This post is a departure from the typical entries here in two respects.  First, it focuses on an alternative/punk/pop group formed in the 1980s.  Second, it describes a CD, not pressed in Japan, West Germany, or the U.S., but in South Korea.  Yes, South Korea.  In 1986, the SKC plant in South Korea began pressing CDs using equipment provided by Philips-DuPont Optical (PDO) of Hanover, West Germany.  These South Korean SKC pressings are quite rare in my experience.  On to the CD.

Here we have the first U.S. issue of The Dead Milkmen’s 1986 sophomore effort, Eat Your Paisley!.  The CD was released on the Restless label under catalog number 72131-2.  It would appear as though this CD was also distributed in Europe since both the disc and inserts list 2131-2 as a European catalog number.  The disc and inserts also reference the independent label Fever Records.

As stated, the disc was pressed at the SKC plant in South Korea.  Since SKC received pressing equipment from PDO, the disc lacks a clear plastic ring at the center.  Thus, it looks like a typical West German pressing.  However, “Manufactured in South Korea” is printed on the disc at 4 o’clock.  The matrix code is “72131-2 1128 104 01 *”.  The middle set of characters in the matrix code, 1128 104, do not appear on West German pressings and appear to be a unique identifier of the SKC plant.  The label side of the disc is dominated by an eye-opening shade of red.

The disc and inserts are dated 1986, and this particular copy was found in an early jewel case with smooth top and bottom edges.  It is presumed that this issue is from 1986.  Shown below are the Eat Your Paisley! cover, back insert, and CD.

The cover for The Dead Milkmen’s 1986 album Eat Your Paisley!.  This album was first released on CD in the U.S. on the Restless label under catalog number 72131-2.

The back insert for the first U.S. CD issue of The Dead Milkmen Eat Your Paisley! (Restless, catalog number 72131-2).  A European catalog number, 2131-2, is also listed.  Note that this CD contains an extra track not provided on the original record, “Vince Lombardi Service Center”.

The original South Korean pressing of The Dead Milkmen Eat Your Paisley! (Restless, catalog number 72131-2).  The disc lacks a clear plastic ring and, therefore, resembles an early West German pressing.  Note that “Manufactured in South Korea” is printed at 4 o’clock.  The matrix code is “72131-2 1128 104 01 *”.  Note The Dead Milkmen logo at 1 o’clock.

Continuing the theme of classic jazz gracing this page (see the John Coltrane post immediately before this one), I’d like to discuss the 1959 landmark album by Dave Brubeck, Time Out.  Known for its unconventional rhythm structures, its sound is unmistakable and its influence is unquestioned.  Given the impact it had on jazz musicians, it should come as no surprise that Time Out was an early CD release by CBS/Sony in the U.S.

When I began collecting early CD pressings several years ago, I thought that the first U.S. CD issue of Time Out was the Columbia Jazz Masterpieces release from 1986 bearing catalog number CK 40685.  This release is identified by a purple border surrounding the traditional album cover, along with the blue and purple Columbia Jazz Masterpieces logo in the top right corner.  (Incidentally, this version of Time Out only exists as a series of U.S. pressings.)  As I became more involved in this hobby, one of the many things I learned was that there actually was an earlier U.S. issue from about 1984.  The actual first U.S. CD issue was released on the Columbia label and bears catalog number CK 8192.  In the years that I have been collecting, I have encountered many other music collectors and jazz fans who were unaware of this version of Time Out.  It seems that it was in print for only a short period and available in limited quantitles before being replaced by the common Columbia Jazz Masterpieces release.

Since the first U.S. issue was released around 1984 (again, Columbia, catalog number CK 8192), it should come as no surprise that the original copies were pressed in Japan by CBS/Sony.  This Japanese pressing was then replaced with a U.S. DADC plant pressing.  The two pressings are found with identical inserts, and the two discs look very similar.  If you are a collector of early CD pressings, you probably would expect the Japanese pressing to be the rarer of the two.  In my experience, that actually is not the case.  I seldom come across either pressing, but when I do encounter a copy, it is nearly always the Japanese pressing.  The U.S. pressing is very rare in my experience.

