ESP 1010 Albert Ayler / Bells

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965
White cover, colored/etched vinyl.
Trail-off etched ESPM-1010 & "Bell Sound."

A NOTE ON US PRESSINGS

This particular release was issued in a bewildering amount of variations, numbering 20 or more. This title was on catalogue until 1974.
To identify your copy, please check the following confirmed variations:

Front cover colours:
Black with ochre lettering
Black with white lettering
Red with blue lettering
Orange with maroon lettering
White with red lettering
White with black lettering

Front cover content:
A ''stereo'' wording can appear either in the rim text on front or as a small caption underneath the title. Some copies have the ''stereo'' rim text blotted out. Appearing in the rim text does NOT automatically mean your copy plays stereo, please see the runout remarks far below.

The rim text may mention an address in New York, either:
180 Riverside Drive
156 5th Avenue
or
300 West 55th St

Back cover colours:
White with violet lettering
White with blue lettering
White with black lettering
Black with yellow lettering
Blank (no printing at all)

Back cover content:
Blank
Down Beat review and no mentioning of other releases.
Down Beat review and mentioning of other releases up till 1020.
A repeat of the front cover.

The liner notes may mention an address in New York, either:
180 Riverside Dr.
300 West 55 Street
or
290 West End Avenue

Label colour and content
No label at all
A green duotone of a portrait of Ayler/ back side flat white
A green duotone of a portrait of Ayler/ back side flat orange
A green duotone of a portrait of Ayler/ back side with large ESP logo.
A liver-colored duotone of a portrait of Ayler/ back side with large ESP logo.
pink blank labels on both sides
orange blank labels on both sides

Vinyl colour:
Clear with red silk screened lettering
Clear without any lettering
Gold translucent with red silk screened lettering
Violet with white silk screened lettering
Grey marbled with red silk screened lettering
Grey marbled with white silk screened lettering and a green pattern.
Grey translucent with white silk screened lettering
Blue with white silk screened lettering
Maroon with white silk screened lettering
Blue/black splash with white silk screened lettering
Yellow translucent without any lettering
Orange translucent without any lettering
Black without any lettering
Red translucent without any lettering

Early issues may have an inner sleeve with a printed article titled ''They don't call it jazz''.

Runout etchings may indicate whether it is stereo (ESPS-1010) or mono (ESPM-1010). Mono copies are much rarer then stereo ones.
Some etchings additionally contain the exact pressing date.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

MONO

his version:
- Front cover is white with red lettering.
- The rim text mentions an address in New York, 180 Riverside Drive.
- Back cover is completely blank.
- No label
- The vinyl is clear with red silk-screened lettering.
- Includes an inner sleeve with an article "They Don't Call It Jazz".

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

MONO

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965

Black cover with ochre lettering. Riverside Drive address. No stereo mention.
Blank back cover.
"They Don't Call It Jazz" inner sleeve.
Translucent white vinyl with red silkscreen and no label.
Run out "ESPM-1010" & "Bell Sound". Plastylite Ear [subbed as "(?)" below) before the catalog number. "1" over "..." very small after catalog number. "sf" hand-etched after "Bell Sound" stamp.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024 o

MONO

his version:
- label and cover state stereo, but the disc plays mono
- A-side label shows a green duotone of Ayler, the B-side label is blank.
- back cover includes Down Beat article.

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965
Black cover, colored/etched vinyl.
"TRANSPARENT DISK COMPLETE ON ONE SIDE" printed on the back sleeve.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Front and Back covers colour: Black with ochre lettering
Front cover content: word ''Stereo'' appear after "ESP Disk 1010"
Back cover content: word ''Stereo'' absent after "ESP Disk 1010" ( rest of design identical to front cover)
Label colour and content : No label at all
Vinyl colour: Clear with red silk screened lettering
Runout etchings indicate : ESP-1010 (see pics).

The rim text mention an address in New York, 180 Riverside Drive.
Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024
Stereo

Stereo version of the yellow translucent record
Stereo written on cover, label and matrix number

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024
Stereo

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965
Front cover black with white lettering
Back cover white with black lettering, Downbeat review
address on back cover: 180 RIverside Dr.
purple vinyl with white lettering
no label

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

MONO

This version:
- black cover with yellow lettering, the same on both sides
- completely transparent vinyl
- no labels attached to the disc.

'They don't call it jazz' inner sleeve.

