JOY DIVISION - AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") 1982
Pirate copy of the official 12" release on
Enigma.
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
The sleeve is a reproduction of the original 12" cover. The back sleeve (see scan) is different from the original.
Matrix numbers are: DOLLARS A/B.
The record came with labels with the band name of "The Dallars". There were some "cut-lick&stick" red insert labels with "Joy Division" and the track titles on - you had to stick these labels over the top of the "Dallars" ones.
See also A History In Cuttings
which contains a similar version of this single
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7")
Pirate copy of the official 12" release on
Enigma.
Source: studio.
Matrix numbers: DOLLARS
Thanks to Paul Burridge for the scans
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Looks like this copy is a cross between the regular AIFL 7" bootleg issue (above) and the version that came with an early edition of the A History In Cuttings book. This one has a simple folded sleeve made of thin matt grey / green paper which is folded along the bottom edge. Note the position of writing on the back of the sleeve.
Labels have the band name as "The Dallars" like the version above. No lick and stick labels included.
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") Counterfeit versions - Various issues
Counterfeit copies of the official 7" release
on Enigma.
Unlike the other releases on this page these ones are designed to be
identical to the original release in every way.
There have been various issues over the years. They are very similar to
each other so we have grouped them here under one listing - with the
emphasis on how to tell a fake from an original.
Source: studio.
How to spot a fake
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Important: The information provided here is believed to be accurate but we do not guarantee it.
(1) Fakes released in the 1980s ... see scans (opens new window)
Identical to the official release with a 14" x 14" fold out sleeve except:
- The fakes do not have the serrated edge around the label.
- The matrix numbers are the same on both the original and the copy - however, on the original the matrix numbers in the run off grooves are "signed" by the person who did them - "EG". If it doesn't have "EG" then it's the fake. Beware: we have heard of someone scratching "EG" onto a counterfeit to make it look like the original.
- The pictures on the folded poster cover are slightly out of focus. It actually looks as if it is copied.
- The matrix numbers on the copy are in quite large hand written characters - where the original had very small hand written matrix numbers.
- The label on the original is absolutely black and not shiny at all.
- There should be only about 1 mm between the copyright message on the edge of the label and the vinyl - the counterfeit has more (about 3 mm)
We don't know how many different fakes were released in the 1980s. There may have been just one pressing, or there may have been more.
(2) U.K. pressing released in 2004 / 2005 see scans (opens new window)
This one looks much more like the original than the earlier fakes
- The matrix numbers are the same and this fake issue does have the "EG" in the run out groove.
- The fakes do not have the serrated edge around the label.
- The middle of the label is contoured differently on the original
The white vinyl version looks like it is a repressing of this one
(3) U.K. pressing released in 2009
- Early copies on coloured vinyl are easy to spot as the original was on black
- Later released on black vinyl
- No "EG" in the run out groove.
- No serrated edge around the label
(4) Later issues
- See individual listings below. These tend to be picture discs etc which are cleary very different from the originals
Signs of an original
- The original has a serrated edge round the outside of the label. We suspect that none of the fakes have this - but it is impossible to say for sure.
- The original is on black vinyl.
- The original has EG scratched into the run out groove (as well as the matrix number)
- The label on the original is black and not shiny at all.
- There should be only about 1 mm between the copyright message on the edge of the label and the vinyl
- The contours on the label on the original are different to the fakes. See images.
- All originals are very heavy weight vinyl and somewhat dull in appearance, including the paper label. The sleeve is not shiny and under magnification, you can see very distinct dots, defining the graphics (some fakes are blurry under magnification)
Below are more
detailed listings of the different counterfeit repressings we know
about. If you have a version that is different from the ones
listed on this site please email us.
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") probably Australian, mid/late 1980s
1st(?) fake reissue of the official 7" release
on Enigma.
Black vinyl, non-glossy/not shiny fold-out sleeve
Matrix numbers: PSS 139 EP A1 (side A), and PSS 139 EP B1 (side B)
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") Japanese(?) pressing, 1990s(?)
2nd(?) fake reissue of the official 7" release
on Enigma.
Plain white labels, black vinyl, smooth shiny/glossy folder cover
Matrix numbers: JOY DIVI A (side A), and JOY DIVI B (side B)
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Slightly different from the other fake reissues as the matrix numbers are different, and the cover only folds out once with the band picture on the inner left and the soldier picture on the inner right - ie the sleeve is 7" tall and 14" wide, printed on both sides, and then folded in half.
(The official 7" release was printed on one side of a 14" x 14" piece of card and then folded twice to make the sleeve - see listing for details)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") UK pressing, 2004/2005
3rd(?) fake reissue of the official 7" release
on Enigma.
Black vinyl.
Matrix numbers: PSS-139-EP-A-I EG (side A), and PSS-139-EP-B-I EG (side
B). Almost exact replica of original issue, but there is no serrated
edge around the label. A white vinyl pressing (as pictured below)
of supposedly only 100 copies was released in 2005. Another limited
repressing of 75 copies, this time on blue vinyl (colour is darker blue
and less transparent than the USA blue vinyl pressing listed below),
turned up in 2006.
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man) The fold-out sleeve is thick card, with a non-glossy/not shiny surface.
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") UK pressing, 2009
4th(?) fake reissue of the official 7" release
on Enigma.
