The Cure and Sex Pistols raise record funds for The BRIT Trust with test pressings

Virgin Radio

8 Jun 2022, 12:35

An auction selling LP test pressings has raised a huge amount of money for The BRIT Trust.

The White Label Auction has broken records for after the LP test pressings sold for a whopping £43,540.

The BRIT Trust is a music industry charity that helps to provide education and wellbeing through the power of music and the creative arts.

It supports work by the likes of The BRIT School and Nordoff Robbins music therapy.

The auction takes the total raised so far to almost £100,000.

There were 175 lots in total, including some that are signed or personalised.

Eight lots clocked up more than four-figure sums.

The highest total was £5,500 for a white label reissue of The Cure’s album, 'Disintegration'.

It was signed by frontman Robert Smith.

The sale is believed to be a new record for a Cure LP.

In total, five lots relating to The Cure sold, earning an incredible £12,250.

Next, two 7” test pressings of the Sex Pistols’ God Save The Queen raised £2,550.

A 2019 test pressing of Cocteau Twins’ Four Calendar Café earned £1,800.

The Police Every Move You Make 6-LP set raised £1,200 and the Spice Girls’ Spice got £440 and their Greatest Hits £340.

Johnny Chandler, A&R Director at UMC, Universal Music UK, who devised the concept of the White Label Auction said: “Once again the response to the auction from artists, managers and labels has been incredible - today’s wonderful result, which will see funds raised go to support the work of The BRIT Trust and the charities it supports right across the UK, is down to them and the ongoing love affair fans have with vinyl.

"Special thanks to Dan Hampson, Gennaro Castaldo, and their respective teams at Omega Auctions and BPI, Julian Stockton and all at UMC for helping make this possible.”

Tony Wadsworth CBE, Chair of The BRIT Trust, said: “Once again we see people’s love of vinyl combine with the power of music to create something of real worth that will benefit the many causes we support across the UK, whether it’s the next generation of creators from The BRIT School, music therapists from Nordoff Robbins or professionals who work with mental health charities like Mind and Music Support.

"We are grateful to all the artists and labels for generously contributing their test pressings, and to Johnny Chandler and the Universal UMC team for pulling it all together.”