An auction of around 300 white-label LP test pressings is being staged as part of a week-long build up to this year's National Album Day.
The auction, which will raise funds for The BRIT Trust, will take place on Saturday, October 5 at 11am - a week before National Album Day (October 12). It will be hosted live onsite/online for UK and international collectors by the music memorabilia and vinyl records specialists Omega Auctions.
The breadth of British music will be represented in the sale, including early '60s/'70s recordings from David Bowie (Decca), The Who (My Generation), Eric Clapton (Slowhand), Dusty Springfield (Dusty in Memphis) and The Specials (The Specials – signed), to more contemporary offerings such as a signed copy of No.6 Collaborations Project by Ed Sheeran.
There will also be discs from the likes of Liam Gallagher (As You Were), Coldplay (The Butterfly Package – signed), Paul Weller (Stanley Road), Arctic Monkeys (Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino), Kylie Minogue (Step Back in Time), 2019 Mercury Prize shortlisted Foals (Everything Lost Will Not Be Saved Part 1) and Anna Calvi (Hunter) among others. One of this year’s National Album Day ‘album champions’, Mark Ronson (Late Night Feelings), also features.
With artist and artist management support, a number of the UK’s major and independent record labels and companies, including Universal Music, Sony Music, Warner Music, BMG, Domino Records, Blue Raincoat Music, Cherry Red, Kobalt Music, Sour Mash and Ignition have joined forces for this year’s National Album Day to pull together a selection of white-label items.
Johnny Chandler, catalogue A&R Director at UMC, Universal Music UK, who came up with the idea, said: “It’ll be wonderful if, by auctioning these rarities, we can raise funds to support the amazing work of The BRIT Trust, whilst celebrating the ‘art of the album’ through National Album Day. If all goes to plan I hope as long as interest in vinyl continues, the industry can make this auction a regular event.”
The final list is still being added to, and can be viewed here.
