A Record Collector's Guide

There were quite a few Afghan Whigs singles and EPs released between 1989 and 1998 in several different countries.  This is an attempt to chronicle those singles.

I Am the Sticks b/w White Trash Party 7"

Sub Pop SP32, released April 1989

Sub Pop Singles Club #6

Limited to 1500 copies, all on black vinyl.  The version of "White Trash Party" on this single is a different version from the one that was released on the Up in It album.  After many years, I came across a copy that contained an early loose Singles Club insert.  This one appears to have been designed specifically for this release.

Version	Approximate value ($)
SP32 Black	20-30

Loose Insert

Test Pressing

Test Pressing	Black vinyl, small hole, plain white labels.

Sister Brother b/w Hey Cuz 7"

Sub Pop SP84, released 1990

Sub Pop SP4/115 12" (Germany)

The sleeve is a foldover paper sleeve with a Sub Pop Singles Club order form attached.  The first 2000 were on red vinyl.  At one point in collectors' past, this was the desirable version to have.  Over the years, it became clear that this version was actually very easy to come by.  The black version was released at this point as well.  Several other colors have shown up since then.  I don't know whether they were pressed later or if they were just smaller quantities that were part of the original press run.  Regardless, they are tougher finds.  The purple marble one will show up fairly often.  It's the green, pink marble, and clear pink ones that are really difficult to find.  The green one is clear green, with slight marbling (see picture).  The pink marble one is a solid hot pink marble.  I found a pink marble variation, which looks like a cross between pink marble and purple marble.  The effect is dark pink marble.  The clear pink one is a really tough find.

The 12" was an early Sub Pop Europe release, containing the track "Turning in Two," which never appeared elsewhere (and it's excellent).  It also exists on CD, which is actually much rarer.

Version	Approximate value ($)
SP84 Red (2000)	8
SP84 Black	5
SP84 Purple Marble	20-30
SP84 Pink Marble	35-40
SP84 Green	40-50
SP84 Clear Pink	75-100
SP4/115 Black	15-20

Attached Insert	Test Pressing
			SP4/115

Sleeve	Paper foldover w/ insert attached
Test Pressing	Black vinyl, small hole, plain white labels

Ornament: Tonight b/w Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

No. 6 Records KAR011 7", released 1991

Technically, this is not the Whigs, but in reality, Ornament is the Afghan Whigs plus Marcy Mays, who should have been an honorary member anyway, so we'll include it.  This was the sought after Whigs single through much of the '90s.  I got lucky with it - it ended up in a lot of bargain bins in Tokyo because the name "Afghan Whigs" is never once mentioned on the sleeve.  Most copies of the Ornament single are black.  There are clear and blue versions out there, though.  Both are rare, but the clear one is considerably rarer.  My copy has a couple of black bits in the clear vinyl.

Mike F. from Cincinnati, who worked in a record store in the '90s, told me that the Caroline distributor gave him the story on the clear vinyl copies.  The distributor said the clear ones were only pressed to fill existing orders, so a very small batch was made.  They made more clear copies than they had remaining sleeves, though, so some of the clear ones that are floating around are sleeveless.  Crazy.

Version	Approximate value ($)
KAR011 Black	15-20
KAR011 Blue	35-40
KAR011 Clear	50-60

Test Pressing

Test Pressing	Black vinyl, large hole, white Rainbo Records labels
Credits	G. Sinchak: test pressing image Mike F. from Cincinnati: the Caroline story/set me up with my copy

Turn on the Water b/w Milez iz Ded

Sub Pop Europe SP32,5/187 7" (Germany), released in 1992

Sub Pop Europe SP32/187 12" (Germany)

As with most German Sub Pop releases of this time, this one was only on black vinyl.  The 12" contains an additional track, "Delta Kong."  There was also a CDS issued, which contained all of the tracks of the 12" plus another, "Chalk Outline."

