Pennyroyal 3 - Love Buzz

The black vinyl white label test pressing came in a white inner sleeve only. According to a certificate of authenticity (COA) by Jonathan Poneman, co-owner of Sub Pop, there were ten copies made [1]. Eight confirmed copies have been found. Except for copies 7 and 8, all surfaced copies have different handwritten notes all written in different types of pen or pencil. Titles and other information seem to have been added on a case-to-case basis, either by Sub Pop, the original recipients, or later owners. The presence of two copies with blank labels suggests that they came blank from the pressing plant.

Copy 1 has "A" and "Love buzz" written in pencil on side A. It is unknown who wrote it. It was sold by Poneman personally to a local collector [2], but has since been resold to a collector in Portland and later to a collector in Nashville [3].

Copy 2 has the catalog number written in black, while all the other information is written in blue pen. This indicates that two different persons labeled it. Perhaps the catalog number was written by Sub Pop. It was sent to Pier Platters in Hoboken, NJ, USA by Sub Pop [4]. This was a short while after the record had been released, and sometime after the winter freeze wore off it was purchased for $175 by a collector from New York known as Nihility X [4], and then to the current owner around 1997 [5].

Copy 3 was given to Sub Pop employee and KCMU college radio DJ Scott Vanderpool by Poneman just moments after it arrived in the mail from the pressing plant. According to the COA included with the test pressing when Vanderpool sold his copy on eBay in June 2007, this was the first time an official Nirvana record was played on the radio. Vanderpool would often take test pressings as soon as they arrived in the office and play them at the station. The song titles are written on each side in blue pen either by Poneman or Vanderpool. [6] The collector who purchased it in 2007 later traded it with Ben Blackwell of Third Man Records [3,7] who later sold it to a collector in Nashville [3].

Copy 4 was discovered in late 2009, and is still in the hands of the original recipient [8]. All the text was written by the original recipient [8], perhaps except "Nirvana" on the sleeve.

Copy 5 surfaced in 2010 when Mudhoney's Steve Turner first attempted to sell it on eBay. He got the test pressing while visiting the Sub Pop offices [9]. "Nirvana" was written by a Sub Pop employee on side B, while "SP 23" was written on the sleeve by Turner or by a Sub Pop employee; Turner thought it looked like his handwriting [9].

Copy 6 was given to Grant Alden, the managing editor of The Rocket, by Bruce Pavitt and Poneman. One of them labeled the test pressing in the magazine's lobby with Alden watching. [10]

Copy 7 has blank labels and was once sold on eBay by Mark Arm of Mudhoney. It was accompanied by a COA which he obtained from Poneman [11]. This COA is where the information regarding the quantity was obtained. It was sold for $1260 to a person in Seattle, and Arm delivered the test pressing personally [2?]. The COA reads [3]:

Dear Discerning Collector,
This 7 inch record is one of ten test pressings made for SP-23: Love Buzz b/w Big Cheese by Nirvana. It is the first Sub Pop Singles Club single. It was released in November 1988. Etched between the grooves and the label on side A you will find the matrix number L-31540 and the eternal question, "WHY DON'T YOU TRADE THOSE GUITARS FOR SHOWELS*" The matrix number L31540X is etched between the grooves and the label on side B. The labels are white with nothing printed on either side.
Rock On,
(Signed)
Jonathan Poneman
co-founder Sub Pop Records

Copy 8 has blank labels and was kept by Sub Pop employee Bobby Whittaker until he sold it to a collector in Nashville. [3]

An unconfirmed copy was sold around 1992 or 1993 for $75. The seller supposedly had two copies, and had worked in and around the Seattle scene, including Sub Pop. The legitimacy and whereabouts of these copies are unknown, as well as the source for the information.