SP142 The Afghan Whigs

 

Conjure Me b/w My World Is Empty Without You

Sub Pop SP142 7", released 1992

My World Is Empty Without You

Sub Pop SP42/203 12", released 1992 (Germany)

There are many colors of this one out there, and some confusion about them. Let's try to sort it all out.

Alright, then. There are two very common colors of this single: red (almost a magenta) and white. Simple.

Next: lilac. The lilac version causes a lot of confusion. It is a very subtle greyish-lavender base color, marbled with bits of pink and blue. I've seen it called pink, lilac, lavender, even grey...any of these would be somewhat correct, but at the end of the day, it's the same color of vinyl. We will call it lilac. Fabulous. That's settled. Almost. There is a version of this color out there with little to no pink marbling in it, which has the effect of basically making grey. Now, I guess this means we know a grey copy exists. The big question is whether this version is the only one or whether a real dark grey marble one also exists. I've seen a couple advertised as grey, but they have turned out to be lilac. Grey will have to remain in the rumors section for now.

NOW...there are some other rarer colors. There is a blue-green marble that is a bit rarer. Then, there's the clear copy, which is rare, but does show up with some regularity. There was once rumored to be a black vinyl version, but I am nearly certain that this does not exist. Most of the Sub Pop releases of this era that were on many colors of vinyl were all on color vinyl, with none on black. Then, there's the pink marble version...that one is a tougher find. I have now seen a few of them show up for sale, and it appears that the most dedicated Whigs collectors seem to have tracked it down, so the auction price has come down to a more reasonable level.

Side note: this is one of my favorite test pressings. I love test pressings that are different colors from any of the final pressings. They just feel extra-special. If you have a test pressing, you already have a version that only exists in quantities of 5-10 copies. If you then add in that it is a unique color...well, that just makes me love it more. The red vinyl color of this test press is not the same red that was used in the final pressing; while the final one was more of a magenta, this was a straight, classic red.

I also randomly happened upon a very interesting variant of the Conjure Me single a few years back - it looks like the "iceberg" variation of the Nirvana Bleach LP. It must be a white/green mix, but has a mint green marble effect. I have included pictures below, including one of this variant next to a white copy. The scans don't really do it justice. It's a nice distinct greenish color.

In 2017, a copy was auctioned that looked like a powder blue version. I missed it at the time, and the picture in the auction wasn't great, so it was hard to confirm. Fortunately, I'm in touch with the person who bought it, and it turned out to be another iceberg copy (thanks, Andy!). So this means at least three iceberg copies have surfaced.

Finally, there is a very uncommon promo cd for this single. The catalogue number is Sub Pop SUBPROCD#3. I am including it because some have spent considerable time tracking it down. Classically, not an easy find, but several have surfaced recently.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP142 Red-Magenta 8-12 1 Stable
SP142 White 6-10 1 Stable
SP142 Lilac-Lavender-Pink-Grey 8-12 1 Stable
SP142 Blue-green Marble 8-12 3 Stable
SP142 Clear 12-15 5 Stable
SP142 Pink Marble 15-20 6 Stable
SP42/203 12" Black 10-15 1 Stable
Promo CD SUBPROCD #3 15-20 6 Down
Test Pressing
Red-Magenta
White
Lilac-Lavender-Pink-Grey
Blue-green Marble
Clear
Pink Marble
SP42/203
SUBPROCD #3
Iceberg Vinyl Variant
Iceberg-White Comparison
Sleeve:  Full glossy
Test Pressing:  Red vinyl, small hole, plain white labels
Rumors:  Grey vinyl: Fairly sure this doesn't exist beyond the lilac variants.

Black vinyl: Almost 100% sure this does not exist.
Recent Pink Marble Sales Data:

Year Sold Quantity Median Price ($) Platform
2021 1 20 Discogs
2019-20 0 N/A N/A

This page was last updated on February 1, 2022.

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Scarcity Score Definition
10 Near impossible: Fewer than 50 copies or publicly sold every few years
8-9 Very rare: 50-199 copies or publicly sold 1-2 times per year
6-7 Rare: 200-499 copies or publicly sold a few times a year
4-5 Medium: 500-999 copies or publicly sold ~10 times a year
1-3 Common: 1000+ copies, readily available, or publicly sold 20+ times a year

Estimated values are based on recent auction results or online sales.