Flow My Firetear - Rare 1991 Dutch SonyMusic Manufacturing 9-track Testpressing LP

Very rare 1991 testpressing of Sort Sols "Flow My Firetear" album manufactured for the Danish Columbia/Sony Music label by SonyMusic International Manufacturing and Service Center in Haarlem, Holland, for sound approval purposes.

Vinyl is manufactured with plain white labels and machine stamped (ms) and hand etched (he) trail off information:

Side 1: 10 467510 20 1A1 (6 o'clock, ms) A (12 o'clock, ms)

Side 2: 10 467510 20 1B1 (6 o'clock, ms) A (12 o'clock, he)

suggesting that this copy was pressed by the Harlem, Holland, based SonyMusic International Manufacturing and Service Center pressing plant - from the 1st mastering, the first set of mothers... and the first set of stampers.

Testpressing are in general manufactured in very small amounts prior to production in itself. Music is the same - but the sound of a testpressing is thought of as being superior as the stampers are completely unworn when used for the pressing. The first commercial batch of vinyls are first manufactured when the sound - of the testpressings - is approved by the band and the company. This particular testpressing comes from an era where vinyl began to be a truly marginalised product - only bought by sound enthusiasts or traditionalists... testpressings like this - with a major Danish band - were very likely to be manufactured in 10 - 20 copies and remains very rare today. 

Condition: VG+(+) (Vinyl and Labels)/-:
Vinyl is bright and shiny - has a lighter degree of sleeve inflicted wear only - graded close to near mint/excellent in itself. Labels has less than a handful simple and slightly scattered spindletraces - graded near mint.

Following information is taken from the commercial issue:

Tracklisting:

Side 1:
1. Siggimund Blue (Knud Odde - Knud Odde, Peter Peter) 4:20 
2. Daughter of Sad (Steen Jørgensen - Lars Top-Galia) 3:17 
3. Girl of 1000 Tears (Niels Lassen - Knud Odde) 2:52
4. Carry Me into the Sun (Knud Odde) 3:14 
5. Midnight Train to Summer (Knud Odde - Steen Jørgensen, Knud Odde, Tomas Ortved, Peter Peter, Lars Top-Galia) 4:04 

Side 2:
1. Desdemona (Steen Jørgensen - Peter Peter) 3:30 
2. Two Tongue Tale (Steen Jørgensen - Knud Odde, Tomas Ortved, Peter Peter, Lars Top-Galia) 3:18 
3. Dyanna Thorne (Knud Odde) 2:37 
4. Tatlin Tower (Knud Odde - Knud Odde, Peter Peter) 3:40 

Recorded & Mixed at Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Sept. - Nov. 1990 and Puk Recording Studios, Dec. 1990 - Jan. 1991.
Mastered at Sweet Silence Studios, Jan. 1991.
Pressed by SonyMusic International Manufacturing and Service Center, Nijverheidsweg 32-36, 2031 CP Haarlem

Credits:

Sort Sol:
Steen Jørgensen – vocals
Knud Odde – bass guitar
Peter Peter – lead guitar
Lars Top-Galia – rhythm guitar
Tomas Ortved – drums

Additional musicians:
Wili Jønsson – piano and backing vocals on "Daughter Of Sad"
Lise Cabble – vocals on "Carry Me Into The Sun", "Midnight Train To Summer" and "Two tongue Tale"
Link Wray Add. – rhythm guitar on "Tatlin Tower"

Technical Credits:
Kim Hyttel and Sort Sol - Production, mix, arrangements
Flemming Rasmussen – engineering
Peter Iversen – engineering
Lene Reidel – mastering

Artwork:
Ole Christiansen - Photography
K Grafik - Cover