Out Of The Blue LP - 1977.

Out Of The Blue

Released: October 1977

UK Chart Position 4

Single Releases

Turn To Stone - UP36313

UK Chart - 18

Mr Blue Sky - UP36342/Jet 104 - Black & Blue Vinyl

UK Chart - 6

Wild West Hero

Jet 109 & Jet 12 109

Black 7" & Yellow 12"

UK Chart - 6

Sweet Talkin' Woman

Jet 121 & Jet 12 121

Black 7", Purple 7" & 12"

UK Chart - 6

Album Track Listing

Side one
1.Turn to Stone
2.It's Over
3.Sweet Talkin' Woman
4.Across the Border

Side two
5.Night in the City
6.Starlight
7.Jungle
8.Believe Me Now
9.Steppin' Out

Side three

(Concerto for a Rainy Day)
10.Standin' in the Rain
11.Big Wheels
12.Summer and Lightning
14.Mr. Blue Sky

Side four
15.Sweet Is the Night
16.The Whale
17.Birmingham Blues
18.Wild West Hero

Personnel

Jeff Lynne

Bev Bevan

Richard Tandy

Kelly Groucutt

Hugh McDowell

Melvyn Gale

Mik Kaminski

Louis Clark

Re-issue CD Bonus tracks (2007 remaster)

18.Wild West Hero (Alt Version)
19.The Quick and the Daft
20.Latitude 88 North

Latitude 88 North - Download & 500 Ltd-Edition Orange 7" single. From 2007 Remaster CD edition. UK Chart -

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

UAR 100 / UAS 1100 + UAS 2100

Country

1st Original Issue

Matrix / Runout (A-side): KEV ARTHUR UAS 1100 A-1U

Matrix / Runout (B-side): KEV ARTHUR UAS 1100 B-1U

Matrix / Runout (C-side): KEV UAS 2100 A-1U

Matrix / Runout (D-side): KEV UAS 2100 B-1U

Issued on Greenish/Blue Jet label with white/yellow light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two inner cardboard lyric sleeves, T-Shirt flyer, poster & press out space ship. Album sleeve is UAR 100, note label difference between UAR 100 & UAS 1100 + UAS 2100 below.

UAR/UAS issues had Out of the Blue above ELO on the record label. Distributed by United Artists.

The UAR/UAS issue's normally have a press / cut out cardboard space-ship insert. Plus the poster has Out Of The Blue in White text.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

UAS 1100 + UAS 2100 / UAR 100

Country

2nd Original Issue (!)

Matrix / Runout (A-side): KEV ARTHUR UAS 1100 A-1U

Matrix / Runout (B-side): KEV ARTHUR UAS 1100 B-1U

Matrix / Runout (C-side): KEV UAS 2100 A-1U

Matrix / Runout (D-side): KEV UAS 2100 B-1U

This issue has the same Matrix / Run out details as UAR 100 issue above.

Further UAS issues have different Matrix / Run out details including Mastering by "Allen Zentz" rather than "Kev Arthur"

Issued on Greenish/Blue Jet label with white/yellow light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two cardboard inner lyric sleeves, T-Shirt flyer, band poster and the cut out space ship.

Note, album sleeve is UAR 100, but actual vinyl's LP are UAS 1100 & UAS 2100.

UAR/UAS issues had Out of the Blue above ELO on the record label. Distributed by United Artists

Out Of The Blue was originally distributed by United Artists Records (UAR) upon it's 1977 release. However UAR was sold to Capitol Records in 1978. Don Arden (ELO Manager and Jet Records owner) wanted a change away from UAR. CBS Records then paid 11 Million dollars to get ELO on contract with them. Jet and CBS then sued UAR for not paying their royalties.

In retaliation United Artists flooded the UK market with every single copy they had of "Out Of The Blue" at budget prices with a USA issue version with "cut-out slit" in the cover, both UK issues and USA imported issues ended up in bargain bins at the same time as the full priced CBS issue was being sold.

So Jet Records came up with the notion to sue UAR for "allegedly selling defective copies“ just to convince the record buyer not to buy the UAR copies.

Jet Records took out a full page advertisement in all of the UK music papers telling people that if they didn't have a CBS record then their copy was defective.

This was a false claim as the UAR version was pressed in higher quality than the CBS issue !

