ELO - Secret Messages USA issued 1983 & 2018 - LPs and CDs.

​

Due to the size of the USA and various pressing plants around the USA,  it is nearly impossible to collect and show all the different label variations. So instead, listed below are the main found issues of ELO's "Secret Messages" album issues on LP & CD in the USA.

Title

Secret Messages

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

QZ 38490

Issue Date

1983

Chart Position

36

Notes

The album was originally planned to be a double album, but was thwarted by Jet's distributor, CBS Records, claiming that producing a double vinyl album would be too expensive.

As a result Jeff Lynne had to reduce it to a single album.

​

With thick paper inner sleeve with printed lyrics & band photo.

Format

Vinyl

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

HZ 48490

Re-Issue Date

1983

Notes

Half-speed mastered album, as printed on disk labels and upper front jacket.

Including a grey double sided lyric sheet that is impossible to read !

​

The LP is in a plastic sleeve. 

Format

CD

Label

Jet Records

Catalogue

ZK 38490

Re-Issue Date

1990

Notes

"Nice Price" CD issue in 1990 by Jet/CBS records, booklet including full lyrics.

​

Includes Time After Time as track 5 on the CD, but the lyrics and track details are not included on the folder out lyric booklet.... And bizarrely all the track details are missing from the "page scroll" rear booklet cover  and rear jewel case inlay !

Plus all reference to backward messages has been removed from the booklet and rear jewel case inlay.

​

There is another issue with the disc label having a different track layout

and a different rear jewel case rear inlay with extra publishing info.

Format

CD

Label

Epic

Catalogue

EK 85424

Re-Issue Date

2001

Notes

Re-Master CD issue in 2001 by Epic. With full colour foldout booklet with album/band info and original sleeve photos/images.

​

There are 2 different Bar Code versions from 2001 + 2009

​

All other codes/CD/artwork are the same as the standard issue.

​

The first UK/European/USA CD issues had a pressing error. Rock & Roll Is King has the "thank you for listening " intro but not the "welcome to the show" outro !

​

This was corrected on later pressings. - Credit Max Cawthray

Missing From My Collection

Format

CD

Label

Epic

Catalogue

AEK 85424 - Promo

Re-Issue Date

2001

Notes

Re-Issue - 2001 - Advance CD - Not for sale 
Front and back have large green/blue stickers on white cardboard sleeve. 

Bonus Tracks are listed as Previously Unreleased. 

​

The first UK/European/USA CD issues had a pressing error. Rock & Roll Is King has the "thank you for listening " intro but not the "welcome to the show" outro !

​

This was corrected on later pressings. - Credit Max Cawthray

When viewed and played as a double album, Secret Messages is one of ELO greatest albums. Finally in August 2018 it was released as double LP and MP3/FLAC download, minus one track that may have not made the original planned issue anyway.

Format

Double Vinyl

Label

Epic/Legacy

Catalogue

19075837691

Country

USA

Issue Year

3rd August 2018

Notes

USA double 180gm LP Issue on Epic Legacy label. For the first time ever, ELO’s Secret Messages has been released as a double album on August 3rd 2018. Jeff Lynne’s eclectic creation of self-written, self-produced songs come to life as originally conceived in 1983. This 2 LP release adds six tracks to its running order, all with cutting-edge synthesizers as well as up-front guitar mastery.

​

With plain white windowed paper inner  sleeves, no lyrics.