Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Rag and Bone to Inchophone
Post Reply
User avatar
Grimtale
Little People
Posts: 4976
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:18 pm
Location: East Coast
Contact:

Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by Grimtale »

This topic it dedicated to, and is for, and about the unreleased 10" record of "Ball & Biscuit (live) / There's no home for you here" by The Whites Stripes.
Now that the formal stuff is out of the way...

Here is the story about the elusive and almost urban legend until now... 10" Ball & Biscuit Record.

This is a copy of the 10" Test Pressing of the White Stripes "There's no home for you here" backed with an unreleased version of "Ball & Biscuit (Live)", here forth known as the "10" Ball & Biscuit". This record was produced under Jack's guidance by White Stripes production manager Leo Silverman. XL's marketing department suggested it was too 'niche' and pushed for a 7" release instead so this never made it past the design phase and ultimately wasn't approved by Jack to be pressed. The 9:02 version of Ball & Biscuit was never used as it wouldn't fit on a standard 7" with any quality.

The record was produced on a run of 10 copies pressed at ASL in London. It just happened that ASL had another 10" job running at the time on clear vinyl so they threw in the White Stripes stampers and the rest is history. It is the only White Stripes release on 10" vinyl or clear vinyl. It is also the only known release of this version of Ball & Biscuit done at Electric Lady Studio for a radio promotion.

As for the whereabouts of the 10 known copies...
Jack is said to have a copy or two in his private collection, two are in private collector hands (mine and another lucky souls), and the rest are said to be in the vaults at XL records, never to be released.

This copy was obtained from the personal collection of Ben Blackwell as the letter shown authenticates. It has been played one time to make the video attached for all to enjoy.

Enjoy...
-Grim



Image
Last edited by Grimtale on Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:35 pm, edited 3 times in total.
I am everything you hate...
User avatar
rsimms3
Tiny Elephant
Posts: 8802
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2010 3:32 pm

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by rsimms3 »

Thank you!
:D
"The chairs are too nice, the chandeliers are too beautiful, and the popcorn is too buttery." - Jack White
"What if my problem wasn't that I don't understand people but that I don't like them?" - Louis Bloom
User avatar
dylnfan
Little Ghost
Posts: 3068
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:28 pm
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by dylnfan »

rsimms3 wrote:Thank you!
:D
The real holy grail! Thanks Grim, sounds fantastic!
"I haven't told him, but I'm adding him to my movement to bring nice back. Because nice is the coolest, most punk thing ever."

- Cmelo
User avatar
runofthemill
Little Ghost
Posts: 3222
Joined: Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:52 pm

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by runofthemill »

Merry Christmas Mr Grim!
User avatar
flattop2001
Little Ghost
Posts: 2616
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 4:34 pm

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by flattop2001 »

How the Grim stole Christmas...cool thanks for sharing.
Don't believe the 60's was the golden age of pop. You glorify the past when the future dries up.
User avatar
chrono_1980
Little Ghost
Posts: 2187
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2010 2:41 am
Location: The Great White North

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by chrono_1980 »

Grim gets all the cool toys. Thanks - that was a cool version of B&B...
User avatar
hsp88
Little Ghost
Posts: 2391
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:18 am
Location: NYC & Long Beach, NY
Contact:

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by hsp88 »

i smell a great vault release over here
hawke000

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by hawke000 »

Epic Mark,

Thank you for sharing this with us. Merry Christmas indeed!
User avatar
PetterC
Little Bird
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:29 pm
Location: Oslo, Norway
Contact:

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by PetterC »

Awesome, thanks for sharing!
User avatar
higherlimits
Little People
Posts: 4089
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:14 am

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by higherlimits »

Just to add to the story a tiny bit, these were unearthed at the same time as the transparent Rag & Bone and the non-gatefold Australia Elephant. As far as I know that's also when/where Ben got his copy/copies.
User avatar
crimpies
Little Acorn
Posts: 527
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 10:14 am

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by crimpies »

Amazing!
User avatar
Grimtale
Little People
Posts: 4976
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:18 pm
Location: East Coast
Contact:

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by Grimtale »

Thanks for all the great comments. It makes the two year chase I had for one of these all worth it. Trust me, getting this out of Blackwell's hands was no trivial task.

Also,
Here is the first video I made, it has both sides but due to the file size, I had to reduce the video quality to get it to fit on youtube.
I opted for posting the HD one sided version first.

If you want to hear the other side... but nothing you haven't heard before...
Grim
I am everything you hate...
User avatar
chrono_1980
Little Ghost
Posts: 2187
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2010 2:41 am
Location: The Great White North

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by chrono_1980 »

Hey Grim - did it have any sort of special sleeve? :mrgreen:
User avatar
Grimtale
Little People
Posts: 4976
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:18 pm
Location: East Coast
Contact:

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by Grimtale »

chrono_1980 wrote:Hey Grim - did it have any sort of special sleeve? :mrgreen:
As Jack would say.... Good Question...
I am everything you hate...
User avatar
Kaber
Little People
Posts: 3476
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 2:39 pm

Re: Single: 10" Ball & Biscuit

Post by Kaber »

chrono_1980 wrote:Hey Grim - did it have any sort of special sleeve? :mrgreen:
Test pressing most likely to have a plain sleeve.

Nice catch - didn't Sean own this copy once?
Post Reply