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The "variant" press?

There is a S#%tload of threads to  sift through, finding  an answer. Perhaps someone can provide a explanation to the my question.

Where in line does the "variant" stand from a "1st press"? I'm not clear on the lineage of the "variant."

Recent buy is this promo copy of Warren Zevon's "Excitable Boy". One of those artists I just never got  around to listening to. I've found a "stamper" level(at least one worthy of consideration, since I don't have 5 others to compare)
https://www.discogs.com/Warren-Zevon-Excitable-Boy/release/6684772

Was there an actual record pressing facility in Compton Ca? California long timers may have an answer to this. 
Interesting find, as I see the matrix ending with the "W" indicating a Compton, Ca issue. Compton is a neighboring city to my hometown Long Beach. I can't find definitive info indicating an actual LP pressing facility that was in Compton.

This album has an all star supporting cast
  • Karla Bonoff – harmony vocals on "Accidentally Like a Martyr"
  • Jackson Browne – guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Luis Damian – jarana on "Veracruz"
  • Kenny Edwards – bass guitar on "Veracruz", "Tenderness on the Block" and "Lawyers, Guns and Money"
  • John McVie - bass on "Werewolves of London"
  • Mick Fleetwood – drums on "Werewolves of London"
  • The Gentlemen Boys (Jackson Browne, Jorge Calderón, Kenny Edwards, J. D. Souther and Waddy Wachtel) – backing and harmony vocals
  • Arthur Gerst – Mexican harp
  • Bob Glaub – bass guitar on "Roland the Headless Gunner", "Excitable Boy" and "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
  • Jim Horn – recorder on "Veracruz"; saxophone on "Excitable Boy"
  • Greg Ladanyi – bells on "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
  • Rick Marotta – drums on "Veracruz" and "Lawyers, Guns and Money"
  • Jeff Porcaro – drums and percussion on "Nighttime in the Switching Yard"
  • Linda Ronstadt – backing and harmony vocals on "Excitable Boy"
  • Leland Sklar – bass guitar on "Johnny Strikes Up The Band" and "Accidentally Like a Martyr"
  • J.D. Souther – backing and harmony vocals
  • Manuel Vasquez – requinto on "Veracruz"
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitar, synthesizer, harmony and backing vocals
  • Jennifer Warnes – harmony vocals on "Excitable Boy"

Fantastic album, also audio rig show off worthy.
tablejockey

Showing 3 responses by whart

whart's avatar
whart
2,981 posts
 
Great record. I think I have a couple early pressings including a promo. I’ll have to look.
As to your question of variants, I see this a fair amount with respect to small variations in credits and the like that otherwise don’t involve a different mastering. I think it shows that the notion of "first pressing" without more info, doesn’t tell us much especially for records that were widely distributed and manufactured at a lot of different plants in the US and elsewhere.
PS: this gent, who goes by the handle W.B. wrote a lot of information about old pressing plants and here's what he said in another forum about the one in Compton. 
whart's avatar
whart
2,981 posts
 
@edcyn-  quite welcome, but I’m just a piker. There are people out there who devote their lives to this- I’m just scratching the surface on this one. I actually like to do research, and get pleasure from the process of trying to puzzle things out. The best sources are often people who were there-- but as time goes on, even the late ’70s is a long time ago now, figuring that any person mature enough to own or run a company would have been say, 40, would put them in their eighties now.
If a subject intrigues me enough, and I can find people like that-- who were there, know what was happening and are willing to talk to me, it makes for some fun work in terms of writing it up.

whart's avatar
whart
2,981 posts
 
I’m not sure how much info you’d get with a deep dive into databases that have old Billboards, local news, etc. Could be researched, starting at your public library, I guess.
It is a good sounding record.
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