The first 12'...

[Nano]

I remembered a recent discussion about the first disco mixes ever when I re-read an old issue of British Vox magazine (Feb 1993). I found a pile of them in the cellar and now I look at a couple of each with the breakfast. Anyway, in the "Info City" section, in which this guy Barry Lazell answers readers questions, there was a letter asking which were the first 12-inch singles issued in Britain. Maybe this is interesting for you -I quote the entire answer by Lazell:

"UK record companies first began putting out promotional 12-inch copies of certain disco records to club DJs early in 1976. Those DJs were getting similar imports from the US (which invariably played at 33rpm) at the same time.
The question of the first commercial releases is not as well-documented as it ought to be, but to the best of my knowledge the first to be released (and also to make the charts, because it reached Number Seven) was Polydor's reissue of three former Who hits, including 'Substitute', 'I'm a boy' and 'Pictures of Lily' together on one 12-inch. This was in October 1976. It was followed fairly quickly by WEA with "You+Me equal Love' by the Undisputed Truth, which appeared in December. Your Television release (note: the reader said he had an early 1977 copy of 'Marquee Moon') came out, again via WEA, in April '77.
In fact, WEA seemed to be leading the way with the larger format at this time: between the ones I've already mentioned there was Boney M's 'Daddy Cool' (also in December '76) and Cerrone's 'Love in C Minor' (February '77). By and large, these were disco tracks, since the record company was clearly aiming at punters (SIC) who had seen the 12-inchers in action via their local club DJ, and wanted to own copies themselves. I'd welcomed some feedback from readers in the know of this topic, as it would be worthwhile to compile a definitive list of perhaps the first 20 commercial 12-inch UK releases".

Sadly my Vox collection has some holes and I didn't find yet another chapter (if there was one) of the 12' issue. Hope this helps...

[Forrrce]

Would be nice to know for sure what the first American 12"s were, too. The earliest examples I have are (I think) 'I'm In Heaven' by A Touch Of Class on GTO UK, 'Do What You Feel' By The Rimshots on All Platinum UK (though I suspect this may have come out much later) and US-wise, 'Jealousy' by Natural Order on TSOWDC (1975). There's also a record I used to see on occasion by Leone (sic?) Thomas on a green labelled 12, this was also dated 1975.

[02tranzam]

i always thought it was double exposure's 10 percent

[QUINNY]

O2: That was the first commercially released 12". There were quite a few before it that were promo only.

[originalbigm]

Checked my database for the earliest 12"'s I have.Found two from 1974 both promo copies.
Kraftwerk-Autobahn
The Love Unlimited Orchestra-My Sweet Summer Suite