After the change of distribution partner from Jet Records to CBS on 5 May 1978, there were logistical

problems at Jet Records because Jet in the UK had still printed a lot of LP covers, inner covers, posters

and spaceship inserts with the previous order number UAR 100 of the distribution company

United Artists. So the first CBS issues were delivered with JET DP 400 stickers on the UAR 1OO covers.

However, there is no single rule as UAR sleeves may contain Jet DP 400 records,

plus UAR/UAS/Jet DP inner LP slip covers would also be swapped around.

The inner sleeves, posters and spaceship assembly-kit were then successively replaced by the correct JET DP 400 covers, inner sleeves, posters and assembly-kits. On the UK poster the name ‘Out Of The Blue’ was accidentally printed in red instead of white.

The CBS covers were printed by two printers, Shorewood Packaging Co. and Robert Stace, due to high demand. The latter printed the album spine details and order number in yellow, rather than red, and the inner sleeves have full pointed corners rather than being rounded as at Shorewood.

1st re-issues used Catalogue Number JETDP 400 / UAR 100 with yellow & white light beams on the label. Early issues had the

LP title above the ELO name.

2nd re-issues used used Catalogue Number JETDP 400 with yellow & white light beams on the label.

3rd re-issues used used Catalogue Number JETDP 400 with yellow & pink light beams on the label.

Thanks to Patrik Guttenbacher - Face The Music German - for images, info, help and corrections on this page.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

Jet DP 400 / UAR 100

Re-Issue Year

1978

1st CBS distributed issue - 1978 - On Jet label with white/yellow light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two inner lyric cardboard sleeves & a poster.

The first issue of Jet DP400 / UAR 100 issue. Out of the Blue is still above ELO on the record label & UAR 100 is also listed.

UAR sleeves were re-used and a Jet Company sticker listing the new cat number was stuck over the old UAS/UAR cat no.

They came with the band poster and push out space ship model still marked with code UAR 100 to use up current stock.

Labels can vary in colour from Green to Dark / Lighter Blue.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

Jet DP 400 / UAR 100

Re-Issue Year

1978

Re-issue of the 1st CBS distributed issue on Black Vinyl -- On Jet label with white/yellow light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two inner lyric cardboard sleeves & a poster.

Out of the Blue is now below ELO on the record label & UAR 100 is still listed on UAR style labels.

New sleeves were printed with just Jet DP400 on the rear, distributed by CBS. Along with new inner sleeves with rounded bottoms corners and angle cut top corners.

They came with newly printed band poster and push out space ship model with JET DP 400 codes now printed on them.

Or sometimes UAR sleeves were re-used and a Jet Company sticker listing the new cat number was stuck over the old UAS/UAR cat no.

OOTB%20Blue%20Vinyl%20Inner%20Sleeve%20S

Out Of The Blue JETDP400 / UAR 100 Blue Vinyl - Missing "Made In England"

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

JET DP 400 / UAR 100

Re-Issue Year

Late 1978

1st CBS distributed issue on Special Edition Blue Vinyl - Jet label with white/yellow light beams, gatefold sleeve with two cardboard inner lyric sleeves.

Still sometimes UAR sleeves were re-used and a Jet Company sticker listing the new cat number was stuck over the old UAS/UAR cat no.

Otherwise a new gatefold sleeve was printed with just Jet DP400 on the rear with a small Jet Records logo.

Along with new inner sleeves with rounded bottoms corners and angle cut top corners.

Some early pressings missed off "Made In England" from the 4 LP labels. - Credit to Max Cawthray for this spot!

Early issues had an advert flyer for "Three Light Years" LP box set included and the press out space ship both with cat code JEP DP400 printed on them.

All issues came a poster with "Out Of The Blue" now in red/pink text plus some had the push out spoace ship included as well.

Some releases also used a more basic colour vinyl sticker, as shown below.

Out of the Blue Jet DP400 Blue Vinyl - Sticker 2

Out of the Blue Jet DP400 / UAR 100 Blue Vinyl

There is also a rare early Promotional Limited Edition in a Blue "Artic Light" slip case that also has a Three Light Years flyer included. Plus the cut out space ship and band poster. Gatefold sleeve with two cardboard inner lyric sleeves. Same JetDP400 / UAR 100 Blue Vinyl as above.

Out of the Blue Jet DP400 Blue Vinyl Artic Blue Cover

Out Of The Blue in "Artic Light" Slip Cover

There is also a VERY rare Orange Vinyl Edition. Only 12 of them are said to exist, pressed as either Promotional Records or Test Pressings.

