Black Sabbath Paranoid Vertigo Swirl 1st UK Press

	£		77
	$		102

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Black Sabbath

Paranoid

ULTRA RARE very first and EARLIEST pressing with mega scarce Big Bear credits on gatefold sleeve. Super aural delivery. ONLY A HANDFUL OF PLAYS !!!!Thick cut, heavy weight , monster slab ! Fantastic exhibit -IMPOSSIBLE to locate in this sensational condition. Stunning ,highly polished surfaces!

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 . Light spindle trace only. No mottling. No peeling.  No rips nor tears . Side B has a solitary ,hand drawn circle against vertigo swirl logo. Not intrusive to the eye. Exceptional examples.

Vertigo original swirl inner bag in fantastic condition, just faint discoloured edges and one nick on central edge ! Seams are intact but just starting to open on two lateral edges approx 1cm . Poly lining tight and not lifting.  The original, vertigo, swirl inner bag .

Rare UNLAMINATED 1st ISSUE gatefold sleeve in EXCELLENT 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 ,with hardly any rubbing on outer faces. There are a couple of finger prints visible, if angled against a strong light.This album is one of the best first issue gatefolds that I have ever viewed with Big Bear text. A superb exhibit of this hard to find 1st issue gatefold.

Front face of cover has no ring wear, with NO sticker blemishes .Minimal corner wear.  Spinal column is excellent + ,except for some wear visible on extreme top/lower edges. Very strong coloration with hardly any fading and a prime exhibit indeed . Reverse face-NO ring wear visible only with hardly any 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 . EXCELLENT  condition .

Centrefold virtually perfect, just an ultra faint speckle of surface damage (pictorial loss) which is hardly visible to the naked eye, as the white blends in well with the lighter grey background coloration! Minimal 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

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 .

Side A Excellent

Side B  Mostly EX Some static during the quieter moments of the music and between tracks ,which makes audio dip to VG/+ momentarily, eg track 2 ,but should improve with play. There is still dust lifting from these grooves. Quite common on these old rock classics . Invisible scratch opening track, and can just about hear three faint ticks ,through the raw guitar rants but hardly obtrusive. Nothing serious to fault at all and should be played HIGH for maximum effect…

Vinyl

Matrix:1Y//1 2Y//1 Stampers  1 1 1 on Side B

This is indeed the genuine article. A very first pressing of this awesome hard rock psyche .A thick, heavyweight giant and a delight to view ! Later pressings are thinner and lighter in weight, so one appreciates the sheer class of this elusive vinyl. Mirror like sheen from this monster slab. Excellent+ visual .  Appears unmarked against ordinary light . Had to really examine closely ,and look beneath the sheen ,to detect some ultra light sleeve removal marks and one scuff at the edge of vinyl. If angled against a bright light, one can observe a couple of invisible horizontal scratches running along the grooves, which are virtually impossible to locate with the naked eye and do little to affect music presentation. Unbelievable condition, as most were severely handled and there are only a few in existence today that boast an excellent visual display like this, with a mirror like sheen ! Remarkable exhibit .

A classic to treasure !

Shipping

UK-££4.00 standard service  Special delivery £7.50 with full insurance

Europe-£5.50+£3.70 ISF Insurance £2.20

USA/Japan-£8.50 +£3.70 Signed for services +Insurance