I can only relate my experience when discussing the relative rarity of different pressings because press runs from the early days generally were not reported.  My guess is that the Japanese pressing saw a relatively normal press run for the day (still limited).  However, the subsequent U.S. pressing may have only seen a short press run before being replaced by the Columbia Jazz Masterpieces issue.  There is no way to know for sure, but this seems like a reasonable explanation.

Shown below are pictures of the album cover and back insert for the original U.S. CD issue of Time Out.  Also shown is a spine label for this issue and finally the Japanese CBS/Sony and U.S. DADC pressings.  If you find either pressing, consider yourself lucky.  However, if you find the U.S. DADC pressing, then you have found a true rarity.

The cover for the first U.S. issue of Dave Brubeck Time Out (Columbia, catalog number CK 8192).  Both the Japanese CBS/Sony and U.S. DADC pressings bearing catalog number CK 8192 are found with this cover.

The back insert for the first U.S. issue of Dave Brubeck Time Out (Columbia, catalog number CK 8192).  Note the statement “Disc manufactured in Japan by CBS/Sony, Tokyo, Japan.” at the bottom.  This phrase was not removed for the subsequent U.S. pressing, so both the Japanese and U.S. pressings bearing catalog number CK 8192 are found with this back insert.

A spine label for the first U.S. issue of Dave Brubeck Time Out (Columbia, catalog number CK 8192).  As noted, the album title is erroneously shown as “Take Five”, which is the title of the third track on the album.  This error is found with all copies bearing catalog number CK 8192 (i.e., with both the Japanese and U.S. pressings).  It was corrected for the later Columbia Jazz Masterpieces issue, which has similar spines with red text on white.

The original Japanese pressing of Dave Brubeck Time Out (Columbia, catalog number CK 8192).  The disc was pressed by CBS/Sony.  It has “CSR COMPACT DISC” repeating in the plastic ring, and the matrix code is “DIDP-20080 11”.  Note also that the disc has “DIDP 20080” printed beneath the catalog number at 3 o’clock.  It also has “MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN” printed along the perimeter, beneath the track list.

The U.S. pressing of Dave Brubeck Time Out (Columbia, catalog number CK 8192).  The disc was pressed by DADC.  It has “Made in USA – Digital Audio Disc Corp.” stamped on the plastic ring, and the matrix code is “DIDP 20080 11A4”.  Note also that the disc has “DIDP 20080” printed beneath the catalog number at 3 o’clock.  It also has “MANUFACTURED IN U.S.A.” printed along the perimeter, beneath the track list.  Note the “triangle-in-circle” DADC logo beneath the CD format logo at 3 o’clock.   This logo is not present on the Japanese CBS/Sony pressing shown above.

John Coltrane was born on this day in 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina.  To honor him on what would be his 84th birthday, I thought he should be featured here.

Unfortunately, Coltrane passed away at the young age of 40, but his legacy as one of the great jazz innovators was cemented in his relatively short recording and performing career.  He played tenor and soprano saxophone with many jazz legends, including Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, and Dizzy Gillespie, and recorded on some of the most famous jazz albums of all time.  Examples include Blue Train (1957), Soultrane (1958), Giant Steps (1960), and A Love Supreme (1965), all released under his name, and also Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue (1959).  On the widely acclaimed Kind of Blue, Coltrane played tenor saxophone as a member of the famous Miles Davis Sextet that included Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone, Jimmy Cobb on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly or Bill Evans on piano. 

When you consider the inventiveness of John Coltrane’s improvisation and the landmark albums on which he played, it is an understatement to say that his catalog is a must-own for any jazz enthusiast.

In keeping with the theme of this web site, I have posted pictures of early CD pressings of three classic Coltrane albums below — Blue Train, Soultrane, and A Love Supreme.  The majority of Coltrane’s works on Blue Note, Prestige, Atlantic, and Impulse! were first released on CD in Japan in the 1980s.  The three CDs shown below were released in Japan between 1984 and 1987.

The original Japanese CD issue of John Coltrane Blue Train (Blue Note, catalog number CP35-3088).  This disc was pressed by Toshiba-EMI, and the matrix code is “CP35-3088 1A1”.  It is noted above the “JASRAC” symbol at 6 o’clock that this disc was issued in 1984.  This CD bears the popular “black-triangle” label design used in the 1980s by Capitol-EMI in Japan and is rather difficult to find.

