QUADRAPHONIC PINK FLOYD WISH YOU WERE HERE Q4SHVL 814 UK 1975 RONDELL

$

275

Catalog Number: Q4SHVL 814

Matrices: Side 1 – QHVL 814 A-3 HTM | Side 2 – QHVL 814 B-3 HTM

Label: Harvest / EMI – Black quadraphonic label with mechanical handshake artwork

Country: UK

Format: LP, Quadraphonic (SQ encoded, stereo compatible)

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Identification & Pressing Notes

This is a UK first-issue Quadraphonic edition of Wish You Were Here, released in September 1975 alongside the standard stereo pressing (SHVL 814). While the earliest known stampers are A-1/B-1 or A-1/B-2, this copy’s A-3/B-3 matrices with “HTM” (Harry T. Moss mastering) confirm it is still an early 1975 issue.

Quadraphonic editions were produced in far smaller numbers than the stereo version, making them much scarcer on today’s market. They are fully compatible with stereo playback but intended for four-channel SQ systems.

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Sleeve & Artwork

The sleeve features the “Burning Man” handshake photo — the most famous image from the Wish You Were Here artwork series. Shot at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, it shows two businessmen shaking hands, one engulfed in flames.

The man on fire was stuntman Ronnie Rondell (1932–2025), who performed the dangerous stunt wearing a protective suit beneath his business attire. During the shoot, a gust of wind briefly singed his eyebrows and moustache, yet Rondell continued, creating one of rock’s most iconic images.

This sleeve directly ties this record to Rondell’s legacy, and with his passing on 12 August 2025, copies with this cover have become significantly more desirable.

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Condition

• Sleeve: Some discoloration, ringwear, and staining (notably on right edge), but the image is intact. Graded VG (Very Good).

• Vinyl: Light surface scuffs and marks, no major gouges visible. Likely VG to VG+ playback.

• Labels: Clean, crisp quadraphonic design, no writing or damage.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Wish You Were Here is Pink Floyd’s ninth studio album, often regarded as one of their finest works. The music pays tribute to founding member Syd Barrett (particularly in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”) while exploring themes of absence, alienation, and the corrupting nature of the music industry.

The album’s art campaign, designed by Hipgnosis, featured multiple surreal images — the “Burning Man” cover, the desert bowler-hat figure, the red veil in the forest, and the diver in Lake Mono. Of these, Rondell’s fire stunt remains the most iconic, and his recent passing has renewed focus on the physical LP editions that immortalized it.