Thermostat gasket leaking AGAIN!!!!

1970 Swinger 318

ok so in the process removing and installing the engine i replaced the thermostat and gasket. after getting fluids in i noticed it was leaking, must have dine something wrong.....
so i went and got another gasket pulled it resealed it, re-torqued it, added fluid, now leaking again. I don't even have engine running yet and water/coolant has pooled up on the water pump top, running off intake and a little on the intake. I went with a Felpro both times, not sure of part number off hand, and it had a paper on one side that you peel off and has sticky material on it. the first time i used Permatex on both sides, it leaked so i thought maybe not on the sticky side since it is already something there? when removing it i noticed that the film that was no longer part if the gasket, it appears that the sticker part of the gasket was no longer stuck to the gasket after the water/coolant mix touched it, that's where the leak came from. so i only used Permatex on the one side the second time around, and i am still leaking. with all that being said, what did i do wrong? or was it just a janky gasket both times? any recommended gaskets?

thanks in advance everyone.