The original Japanese CD issue of John Coltrane Soultrane (Prestige, catalog number VDJ-1502).  This disc was pressed by JVC.  As noted next to the “JASRAC” symbol at 9 o’clock, this disc was issued in 1986.

The original Japanese CD issue of John Coltrane A Love Supreme (MCA/Impulse!, catalog number 32XD-595).  This disc was pressed by Toshiba-EMI, and the matrix code is “32XD-595 1M TO”.  As noted in the orange section at 6 o’clock, this disc was issued in 1987.  Despite the “crosshair” motif, this MCA/Impulse! issue is not considered a Target CD.

It should come as no surprise that both record labels and manufacturers of CD players produced many sampler CDs in the early days to promote the new digital format.  After all, CDs were hailed as revolutionary when compared to scratchy LPs and worn casettes due to the CD’s portability, durability, and “clean” sound (no excessive hiss inherent to tapes and no pops and clicks inherent to records).  Of course, the goal here is not to start a format debate (those never end well), but rather to quickly summarize some of the advantages that were claimed when the compact disc was introduced and the efforts that those with a vested interest made to convince music enthusiasts and audiophiles to buy in.

The early promotional CDs were used at audio shows, press conferences, or in-store demos, and were also given to radio stations and music reviewers.  Some of these early promo CDs are hard to come by today, especially in good condition.  It would seem that many people exhaustively tested those durability claims in the early years.

In the 1980s, Sony in Japan produced a number of promotional sampler discs with “YEDS” catalog numbers.  The first such sampler was released in 1982 in Japan under the simple title Demonstration Disc.  The catalog number is YEDS 1.  The disc has the same three-quarter color coating design found in CBS/Sony’s 35DP and 35 8P CD series of the era, except that the coating is royal blue instead of black.  This distinctive CD has most of the text printed in Japanese, but it is marked “DEMONSTRATION DISC” and “NOT FOR SALE” in English.

As a very early CBS/Sony plant pressing, the matrix code is stamped in CBS/Sony’s “crude” matrix code font (the common neater font came later; see the matrix code for the Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life CD in the July 21, 2010 post).  The matrix code for this sampler disc is “YEDS-1-4 1D10”.  The back insert shows a CD flanked by historic dates in recording history, with the disc diameter labeled 12 cm (ca. 5″).  Featured prominently is 1982, the year the CD format was launched.  The cover also highlights 1982.

Shown below are pictures of the YEDS 1 CD, cover, a spine label, and the back insert.  I have only seen this disc three times since I began collecting early CD pressings in 2002.  If you own or are able to find this disc, consider yourself fortunate.  It appears to be one of the earliest CDs produced.

The cover for the Japanese promotional CD sampler, Demonstration Disc (Sony, catalog number YEDS 1).  1982 is featured on this cover, noting the release year of this disc and the launch year of the CD format.  The large “12” within 1982 is presumably a reference to the 12-cm diameter of a CD.  The cover is shown inside the original jewel case having smooth top and bottom edges.  Note the long “stopper bar” to the right of the front insert.  The long stopper bar design was limited to the earliest jewel cases and is rarely seen.

The back insert for the Japanese promotional CD sampler, Demonstration Disc (Sony, catalog number YEDS 1).  The CD’s diameter specification of 12 cm is featured, as are significant dates in recording history.  Not surprisingly, 1982 is printed larger to signify the important milestone represented by the launch of the CD.

A spine label for the Japanese promotional CD sampler, Demonstration Disc (Sony, catalog number YEDS 1).  As with the front and back inserts and the disc, text is printed in Japanese.

The Japanese promotional CD sampler, Demonstration Disc (Sony, catalog number YEDS 1).  The disc shows both the CBS/Sony and Epic/Sony logos.  The label design is similar to the one used for CBS/Sony’s early 35DP and 35 8P CD series, except that the color coating is royal blue instead of black.  Note that the disc has “NOT FOR SALE” printed at 6 o’clock.  The matrix code is “YEDS-1-4 1D10” and is stamped in CBS/Sony’s early crude font.  The disc has “MANUFACTURED BY CBS/SONY RECORDS INC.” stamped on the plastic ring.

