Question for DWSheffer Four Tops German EP

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Hi Darin, I'm hoping your excellent gift for collecting Motown can help me out here. Have you ever seen this particular Four Tops EP?

https://www.popsike.com/The-Four-Top...179227432.html

I have NEVER seen this until it turned up in a search tonight. Interesting photo of the group; at first glance in its thumbnail image, it looked oddly like an AI-generated image. Looking at it as closer it still seems like a bit like an actual photo that has been retouched just a bit too enthusiastically!

It's also of note that I can see where the image for the cover of the Four Tops Second Album came from- it must have been an image that came from the same photo session of the guys in these shirts [[and is it just me, or do they look a few years younger than the images that grace the cover of the Tops' first, self-titled Motown album?)

I'd love to have the chance to purchase a copy of this but it absolutely is MIA on Discogs and elsewhere...

Tomovox

[reese]

... It's also of note that I can see where the image for the cover of the Four Tops Second Album came from- it must have been an image that came from the same photo session of the guys in these shirts [[and is it just me, or do they look a few years younger than the images that grace the cover of the Tops' first, self-titled Motown album?)

The portrait on their Second Album actually is based on the original album cover for their unreleased [at the time] Motown/Workshop Jazz debut BREAKING THROUGH. Even though the album wasn't released back then, it still appeared on some inner sleeves.

This ep photo seems to be from the same session as well.

[DWSheffer]

Hi Waiting,
I'm sorry but this is not an issue I've seen before in my collecting travels nor do I have it in my collection. Maybe fellow record collector Nsoule will have some information on it.
Darin

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

The portrait on their Second Album actually is based on the original album cover for their unreleased [at the time] Motown/Workshop Jazz debut BREAKING THROUGH. Even though the album wasn't released back then, it still appeared on some inner sleeves.

This ep photo seems to be from the same session as well.

Oh wow! I've seen this before but completely forgot the picture. Thank you, Reese! I'd love to find the a rare cover/slick for this LP [[ well...as the Blondie song says: "dreaming is free")

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

Hi Waiting,
I'm sorry but this is not an issue I've seen before in my collecting travels nor do I have it in my collection. Maybe fellow record collector Nsoule will have some information on it.
Darin

Thanks Darin, I'll keep searching around...

[nsoule]

It is on Discogs, but whoever created the listing paired the record with the German company sleeve instead of the picture sleeve: https://www.discogs.com/release/2521...t-Ill-be-there

The sleeve is also included in the Four Tops picture sleeve discography on 7inchrecords.com: https://www.7inchrecords.com/Discogr...?Page=2&groep=

I'm sure you've also seen the several sales of it that are recorded on popsike given your initial link. I couldn't find any for sale at the moment, but it seems like it'll turn up eventually.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

It is on Discogs, but whoever created the listing paired the record with the German company sleeve instead of the picture sleeve: https://www.discogs.com/release/2521...t-Ill-be-there

The sleeve is also included in the Four Tops picture sleeve discography on 7inchrecords.com: https://www.7inchrecords.com/Discogr...?Page=2&groep=

I'm sure you've also seen the several sales of it that are recorded on popsike given your initial link. I couldn't find any for sale at the moment, but it seems like it'll turn up eventually.

Well I guess my detective skills are improving because I found those exact same search results last night, lol. I'll keep checking popsike and discogs. With fingers crossed. Thanks for checking it out!

[mysterysinger]

Just as an aside I created an imagined album cover for "Breaking Through" as it might have appeared if released in the UK on the Stateside label back then. Can be seen here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cookep...2omZRj2-aAmBrS

[Roger Polhill]

It could be fake as they are known as "Four Tops" not the.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

It could be fake as they are known as "Four Tops" not the.

It seems fairly common in other countries that the group is billed as "The Four Tops" on these EPs and picture sleeves. Scroll through Discogs or elsewhere and you'll see a few examples. I don't think this one is a fake. You can usually tell by the typeface, if it's of the era. With the fakes, often the font will seem to be from a standard, factory-installed font package. There are other "tells" as well for the most part, especially if there is a label/logo used- that's usually a HUGE tip off because often they tend to look just a bit "wonky", like the typeface weight of the characters isn't consistent. Also, note that even Motown initially billed the group as "the Four Tops" on the "Breaking Through" album art.

[Roger Polhill]

All the French EPs have them billed as Four Tops so who knows.