Private Press - What Does It Really Mean ?

[Raremusicdirect]

Every now and then a 45 comes up describes as a "private press"...........What do people take this "usually" to mean

• A 45 manufactured at the time of release by an individual funding it rather than a formal company or larger corporation or
  
• A later second issue (possibly legit) or
  
• A later copy (boot)
  

Thanks

[Guest Matt Male]

It always makes me think someone's had a carver done for themselves or is selling one done by someone else.

[boba]

Every now and then a 45 comes up describes as a "private press"...........What do people take this "usually" to mean

• A 45 manufactured at the time of release by an individual funding it rather than a formal company or larger corporation or
  
• A later second issue (possibly legit) or
  
• A later copy (boot)
  

Thanks

I'm pretty sure it means the first thing in your list.

I remember in 1995 some jazz collector describing to me what a "private press" LP was, basically a record produced and pressed on a personally funded independent label. The term isn't that descriptive for 45s as most were "private presses" (also there is no clear line as to how big a tiny label has to be before it becomes non-private). The term is more useful in describing LPs as non-major label.

[Ernie Andrews]

I agree with Bob - To me its an individual who has funded a record and may not even be registered with any of the copyright bodies.

[Chalky]

I presumed it is a disc pressed for non-commercial means, by that I mean not in it to make money (not initially at least).

[dthedrug]

Every now and then a 45 comes up describes as a "private press"...........What do people take this "usually" to mean

• A 45 manufactured at the time of release by an individual funding it rather than a formal company or larger corporation or
  
• A later second issue (possibly legit) or
  
• A later copy (boot)
  

Thanks

HI ALL .....Another excellant question me thinks, and there are several answers to this question, Basically it is a promotional copy LP or 45 that are pressed up by a group band solo singer well anyone, to be given away at an event, or in some cases sold, a good examples are as follows, 1. they are normally done in a run of 99 copies, this is to dodge paying full tax, i think this was a musitions union demand to the goverment?? but it's a tax thing, 2. when I worked at the MARQUEE CLUB in the 70s it was common practice for a band to HIRE the place and invite all the most influentual music buisnes people there to try and get exposure and a record contract, as such 70s private promos are more common than 60s when EMI DISCS whee used instead, private tapes are collectable also, they normally have top radio DJs on them and as LPs the Stuart Henry, EMPROR ROSKO, & Kenny Everett, are very collectable, the MARQUEE made it money from promotional events, thats why it was so famous as every body played there at one time, if you can remember it was one of the smallest clubs in London, and many a roadie spent the afternoon standing around the Dilly giveing away tickets for that night, 2. Quite a few entertainers who work the summer season in the MED, get them done and sell them at the end of the night ?? I got a great one of LEEPY (Little Arrows)LEE) IN MAGALOON, He is well worth seeing he tells a god story DAVE

[Benji]

A literal meaning of "private press" could be that it's a non-commercial press, i.e. never meant to be sold just to be given away. But whenever I saw this term used in a record description it actually means what Bob already said, a private press, personally funded, usually by someone who was involved in the production of the record, e.g. artist, producer, or friend/relative of them.

[Guest Matt Male]

A literal meaning of "private press" could be that it's a non-commercial press, i.e. never meant to be sold just to be given away. But whenever I saw this term used in a record description it actually means what Bob already said, a private press, personally funded, usually by someone who was involved in the production of the record, e.g. artist, producer, or friend/relative of them.

Like vanity publishing?

[Benji]

Like vanity publishing?

Maybe?

But I was more thinking about somebody, e.g. artist, going to a record pressing factory with the master tapes and his own designs for labels and sleeves, etc.

[Wiggyflat]

SRT in the UK pressed up vanity pressings for groups as D said just under 100 copies to avoid tax.All sorts of music....cabaret bands/soul and prog rock.They were for the band members and sold/given away at gigs.....try finding the Grannie LP.Lyntone did the same and pressed up for companies/advertising and eventually went into flexi discs.Never usually see US soul advertised as private/vanity pressings but I'm sure loads of stuff was.

https://www.7tt77.co.uk/SRT.html

Edited July 31, 2011 by wiggyflat

[Guest Brett F]

Yeah, think the topic posters question has been answered, i think obviously a very good private press will be probably be in limited runs and if good then becomes very collectable and rare, arguably more private press releases made in the 70's and early 80's (pre mass CD circulation ), a good example would be the very rare Enlightment LP' Faith Is The Key' a gospel cut that i was told was given out at the local church, very sought after in modern soul circles, and has fetched $1730 on Ebay only in the past 12 months.

