BUDGIE Never Turn Your Back on a Friend SCARCER ORIG UK 1973 DECCA-PRESS EX+ LP.

	£		48
	$		64

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: BUDGIE

Album Title: Never Turn Your Back on a Friend

Producer(s): Budgie

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Breadfan; Baby Please Don’t Go; You Know I’ll Always Love You; You’re the Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk.

Side 2: In the Grip of a Tyrefitter’s Hand; Riding My Nightmare; Parents.

Label/Format: MCA – original intense matt black format. This first issue pressed by Decca.

Label Conditions: Both in super condition: very clean, equally fresh and highly attractive. Any spindle marks to these revealing labels being few, very light and faint. This lovely record appears little played.

Cat Number: MDKS 8010

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 143 grams. A more typical Decca-pressed heavy original. Later examples on the rainbow label (with a different catalogue number) were much thinner and lighter.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Rarer as a first pressing, especially in this very clean condition. MCA were a label that changed it’s design regularly, sometimes within a few months. First issues of this album on the black label are elusive and difficult to find. This particular format was one of the shortest-lived of all and came and went quickly. A rare chance for collectors and fans of this band that are in high demand, it will prove difficult to find like this again.

Original Year of Release: 1973

Matrix Nos: 7-LNMG-277-2L / 7-LNMG-278-1L

Stamper Codes: 1 I / 1 C

Musicians: Burke Shelley – vocal, bass; Tony Bourge - guitars; Ray Philips - drums.

Brief Info: Superb third album from this Welsh heavy rock trio. Known for rather spectacular, if bizarre, artwork on their covers, often with budgies in different forms of dress. This is another classic Roger Dean design famed for his wonderful artwork on rock sleeves. Self-confessed as ‘not the greatest composers’ and ‘not particularly subtle’ and ‘not progressive’ but a ‘freaking good Rock band’. Rarely critics favourites, but like Uriah Heep, this band were quite popular and their mid-period and later albums sold fairly well. Of course, featuring the expressive and unusual voice of Burke Shelley that gave Budgie their almost unique sound. This rare original black format label original copy looks hardly played and has clean powerful sound. Heavily pressed by Decca to their usual top quality standard – this album at times, really rocks – who’s a pretty boy then?

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT or very close to: actually looks better in real terms. An unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces, printed and made in England by Robert Stace, and it includes the original MDKS 8010 inside – beware of substitutions that have a different number.

Cover Front: Classic Roger Dean artwork and this front has minimal traces of real wear and is very clean with a high degree of freshness. No rubbing, barely any marks or creasing. The only issue is a fine spine edge natural light fade which is somewhat common on covers like this.

Cover Back: Very similar again without the edge light fade. However there is a small, fine and neat name near the bottom edge of the left corner area, this is somewhat discrete and with only very modest visibility, not obtrusive as such and hardly catching the eye being dark on quite a dark area. A back clearly prone to ringwear and seldom seen without it. Any rim rubbing on this back being very light near the top edge and a trace below, but no ink has been lost which is a considerable plus.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Very impressive with hardly anything really to fault, the odd tiny surface chip being somewhat critical.

Top Edges: Both straight and barely worn at all – any rub traces tiny and both flush and neat.

Bottom Edges: Only ver gentle patchy rub traces which for storage edges is almost as light as it gets on unprotected covers.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, mostly sharp with hardly any wear, any thickening or burring tiny and light as seen viewed end-on. Record entered on the back edge, both are guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced.

Spine and Text: Solid, thick and straight with no compression, just a very gentle tilt to right. Folded squarely so the edges meet up closely and parallel. There is one very small surface chip towards the top, the owner neatly improved it so it shows little. A little rubbing to the very ends and all the text is practically perfect, also very well centred. Even the folds on this quite delicate spine have not rubbed.

Corners: Light to moderate tip rubs with very fine shape retained with no knocks.

Cover Summary: Always a wear-prone cover, this a really excellent looking cover with another classic Roger Dean graphic. Yes some small issues, so not for the absolute purist or connoisseur cover collector, but many fans will enjoy this one, it will never prove easy to find a great deal better.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): a Decca-style heavy-duty polylined inner that has aged little with minimal darkening of the seam areas. The lining remains impressively-clear as seen through two crisp and undamaged window circles. Barely any creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): an impressive visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and solidly pressed on top quality Decca-pressed vinyl. Any surface marks are few, mostly fine and faint as seen under bright angled light, there are no penetrating stylus scratches and this record plays superbly throughout. A considerably more elusive original in lovely condition and visually most should be impressed.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This rock gem plays even above it’s high visual grading with hardly anything to fault. It offers strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is high with a full dynamic range and very detailed sound with no tracking issues*. This blows away the later, thinner pressings, Decca will reign supreme in most-all cases . Any surface sounds barely registered and a very clean pressing as you would expect from what I regard as the very best of record manufacturers – Decca. The mix a little deep in the bass and the sound is punchy and warm, it will always benefit being played a little louder, this copy more than up to the task. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this quality, and now getting scarce album. It wil prove difficult to find significantly better and merits strong recommendation.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean it’s good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is minuscule in over 14 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.