100 copies on pink vinyl, and either 100 or 300 copies - depending on
who you believe - on blue, white, and red vinyl. Later issued on black
vinyl, issued with proper printed black labels or plain white.
Matrix numbers: PSS-139-A1 (side A), and PSS 139-B1 (side B).
No serrated edge around the label.
No "EG" in the matrix number
Source: studio.
The sleeve looks faded compared to earlier fakes
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") USA pressing, 2005
Fake reissue of the official 7" release on
Enigma.
Picture disc 750 copies
Reissued on coloured vinyl, see below
Matrix numbers: PSS-139-EP-A1/B1
Plays at 33 1/3 rpm In 2006 an orange (sometimes referred to as gold or
yellow) vinyl version appeared (see picture below). This was a limited
edition of 250 copies, and is probably just a repressing of the picture
disc as the matrix numbers, sleeve etc are identical. Another
repressing, this time on blue vinyl (colour is more pale blue-greenish
than the blue vinyl UK pressing listed above) was released in 2006, 150
copies. A green vinyl version appeared in 2006, 5 copies, and a purple
one in 2007. 2008 saw re-releases in clear, spring green, army green,
white, and grey vinyl. Reissued on mauve vinyl in 2011.
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man) The poster sleeve is very smooth and shiny
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (7") 2011
Fake reissue of the official 7" release on
Enigma.
Picture disc featuring artwork from the official
12"
250 hand numbered copies
Matrix numbers: JD A / JD B
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING - 45 YEARS JUBELEE EDITION(7") Russian pressing 2023
Russian reissue of the official 7" release on
Enigma
Pirate Love Records
Glossy double-sided colour folder cover with gold lettering
Catalogue number: PILO 044
500 hand numbered copies
Pressed on gold (200 copies), lilac (150 copies), and dark green (150
copies) vinyl
All have dark purple / violet labels with white text
Includes 7" size double-sided printed insert with a live band photo
(from Altrincham 14/3/79 by photographer Martin O'Neill) and the band
name in gold lettering on one side and the song lyrics + web address of
the record label and a contact email address on the other, and also a
postcard size insert with another colourised band photo (from Stockport
28/7/79 by photographer Paul Slattery) and the band name in gold
lettering on the front and "Limited edition 500 copies your copy is __"
printed on the back, the individual number is hand-written in red
marker.
Matrix numbers:
A 33 1/3 RPM PILO 044 (followed by a scratched out bit)
B 33 1/3 RPM PILO 044 (followed by a scratched out bit)
Source: studio.
 Front |
 Back |
 Inner |
 Insert |
 Insert |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
||
An Ideal For Living 12"EP A/B Anonymous Records
This is the original pirate copy.
Matrix numbers are just "A" and "B".
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Sleeve based on the orig. AIFL 12" - all text is the same and set out in the same manner as the original but it is on a plain background instead of the "scaffold" image.
The labels say "An ideal for living" and "Joy Division" and "side 1" or "2" and the song titles. There is no record label.
An Ideal For Living 12"EP 664 A F/B F Anonymous Records
Greek pressing from the same people who did The
Short Circuit 12", The Ideal Beginning 12",
and Buzzcocks "Spiral Scratch"
Hand written matrix numbers: 664 A F and 664 B F
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Identical to then 12" above but with "Ltd Edition" note on cover and different matrix/groove numbers
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (12") W/N/L/F Anonymous Records
Picture disc.
Matrix numbers: W/N-1A (Side 1) and L/F -1B (Side 2) These are the first
letters of the song titles
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Has an address: 35 Little Peter St. Manchester, and a telephone number
on it.
Pirate copy of the official release on Enigma.
The picture disc has no "cover", and is a reproduction of the original 12" cover. It was sold as an extremely rare official release by some dealers many years ago, although it's clearly a counterfeit issue.
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (12") Fac XXV Anonymous Records
Released 1978.
Source: studio. Penine Sound Studios,
December 1977
Insert sleeve, later reissued in a proper sleeve
White labels with black text (opposite of the genuine article)
Matrix numbers: W/N-1-A (Side A) W/N-1-B (Side B) Different matrix to
pic disc above - extra hyphen, different hadwriting
Thanks to Michael for the scans.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (12")
We don't know much about this one except it has no matrix numbers which
makes it different from the releases above.
Plain white sleeve.
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (12") Anonymous Records 2006
Issued in white (500 copies), green, and blue vinyl. Later issued on
clear vinyl (without insert). A purple vinyl reissue turned up in 2011,
again without the original insert.
12" paper insert with photos of the band.
Matrix numbers are: A-NON-1-A DON'T LET IT EVER FADE AWAY (Side A)
A-NON-1-B I FEEL IT CLOSING IN (Side B)
Source: studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
AN IDEAL FOR LIVING (12") 2011
UK.counterfeit version of the official 12" single.
Black vinyl - like the original
Sleeves and labels very similar to the original
Hand-written band name, title and catalogue number on the spine
How to tell it apart from the original:
Sleeve: The white border is whiter and wider than the original. The
sleeve is glossier.
Matrix numbers:
ANON 1 A-A-1
ANON 1 A-B-1
Groove notations "DON'T EVER LET IT FADE AWAY" etc are missing and the
run out grooves are noticeably wider than on the original.
Source: Studio.
Warsaw Leaders of men No love lost Failures (of the modern man)
Wider border on the sleeve and wider run out grooves than the original