Version	Approximate value ($)
SP32/187 12" Black	15-20
SP32,5/187 7" Black	8-10

12" Test Pressing

7" Test Pressing

12"

7"

Test Pressing	12" - Black vinyl, white labels 7" - Black vinyl, white German labels
Credits	G. Sinchak: 12" test pressing image Enrico: 7" test pressing image

 

Conjure Me b/w My World is Empty Without You

Sub Pop SP142 7", released in 1992

Sub Pop SP42/203: My World is Empty Without You 12" (Germany)

There are many colors of this one out there, and some confusion about them.  Let's try to sort it all out.

Alright, then.  There are two very common colors of this single: red (almost a magenta-red) and white.  Simple.  

Next: lilac.  The lilac version causes a lot of confusion.  It is a very subtle greyish-lavender base color, marbled with bits of pink and blue.  I've seen it called pink, lilac, lavender, even grey...any of these would be somewhat correct, but at the end of the day, it's the same color vinyl.  We will call it lilac.  Fabulous.  That's settled.  Almost.  There is a version of this color out there with little to no pink marbling in it, which has the effect of basically making grey.  Now, I guess this means we know a grey copy exists.  The big question is whether this version is the only one or whether a dark grey marble one also exists.  I thought I saw one at one point, but I may be mistaken.  It will have to remain in the rumors section for now.

NOW...there are some other rarer colors.  There is a blue-green marble that is medium rare.  Then, there's the clear copy, which is rare, but does show up on occasion.  There was once rumored to be a black vinyl version.  I do not believe this exists.  Most of the Sub Pop releases of this era that were on many colors of vinyl were all on color vinyl, with none on black.  Then, there's the pink marble version...after convincing myself that this did not exist, one showed up for sale.  I lost out on that one, but have since tracked another down.

The German 12", on black vinyl, uses "My World is Empty Without You" as the title track, and also includes "You My Flower," from the Up in It album.  There is also a very uncommon U.S. promo CD for this single.  The catalogue number is Sub Pop SUBPROCD#3.  I am including it because some have spent considerable time tracking it down.

Version	Approximate value ($)
SP142 Red/Magenta	8-10
SP142 White	8-10
SP142 Lilac/Lavender/Pink/Grey	10-15
SP142 Blue-green Marble	15-20
SP142 Clear	25-30
SP142 Pink Marble	50-60
SP42/203 Black	15-20
Promo CD SUBPROCD#3	20-30

Test Pressing
	SP42/203	SUBPROCD3

Test Pressing	Red vinyl, small hole, plain white labels

Uptown Avondale

Sub Pop SP53/215 12" (Germany), released in 1992

Sub Pop Europe SP54/216 7" (Germany)

Uptown Avondale was a collection of the Whigs covering old soul songs, which would be a common theme throughout their career.  There were several different versions of this EP.  First, the 7", all copies of which were on red vinyl.  It contains two tracks, "Band of Gold" and "Come See About Me."  The 12" was on black vinyl, and contained four tracks: the two from the 7" plus "True Love Travels on a Gravel Road" and "Beware."  In addition, there was a CD version released in both the U.S. and Germany, which contained all four tracks from the 12", along with "Rebirth of the Cool," which is a remix of "Milez iz Ded."

Version	Approximate value ($)
SP53/215 12" Black	15-20
SP54/216 7" Red	8-10

12"

7"

Gentlemen b/w The Dark End of the Street - UNCONFIRMED

Rumored to be Elektra Germany 7559-64545-1, characterized by alternate artwork.  I don't think it actually exists in vinyl form.  I have never seen one.  If it does exist, I can't imagine it would be on anything other than black vinyl.  The cd version definitely does exist as Elektra Germany 7559-64545-2.  I have one of those, and am including it in the summary since collectors have some interest in it.

7559-64545-1 7"	40-50 (if it exists)
7559-64545-2 CD	10-15

Gentlemen b/w Mr. Superlove

Blast First BFFP89 7" (UK), released 1993

Blast First BFFP89T 12" (UK)

UK releases.  The 12" had one additional track, "The Dark End of the Street," and came with a limited edition poster.  All copies were on black vinyl.

Version	Approximate value ($)
BFFP89 7" Black	5
BFFP89T 12" Black	10-15

7"

12"

The Afghan Whigs/Ass Ponys Split 7"

The Afghan Whigs - Mr. Superlove b/w Ass Ponys - You My Flower

Mono Cat MC7004, released 1993

The two bands cover each other's songs.  Both do admirable jobs.  Limited to 3000 copies; all were on translucent black vinyl.