With this post, I turn my attention to the classic 1976 double-album from Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life. Specifically, I would like to take a look at the original Japanese CD pressing on Tamla for the U.S. market (catalog number TCD06115TD-2). In my experience, this is the rarest of the original CD issues of Songs in the Key of Life, the others being Japanese pressings for the Japanese and European markets.

The two discs for Songs in the Key of Life were issued together and are designated Volume 1 and Volume 2. For the original Japan-for-U.S. pressing, the two volumes were issued in separate jewel cases, each with a booklet and back insert. This set was pressed in Japan by CBS/Sony. As early CBS/Sony pressings, the discs and accompanying inserts bear DIDX numbers — DIDX 108 and 109.

It took me a very long time to locate this Japan-for-U.S. pressing. Early U.S. DADC and Sanyo pressings that followed were also issued in separate jewel cases under catalog number TCD06115TD-2, with identical inserts to those found with the Japanese CBS/Sony pressing. I do not see the early U.S. pressings often, but they are considerably more common than the Japanese pressing. Most often, I see later U.S. pressings in a “chubby” two-disc jewel case. All of these U.S. pressings pre-date the 2000 remaster, which is packaged in a slim two-disc jewel case with a flip-out disc tray.

I have generally found Japanese CBS/Sony pressings of non-CBS/Sony titles to be quite rare. This pressing of Songs in the Key of Life is one such example. I am not aware of any other Japan-for-U.S. pressings of Songs in the Key of Life. In a future post, I will discuss the original U.S. issue of Stevie Wonder’s two-disc compilation, Original Musiquarium I, Volume I and Volume II, for which there are Japanese CBS/Sony and Japanese JVC pressings.

Shown below are pictures related to the original U.S. issue of Songs in the Key of Life. These pictures are all of Volume 1. Pictured is the album cover, back insert, a spine label, and the Japan-for-U.S. pressing.

The cover for the Japan-for-U.S. pressing of Volume 1 of Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (Tamla, catalog number TCD06115TD-2). The cover for Volume 2 is similar, the main difference being that the color scheme is purple instead of orange.

The back insert for the Japan-for-U.S. pressing of Volume 1 of Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (Tamla, catalog number TCD06115TD-2). Note the catalog number and DIDX number at the bottom center. As noted, Volume 1 (disc one) bears DIDX-108. Volume 2 (disc two) bears DIDX-109.

A spine label for the Japan-for-U.S. pressing of Volume 1 of Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (Tamla, catalog number TCD06115TD-2). Note that both DIDX numbers are shown at the left.

The Japan-for-U.S. pressing of Volume 1 of Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (Tamla, catalog number TCD06115TD-2). The disc was pressed by CBS/Sony. It has “CSR COMPACT DISC” repeating in the plastic ring, and the matrix code is “DIDX-108 31”. The DIDX number appears beneath the catalog number at approximately 3 o’clock. Volume 2 also was pressed by CBS/Sony and looks similar to Volume 1. The matrix code for Volume 2 is “DIDX-109 11”.

This is the final installment of the “Reprocessed Stereo” Elvis Presley CD series, which began in December 2009. Below are links to the first three installments.

Part 1: Elvis’ Golden Records
Part 2: Elvis Presley
Part 3: Elvis

In this final entry dedicated to the rare “Reprocessed Stereo” Elvis Presley CDs, we look at the compilation, 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong — Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 2.  The original version on CD was released by RCA under catalog number PCD1-2075.  Like the other three Elvis titles in this series, this first issue was released in stereo and bears the statement “STEREO EFFECT REPROCESSED FROM MONOPHONIC” on the inserts.  Also following the format of the other three “fake stereo” Elvis CDs, the catalog number suffix for 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong — Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 2, 2075, is derived from the original RCA LP catalog number.

The fake stereo issue was in print for only a short period before being replaced by a mono version bearing catalog number PCD1-5197.  The inserts with this more common mono issue state “RESTORED TO ORIGINAL MONO DIGITALLY REMASTERED”.  Seeing as the mono version was in print for many years, it is found as a Japanese Denon pressing and several later U.S. pressings.  By contrast, the stereo version only exists as a Japanese Denon pressing since it was in print for a limited time.  Copies of the stereo release are also often found with a cut-out mark on the back insert.

