COUNTRY JOE And The FISH Electric Music… RARE ORIG MONO

	£		34
	$		45

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Artist or Band: COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH

Album Title: Electric Music for the Mind and Body.

Producer(s): Samuel Charters.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Flying High; Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine; Death Sound; Porpoise Mouth; Section 43.

Side 2: Superbird; Sad and Lonely Times; Love; Bass Strings; The Masked Marauder; Grace.

Label/Format: Fontana – original matt silver and black format (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both look fantastic. Given the sheer vintage and mode of this rare record, both are exceptional. Very clean, fresh just a couple of ultra faint, tiny spindle traces.

Cat Number: TFL 6081.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 140 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Quite a rare one as a mono original. Another new American act, few would have purchased ths one initially. Those who did, usually played it to destruction often and usually on old mono record players inflicting the groovewear and serious marks I always mention. These were perilous times for records and only small percentages survive to be worthy of playing on modern lightweight, and critically revealing equipment. When found like this, that lovely ‘period’ mono sound is wonderful. Never take it for granted, far from it.

Original Year of Release: 1967.

Matrix Nos: 6081 1L 1 420 1 1 3 / TFL 6081 2L 1 420 1 1 .

Musicians: Bruce Barthol – bass, harmonica; Barry Melton – vocals, guitar; Joe McDonald – vocals, guitar, bells, tambourine; Chicken Hirsch – drums; David Cohen – guitar, organ.

Brief Info: Brilliant debut album and super early mono example of this classic electric psychedelic music. This almost defined the genre ‘acid-rock’. An album of haunting and captivating melodies with very sharp and satirical lyrics. Contemporary sixties subjects were covered: drugs with ‘Bass Strings’; sex with ‘Porpoise Mouth; and politics with ‘Superbird’. The brilliant ‘Janis’ was written for and about Joplin. Brilliant guitar-work from Melton and haunting organ sounds with superb vocals by McDonald himself, this album has it all. A pioneering work and a highly important issue within this monumental year in popular music but… as so often, it failed to sell at all well in the UK and did not even chart hence its rarity. For those who did bother, well they were the lucky ones, this is a spellbinding experience and still sounds fantastic today. Like several US bands in the UK at this time, the packaging was not always the best. This Fontana original was rather ordinary, not even laminated which was more unusual at this time and construction was mediocre. I still feel this wonderful band, especially the early two or three albums, are still under-appreciated outside the US which is a shame. For those still not familiar with McDonald’s early works with The Fish, this is a truly essential album and is one of the genuine classics from the ‘The Summer of Love’. A great opportunity to own one of the more elusive groundbreakers from 1967 in the mode of the day – MONO.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High: seldom seen devoid of major wear and more often shabby and tired looking. I am not saying this one is perfect, but given the facts, this is a nice one and it will not be easy to find much better.

Cover Grade and Format: Very Good, not a bad grade for this impossibly wear-prone cover. A single format and unlaminated. Made with a softer grade of card and clearly vulnerable to all forms of wear. The three rear external flipbacks make it even more susceptible. It was printed and made in England but if uncredited. The original ‘WARNING’ is included with reference to Fontana records.

Cover Front: The artwork looks very nice indeed but does have a little creasing. Mostly light near the top right corner area, as the ink has not been ‘broken’, it makes it far less visible and given the softness of the card, this is pretty minor. Most of any wear is on the vulnerable edges and a little does (just) encroach into view. Retaining deep rich colour wich is vivid and unfaded this really looks lovely and the lack of ringwear is a massive bonue, few ever avoid what is sometimes immensely deep and penetrating amounts. This is easily the best front and I am certain example of this difficult cover as an original.