Came with the cut out space ship, gatefold sleeve with two cardboard inner lyric sleeves.

One sold on eBay in 2020 for nearly £1,000

Missing From My Collection

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

Jet DP 400

Re-Issue Year

Late 1978

2nd CBS distributed issue - On Jet label with white/yellow light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two inner cardboard lyric sleeves & a poster and maybe the space ship model.

This issue JUST lists Jet DP400 as cat number, but is still on older style UAR record label.

New inner sleeves and main gatefold sleeve was with Jet DP400 on the rear.

Or still sometimes UAR sleeves were re-used and a Jet Company sticker listing the new cat number was stuck over the old UAS/UAR cat no.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

Jet DP 400

Re-Issue Year

Late 1978 / Early 1979

2nd CBS distributed issue - Special Edition Blue Vinyl - On Jet label with white/yellow light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two cardboard inner lyric sleeves & a poster with Out Of The Blue in red/pink text.

This issue JUST lists JET DP400 as cat number, but is still on older style UAR record label.

New sleeves were printed with Jet DP400 on the rear.

This issue may not exist, as so far no complete issue of both LP discs (sides 1, 2, 3 + 4) has been found to have all the labels with just JET DP 400 cat number, just odd sides with the other sides labeled JET DP 400 / UAR 100

Missing From My Collection

OOTB Blue JETDP400 New Lable Rear Cover.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

Jet DP 400

Re-Issue Year

1979/1980

3rd issue on Black Vinyl - On Jet label with yellow/pink light beams. Gatefold sleeve with two paper inner lyric sleeves, a poster and maybe the push out model space ship.

New CBS distributed covers with a larger Jet logo on the rear cover and brighter record labels with the yellow beam over the top of the pink beam of light from Jet Towers.

Missing From My Collection or May NOT Exist

Format

Blue Vinyl

Label

Jet

Catalogue

JETDP 400

Notes

3rd issue on Blue Vinyl with Yellow/Pink Light Beams on Jet Label.

Format

Double CD

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

JETCD 400 / CDJET 400

Re-Issue Year

1986

Notes

Rare 2 CDs in fatbox. First rare unique pressing for UK & parts of Europe

The reason for the 2 disc version was probably because the first generation cd-players could not play discs longer then approximately 60 mins.

One year later it was re-issued on one single cd for the UK / Euro market.

Manufactured by CBS/Sony in Japan for UK/Europe.

CDs are JET CD 400 & the box is CDJET 400!

Format

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

JET CD 400

Re-Issue Year

1987

Notes

1st UK / Euro issue in a Single CD format.

The first issue single CD was Made in Japan, the booklet was printed in Holland.

The CB price code is 801 under the Jet Logo on the rear cover.

Some copies came with a clear inlay tray as the rear cover is printed inside with a blue star field.

Note different CD Rim text.

Credit to Max Cawthray for this info.

Format

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

JET CD 400

Re-Issue Year

1988

Notes

2nd UK / Euro issue in a Single CD format

This second issue single CD was Made in Austria, the booklet was printed in Holland.

The CB price code is 782 under the Jet Logo on the rear cover.

Note different CD Rim text.

Credit to Max Cawthray for this info.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Epic - Nice Price

Catalogue

Jet DP 400

Re-Issue Year

1987

Notes

RARE Re-issue in 1987, in gatefold double LP sleeve, code DP 400 with large Jet logo on rear cover.

With paper or cardboard inner sleeves.

This was the last Jet DP400 issue, so the pressing/packaging plants would utilise inner sleeves that were left over in stock.

So each one maybe a different style or shade of blue.

Out Of The Blue - 450885 1 - Version 1

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 1 V1.jpg

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 3 V1

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 2 V1

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 4 V1

Out Of The Blue - 450885 1 - Version 2

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 2 V2

Out Of The Blue - 450885 1 - Version 3

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 1 V3

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 3 V3

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 2 V3

Out Of The Blue 45085 LP Label Side 4 V3

Missing From My Collection

Out Of The Blue - 450885 1 - Version 4

Format

Vinyl

Label

Epic - Nice Price

Catalogue

450885 1

Re-Issue Year

1987 + 1990 ?

Notes

Re-Issue in 1987 and further years, maybe 1990 - Double LP in a Single cover.

