Pink Floyd The Wall PC2 36183 1st Press Rare Prod Cue Inner Sleeves TML

$

91

Pink Floyd – The Wall
Columbia PC2 36183 – True Early 1st Pressing – Rare Inner Sleeve Production Cues

Offered here is a standout early U.S. first pressing of The Wall by Pink Floyd on Columbia Records (PC2 36183), with an exceptional combination of true first-issue details that serious collectors look for. This copy not only has very early matrix numbers, but also includes the rare original inner sleeves with handwritten production cues on sleeves 1 and 2—something I have never seen on another copy. It also has the early gatefold variation without the band members’ names printed inside, making this a highly desirable and fascinating collector example of one of rock’s greatest albums.

About the Release

Released in late 1979, The Wall was Pink Floyd’s ambitious double-album rock opera built around themes of isolation, trauma, fame, war, and psychological collapse. Written primarily by Roger Waters and realized with elaborate production by Waters, David Gilmour, and Bob Ezrin, the album became one of the defining releases of its era. It includes landmark tracks such as “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2,” “Comfortably Numb,” “Hey You,” and “Run Like Hell,” while its concept, sound design, and visual presentation turned it into one of the most celebrated albums in rock history.

What makes this copy especially important is that it checks multiple boxes associated with a true early first pressing. It is the early PC2 36183 issue with very early matrix/runout numbers, and the gatefold does not list the band members’ names on the inside panel—an early cover trait collectors watch for on first-issue copies. The matrix numbers are also exactly the kind of detail serious Floyd collectors pay attention to, with very early lacquer designations such as 1A, 1AA, and 1AG, along with TML-X and TML-S markings showing mastering work done at The Mastering Lab, which is strongly associated with desirable early U.S. copies. The original inner sleeves are even more unusual, with rare handwritten production cues on sleeves 1 and 2 that appear to date from the album’s production stage. The sleeves also reference “What Shall We Do Now?”—the song famously left off the final album but still present in early artwork/lyric materials, making this an especially telling first-press clue. Taken together, the early PC2 packaging, no-names gatefold, very early TML matrices, and annotated original sleeves make this a remarkably interesting and highly collectible early copy that stands apart from typical first pressings.

Side 1 Cues (The Trap of Childhood & Society)

​DIVE BOMBER: Placed right next to The Thin Ice. It cues the terrifying transition from a peaceful newborn baby's life into the sudden, roaring sound of a World War II Stuka dive bomber—symbolizing the death of Pink’s father.

​HELICOPTER: Placed next to The Happiest Days of Our Lives. This cues the iconic, aggressive chopping of the military/police helicopter that transitions into the schoolmaster shouting, "Wrong! Do it again!" * SCHOOLYARD / BUSY SIG.: Tucked right above Mother. "Schoolyard" bridges the gap from the kids chanting in Another Brick (Part 2), while "Busy Sig." (Busy Signal) represents the isolation and failed communication that begins to creep in as Pink seeks comfort from his overprotective mother.

​Sides 2 & 3 Cues (The Sonic Environment)

​On this sleeve, the cues shift from specific sound effects to broad, atmospheric world-building labels:

​SOUNDS OF SPRING: Written in the top left corner next to Goodbye Blue Sky. This represents the deceptive calm before the storm—the birds chirping safely in the green grass just before the bomber shadow crosses the land and the sky turns to ash.

​HEAVY MACHINERY: Written right in the center, next to Empty Spaces (which replaced What Shall We Do Now?). This is a massive thematic cue. It dictates the transition into the grinding, industrial, and oppressive sounds of the adult world, perfectly matching Scarfe's famous visual imagery of the marching hammers and the soulless conveyor belt of society.

​The Big Picture

​These aren't just random doodles; they are literal structural pillars of the rock opera. Because The Wall is a seamless, gapless concept album, these cues tell us exactly how Waters, Bob Ezrin (the producer), and James Guthrie (the engineer) planned to glue the songs together using audio cinema. Seeing them preserved in handwriting makes the sleeves feel less like a lyric sheet and more like a stolen page from a director's script.

Track Listing

Side 1

• In The Flesh? – 3:19
• The Thin Ice – 2:27
• Another Brick In The Wall, Part 1 – 3:21
• The Happiest Days Of Our Lives – 1:46
• Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2 – 3:59
• Mother – 5:32

Side 2

• Goodbye Blue Sky – 2:45
• Empty Spaces – 2:10
• Young Lust – 3:25
• One Of My Turns – 3:36
• Don't Leave Me Now – 4:08
• Another Brick In The Wall, Part 3 – 1:14
• Goodbye Cruel World – 1:17

Side 3

• Hey You – 4:40
• Is There Anybody Out There? – 2:44
• Nobody Home – 3:26
• Vera – 1:35
• Bring The Boys Back Home – 1:21
• Comfortably Numb – 6:22

Side 4

• The Show Must Go On – 1:36
• In The Flesh – 4:15
• Run Like Hell – 4:20
• Waiting For The Worms – 4:04
• Stop – 0:30
• The Trial – 5:13
• Outside The Wall – 1:46

Condition

Vinyl: VG+ condition. The records are clean overall with a few light hairline paper scuffs. A few crackles may be present in quiet sections and between tracks, but for an early pressing this copy sounds phenomenal and plays very nicely.

Cover: VG+ condition with some minor shelf wear. The cover is clean overall and presents beautifully.

Original Inner Sleeves: Included with handwritten lyrics and rare production cues written on sleeves 1 and 2 while the album was being assembled. These sleeves also show “What Shall We Do Now?” in the printed lyric/art material, adding another major clue to this being a very early copy. Has some separation on the sides from record storage.

Please review all photos carefully, as they are part of the description and best show the overall condition, early sleeve details, production cues, and other first pressing characteristics.

Matrix / Runout Details

Side 1: PAL-36184-1A TML-X D11 5

Side 2: PBL-36184-1AG TML-X A3 5

Side 3: PAL-36185-1AG TML-S A7 5

Side 4: PBL-36185-1AA TML-X

These very early matrix and runout markings are a major part of this copy’s appeal, helping identify it as a true early U.S. pressing cut at The Mastering Lab. Combined with the early gatefold layout and rare annotated inner sleeves, this is exactly the kind of detail-oriented copy serious Pink Floyd collectors look for.

Shipping & Handling

• All albums include a protective plastic sleeve
• Shipped via USPS Media Mail within 4 business days of payment
• This method provides the lowest shipping cost for our customers
• $1.00 handling charge to cover shipping supplies
• Records are securely packed in a sturdy LP mailer with proper padding

✅ Additional Information

If you have any questions, feel free to message me.

Please be sure to review all photos closely—this is a special copy with unusual first pressing details that deserve a close look.

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