Cover Back: Not common to see flipbacks on an unlaminated cover, so their surfaces become highly wear and damage prone. These have only light discolour and show little wear and no real damage. All firmly stuck down and mostly neat with any wear mostly on the vulnerable corners. The main panel also show little wear and any grubbiness is mild and light too. One small stain just below the Fontana logo near the right edge. Also a circled letter ‘R’ near the top edge central, this either a shop code or maybe an owner’s initial, that’s pure speculation. Again no ringwear and retaining a high degree of attractiveness. Finding both sides much better on an TFL mono original will prove very challenging.

Top Edge: Little wear, being white, any minor rub traces barely even show.

Bottom Edge: The black bottom ‘resting’ edge has moderate rubbing.

Right Edge(s), and Type: This entrance edge has thickened a little but has no feathering. Card this soft will always have a little wear unless the record has never been removed - likely eh? Who would have bought this album and not payed a few times?, let’s honest and realistic. Still clean and quite solid and guaranteed untrimmed, a highly respectable one.

Spine and Text: The spine has worn and around 40 per cent of the text has rubbed away. Mainly still solid with no splits. I cannot emphasise enough how delicate this cover is and unprotected 43-year-old spines get worn, fact.

Corners: All corners have rubbed but in text for this one, all pretty reasonable with decent shape retained with no splits.

Cover Summary: A cover not really made for longevity and in terms of its era, not as well made as most from this period. Nothing I can do about that of course, but with that in mind, originals will prove immensely difficult to find much better. With the main faces looking really nice, who wants to sit and look at edges as much? As I always state, sound quality is of ultimate importance over visual and on that account, this superb mono record will prove near unbeatable.

Cover Summary: The original Polydor-style, white polylined inner is included with a date code of 107 (October 1967). This in a very respectable Very Good++ condition, only with two corner creases and mildish age darkening. A lovely neat and clear window and no edge splits.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX(-), okay this has a few very fine surface marks, mainly hairlines or minor scuffs, but the record has clearly hardly been played, and for any mono record, that is vitally important. Still a superb visual copy that is super clean, shiny, intense black and heavily pressed. Given all the facts about these type of records and their perils of being played on unsympathetic equipment with heavy, worn pickups etc, etc, etc… (stated it many times before) this record has not just survived those heady days, it still excels when it comes to quality, clean sound. Few records this age and type survive without any marks, but when light and non-sounding and offering no groovewear they matter little. I would rather concentrate on the wonderful sound quality this mono classic has to offer rather than fretting over a few minor surface blemishes. It will be immediately apparent to any winning bidder this is a very special record and it will prove very difficult to find better as a mono original..

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 snippetts 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This beautiful, record plays above its visual grading with nothing to fault. A bold statement, sure, but true. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a fine dynamic range and detailed sound – not a super-fi production to be fair but a very good recording nonetheless. A record that does sound different in the two formats, it’s a matter of choice which is preferable. Any surface sounds barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly difficult album that does have a fair number of quiet passages. Finding these rare mono classics that sound so clean and enjoyable is immensely difficult, this has not been ruined by a blunt mono stylus and being honest, the surface marks are so fine and superficial, I actually wonder if this has never been subjected to a mono record player at all. Tracking is effortless and sound is as clean as it will ever be. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, the first mono example I have listened-to for some considerable time. This copy will prove nigh-on impossible to find significantly better for audio quality, if a small few minor surface marks are an issue, do not bid, same goes for any cover wear. My prior is always quality sound and this excels almost beyond belief, a real classic in mono. Higy recommendation is mandatory.

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 - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, 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 its 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 programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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 Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with QED Silver terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET - PLEASE SEE MY TYPICAL PACKING BOX PICTURE.

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 Moth 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 thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). The record(s) 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 THREE or EVEN FOUR 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. 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. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners and bubble wrap 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 less than one in two thousand based on over 6,000+ items sold in over 8 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. Even one of these stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

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

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£40 maximum]) = £9. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2.50 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); 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 [£39 maximum]) = £13. Add £4 per extra LP. (insurance 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: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 neccessarily 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’.