This item is one of the most hotly debated and controversial releases you will find in the world of Nirvana collecting. The problem starts with the "purple" copies that some people believe are official releases, probably second pressings by DGC Japan. But there are also people that believe all "purple" copies are unofficial and that only the "blue" copies are official. To make matters worse, there are numerous "purple" versions which are clearly counterfeits.
Differences from the "blue" version
1. The color of "Nirvana" and "Hormoaning" on the front insert (and spine) and the track titles on the back insert are purple.
2. The tracks are numbered 1, 2, 3 and 1, 5, 6 on some CDs.
3. The matrix code is only the item's catalog (MVCG-17002) number instead of having additional characters and symbols.
4. CDs have a two-tone appearance which shows how much music is on the disc.
Why some "purple" copies may be official
1. Many people believe that some "purple" copies are official because they were sold in American chain stores, not to mention a few years before the Internet exploded with counterfeits.
2. Another reason has to do with the coloring of the insert's watery artwork. Copies that are known counterfeits have too much yellow, while some of us own copies that are not very yellow.
Why all "purple" copies may be unofficial
1. The credits on the CD and back insert are not very crisp. One could argue that the text is so small that the printer was bound to screw up, but it can't be ignored that sloppy text is usually a sign of a counterfeit/pirate release.
2. The release date, 92·2·5, is printed on the back insert in a little box. This may be an important flaw because someone has pointed out that Japanese releases usually indicate exactly when they were released. If an official second pressing was manufactured it should have a different date since February 5, 1992 was when the original was released.
3. The watery artwork on the inserts of original releases does have a slight yellowish tint, but on the "purple" versions this seems more pronounced.
4. The three dimensional DGC logos, found on the back insert and back of the booklet, are light gray with dark shadows -- this is the same on both "blue" and some "purple" versions. However, there are also "purple" versions with dark logos.
Rumors or Truth?
First, a few years ago I read or was told that the Japanese pressings of Hormoaning were not made under orders by DGC America. Apparently the Japanese division decided on their own to make the CDs after seeing how successful the Australian pressings had been. When DGC America found out, they ordered DGC Japan to stop. (I don't know if this is true, the source that I recall providing the info is questionable at best.)
Second, The Alternative CD & Vinyl Collectors Guide has the "purple" versions listed as counterfeits.
Conclusion
The "purple" versions, even those that look like they *might* be official, are still a mystery. There is some evidence these are counterfeits, but I still wonder how unofficial releases would make their way into large retail chains. If they're ultimately proven to be counterfeits I can deal with that, though it would probably mean these are the most widespread counterfeits among Nirvana releases. This goes back years, long before Blew and the Australian Hormoaning CDs were faked.
(See also: Sebastian's Hormoaning Guide.)
