Sly & The Family Stone - Fresh

This is the now ultra-rare/collectible (and withdrawn) first CD issue for 'Fresh' in the U.S. The inner ring matrix of this issue (1A EK32134 01 B) indicates the first pressing of this CD issue with the incorrect mixes. The subsequent repressings of the 1991 U.S. CD issue have different matrix identifiers from this one, which indicate that the original mixes were reinstated. Also, the barcodes for the first pressing of this 1991 reissue is different from the subsequent repressings of this reissue.

Similarly to the U.K. CD issue that was pressed in 1987 by Edsel Records and licensed by CBS Records, the initial pressings of Sony's 1991 U.S. CD issue featured all tracks in their rare, alternate state, except for "In Time." Sony accidentally used the wrong master (the same one that was given to Edsel from CBS) for this pressing and allowed it to remain in stores to be bought up by fans before copies were recalled, and then quickly instated a corrected reissue of the album with the correct original mixes. In adding more chaos to this major oversight, the track timings on the back cover, which directly corresponded with the first CD pressing weren't corrected in time for the repressing of the reissue with the original mixes.

The U.K./European issues have never featured the released mixes on CD, until the Epic/Legacy deluxe reissue (with the released original album mixes and bonus material, which consisted five of the songs in their alternate state) was released.in 2007. In 1991, Sony's Japan division released a CD issue for 'Fresh' with the album in its alternate mixes (except for "In Time.")

The corrected 1991 reissue has the barcode designation (0 7464 - 32134 - 2 - 02), which is different from this rare first edition that contained the incorrect mixes. Please refer to the scan of the back cover.