Vee Jay
Much of Hooker’s most familiar works appeared on the Vee Jay Label. He recorded several singles for the label starting in the mid 50s. His first LP, I’m John Lee Hooker, was a collection of these earlier singles. In the late 60s Vee Jay’s financial and legal troubles led to their bankruptcy and the eventual formation of Vee Jay International.

VJI reissued several records but original recording had essentially stopped. One of these reissues was a 2lp set from Hooker marketed under the Vee Jay Vintage series. The short lived attempt to market "new" material used a label design reminiscent of better times, releasing only a handfull of various artists issues and 2lp reissues of earlier records. The brackets label bottom right is an 80s reissue put out by the Suite Beats Music Group and was released with the "New Re-Issue" sticker on the shrink wrap.

Many of Hooker’s VeeJay LPs were reissued by other independant and affiliated companies such as Buddah, Exodus and Dynasty. In the 80s much of Hooker’s Vee Jay material, including some un-released sides, were leased to and released by Charly Records in the UK. Vee Jay Records has since been revived and has reissued several cds and compilations under the Collectables label.

308 Maudie/ I'm In The Mood

45s

Vee Jay used what is commonly called the “Script” label on releases up until 1960. This was followed by the “Oval Rainbow” label in 60 and the “Brackets Rainbow” label starting in 63 or 64. Vee Jay international releases used a plain black label with the VJ in brackets or without over the center of the spindle hole. The final variation is the script design of the Vee Jay Vintage series used on little more than a dozen releases.

It appears that they began using the “SR” designation in aobut 1961 to designate stereo releases. Those with the black and silver label are VeeJay international releases and many appear to date from the 80s although the label design was in use starting in the late 60s. Many of these issues were sold in stereo jackets although the records themselves were often pressed from old mono masters.

Having contracted out much of their pressings it wasn’t at all uncommon for pressing companies to use an older style label on a newer pressing. Most issues from 1049 back appear to have been first issued on the oval label disign, apart from 1007 which was first issued on the "Script" label. Stereo releases had "Stereo" printed either above the brackets or to the left of the spindle hole.

Promos using the script label were white label with in the same design with the printing in red. Oval Label Promos were also White label with the oval logo in black. The brackets logo was also white but with blue lettering and the bracketed [VJ] on either side of the spindle hole and several blue cross bars on 45 releases. The VJ International releases were white labels with the brackets above the spindle hole.

I have tried to avoid getting to wrapped up in the enigma that is Vee Jay label variation. Quite honestly, I believe the many sites labeling this pressing or that pressing as legitimate or true first pressing, are likely off base. As an independent label Vee Jay contracted out their pressings, and label printing to whomever was near, available or would press on credit. The picture becomes even more clouded during the mid-60s as Vee Jay scrambled to produce both records and raise cash. I tend to think these label/pressing variations most likely are the result of a small independent record label becoming a little to big for their own good.

Without assigning legitimacy here are the variations I have and my best guess as to when they were produced. Reading left to right, top to bottom.
1st Row:
1. Maroon Script Label. Long posted on this site as orginal label for LP 1007. Pressed by the American Record Pressing Company in Michigan. Script labels used on pressings into 1960.
2. Maroon Script Label. XCTV Matrix often touted as orginal pressing with better sound. I don't know if it predates the ARC pressing, but it does sound better.
3. Oval Vee Jay/Rainbow used 1960-64
4. Oval Vee Jay/Rainbow "Stereo"
Second Row:
1. Vee Jay Oval WLP
2. Vee Jay Brackets/Rainbow Label. Used starting around 1963 through bankruptcy.
3. Non-bracketed "VJ" promo. Both promo and stock (Silver/Black)copies of this variation start popping up around 1965. Coincidentally, the same year VJLP 8502 was released.
4. Silver/Black Bracketed VJ label. Runs 1972 through probably 1978.
Third Row:
1 VJ International-1972-78
2. Vee Jay Vintage Series-only 5 releases-1977
3. Silver/Black Bracket label. Probably dates late 70s early 80s. Why do I think this? I don't know, may be it's resemblance to the discotheque label below.
4. Discotheque Vee Jay release- late 1970s
5. Vee Jay Suite Beat release-1980s

LP 1023/Travelin’, 1960
Also released as SR 1023
No Shoes/I Wanna Walk/Canal Street Blues/Run On/I'm A Stranger/Whiskey and Wimmen/Solid Sender/Sunny Land/Goin' To California/I Can't Believe/I'll Know Tonight/Dusty Road