Never For Ever - Edited Highlights Flexi Disc: Square Version

This is the second of two promotional flexi discs that were issued in 1980 and features highlights from Never For Ever. The circular version, which is the more common of the two, was issued and distributed in the UK. You can see that post right here if you haven't already. As far as I can recall, the square version was issued in some music magazine in Belgium. I can't remember the name of the magazine for the life of me, but I'm sure you can probably research that information online somewhere if you're interested in finding that out.

Interestingly enough, both versions of the flexi were made in the UK, which also means the printed information and catalogue number is exactly the same on both. The only discernible difference between the two is the shape.

As I mentioned several years back on my first post for the circular version, this is the only flexi that I've ever collected - and I do count both versions as one, in case there's any confusion about that. Flexi discs can be quite problematic with warping problems, not to mention their ghastly sound quality to start with. Even the silver ink used for printing the text tends to be quite patchy and unevenly distributed. I'm just not a fan of these things at all.

Never For Ever - Edited Highlights Flexi Disc: Circular Version

I've never been a fan of flexi discs, and this is the only one I've ever collected in my life. Like Polish Postcards, the sound quality on flexi discs tend to be utterly bad. They're cheap and nasty, and really not worth collecting at all.

This one is a three track song sample of edited highlights from Never For Ever. Issued in 1980, this flexi was available in two forms. This is the UK version, which was released in a circular format. There was also another version of this released, but it had a square shape to it. I believe the square version came from some Belgium magazine or something.

For the benefit of anyone that doesn't know what a flexi disc is, it's basically a paper thin piece of plastic that's flexible like a sheet of paper - hence the name “flexi”. In fact, you could crumple these things up like a sheet of paper too, but I wouldn’t advise that unless you want to destroy it. Due to their nature and thinness, flexi discs are usually only pressed and playable on one side only.

There are many downsides to flexi discs, and it's basically why I've never had an interest in collecting these things. They can become easily damaged due to their extreme flimsiness, and the sound quality of the recordings aren’t usually up to snuff like a proper LP. Storing them can also be difficult; not only to prevent damage, but also to prevent warping. Humidity and heat can easily warp these things, so they need to be kept at room temperature and away from direct heat sources. Basically they're more trouble than they're worth.