A Record Collector's Guide

Love Battery released four albums and three EPs between 1989 and 1999. There were a couple that were only released in countries outside the U.S.

Between the Eyes

Tupelo TUPLP22 LP / TUPCD22 CD / TUPMC22 Cassette, released 1990 (UK)

Waterfont DAMP 130 10", released 1990 (Australia)

Sub Pop SP69b CD / SP69a Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)

Love Battery's first semi-full-length release, the six-song Between the Eyes EP, had many incarnations. It was licensed to Tupelo for European release (12") and Waterfront for Australian release (10"). The Australian version was available on yellow and black vinyl. The U.S. Sub Pop version was never released on vinyl, but did come out on Sub Pop on cassette and CD the next year. The prices for all of the above are fairly stable now. Each of the vinyl versions can be a bit scarce now, but the Tupelo one is most common.

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
TUPLP22 Black	15-20	3	Stable
DAMP 130 Yellow	15-25	5	Stable
DAMP 130 Black	15-20	4	Stable

TUPLP22 Test Pressing	TUPLP22
DAMP 130 Test Pressing	DAMP 130	DAMP 130

Test Pressing	Tupelo: Black vinyl, white Mayking labels Waterfront: Black 10" pressed on 12" vinyl, white labels, extra etching in the outside dead wax

This page was last updated on April 5, 2020.

Out of Focus

Sub Pop SP26/178, released 1992

The Out of Focus 12" was only released in Europe as a single leading up to the release of the Dayglo album. It was a 4-song EP containing two songs that were on the CD version of Between the Eyes, along with a cover of the Troggs' "Come Now."

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
SP26/178 Black	4-6	1	Stable

This page was last updated on December 1, 2019.

Dayglo

Sub Pop SP131 (CD/Cassette), released 1992 (U.S.)

Sub Pop SP30/185 LP (Germany)

The first full-length Love Battery album. Most say it's their best. I say it's a toss up between this and Far Gone. The only vinyl version came out on Sub Pop Europe, exclusively on black vinyl. The price for this record has been all over the place in recent years, but on a broadly upward trajectory.

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
SP30/185 Black	25-55	4	Volatile

This page was last updated on December 1, 2019.

  

Far Gone

Sub Pop SP208 LP / SP208b CD / SP208a Cassette, released 1993 (U.S.)

Sub Pop SP94/266 / SPCD 94/266 CD, released 1993 (Germany)

The Far Gone LP is a brutal story. Love Battery was making the jump to a major label, and Far Gone was scheduled for release on PolyGram. The deal fell through due to a contractual dispute with Sub Pop. Knowing that Love Battery still planned to bolt for a major label, Sub Pop decided to release the album, but had no incentive to put much effort into it. They took the rough mix demo for Far Gone and released it as the album without final production. It shows. The album contains some of the best songs written by Love Battery, and I wish I could hear them with some better production. Once the album was released, Sub Pop buried it, providing minimal promotional support and quickly allowing it to disappear into their back catalogue.

A year or two ago, in an interview, a member of Love Battery said they were in talks with Sub Pop to remaster Far Gone for a re-release. I haven't heard anything since.

As far as the vinyl was concerned, they released it domestically in limited quantities, all on black vinyl, and as a European release on both black and red vinyl. The red vinyl version was limited to 500 copies. As with many color vinyl releases, there were some copies of this record in which the red and black mixed. I found a red one with speckled black in it. See below.

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
SP208 Black	15-20	3	Up
SP94/266 Red (500)	15-20	5	Stable
SP94/266 Black	8-12	1	Stable

SP208 Test Pressing	SP208
SP94/266 Test Pressing	SP94/266 Red	SP94/266 Red w/ Black Specks	SP94/266 Black

Test Pressing	SP208: Black vinyl, white RTI labels SP94/266: Black vinyl, white labels

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

Nehru Jacket/Illuminated Man b/w Red Onion/Please Before You Go

Atlas 69712 0050 1 10", released 1994

Atlas 69712 4034 2 CD (U.S.)

Atlas 853 999-2 CD (Europe)

Love Battery did eventually make the major label jump. Leading up to the release of their Straight Freak Ticket album, the Nehru Jacket EP came out. The vinyl version was a blue 10" EP. There was also a CD. Two of the tracks appeared on Straight Freak Ticket; the other two were exclusive to this EP. The vinyl was a promo. The CD was sold in stores (though a promo also exists).

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
Atlas 69712 0050 1 Blue	8-12	3	Stable

This page was last updated on December 1, 2019.

Straight Freak Ticket

Atlas 31452 7152 2 CD, released 1995 (U.S./Canada)

Atlas 527 152-2 CD (Europe)

Atlas POCM-1117 CD (Japan)

Atlas 31452 7152 4 Cassette (U.S./Canada)

Atlas 527 152-4 Cassette (Indonesia)

Love Battery's first (and only) major label full-length, released on Atlas Records. No vinyl versions exist. There was a cassette version.

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
Atlas 31452 7152 2 CD (U.S.)	1-3	1	Stable
Atlas 31452 7152 2 CD (Canada)	8-12	5	Stable
Atlas 527 152-2 CD (Europe)	2-4	1	Stable
Atlas POCM-1117 CD (Japan)	15-20	5	Stable

This page was last updated on December 1, 2019.

Confusion Au Go Go

C/Z CZ092 CD, released 1998

There was one more (severely underpublicized) Love Battery album, released on the barely-still-operating C/Z Records. Even though I was paying close attention, I had no idea when it was released, and it took me a couple of months to be able to purchase a copy. There were no vinyl versions. This one has since become fairly scarce.

Version	Value ($)	Scarcity	Price Trending
C/Z CZ092 CD	15-25	6	Stable

This page was last updated on December 1, 2019.

Love Battery Singles
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