Hi Phil, back in those days this was an odd one but I got the LP on a record fair and the CD in a regular store.
This was probably before Universal, who started a vendetta against parallel import -_-
That became a problem when Hip-O started to rerelease ... I had to get stuff via via.
Record stores in the Netherlands were no longer alowed to import from the US because CD's were cheaper there. Before they went mad, it was easy to buy both US and EU versions of albums. Which was something we fans needed as often there were different mixes on them.
Stereo/Mono, yes that was cool because at the time we didn't have the Mono's on CD, that is why I am so happy with the rereleases from Hip-O and Real Gone etc.
Here shops are open on the most idiot days... 7 days a week in most places even on holidays.. crazy right?
Anyway, when I worked at the record store we'd get new albums in with a note saying: do not sell until this or that date. You'd almost get the death penalty for selling before the releasedate.
Your store 'd be in trouble and the record company wouldn't sell you anything for a long period of time. The shipment would come in on Saturday for us to sell on what date it was released after the weekend. Mostly on Tuesdays.
Hi Helen, actual release date (according to Platterlog catalogue) was 23 October 1989; 1st January 1989 was a Sunday, and in any case New Year's Day is a public holiday in Australia, so it is unlikely that anything would have been released on that day anyway (not necessarily true nowadays, as some, if not all, Australian states now allow at least some shops to open on public holidays). I can't say I remember seeing this one in Adelaide - interesting that they used the mono versions of some hits.