Vertigo

Vertigo on vinyl: the swirl label of progressive rock

In short: Vertigo started in 1969 as Philips’ label for the new, adventurous rock music in Britain. Its very first years brought Black Sabbath, Colosseum, Gentle Giant and many bands that today are known almost only to collectors. The early records are recognisable by the black-and-white spiral on the label. The Vinyl Room currently has 36 Vertigo records.

From our stock

Vertigo first pressings

Prog rock & jazz-rock

Hard rock & heavy metal

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→ Philips · Black Sabbath · Prog rock · How to spot a first pressing

What makes Vertigo special?

The label was a playground: Colosseum with “Valentyne Suite”, Gentle Giant with “Octopus”, Warhorse, Beggars Opera and the Afro-British band Assagai. Black Sabbath came out on Vertigo in the UK – among others we have the debut, “Paranoid”, “Master Of Reality” and “Vol. 4”.

Add songwriters like Ian Matthews and Jimmy Campbell, Paul Jones with “Crucifix In A Horseshoe” and German Vertigo records by Toto Blanke and Between. Later the company kept using the name, for example for Dire Straits and, in Europe, for Metallica.

FAQ

What is the “swirl” label? The black-and-white spiral on the labels of the first Vertigo years. In the UK it was followed from around 1973 by a spaceship design by Roger Dean; other countries kept using the spiral for longer in some cases.

Who owns Vertigo? Originally Philips or Phonogram, later PolyGram, and today Universal Music.

What was the first record on Vertigo? Colosseum’s “Valentyne Suite” from 1969.

What do you have on Vertigo? Mostly seventies rock – prog, hard rock, folk rock and jazz-rock – 36 records in all.