Shown below is the cover, back insert, and CD for the fake stereo issue of 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong — Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 2.

The cover for the “fake stereo” CD issue of 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong — Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 2 (RCA, catalog number PCD1-2075).  This cover is identical to the one used for the subsequent and more common mono issue.  Note the early RCA CD logo.  This front insert is just a card rather than a booklet.  The reverse side lists the tracks and is similar to the back insert shown below.

The back insert for the “fake stereo” CD issue of 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong — Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 2 (RCA, catalog number PCD1-2075).  Note the statement “STEREO EFFECT REPROCESSED FROM MONOPHONIC” in the bottom left corner above the CD format logo.  A cut-out mark is also visible in the top left corner.  As can be seen along the bottom, this insert was printed in the U.S.  Note that this stereo release used a black-and-white photo of Elvis Presley, while the more common mono issue shows the same photo in color.

The rare “fake stereo” 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong — Elvis’ Golden Records, Vol. 2 CD (RCA, catalog number PCD1-2075).  The disc was pressed in Japan by Denon.  The matrix code is “PCD-12075 1A1 48” and appears in the common Denon “dot-matrix” matrix code font.  Note that the character groups “PCD-12075” and “1A1 48” are separated by 180 degrees in the mirror band.

Back in November of 2008, I reported a rare Japan-for-U.S. pressing of Ozzy Osbourne’s 1983 album, Bark at the Moon (for more information, click here).  Looking back at that entry, I knew to be looking for the Japanese pressing of Bark at the Moon because the inserts stated “Disc manufactured in Japan by CBS/Sony, Tokyo, Japan.”  For several years, I kept finding common, later U.S. pressings that had “Now Made In The U.S.A.” stamped on the back insert next to the barcode.  As evidenced by that post in 2008, I finally found the original Japanese pressing without the “Now Made In The U.S.A.” stamp.

Today, I focus on another Japan-for-U.S. Ozzy Osbourne CD, but this one took a bit of extra effort to locate.  It is a Japanese pressing of Mr. Osbourne’s preceding studio album, the 1981 effort, Diary of a Madman.  CBS/Sony originally released Diary of a Madman on CD in the U.S. on its Jet label under catalog number ZK 37492.  Unlike Bark at the Moon, inserts for the original U.S. issue of Diary of a Madman lack the “Disc manufactured in Japan…” statement.  Rather, the copyright statement on the inserts includes a New York, New York address for CBS Records, Inc.  This indicates that Diary of Madman was released on CD after Bark at the Moon, at which point, perhaps, CBS/Sony no longer expected to press discs in Japan for the U.S. market.

Despite there being no link to a Japanese pressing on the Diary of a Madman inserts, I learned to my surprise some years ago that such a pressing existed.  Furthermore, I learned from fellow collectors that it, like many other early Japanese CBS/Sony pressings, was very rare.  Finally, I located it.

The inserts with this Japanese pressing of Diary of a Madman are identical to those found with all subsequent U.S. pressings issued under catalog number ZK 37492.  Thus, one cannot look for the “Now Made In The U.S.A.” stamp to distinguish U.S. from Japanese pressings.  When finding a used copy of Diary of a Madman, therefore, one must look at the actual disc to identify the pressing.  Of course, this is good advice with any used CD.  The proof is in the pressing.

So why is there a Japanese pressing of Diary of a Madman?  Perhaps CBS/Sony was in a transition period.  When drawing up the inserts, as I suggested above, maybe CBS/Sony did not expect to press this title in Japan.  However, when push came to shove, so to speak, perhaps CBS/Sony did not yet have the production capacity at its U.S. DADC plant in Terre Haute, IN to press the initial Diary of a Madman CDs in the U.S.  Maybe they reluctantly pressed the first batch of CDs in Japan.  A lot of speculation here, I realize, but unfortunately, I have not come across a record of such information.