[Raremusicdirect]

Thanks all, responses appreciated..........I come back with a scan soon

[John Benson]

So... would the LP by Side Effect - "Effective" come under this?

[Glynthornhill]

So... would the LP by Side Effect - "Effective" come under this?

Ah G.A.S. Records GLP 2004 from 1973. rumour has it never officially released - only demo copies in existence last one sold $300 ....

[Ged Parker]

Every now and then a 45 comes up describes as a "private press"...........What do people take this "usually" to mean

• A 45 manufactured at the time of release by an individual funding it rather than a formal company or larger corporation or
  
• A later second issue (possibly legit) or
  
• A later copy (boot)
  

Thanks

I've always taken it to mean the first one in the list but tempered this with the knowledge of the record in question, other people differing interpretations of the term and the willingness of some seller to be pess than transparent with their descriptions.

[razadelsoul]

A private pressing is not an indie label, exactly. Its a record pressed by the band/artist. Usually a a private press "record label" is generic and is 100% funded and released by the band/artist, and never bothers signing other acts. This is what makes private press different from an indie label press. An indie label signs multiple acts and strives to become a bigger label. A private press is just a band or artist that is not gonna wait around for a label and self fund their own music.

[Amsterdam Russ]

1 hour ago, razadelsoul said:

A private pressing is not an indie label, exactly. Its a record pressed by the band/artist. Usually a a private press "record label" is generic and is 100% funded and released by the band/artist, and never bothers signing other acts. This is what makes private press different from an indie label press. An indie label signs multiple acts and strives to become a bigger label. A private press is just a band or artist that is not gonna wait around for a label and self fund their own music.

Not entirely. In the realm of gospel music there are many private presses. These are tunes pressed by, say, a church that decides to commit to posterity its gospel choir's currently popular tunes to vinyl.

The copies pressed are released on a label set up specifically for the purpose by that church and sold to members of the congregation. Likely they're sold to other church communities in the locale. 

The church isn't a record label in any commercial sense, and there's no intention to drive the record to success beyond the small communities reached by that church. Whatever monies are made go towards the church upkeep/charitable funds.

Relative to your point - and in complete agreement with what you've said - gospel groups might also privately press their popular tunes for sale to the church communities they serve.

I think much of what I'm saying here was actually surmised by previous posters.

[razadelsoul]

5 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Not entirely. In the realm of gospel music there are many private presses. These are tunes pressed by, say, a church that decides to commit to posterity its gospel choir's currently popular tunes to vinyl.

The copies pressed are released on a label set up specifically for the purpose by that church and sold to members of the congregation. Likely they're sold to other church communities in the locale. 

The church isn't a record label in any commercial sense, and there's no intention to drive the record to success beyond the small communities reached by that church. Whatever monies are made go towards the church upkeep/charitable funds.

Relative to your point - and in complete agreement with what you've said - gospel groups might also privately press their popular tunes for sale to the church communities they serve.

I think much of what I'm saying here was actually surmised by previous posters.

I would say that this is relevant to what I said, a private press is not a record label in its traditional form. Although a private press may carry a label name, its usually generic displaying the band's name, something the band just came up with or to your point maybe the church name or some other name. Its basically any release that is self released. Not to be confused with say small indie labels which is in the business of releasing or selling other people's music.

[Amsterdam Russ]

3 hours ago, razadelsoul said:

Its basically any release that is self released. Not to be confused with say small indie labels which is in the business of releasing or selling other people's music.

That's it - you've got it. This was pretty much explained by some of our esteemed forum colleagues (including the late and still sorely missed BobA) when this thread was first started.  

[razadelsoul]

13 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

That's it - you've got it. This was pretty much explained by some of our esteemed forum colleagues (including the late and still sorely missed BobA) when this thread was first started.  

RIP Bob Abrahamian a good friend of mine now has one of his Soul Bibles