HERMANOS ABRAZADOS----HERMANOS EN BRAZOS
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7 inch
The German 7 inch of Brothers
In Arms. Most issues
of this single had the same sleeve, including Australia, France,
Portugal, the UK and Spain (The outer border for the Spanish
release was pink, as opposed to the light blue) . The countries
just mentioned featured Going
Home - Theme From Local Hero (Live) at 5:03, on the B-side, and a 6 minute version
of Brothers In Arms. They also featured the lyrics on the reverse of
the sleeve. Spain also printed European Tour Dates on the back of
the sleeve.
The 7 inch from Canada. The sleeve picture was a black and white
newspaper type image of Mark himself. An insert was enclosed
advertising a video of The Best
Of Brothers In Arms - The Videosingles for $19.95. The label indicates a playing time
of 5:36. The B-side was The Mist
Covered Mountains from the
album Local Hero.
Chart Information
Country Date of Entry Highest Position Weeks UK (Top 75) 26th October 1985 16 13
The B-side of
the German 7 inch Picture Disc.
Germany released a very limited Picture Disc of Brothers In Arms, with the guitar image on the A-side, and a
familiar photo of the band on the B-side. Other details are the
same as the standard release.
The UK issued a double-single, and the additional single contained Sultans Of Swing and Eastbound Train (Live), although you were left guessing because the label was blank, probably surplus pressings the Record Company had lying about. Ironically, it was the same single featured in the UK Walk Of Life double-pack. Nothing special about the packaging either, both singles were packed together in a clear PVC double sleeve.
Several Promos were available around the World. In France the promo tracks and sleeve were identical to the regular release. The UK issued a DJ promo featuring a radio edit on the A-side and 7 inch single version on the other. Two 7 inch Townhouse Acetates were also manufactured in the UK, one was single sided, the other contained a "Commercial version" c/w a "DJ version".
12 inch
12 inch versions were issued in limited countries around the World. In The UK the 12 inch was similar to it's 7 inch counterpart, the sleeve was the same, except the outer border was pink instead of light blue. This featured the full length version, coupled with Going Home - Theme From 'Local Hero' (Live) and Why Worry (instrumental segment). The back of the sleeve contain the lyrics and the UK Tour Dates. The German and the Australian 12 inch is identical to the UK release, with the exception of the tour dates. I have also been reliably informed that a second 12 inch from Australia was available, but with a blue border, containing an "Extended Mix".
The 12 inch
Disco Promo from Brazil. This 12
inch played at 33 RPM and featured I Believe by Tears
For Fears on the B-side. Tears For Fears and Dire Straits
appeared coupled together often on promos in South America and
Italy, both coming under the same record Company, and both
fitting into similar categories. Below is a copy of the comments
found on the back of this 12 inch.
Comments on the back of the 12 inch promo from Brazil.
Conspiracy
Of Hope, (Conspiracion Por La Esperanza), Album released in
Argentina during 1987. Issued
to "Honour the Amnesty International 25th Anniversary".
This album featured such diverse acts as Bryan Adams, (Tonight),
Elton John, (Passengers), Steve Winwood, (Higher Love), Simple
Minds, (Ghost Dancing), John Cougar Mellencamp, (Pink Houses),
and Dire Straits, (Brothers
In Arms). A total of
11 tracks, and a fine collection of songs. Both the album and the
sleeve make it clear they were manufactured in Argentina, and
destined for the Argentine market, but on the back of the sleeve,
it clearly states that the sleeve was "printed in The
Netherlands". There is a good chance this album was
available in other countries.
In the UK a 12 inch Townhouse Acetate was made albeit very very very limited, containing the same 3 tracks as the regular UK 12 inch. Incidentally, Acetates are normally one of the first pressings made and although the material is regarded as slightly softer (and more prone to wear), they were very thick and heavy, compared to normal releases. Normally only about half a dozen (6) acetates are ever made.
A clear vinyl 12 inch was also made, and to my knowledge no other copies exist. The grooves only took up 7 inches of the disc, I believe this is a test pressing for the picture disc listed below. Two blank labels were fitted, there were no clues in the 'run out' groove (that's where the catalogue number is normally etched), so there's no formal identification, the only way to identify the disc was to play it. This is probably the rarest item in my collection.
Special Formats
Both sides of the UK 7 inch Special edition Picture Disc.
The UK 7 inch Picture Disc was rectangular in shape, and like the UK Picture Disc of Money For Nothing looked strange going around on the turntable. The quality of sound on all picture discs is slightly impaired (due mainly to the mixture of colours in the material), this is no exception, but it does look good. A 12 inch circular version was pressed, although very very limited, probably only a handful of copies exist, I suspect manufactured during the initial pressing of the picture disc and not cut to shape.
A 10 inch version of Brothers In Arms was also available, featuring the same tracks as the UK 7 inch equivalent, and similar sleeve. Although it was intended as a limited edition, it was still available when Your Latest Trick was released some 6 months later, it was repackaged and sold, sealed together with the 7 inch version of Your Latest Trick. This was probably another ploy to reduce surplus stocks of the 10 inch.
The UK also manufactured a 10 inch white label test pressing, in plain sleeve and plain label, the only form of identification was the catalogue number etched into the 'run out' groove. The tracks are identical to the regular UK 10 inch release. A 10 inch single-sided acetate also exists, considered to be extremely rare.
Mimmo Carrata, who has helped me with addional information, tells me he has 2 "Metal Mother Acetates", one for Brothers In Arms, and one for Going Home (Live), one for each side of the 10 inch. He writes "This is made in UK and they are made of metal, very similar to normal acetates. Mothers are the first step in the process of manufacturing production vinyl records. Mothers are used to "give birth" to metal masters, which in turn are used to make the stampers which actually stamp out the vinyl discs. Mothers are unique as they have grooves and can be played on a turntable just like a vinyl record. Value is very high."
Brothers In Arms, Live in '85, The first ever
UK CD single. A CD
single was also available (reported as limited to 400 copies),
and more famously renowned as the first ever UK CD Single. Issued
in 1985 to tie in with the Tour (Sponsored by Phillips Compact
Disc) and promote the first Compact Disc Players (Made by
Phillips), I guess they thought the time was right for a CD
Single and this was it. Reports in many Record Monthly Magazines
of the late Eighties expected the price to rise at a phenomenal
rate but unfortunately the value stayed pretty static at about
£70 (about 100 US Dollars). The tracks were the same as the 12
inch UK release, and the inlay used the same image as the UK 12
inch.
In 1986, another CD single of Brothers In Arms was released, aptly called "Live in '86", and strictly limited to 200 copies, if reports are to be believed. Both discs manufactured in Germany, and as far as I can determine the discs are identical, right down to the catalogue number, (884 285-2). In fact, the only difference between the two is the Phillips logo on the front of the CD inlay. As the picture demonstrates, the "Live in '86" has a coloured logo, and the "Live in '85" is simply blue and white. I have examined both CD's very closely and I see no other distinguishing marks.