Sheer Heart Attack LP’s discography
With the help of fellow collectors, Lorenzo Marranci and John Daly, we’re building a gallery dedicated to the 1974 third Queen LP “Sheer Heart Attack”.
click on the link below and enjoy. Of course, all new contributions or missing infos are very appreciated. So don’t hesitate to make your comments.
The UK issues
The third Queen album was released in UK on November 8th 1974, with the famous cover showing a Mick Rock photo. We will analyze how to tell first issue from further releases. This means that slightly difference in the cover, Inner sleeve are present. Also to recognize a first issue you always have to check matrix numbers. So please if you already haven’t done yet please read the following article about UK matrix numbers.
A rare Uk white label test pressing copy have surfaced.This has matrix numbers ending, both A side and B side, with 1U and of course 1 G as Mother- Stamper.
But the first reported commercial issue has matrix numbers as follows: A side Yax 4881 3U, B side Yax 4882 3U.
Most common versions on the market have 4u/4U matrix and I suppose these being for 1975.
other matrix reported are:
4u/3u
4u/1u
6u/3u
6u/7 (the 80’s cream label reissue)
There are some differences you can find in the lyrics inner sleeve also.
The first inner sleeve, found on the 3u/3u and 4u/3u has three of the four corner cut as shown in the photo below (please note the G&L printed under the Crest Logo).
The back side of the inner reports the “EMC 3061” catalogue number.
The 2nd version of the inner, widely found in the 4u/4u copies has the following aspect, rounded corner and different print under the crest logo “Crest Design C Queen production ltd 1975”
Another obscure difference can be found on the early pressing on the glossy laminated sleeve. If you look on the back right corner in most copies you’ll find the trident logo, but some copies haven’t got it!!
There’s also, as you can see fro the photos a different tone of red colour which differs on the two issues. The one with Trident Logo seems to be more vivid, going almost to orange. Check the two sleeves also compared on the front.
and another detail of the cover:
Another version of the Inner has been found on a 3u/4u version of a No trident Logo cover (thanks to Brian Asworth for pictures). Some sliglty differences in the postion of the Crest and also the lower cut corner is missing. Here are the pictures:
That’s all for now. Of course, any addition, correction or further information is greatly appreciated so feel free to contact us if you have new details to add to this post.
Don’t forget to check the Sheer Heart Attack gallery with issues from all over the world… you’ll find a lot of differences… Did you know that italian LP issue ha no mirror crackles on the bacl photo? And in Argentina and Urugualy the title on front sleeve was translated in “certero ataque al corazon”; some countries as France and Venezuela issued a gatefold sleeve instead of the single one issued in UK.
Hi Ferdy! I have a UK copy of the vinyl LP album that has:
1) Matrix 4u/4U
2) The first described kind of inneer sleeve
3) The back cover with the Trident logo
ByeZ! 😉
Giovambattista
Thanks for your report, Giovambattista!!!
I also have this version – Matrix 4u/4U
http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=777747l
My inner has all sides cut and not just the three shown here.
It comes with the Trident logo in pure red colour (and not orange)
Thax for a great and useful page. Pls also add the
3U/3U version and describe the corners and differences
Cheers Sverre
Hello Ferdy,
I have several UK copies of “Sheer Heart Attack” and thanks to this article I was almost able to determine which one is earlier. But there are still issues. None of my inner sleeve has has three of the four corner cut! There are two inner with two top cut-off corner, and on this inner sleeve has inscription dated to 1974. Could not the variant with two corners cut off be earlier than with three corners cut?
So there are a few inner sleeves, which cut off all 4 corners. It certainly later versions.
Kind regards,
Thanks for your message. Actually it’s not quite sure how to tell it for sure… as you know sleeve were printed in a different factory from The vinyl… So we have no detailed source about that coupling.
Hi have a copy with first press sleeve and inner but 4U/4U matrix vinyl.
First pressing second press run?
According to the RC articles stampers were not always used in chronological order?
yes this may be true. Another early issue was found with 3u/1u matrices so… a very first issue of SHA is very hard to identify..
I recently found a copy pressed in Denmark.
The matrixes used are 4U/3U. The sleeve is from the UK with cat. no. 0C 062-96025 on it and with the Trident logo in the bottom right corner. The inner sleeve is with four cut corners. This danish press has got no unique cat. no. and EMC 3061 is the only one printed on the label.
Here’s a link for my submission on discogs with pictures of the labels: http://www.discogs.com/Queen-Sheer-Heart-Attack/release/7172230 (I reused the pictures of inner and outer sleeve from another submission, so only the pictures of the labels are new)
And thank you for this amazing Queen-ressource!
Anders, Denmark
THe NCB print on you label states that is a Scandinavian release. Thanks for your message, much appreciated!
So, if I have the 3u/4u version with no Trident logo. Do I have a 3rd pressing? Or a first pressing? I just don't know, you know.
P.S: Yes, I'm talking about the last shown in the post and photographed by Brian Asworth, the one that says: "Uk Inner 3rd version", not the 4u/3u version. I needed to point that out.
So, if I have the 3u/4u version with no Trident logo. Do I have a 3rd pressing? Or a first pressing? I just don’t know, you know.
P.S: Yes, I’m talking about the last shown in the post and photographed by Brian Asworth, the one that says: “Uk Inner 3rd version”, not the 4u/3u version. I needed to point that out.
Hi Ferdy,
At first congratulations for all the work you’ve done !!
I have a LP ” Sheer heart Attack” from New-zealand than i can’t found on any website…
It’s a EMI EMC 313.
On the matrix it’s writing only :
Face 1 : EMC 313 A
Face 2 : EMC 313 B..Thank’s if you can help about this one
Best regards from Laurent
PS : if you want pictures send me a e-amil please
Hello Laurent, is label different from the one listed in the gallery?
Hello,
It’s look like the italian second pressing, but Sheer Heart Attacck is writing on the top of the label.
” Queen” is writing on the bottom of the label , after the tracklisting, and is writed in ” normal” letters
Hi
At last days i bought a version 3u 3u but inner has 2 top corner cut
Maybe i’m wrong but What if it’s first???
Who has any ideas?
Thanks)
I really think that there is few time between one and another so very difficult to say which came first or probably made simultaneuosly by two different plants.
Hello Ferdy!
My UK copy has
1) Matrix 3U/4U
2) First version inneer sleeve
3) Trident logo in the back cover
Is it a first or seconde press?
Hi to all!
Bought version
side 1: -4U 1/M
T
side 2: -1U 1/P
M
For many years, I met with such matrix numbers for the first time.
And so I have in the collection with numbers Side one:A-3U, Side two:B-3U