Label Guide: ESP

This CVINYL.COM Label Guide is currently JUST A DRAFT

Many of the more successful ESP-Disk releases, such as Albert Ayler, Pearls Before Swine, or The Fugs, have been repressed several times over the years. This results in a large variety of label designs for the same album, and quite frequently the sleeve notes do not match the text on the label. The record label is usually a better indicator for an original pressing as most ESP-Disk albums were initially pressed in small numbers (500 to 1000), but in order to save money, a larger number of sleeves was initially printed, which were then used also with later repressings.

Label offices were moved frequently and the address that is printed on the record label is the best guide for an original pressing. All releases until early 1966 (ESP-1028) should have the "180 Riverside Drive" address, which then changed to "156 Fifth Avenue" for the remainder of the 1960s. Labels with a "290 West End Avenue" adress indicate a 1970s pressing, roughly from 1973 to 1975. There are several exceptions from these rules, as some albums had a delayed release - sometimes years - so ESP-Disk's catalogue was not released in order.