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

MONO

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965

Black cover with ochre lettering. Riverside Drive address. ''stereo'' rim text blotted out.
Back cover a repeat of the front cover without "stereo".
Plain inner sleeve.
Translucent white vinyl with white silkscreen and no label.
Run out "ESPM-1010" & "Bell Sound sf" hand-etched on front play side.
Run out "BP 12-4" hand-etched on back blank side.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Stereo

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

MONO

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965

Black cover with white lettering.
180 Riverside Drive address.
Front cover ''stereo'' rim text blotted out.
Back cover a repeat of the front cover without the word "stereo".
Translucent white vinyl with white silkscreen and no label.
Plain inner sleeve.
Run out "ESPM-1010" & "Bell Sound sf" hand-etched on front play side.
Run out "BP 12-4" hand-etched on back blank side.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Stereo

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965
LIBARY OF CONGRESS CATALOG
CARD NOS. R65-2872 (M), R65-2873 (S)
black/white vinyl

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Stereo

Another version of this record
- Front cover is black with a glued on silver coloured 12" circle with text in white
- The rim text mentions an address in New York, 180 Riverside Drive
- Stereo issue according to the front cover
- Back cover is black without any text
- No label
- The vinyl is clear with red silk-screened lettering
- Includes an inner sleeve with an article "They Don't Call It Jazz".

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

MONO

Cover:
White cover with black text:
On front: without Stereo mention. Riverside address.
On a rim (spine) - ESP-DISK': 1010 BELLS
Back cover content:
Down Beat review.
Vinyl:
single sided
Translucent brown (chocolate/cocoa/coffee) vinyl with red silkscreen and no label.
Run out "ESPM-1010" & "Bell Sound". Plastylite Ear [subbed as "(?)" below) before the catalog number. "1" over "..." very small after catalog number. "sf" hand-etched after "Bell Sound" stamp.

Stereo

This Version:
Black front cover with white lettering, back cover is white with black lettering (Down Beat article dated July 18, 1965), printed in U.S.A
Black vinyl side no label, with Red Silkscreen Lettering reverse side.
Vinyl is red transparent with black silkscreen lettering when held up to light.
Matrix stamped “ESP1010”, Plastylite cursive stylized “P”

180 Riverside Drive

Stereo

Another version of this record
- Front cover is black with a glued on silver coloured 12" circle with text in white and lines in blue
- The rim text mentions an address in New York, 180 Riverside Drive
- Stereo issue according to the front cover
- Back cover is black without any text
- No label
- The vinyl is clear with red silk-screened lettering

180 Riverside Drive

Stereo

This Version:
Black front cover with white lettering, back cover is white with black lettering (Down Beat article dated July 18, 1965), printed in U.S.A
Track side no label, with White Silkscreen Lettering reverse side.
Vinyl is red transparent with black silkscreen lettering when held up to light.
Matrix stamped “ESP1010”, Plastylite cursive stylized “P”

180 Riverside Drive

Stereo

Stereo version of the red translucent record
Stereo written on cover, label and matrix number
no silkscreen on b-side

Front cover colours:
Black with white lettering

Front cover content:
A ''stereo'' as a small caption underneath the title.

The rim text address:
180 Riverside Drive

Back cover colours:
White with black lettering

Back cover content:
Down Beat review and no mentioning of other releases.

back cover address:
180 Riverside Dr.

Label colour and content
A green duotone of a portrait of Ayler/ back side flat white

Vinyl colour:
Red translucent without any lettering
(truthfully more of a deep maroon/purple)

Early issues may have an inner sleeve with a printed article titled ''They don't call it jazz''.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Stereo

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965

Black cover with ochre lettering. Riverside Drive address. 'Stereo' mentioned on front cover and label.
Blank back cover.
"They Don't Call It Jazz" inner sleeve.
Translucent white vinyl with red silkscreen and no label.
Run out "ESP-1010". Plastylite P ("Ear") before the catalog number. No "Bell Sound" mention.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Stereo

156 Fifth Avenue, NY NY 10010

Translucent yellow vinyl. Side A has green label with picture of Ayler, side B has blank red label and black silk screen.
Front cover is black with yellow lettering. Back cover features catalog with releases up till 1028, which indicates early 1966 release.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Stereo

156 Fifth Avenue, NY NY 10010

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965

Black cover with ochre lettering. Riverside Drive address.
Stereo on back, but mono matrix
Green label with plain white B side label
Back cover lists albums through 1028
Plain inner sleeve
Black vinyl with no silkscreen on side B
Run out "ESPM-1010 A" & "Bell Sound" "sf" hand-etched after "Bell Sound" stamp.

156 Fifth Avenue, NY NY 10010

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965.
This version:
Front cover: red with blue lettering
Back cover: white with blue lettering
Label: flat orange without any print.
''Stereo'' appears in a small font under the title on the front.
The back cover mentions Ayler releases up till ESP-1020.

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965.
This version:
Front cover: white with black lettering
Back cover: white with black lettering
Label: flat white without any print and Bells written on it.

Also released on yellow vinyl in identical cover with matching etchings in runout

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

290 West End Ave

Recorded live at Town Hall, [New York, NY] May 1, 1965 (jacket, rear)
Jacket front: red background with blue lettering
Jacket rear: white background with blue text, including the Downbeat 'Caught in the Act' in-person performance review, by Dan Morgenstern, dated July 15, 1965.
ESP-DISK address: 290 West End Ave. / New York, N.Y. 10023

Trail-off etched ESPM-1010 & "Bell Sound."

