On the Record: Tom Waits – Bone Machine (1992 Original Vinyl Pressing)

Tom Waits’ Bone Machine is a haunted, clattering masterpiece — and for years, it was nearly impossible to find on vinyl. Released in 1992, this Grammy-winning album was issued in extremely limited quantities on vinyl, making the original pressing one of the most elusive and collectible records in Waits’ entire discography.

Issued only in select European markets (not the U.S.), Bone Machine was released on Island Records and pressed in Germany. With no vinyl repress for over two decades, it became a grail item for fans and audiophiles, with prices skyrocketing on the secondary market.

Behind the Pressing

Recorded in a concrete storage room with minimal gear and a lot of imagination, Bone Machine is one of Waits’ darkest and most experimental records — a bleak meditation on death, war, and decay, brought to life with junkyard percussion and raw poetry.

The 1992 vinyl was:

Only issued in Europe, primarily in Germany

Released by Island Records, cat #: ILPS 9993

Pressed on heavyweight black vinyl with printed inner sleeve

Packaged in a jacket featuring the eerie cover art with no hype stickers or U.S. barcode

With minimal promotion and a low pressing count, many copies were snapped up by fans or lost over time, pushing this edition into collector territory.

How to Identify the 1992 Original Pressing

Label: Island Records, ILPS 9993

Made in Germany typically noted on labels or jacket

Vinyl: Black vinyl, standard weight (not audiophile 180g)

Inner Sleeve: Printed with lyrics and artwork

Matrix/Runout: Hand-etched codes, often including “SONOPRESS” identifiers

⚠️ Later reissues only appeared post-2017. Be cautious of bootlegs or unofficial represses. Originals have clean print quality and proper Island labels.

Collector’s Value

Original 1992 pressings in great condition can fetch $700–$1,200 AUD, with sealed or mint copies hitting even higher. The 2017 reissue curbed demand slightly — but collectors still prize the original for its rarity and sonic character.

Why It Matters

Bone Machine is pure Waits: raw, theatrical, and fearless. The original 1992 vinyl captures that unfiltered atmosphere before the world caught on. For collectors, it’s not just an album — it’s a relic of one of music’s most enigmatic voices at his most unhinged.