The Empire Strikes Back on Vinyl – 1980

The Empire Strikes Back on LP Record

For many of us around in the ’70s and ’80s, the narrated Star Wars LP adaptations were a well-used favourite in the record collection. Following on from our look at the Story of Star Wars on vinyl, we reminisce over the Episode V installment.

The story of The Empire Strikes Back (subtitled ‘The Adventures of Luke Skywalker’) that came out on vinyl LP was manufactured locally by RSO Records Inc. There seem to have been a couple of variations of both the record itself, and the record sleeve. The two versions of the record differ in that the centre label is a different colour (blue versus pale orange), but both declare New Zealand as the country of manufacture. The two versions of the sleeve differ more significantly in that one version was printed in and imported from Australia, whilst the other has some of the credit information blacked out to be replaced by the note that it is ‘marketed by PolyGram’ of Wellington.

‘The Adventures of Luke Skywalker’ also came out in cassette format, ‘marketed by PolyGram’ of Wellington, and a more abbreviated version (vinyl and cassette) from Buena Vista Records, presented with a 24-page Read-Along book.

Read more about the other made-in-NZ Star Wars vinyl records under the “vinyl” tag.

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