When contemplating the Diary of a Madman CD and the existence of a Japanese pressing, let’s consider the DIDP number.  First, some background.  In the U.S., CBS/Sony used 50XXX DIDP numbers first, then transitioned to 20XXX numbers, and finally transitioned to 7XXXX numbers in the 1980s.  There exist Japanese CBS/Sony pressings only of titles with 50 and 20 DIDP numbers, though not all titles that fall in these DIDP number series exist as Japanese CBS/Sony pressings.  It seems as though these DIDP numbers can offer some indication of chronology — the lower the number in a given series, the earlier the title likely was released on CD.

The DIDP number for Diary of a Madman, 20188, is relatively low in the 20 series.  This suggests that Diary of a Madman was a relatively early CD release in the U.S.  From that standpoint, perhaps the existence of the Japanese pressing is not so surprising.  Going back to Bark at the Moon for a minute, it is noted that the DIDP number is 20044.  This, along with the “Disc manufactured in Japan…” inserts, indicates further that Bark at the Moon was issued on CD before Diary of a Madman.

I have not studied DIDP numbers closely enough to determine a clear cut-off, meaning the highest 20 number to exist as a Japanese CBS/Sony pressing.  However, I do believe that 20188 is one of the highest and should be close to the cut-off.  Therefore, Diary of the Madman should be among the last U.S. CBS/Sony titles that was pressed in Japan by CBS/Sony.

Shown below is the Japanese pressing of Diary of a Madman and the accompanying back insert.  Compare the copyright paragraph on this back insert to the one used for Bark at the Moon.

The Japanese CBS/Sony pressing of Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman (Jet (CBS/Sony), catalog number ZK 37492).  Note that the disc states “MADE IN JAPAN” along the perimeter at the bottom.  It has “CSR COMPACT DISC” repeating in the clear plastic ring, and the matrix code is “DIDP-20188 11 +++++”.

The back insert accompanying the Japanese CBS/Sony pressing of Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman (Jet (CBS/Sony), catalog number ZK 37492).  Note that the copyright paragraph at the bottom does not contain the “Disc manufactured in Japan…” statement.

Part 2 in this series of “Reprocessed Stereo” Elvis Presley entries covered Elvis Presley. This post was entered below on February 21, 2010.

In the third post in this series, the highlighted album is Elvis Presley’s second album, Elvis.  The first version of this album on CD was released by RCA under catalog number PCD1-1382.  As with the original CD versions of Elvis’ Golden Records and Elvis Presley reported here previously, this first CD of Elvis was released in stereo and bears the line “STEREO EFFECT REPROCESSED FROM MONOPHONIC” on the inserts.  In keeping with theme of the previous “fake stereo” Elvis CDs, the catalog number suffix for the stereo version of Elvis, 1382, is derived from the original LP catalog number.

The fake stereo version of Elvis was in print for a brief period before being replaced with a mono version bearing catalog number PCD1-5199.  The inserts with the common second issue state “RESTORED TO ORIGINAL MONO DIGITALLY REMASTERED”.  As a result of the original stereo version going out of print quickly, it only exists as a Japanese Denon pressing.  Additionally, this rare disc is typically found with a cut-out notch in one corner of the back insert.

Shown here is the cover, back insert, and disc for the fake stereo issue of Elvis.  Look for Part 4, the last installment in this series, in a couple of months.

The cover for the “fake stereo” CD issue of Elvis (RCA, catalog number PCD1-1382).  This cover is identical to the one used for the subsequent and more common mono issue.  Note the early RCA CD logo.  This front insert is just a card rather than a booklet.  The reverse side lists the tracks and is very similar to the back insert shown below.

The back insert for the “fake stereo” CD issue of Elvis (RCA, catalog number PCD1-1382).  Note the statement “STEREO EFFECT REPROCESSED FROM MONOPHONIC” in the top left corner.  A cut-out mark is also visible in the top left corner.  As noted along the bottom, this insert was printed in the U.S.

The rare “fake stereo” Elvis CD (RCA, catalog number PCD1-1382).  The disc was pressed in Japan by Denon.  The matrix code is “PCD-11382 1A1 48” and appears in the common Denon “dot-matrix” matrix code font.  Note that the character groups “PCD-11382” and “1A1 48” are separated by 180 degrees in the mirror band.