Album Description:
In the realm of music enthusiasts and vinyl collectors, the appreciation for rare and unique editions of classic albums is ever-present. Among the treasures of vinyl history lies the Italian release of Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother," a 12" vinyl LP that holds a special place in the hearts of collectors and fans alike.
This particular edition, with its distinctive characteristics, serves as a testament to the evolution of music distribution and consumption during the early 1970s. Released in Italy in 1970 under the catalog number EMI Harvest 3C 062-04550, the album's cover features a gatefold design, adding an extra layer of aesthetic appeal.
One key element for identifying this specific version is the presence of the catalog number in the upper left corner of the front cover. In the meticulous world of vinyl collecting, such details become crucial in distinguishing one edition from another. The catalog number, EMI Harvest 3C 062-04550, acts as a unique identifier, linking this release to the iconic collaboration between Pink Floyd and the Harvest label.
Furthermore, the matrix or stamper codes imprinted on the vinyl itself provide valuable insights into the production process. The codes "04550-A 26-10-70 I" and "04550-B 26-10-70 I" signify the matrix information, revealing details about the mastering and manufacturing dates. In this case, the date stamp of "26-10-70" aligns with the album's release in 1970, offering a glimpse into the historical context of its production.
As we delve into the broader context of the early 1970s, the significance of vinyl as the primary medium for music consumption becomes evident. The tactile experience of handling a gatefold cover and carefully examining the matrix codes speaks to a bygone era when each record was a tangible piece of art and craftsmanship.
Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother" itself holds a unique position in the band's discography, marked by its experimental and symphonic elements. This Italian release, with its specific catalog number, gatefold design, and matrix codes, becomes a coveted item for collectors seeking to connect with the past and own a piece of music history.
| Identifying this version:
Catalognr in the upper left corner of Front cover
Matrix / Stamper codes: 04550-A 26-10-70 I / 04550-B 26-10-70 I
Record label has been stamped with: S.I.A.E.
(
stands for Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers) on vinyl records it serves as a copyright stamp.
Gatefold/FOC (Fold Open Cover) Album Cover Design.
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Music Genre: Psych Acid Prog Rock Music |
Album Production Information:
Produced by Norman Smith and Pink Floyd
Norman Smith – Producer, Sound EngineerThe Beatles called him "Normal". Pink Floyd collectors call him the guy who made the chaos sound expensive. Read more... Norman Smith - the calm EMI wizard I still hear in the grooves whenever early Floyd turns the lights weird. He cut his teeth at Abbey Road, engineering The Beatles' EMI sessions from 1962 through autumn 1965 (yes, up to "Rubber Soul"), then stepped out from behind the glass as a producer. In 1967-1969 he steered Pink Floyd through "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", "A Saucerful of Secrets" and "Ummagumma", keeping Syd's sparkle and the chaos on tape. In 1968 he produced The Pretty Things' "S. F. Sorrow", and in the early 1970s he shaped Barclay James Harvest (including "Once Again"). Later he even popped up as Hurricane Smith, because rock history loves a plot twist.
Album
recorded at the Abbey Road Studios.
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Record Label & Catalognr:
EMI Harvest 3C 062-04550 |
Media Format:
12" Full-Length Vinyl LP Gramophone Record
Album weight: 300 gram |
Year and Country:
1970 Made in Italy |
Band Members and Musicians on: Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother |
Pink Floyd is:
- Roger Waters - bass, vocals
- Roger Waters – Bass, vocals, songwriter
Roger Waters is the guy I blame (politely) when a Pink Floyd song stops being “spacey vibes” and starts staring straight through you with lyrics that feel like a courtroom cross-examination. Read more... Roger Waters is, to my ears, Pink Floyd’s razor-edged storyteller: bassist, singer, and the main lyric engine who pushed the band from psychedelic drift into big, human-scale themes. His key band period is Pink Floyd (1965–1985), where he became the dominant writer through the 1970s and early 1980s, before leaving and launching a long solo career (1984–present). After years of public tension, he briefly reunited with Pink Floyd for a one-off performance at Live 8 in London on 2 July 2005—basically the musical equivalent of spotting a comet: rare, bright, and gone again. Since the late 1990s he’s toured extensively under his own name, staging huge concept-driven shows that revisit Floyd classics like "The Dark Side of the Moon" (notably on the 2006–2008 tour) and "The Wall" (2010–2013), because apparently subtlety is not the point when you’ve got something to say.
- Nick Mason - percusssion
- Nick Mason – Drums, percussion
Nick Mason is the steady heartbeat I always come back to in Pink Floyd: the only constant member since the band formed in 1965, quietly holding the whole weird universe together while the rest of the planet argues about everything else. Read more... Nick Mason is Pink Floyd’s drummer, co-founder, and the one guy who never clocked out: his main performing period with Pink Floyd runs from 1965 to the present, and he’s the only member to appear across every Pink Floyd album. Outside the mothership, he’s had a very “I’m not done yet” second act: in 2018 he formed Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets (2018–present) to bring the band’s early psychedelic years back to the stage. He’s also stepped out under his own name with projects like the solo album "Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports" (released 1981), which is basically him taking a left turn into jazz-rock just to prove he can. And yes, he was part of that blink-and-you-miss-it full-band moment at Live 8 in London in 2005, when the classic lineup briefly reunited and reminded everyone why this band still haunts people.
- Dave Gilmour - Guitar, vocals
- David Gilmour – Guitar, vocals
David Gilmour is the voice-and-fingers combo I hear whenever Pink Floyd turns from “spacey” into straight-up cinematic: he joined in 1967 and basically helped define what “guitar tone with emotions” even means. Read more... David Gilmour is, for me, the calm center of Pink Floyd’s storm: an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose playing can feel gentle and devastating in the same bar. His earliest band period worth name-dropping is Jokers Wild (1964–1967), before he stepped into Pink Floyd in 1967 as Syd Barrett’s situation unraveled. From there his main performing era is Pink Floyd (1967–1995), including the post-Roger Waters years where the band continued under his leadership and released "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" (1987) and "The Division Bell" (1994), with a later studio coda in "The Endless River" (2014). Outside Floyd, he’s had a long solo run (1978–present) with albums ranging from "David Gilmour" (1978) to "Luck and Strange" (2024), and he even did a sharp side-quest in 1985 with Pete Townshend’s short-lived supergroup Deep End. And for one historic night, the classic lineup reunited at Live 8 in Hyde Park, London on 2 July 2005—one of those “you had to be there (or at least press play)” moments.
- Richard Wright - keyboards, vocals
- Richard Wright – Keyboards, vocals
Richard Wright is the secret atmosphere machine in Pink Floyd: the guy who can make one chord feel like a whole weather system, and then casually add a vocal harmony that makes it hit even harder. Read more... Richard Wright (born Richard William Wright) is, for me, the understated genius of Pink Floyd: co-founder, keyboardist, and occasional lead vocalist whose textures are basically baked into the band’s DNA. His main performing period with Pink Floyd runs from 1965 to 1981 (including the early albums through the massive arena years), then he returned as a full member again from 1987 to 1994 for the later era tours and albums. In between those chapters, he didn’t just vanish into a fog machine: he released a solo album, "Wet Dream" (1978), and later "Broken China" (1996), and he also had a proper side-project moment with Zee (1983–1984), which produced the album "Identity" (1984). He passed away in 2008, but his playing still feels like the part of Pink Floyd that makes the air shimmer.
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