Masters of Rock

Gus from Niskayuna, NY asks:  "A few months ago I saw a vinyl edition of Masters of Rock.  The store owner wanted $300 for it.  Why have I never seen or heard of this album, and is it worth 300 big ones?"

I think the store owner was having a laugh.  Principally there are three releases that could be considered as "Masters of Rock", all European in origin, but nothing to get terribly excited about.

Masters of Rock - Danish 7" on EMI Columbia (MOR1) with 45 second snatches of Arnold Layne and See Emily Play, together with eleven other bands!  This was a radio promo and very rare.

Masters of Rock (originally issued as Best of Pink Floyd with catalog number 5C054-04299) - Dutch LP on EMI Columbia (5C058-04299) which was pretty easy to pick up in Europe in the 90s.  It features a garish, flourescent front cover using the inner sleeve pictures from Meddle, substituting Barrett for Gilmour, coloring in their t-shirts and vests, hand tining their skin, and giving that all rather unattractive lipstick.  $300 would be excessive for this.

Masters of Rock, Volume 1 - German LP on Harvest (1C054-04299).  Rarer than the Dutch flavors with, if memory serves, an orangy-brown cover.  But still excessive if this item is being sold off for $300.  Very expensive at even half that price!  $75 would be closer to the true value.

The music contained on these albums is nothing remarkable, mainly consisting of early singles, B-sides and the like.  File in completist's corner.