Version	Approximate value ($)
MC7004 Translucent Black	8-10

Debonair b/w My Curse/Ready

Blast First BFFP95 7" (UK), released 1994

Blast First BFFP95T 12" (UK)

7": gatefold sleeve; all copies were on black vinyl.  The 12" is strange.  There is a promo version (PBFFP95T), which comes in a die-cut white sleeve.  However, this version is usually easier to find than the picture sleeve version.  I don't claim to understand it.  Both versions of the 12" contain an additional track, "Little Girl Blue."

Version	Approximate value ($)
BFFP95 7" Black	5
BFFP95T 12" Black	15-25
PBFFP95T 12" Promo Black	15-25

12" Test Pressing

7"

12"

12" Promo

Test Pressing	12": Black vinyl, white Mayking labels
Credits	G. Sinchak: test pressing image

 

What Jail is Like b/w Revenge

Blast First BFFP96 7" (UK), released 1994

Blast First BFFP96T 10" (UK)

Elektra ED5693 12"(U.S.)

Elektra 61708-2 CD (U.S.)

These are all very different.  Well...there is some overlap, but not that much.  All of the above were on black vinyl.  Here's how it breaks out.  The 7" was just the two songs listed above.  As for the others...

BFFP96T 10"
• What Jail is Like
• What Jail is Like (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• My World is Empty Without You/I Hear a Symphony (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• Now You Know (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)

ED5693 12"
• What Jail is Like
• What Jail is Like (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• What Jail is Like (live on KCRW)
• My World is Empty Without You/I Hear a Symphony (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• Now You Know (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• Come See About Me (live on KCRW)
• Ready

61708-2 CD
• What Jail is Like
• Mr. Superlove
• Dark End of the Street
• Little Girl Blue
• What Jail is Like (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• Now You Know (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)
• My World is Empty Without You/I Hear a Symphony (live at the Mercury Cafe, Denver, CO)

Version	Approximate value ($)
BFFP96 7" Black	5
BFFP96T 10" Black	10-12
ED5693 12" Black	15

7"

10"

12"

Honky's Ladder/Blame, Etc. b/w If I Only Had a Heart/Creep

Mute 10MUTE128 10" (UK), released 1996

Black vinyl UK 10".  Pretty common.

Version	Approximate value ($)
10MUTE128 Black	10-15

 

Somethin' Hot b/w Miss World

Columbia COL666331 7 7", released 1998

This one is very odd to me.  The copy shown is the first that I have seen in a long time.  I could swear I remember seeing it more than once when it was released, but I ignored it at the time because it was a major label release.  I assumed it would be easy to find in the future.  Oops.  It is VERY tough to find.  The sleeve is actually numbered on the back.  My copy is # 181...I have no idea how many there were total, but it can't be many.  There were 1965 copies (ha-ha) of the cd made...I wonder if that figure includes the 7"s as well.  Scour Europe (especially France).  That's my only advice.  The price below is pure speculation.  I have not actually seen it for sale since 1998.  There are some people out there who would pay a lot for this record.  Odds are, though, if you found it in a record store, the price would be much lower.  I have now seen four copies of this record, two with higher numbers and two with lower numbers.  The higher two have been on lighter (both weight and color) orange semi-transparent and somewhat marbled vinyl.  The two lower numbered copies are on darker, more solid orange vinyl.  The sleeves are different as well; the solid orange ones come in sleeves with darker, better defined colors.  This indicates that there were definitely two distinct pressings of this record.  The highest number I have seen is # 1283...I don't know how these were numbered, but there is no way that 1300 (or 1965...) copies of this record exist.  It has been too hard to find.

Version	Approximate value ($)
COL666331-7 - light orange, semi-transparent, somewhat marbled	70-80
COL666331-7 - darker, solid orange	70-80

Credits	Romain found these for me, and first noticed the two types of orange vinyl

The Afghan Whigs Albums
The Afghan Whigs Index
The Twilight Singers Albums and Singles
The Gutter Twins Albums and Singles
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