Black Sabbath Paranoid Vertigo Swirl 1st UK Press

	£		70
	$		93

Black Sabbath

Paranoid

ULTRA RARE very first and EARLIEST pressing with mega scarce Big Bear credits on gatefold sleeve. Super aural delivery. Thick cut, heavy weight ,monster slab ! Fantastic exhibit -IMPOSSIBLE to locate in this sensational condition. EXCELLENT visual ...stunning sheen...

Just to clarify how to spot a genuine VERY FIRST pressing of this album:-

1. The sleeve must be UN-laminated

2. It should also have an extra line of information printed in the credits stating that the group was managed by Jim Simpson, Big Bear, Birmingham. This line of information was only on the VERY FIRST print run of this sleeve and it is omitted from all other printings of this sleeve. The reason is that Black Sabbath and Jim Simpson parted company just as PARANOID was released.

3. The 'swirl' logo on the B-side label is the larger design and the word 'VERTIGO' is printed at the bottom of the label and not above the spindle hole.

4. The B-side has the same amount of tracks (4) as all other pressings BUT there are only 3 separate tracks visible (only 2 separations).

Paranoid album by Sabbath rocketed into the UK charts in no time at all and set the standards for all heavy rock groups world wide. This was their second record/LP and blew everyone away. The single Paranoid was released a few weeks earlier and reached no. 4 in the UK charts. This record reached the dizzy heights of the no. one spot in the UK charts and smashed through the barrier of no return. Turned everybody’s world upside down . The single was reputed to be the one to have and to hold. The sound was stunning to say the least and discos still thrive on that luscious intro even to this day, possibly making Paranoid  the most infamous and best loved intros of all time.

These very early pressings were very heavily played , so to have a GENUINE 1st UK PRESSING turn up in this condition, is one hell of a find!

Black Sabbath has been so influential in the development of heavy metal rock music as to be a defining force in the style. The group took the blues-rock sound of late '60s acts like Cream, Blue Cheer, and Vanilla Fudge to its logical conclusion, slowing the tempo, accentuating the bass, and emphasizing screaming guitar solos and howled vocals full of lyrics expressing mental anguish and macabre fantasies. If their predecessors clearly came out of an electrified blues tradition, Black Sabbath took that tradition in a new direction, and in so doing helped give birth to a musical style that continued to attract millions of fans decades later.

6360 011 original release date 1970 vintage pressing

Spiral vertigo black and white label format in excellent condition . A few spindle lines only.No mottling. No peeling. No graffiti . No rips nor tears . Exceptional examples.

Vertigo original swirl inner bag in vg+ condition, just discoloured on edges and two tears/two nicks on central edge ! Seams are intact. Poly lining tight and not lifting. Date of release printed on lower edge . The original, vertigo, swirl inner bag .

Rare UNLAMINATED 1st ISSUE gatefold sleeve in superb condition. Minimal edge wear . Spine is square and solid , clearly showing title. A magnificent 1st issue sleeve, as the faces show minimal wear and tear as most are found heavily soiled and significantly worn through heavy handling. This is a fine example.

Front face of cover has minimal ring wear, with a light sticker blemish only on top right corner.Light corner bend top left. Surface damage miniscule alongside spinal edge, top left extending into a minor area of front surface. Very strong coloration with hardly any fading and a prime exhibit indeed. Reverse face-Quarter revolution ring wear visible only with minimal wear on black surface. .

A superb exhibit of one of “the hardest to locate” gatefold sleeves with the BIG BEAR , BIRMINGHAM credits. Story goes that Jim Simpson was Sabbath’s manager, during the set up to the release of Paranoid, and a few gatefolds were credited with him being their manager. Just before its release, Simpson was sacked and so all subsequent album sleeves had to OMIT this credit so only a very few were printed with this rare credit on ,so a MUST HAVE collectors’ item .Designed by KEEF ! A prize asset indeed and rare to locate in this remarkably clean condition . EX-  condition .Centrefold virtually perfect, save for a light speckling of surface damage (pictorial loss) which is not too obtrusive to the naked eye, as the white blends in well with the lighter grey background coloration! Light feathering only to opening edge  .Please see pics for clarification .Quite clean centrefold and is in remarkable condition . Awesome feel , with outer faces projecting a vivid and strong coloration. One of the BEST examples of this ultra rare gatefold sleeve, impossible to find in this sensational format !

Audio Mostly excellent

Distant static detected, during the quieter parts/opening grooves/between tracks, but no major faults at all. (Static can be built up due to the accumulation of dust particles in the grooves ,as the vinyl has been dormant for years and playing will improve the audio).

This classic rock psyche is normally found very heavily played, so a rare exhibit indeed. S1Tr3,is the quietest track on the record, with near silent periods of very tranquil tones, a severe test for any vintage release. Some light static, occasional pop , a few faint ticks, 2 clicks/some distant surface, but tones rise above any disturbance, to convey a VG delivery for this particular track . No other audio blips at all. Rest of play beautiful EXCELLENT delivery !

The rest of the music plays exceptionally well and would grade excellent , for the most part of play. Quite remarkable audio channels.  Tones rise above any surface disturbance, owing to that masterful LOUD CUT engineering, which throws a shadow over later pressings, as this aural delivery has a tremendous depth of sound as it is the earliest first UK pressing of this tremendous Sabbath classic.

The bass guitar riffs are sensational, executed with the deepest of resonance , that only these wider , 1st pressed vertigo channels can produce . The build up to “Paranoid” is executed to near perfection and the pinnacle of the pyramid for me, is the intro to “Iron Man”, where the thunderous roar of the  deep bass guitar strings and the hard core, grating vocals from Ozzie, make this one of the best examples of this hard rock psyche. An incredible aural delivery . 

Vinyl

This is indeed the genuine article. A very first pressing of this awesome hard rock psyche .A thick, heavyweight MONSTER SLAB and a delight to hold ! Later pressings are thinner and lighter in weight, so one appreciates the sheer class of this elusive vinyl. A W E S O M E mirror like sheen from this heavyweight giant .. Excellent visual .  There appears to be only one intermittent surface mark, which extends across the first three tracks side 1. Side 2 appears unmarked against ordinary light. Unbelievable condition as most were severely handled and there are only a few in existence today that boast an excellent visual display with a mirror like sheen ! Remarkable exhibit .

A classic to treasure !

Shipping

UK-£4.00 1st class recorded / Special delivery £7.50 with full insurance

Europe-£8.70 ISF Insurance £2.20

USA/Japan-£11.20 Signed for services plus insurance extra