they are on my copy all the way through to the right edge of the back cover

Version F3:
TWO white Unbroken logo stamps on cover
reversed printing on inside cover. Looks like all of the copies i call Version F come with the text on the inside printed this way around.
numbered bottom right inside cover corner 425/666

Version G1:
Label: THREE.ONE.G Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: GREY
BLACK cover
back to SILVER Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
glue-pocket cover
''THREE.ONE.G' logo on center labels. same design as E and F versions
regular paper lyricsheet insert
large center hole

Version G2:
NO Unbroken LOGO on cover at all

Version H1:
Label: THREE.ONE.G Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: BLACK
BLACK cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
glue-pocket cover
'THREE.ONE.G' logo on center labels. same design as E, F and G versions
THICK paper lyricsheet insert
large center hole
two-sided label flyer

one side

other side

Version H2:

THREE LOGO STAMPS

Version I1:
Label: THREE.ONE.G Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: L-43713 31G NO.1 A UNSPOKEN
B-Side Matrix: L-43713-X 31G NO.1 B UNBROKEN
Vinyl color: CLEAR W/ BLACK SPLATTER
BLACK cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
hype sticker on pvc sleeve.
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
glue-pocket cover
'THREE.ONE.G' logo on center labels
all new center labels
regular paper lyricsheet insert
small center hole

Version I2:

90 DEGREE TURNED LOGO

While there are probably not two logo stamps in the exact same space, making it something I am not looking to collect, this 90 degree turned logo stamp though is a novelty I had to have. I've never seen another one even close to a 90 degree or even 45 degree turn.

And as if that wasn't already enough I realised only just now while taking the pictures for this post that apparently the logo is layered. Meaning it looks like two logo stamps sitting on top of each other and therefore creating a bit of depth or in other words adding something of a drop shadow to the logo. Looks amazing. Check the comparison pic.

Version J1:
20th ANNIVERSARY PRESSING 2015
Label: THREE.ONE.G Records
Cat. #: 31G NO.1
A-Side Matrix: PIRATES PRESS - TOG001 A 133097H1A
B-Side Matrix: PIRATES PRESS - TOG001 B 133097H2A
Vinyl color: (dirty) GOLD (some copies have little spots of black vinyl)
Black cover
silver Unbroken logo stamp on cover
'THREE.ONE.G' address on back cover with no prices
glue-pocket cover
no insert
all new center labels
large center hole