180 Riverside Drive, NY NY 10024

290 West End Ave

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965.
This version is a 1970s pressing.
Red translucent vinyl without any lettering
Front cover: Red with blue lettering
Back cover: White with blue lettering
Pale pink blank labels on both sides
Adress on front cover: 156 Fifth Ave.
Adress on back cover: 290 West End Ave.

300 W. 55, NY NY 10019

300 W. 55, NY NY 10019

Stereo

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965
© 1965 by United International (ASCAP).

Front cover: Orange with maroon lettering. 'Stereo' wording. 300 West 55th St.
Back cover: White with violet lettering. Down Beat review and mentioning of other releases up till 1020. 300 West 55 Street.
Labels: Duotone of a portrait of Ayler / back side with large ESP logo.
Vinyl: Black without any lettering.

300 W. 55, NY NY 10019

Stereo

300 W. 55, NY NY 10019

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965
© 1965 by United International (ASCAP).

Front cover: Reddish orange with purple lettering. 'Stereo' wording. 300 West 55th St.
Back cover: White with violet lettering. Down Beat review and mentioning of other releases up till 1020. 300 West 55 Street.
Labels: Green duotone of a portrait of Ayler / back side blank red.
Vinyl: Transparent yellow (orange?) without any lettering.

While 'stereo' is on the cover and the labels, the pressing is actually in mono.

300 W. 55, NY NY 10019

Recorded live at Town Hall May1, 1965.

Plain orange label.
290 West End Ave. address on back.

"DISK COMPLETE ON ONE SIDE"

300 W. 55, NY NY 10019

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965.
Orange cover, clear vinyl.
Trail-off etched ESP 1010.

New LP
2009

New LP
2009

Transparent 180gram vinyl with silk screened Bells logo on side b.
Limited edition of 1000 handnumbered copies.
Comes with mp3 download code.

Recorded live at Town Hall, May 1, 1965.
Trail-off etched ESP 1010.

“Bells” is the celebrated set that overjoyed the audience at New York’s Town Hall on May 1st, 1965. It’s a ferocious, twenty-minute romp containing excellent group improvisation and Ayler's signature military-themed melodies. The performance marks an important shift in Albert’s music: towards blurring the lines between composition and improvisation. It is also the debut recording of Charles Tyler. Reissued on 180 gram transparent vinyl with screenprinted Bells logo on the blank side.

Personnel

Albert Ayler: tenor sax
Donald Ayler: trumpet
Charles Tyler: alto sax
Lewis Worrell: bass
Sunny Murray: drums

Track Listing

Bells

19:54

"Town Hall", NYC, May 1, 1965

History

came in Black and White sleeve. 180 Riverside Drive on the cover art and back cover.

Red on purple/grey marble vinyl. Cover has 180 Riverside Drive written in the artwork, back cover has 156 Fifth Ave address. This vinyl came with in a black sleeve with yellow logo.

Lp (silk screened - cover?)

Lp (silk screened vinyl - red ink, white vinyl)

Lp - (silk screened vinyl - white ink-smokey white clear vinyl)

Lp - (silk screened vinyl - white ink, blue vinyl) came with white sleeve with black print logo, 180 Riverside Drive address (front and back cover).

Lp - (silk screened vinyl - white ink, maroon/red vinyl)

Lp - (silk sLp - (silk screened vinyl - red ink, clear vinyl)creened vinyl - white ink-smokey white clear vinyl)

Lp - (silk screened vinyl - white ink, blue swirl vinyl)

Lp - Yellow vinyl, no silkscren. Purple ink on back cover, black ink on front cover, 300 West 55th Street address on back.

Lp - clear vinyl, no silkscren. black cover.

one-sided - orange color vinyl with green label, Stereo, cover says printed in USA (address 300 West 55 Street New York, NY 10019)

Lp Sleeve / CD

Lp - black vinyl, no silkscren. blue ink on back cover, blue ink on red front cover, 290 West End Ave. New York,N.Y. 10023 address on back (1973-75 era), 156 Fifth Ave address on artwork.

Lp - Sleeve (inside vinyl, one-sided - orange color vinyl with green label) Stereo, cover says printed in USA (address 300 West 55 Street New York, NY 10019)

Lp - Sleeve Black and White cover. This one came witht the maroon red vinyl with white silkscreen. 180 Riverside Drive on the cover art and back cover.

Lp - Sleeve, Red on White

Lp - Sleeve, yellow on black. Cover has 180 Riverside Drive written in the artwork, back cover has 156 Fifth Ave address. This Sleeve came with the below vinyl in it.

Official ESP-Disk' CD reissue (Bells / Prophecy combo) 2005

(ESP-Disk')