'The Combine Harvester' was the second post-Adge Wurzel album. Its main release was as a 12" vinyl LP in July 1976 - this cassette was issued around the same time on the EMI Executive label, catalogue number TC-EXE 203.
In August 1973 a standard cassette design/layout was established for EMI: The insert now included printer's date codes, OC number and references to Dolby. Labels were plain white paper with black printed details. Black cassette shells were supposed to be used - although the previous style in grey were used for several years afterwards. The cassette cases had clear fronts and black bodies with a heavy mottled effect on the back face.
This album was released on the low-priced 'Executive Series' of cassettes. The original album artwork was preserved below a blue band containing the album details in black. The EMI logo was also accompanied by the new executive series logo. This style of cassette case insert was introduced by EMI in 1973. This particular release was printed by Garrod and Lofthouse in July 1976 as indicated by the line 7607 G&L.
Beneath the catalogue number TC-EXE 203 appears another code number OC 228 o 06152. Between 1969 and 1982 EMI had an international coding system which they hoped would get adopted industry wide, and they used it worldwide for their own releases. In fact, the numbers used formed the basis of the 7-digit numbers adopted in 1983 and inserted into EAN/UPC barcode-based cataloguing, used to this day.
Unlike the LP sleeve for this album there were no sleeve notes on this cassette insert and song credits were abbreviated to surnames only. The inside of the insert had the song credits and the location of the 'live' recording
Misprinted copy of the sleeve insert where the front is for 'Combine Harvester'' but the rear, shown here, shows the information for the 'Golden Delicious' cassette sleeve insert. This error can be found with both types of cassette shell (ie grey and black).