Pennyroyal 3 - Love Buzz SP23 test pressing

Main Pressing plants Pennyroyal Tea Test pressings Collection

Love Buzz SP23 test pressing

White label test pressing, black vinyl. Plain white inner sleeve only. According to Jonathan Poneman, co-owner of Sub Pop, there were ten copies made. Four confirmed copies have been found.

One copy (image 1) was sold by Poneman personally to the current owner. A second copy (images 2-3) went from Sub Pop to a local shop, then to a collector in New York, and then to the current owner around 1997. A third copy (images 4-5) was given to radio DJ Scott Vanderpool back in 1988. This was possibly the first Nirvana record played on the radio. Scott sold his copy to the current owner in June 2007. A fourth copy (images 6-7) was discovered in late 2009.

The four surfaced copies all have different handwritten notes, and all written in different types of pen or pencil. Text seems to have been added on a case-to-case basis, either by Sub Pop or later owners. Especially the second copy with text in two different colors, the black text may have been written by Sub Pop, while the blue by a later owner. All the text on the fourth copy was added by a later owner.

Many years ago, Mark Arm of Mudhoney sold a copy on eBay, which was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity which he obtained from Poneman. This COA is where we obtained information regarding the quantity. It was sold for $1260 to a person in Seattle, and Arm delievered the test pressing personally. Another copy was sold around 1992-93 for $75. The seller had two copies, and had worked in and around the Seattle scene, including Sub Pop. I don't know about the whereabouts of these copies.

Tracklist

Side A: Love Buzz w/cartoon intro
Side B: Big Cheese

Matrix & IFPI

Side A: SP-23-A kdisc WHY DON'T YOU TRADE THOSE GUITARS FOR SHOVELS? L-31540
Side B: SP-23-A kdisc L-31540X

Format
Type
Label
Catalog
Made in
Year

Quantity

7" (black)
Test pressing
Sub Pop
SP23
USA