Gentlemen Take Polaroids (November 1980)

1. Gentlemen Take Polaroids
2. Swing
3. Burning Bridges
4. My New Career
5. Methods Of Dance
6. Ain't That Peculiar
7. Nightporter
8. Taking Islands In Africa

The first album for Virgin Records and their best seller in Japan, perhaps because Ryuichi Sakamoto appears. 

The Japanese vinyl LP includes a gatefold lyric sheet with a large group photo. The UK LP was supposed to have an inner sleeve but it was scrapped due to the last minute decision to replace "Some Kind Of Fool" with "Burning Bridges". Xeroxed copies of one side of the inner sleeve were distributed to UK fan club members. You can see it here. Note how "Some Kind Of Fool" has been cut out and "Burning Bridges" pasted in it's place.  Some Dutch (manufactured in Germany) copies of the LP have "Some Kind Of Fool" actually on the record label, but all play "Burning Bridges". 

There are two unreleased songs still sitting in the vaults from the sessions for this album; "Some Kind Of Fool" (which Sylvian re-recorded the vocals for and released on "Everything & Nothing") plus "Angel In Furs", which was unfinished (according to Richard Chadwick it no longer exists).

In addition to Sakamoto, there were four other people outside the group that contributed to the album; Simon House (violin - My New Career), Andrew Cauthery (oboe - Nightporter), Barry Guy (string bass - Nightporter) and Cyo (vocals - Methods Of Dance). UK chart position: 45, Japan 5. Hong Kong (allegedly) No1.

• Original UK LP (some copies list "Some Kind Of Fool" on sleeve but play "Burning Bridges"): Virgin V2180. Same catalogue number used for the Australian pressing. 
• Re-issue UK LP (1984): Virgin OVED 138
• UK CD (some with different barcodes): Virgin CDV2180
• French CD has the same catalogue number as above
  
• Japanese LP (with picture/lyric insert): Victor VIP6969
• Japanese cassette VCW-1702
  
• Japanese re-issue LP (1983) with slightly different OBI design and poster of Sylvian taken during the "Sons of Pioneers" tour. VIP6969. 
• Japanese 1987 re-issue LP, pressed by Toshiba-EMI, 25VB-1013
  
• Japanese 1988 re-issue LP with beige "Big Artist Collection" OBI - catalogue number needed. 
• Korean LP has text on the sleeve in blue instead of red and includes a lyric and picture insert similar to the Japanese version. DVPL-002
• Greek LP 2473 811
• Italian LP VIL 12180
• Italian re-issue LP OVED 138
• Australian LP V 2180
• New Zealand LP V 2180
  
• Benelux countries (Holland/Belgium) LP 202 968 (manufactured in Germany)
• French LP 202968
  
• Dutch LP 202 968-320 (says manufactured in West Germany)
• Canadian LP VL 2208 
• Canadian CD V2 86661 but on the spine it says V2 0777 7 86661 2 7. Some Canadian CD's are the UK pressing with a sticker over the barcode. 
• Russian CD STRESS0011231
  
• First Japanese CD: Victor VDP-56
• Second Japanese CD 1988 (Big Artist Collection): Victor VJD28017
• Third Japanese CD 1991 (Big Artist Collection - different OBI): Virgin VJCP23055

Thanks to Kevin for correcting some of the above, Obsidian, Drew Gardiner  and The Ozboys for sending in additional information.

Original UK cassette TCV 2180

This is the UK reissue cassette with the OVED prefix.

Spanish cassette with spelling mistakes and a different order of tracks (thanks Drew)

Unofficial tape S-2645A, with anther alternate tracklisting

Another unofficial releasel 747 7857, including Visions of China

Two different Australian LP labels - the first is manufactured by CBS. 

Japanese white label promo and stock copy 

Japanese re-issue LP and Canadian LP label

 

1st Dutch label showing "Some Kind Of Fool" - right click and download for higher resolution picture, and a later German/Dutch/Belgian LP label showing "Burning Bridges".