Sold Date: May 14, 2024
Start Date: May 13, 2024
Final Price: £2,200.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 1
Seller Feedback: 754
Buyer Feedback: 675

This is your chance to own an exceptionally rare US Test Pressing of Are Friends Electric. It is a one sided record with the reverse side being smooth.   The centre label is hand written and is written as Gary Numan - Are Friends Electric (rather than Tubeway Army).
It is 12" and 33 1/3 RPM speed.
I purchase it from a dealer in Canada. Below is information given on the original sale:

"This is a near mint condition, very rare, white label 12" test pressing Gary Numan "Are Friends Electric?". It was manufactured by Specialty Records for Atco Records in 1980. Test pressings were made in advance of regular pressings for quality control purposes. They were very selectively distributed to record label V.I.P.s and the artist and their management for approval. Very few were produced and most copies were destroyed. They were never made available to the general public. This 12" single has "Are Friends Electric?" on the a-side. The b-side is blank ( no grooves, no music and a blank white label). The white label on the a-side has "Are Friends Electric?" plus record company information written in red ink. There is also a date written, "4/11/80". The record comes in a white cardboard jacket. Written in red ink on the top right hand corner is "DMD-235 STDM - 38414-1 Gary Numan". It has had one owner, a former record company executive who has had it filed away since 1980. Label - Specialty Test Pressing - DMD - 235" 


I have seen reference to 7" US Test Pressing but I've never come across a 12" Test Pressing
Yes a handful of Test Pressings would have been made but may not have left the factory so this may possibly be the only one in existence. 
Yes the reserve is set high but I believe this is an extremely rare and obviously an iconic Numan song.
Reluctantly selling to fund another project.

International postage will be Royal Mail First Class Tracked and signed for, fully insured.