With two Nice-Price Inner-sleeves and featured a 4-page 11” lyric insert with black background and white lyrics and stars.

There 4 different issues / versions:

1st version :
• No “Nice Price” sticker on the sleeve
• The nice price inners text starts with the words "Timeless albums…"
• The legal lettering on the label rim ends with the words "EPIC & (Epic Logo) CBS INC."
• Rear cover has RED text info box and red spine text
• With a Lyric booklet
• PA under the bar code of the rear sleeve
• The matrices on all 4 sides are small text printed and end with A5 B2 C4 & D3

2nd version :
• With a “Nice Price” sticker on the sleeve
• The nice price inners text starts with the words "Timeless albums…"
• The legal lettering on the label rim ends with the words “Made In England”
• "EPIC & (Epic Logo) CBS INC." is at the bottom of the label rim.
• Rear cover has RED text info box and red spine text
• With a Lyric booklet
• PA under the bar code of the rear sleeve
• The matrices on all 4 sides are small text printed and end with A5 B2 C3 & D3.

3rd version :
• With a “Nice Price” sticker on the sleeve
• The sleeve artwork is a shade lighter
• The nice price inners are a different design and the text starts with the words "Hundreds of Great Value…"
• The legal lettering on the label rim ends with the words “Prohibited”
• There is no "Made in England" reference anywhere on the label
• "EPIC & (Epic Logo) CBS INC." is at the bottom of the label rim.
• Rear cover has ORANGE text info box and Orange spine text
• No Lyric booklet
• PX under the bar code of the rear sleeve
• This version is a different pressing.

The matrix on side 1 is exactly the same as the other 2 (small text printed and ending with A5), but the matrices on other 3 sides are all written with a scribe which indicates that the stampers could've been damaged during the production run and they had to cut new ones. They are as follows - side 2 (4508851 B3), side 3 (4508851 C5) and side 4 (4508851 D4).

4th version :

• With a “Nice Price” sticker on the sleeve
• The sleeve artwork is a shade lighter
• The nice price inners are a different design and the text starts with the words "Hundreds of Great Value…"
• The legal lettering on the label rim ends with the words “Made In England”
• "EPIC and Epic Logo CBS INC." is at the bottom of the label rim.
• Rear cover has ORANGE text info box and orange spine text
• No Lyric booklet
• PX under the bar code of the rear sleeve
• This version is a different pressing.

Credit to Max Cawthray for spotting these 4 issues

Format

Label

Epic

Catalogue

450885 9

Re-Issue Year

1998

Notes

Re-issue 1998 - in 3 Tri-Cover fold out digipack, limited edition. No booklet, inside is a information and notes on the album from Rob Caiger.

Out Of The Blue - SVLP 101 Simply Vinyl Rear Cover

Format

Vinyl

Label

Simply Vinyl

Catalogue

SVLP 101

Re-Issue Year

1999

Notes

Epic/Simply Vinyl, 180G - Black Vinyl from 1999. Issued in a clear plastic protection cover, including a 4 page lyric booklet with black text on white background.

Came with plain white inner sleeve with a "Simply Vinyl" Catalogue booklet.

The first shipped out copies came with a Bob Dylan lyric booklet/sheet by mistake !

Format

Label

Epic/Sony

Catalogue

EPIC ‎– MILLEN3, EPIC ‎– 495215 2000

Re-Issue Year

1999

Notes

Millennium Edition in a hard glossy gatefold sleeve with PVC outer cover.

With lyric / credit inserts, first part is on a inner cd sleeve, second side is on a separate card insert.

Format

Label

Epic

Catalogue

82796942722

Re-Issue Year

Feb 2007

Notes

Re-Master Issue - 30th Anniversary

with bonus tracks in normal CD jewel case and expanded booklet notes and pictures.

Rare And Unseen Photographs New Sleeve Notes By Jeff Lynne

There is a "Out Of The Blue - Revised" Promo CD-R, it may be fake as it splits Mr Blue Sky into two tracks. (unfortunately the CD itself is unplayable) - Credit & thanks to Euan Wilson

Format

Label

Epic

Catalogue

88697053232

Re-Issue Year

Feb 2007

Notes

Re-Issue - ReMaster with bonus tracks - 30th Anniversary Limited Edition packaged in gatefold card sleeve Deluxe 24 Page Booklet... Plus ELO Spaceship!

Rare And Unseen Photographs New Sleeve Notes By Jeff Lynne