COUNTRY JOE and THE FISH Fixin'-to-Die RARE ORIG with GAME.

	£		28
	$		37

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe (including Russia) £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

PLEASE NOTE: Overseas packets that go through the customs system, can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to process and deliver, this IS normal. For Russia, this can take even longer and is out of my control, so please be patient.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH

Album Title: I-Feel-Like-I’m Fixin’-to-Die.

Producer(s): Samuel Charters.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Fish Cheer & I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin;-to-Die Rag; Who Am I; Pat’s Song; Rock Coast Blues; Magoo.

Side 2: Janis; Thought Dream; Thursday; Eastern Jam; Colors for Susan.

Label/Format: Vanguard. Please see my label scan.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and highly attractive with only two or three light spindle marks each side that show little.

Country of Manufacture: US.

Cat Number: VSD 79266.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 132 grams. A very good weight for this US original.

Rarity: Scarce: made more so by several factors. Firstly, the condition, this US copy looks and sounds hardly played, this for a record of considerable age is never easy. Secondly, the cover is in very fine condition as well the first issues has what appears to be a sticker on the front, but no, this was printed on the design to promote the giant board game insert. This, I presume, would have been dropped later when the game was not included. US covers never wear well and often split, ring wear and rub badly, I am not saying this one is perfect, but it will better many around. Lastly, this includes the hugely impressive and large insert sheet game that is fully intact, made the more significant by the fact, to ‘use’ it, parts have to be cut up. To find this game – which is unique to the US copy – it was never available in the UK or elsewhere (to my knowledge) – immaculate, undamaged and looking practically as made, is very difficult indeed. One for the discerning collector who want their US band albums pressed in their country of origin and in impresisve condition. This is a rare 1967 album that will prove very difficult to to find better.

Original Year of Release: 1967.

Matrix Nos: VSD 79266 A-1E [XSV 124687-1E] / VSD 79266 B-1E [XSV 124688-1E]

Musicians: Bruce Barthol – bass, harmonica; Barry Melton – vocals, guitar; Joe McDonald – vocals, guitar, bells, tambourine; Chicken Hirsch – drums, bells; David Cohen – guitar, 12-string guitar, organ.

Brief Info: Gimme an F, Gimme an I, Gimme an S, Gimme an H – What’s that spell? – the classic fish Chant and opening lines of this uncompromising but beautiful album that has a huge amount of character and wit. The famous ‘Fish Chant’ which was later infamously changed for the then more radical ‘F’ word later at the festivals. For me, an even better follow-up to the superb debut album Electric Music…, and more electric psychedelic music with very stark and dark messages within it’s songs – these two genuine classics defined the genre ‘acid-rock’. An album of haunting and captivating melodies with some sharp and satirical lyrics. None more so than the title track, that since issue, rarely sounded more relevant than it does today. Deepest black-humour with its catchy rag-time riff, a dark and bleak protest song against the Vietnam war that still holds strong and it’s message is there for all to hear some 45 years on. The gun-fire and explosions at the song’s end have excellent punch with uncanny realism that really chills. There is more brilliant guitar-work from Melton and haunting organ sounds with superb vocals by McDonald, still one of the most underrated singers of this heady era. ‘Who Am I’ still sends a shiver down my spine, surely one of the finest vocal moments from this classic set – this album has it all. The delicate ‘Magoo’ with it’s ‘Stay as you are’ chorus with thunderous explosions blended with fragile psych guitar sounds, a really beautiful song again with dark overtones. The main theme (as the cover suggests) is war: and the stark message hits home in a bizarre gospal chant where our man pleads ‘Pleases don’t drop that H-bomb on me’. It also includes McDonald’s poignant tribute to ‘Janis’ (Joplin), another classic track with beautifully shimmering harmonica, just another within the 10 on this amazing album. Yet another pioneering work and highly important issue within this monumental year in popular music but… it failed to sell at all well in the UK and did not even chart. Most 60s copies are seen are in terrible conditions – whether US or UK copies – victims of the Dansette era of blunt stylus and massive tracking weights. For those who did dip into their pockets for this one, well they were the lucky ones, this is an experience of the time and still sounds fantastic today. 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 greatest year in music. An album that dared to speak out against that disastrous and terrible conflict back in the mid-60s and fears of wider escalation and H-bombs – McDonald may have instilled a tongue-in-check humour within his songs, but the messages were more than clear and still have a chilling edge. This US original cover in very fine condition and the record little played makes this a very special copy. The inclusion of the rare game insert is the icing on the cake and I can hardly imagine finding that better.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: High: like most US covers of this era, a difficult one to find without significant wear and damage. This has a little wear, but far less than usual and still remains fully intact.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: a single, unlaminated format made with typically thicker card with a slight sheen finish on the front, the back is more matt and has the usual paste-on style panel. The front includes the promotional game reference, which looks like a sticker, but is part of the graphic. Printed in the USA.

Cover Front: One of the greatest covers of this period, five guys totally whacked out and looking just plain weird – The Fish way of putting up two fingers to war. This US original looks has faired better than most, especially ones shipped over to the UK. Light friction rubs only really seen under angled light and any grubbiness mild and light. No creasing and the artwork retains rich colour and even a fine degree of freshness. A little edge rubbing is seen but in context of this cover and format, this front is still attractive with only gentle reminders of it’s considerable age and fragility.

Cover Back: The back is also very fine with any wear to the paste-on back panel faint and light. There is no ring wear and still solidly adhered with no lifting or creasing. Again, a little rubbing on the very edges that few will ever escape.

Top Edge: A little light patchy rubbing with NO splits or repairs – that being quite unusual.

Bottom Edge: Patchy rubbing, a little more than the top, but these storage edges are often seen threadbare and split – this is light years off that and again, NO splits.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and sharp with minimal traces of any wear and guaranteed untrimmed. Record entered on this edge.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight, unsplit again. Just a little light rubbing near the ends that has rubbed a little of the Cat. No text. All other text, of which there is plenty, is fully intact and unworn. Overall almost exceptional for a spine within this format.

Corners: The corners have rubbed to around moderate degree. Quite fine shape is retained.

Cover Summary: A overall example of this original US cover, just enough to lightly remind of it’s considerable age. But this will not prove easy to find a great deal better. The previous owner kept the record inside a new lined inner sleeve and that is the only one available with this copy.

The ‘Fish’ Game: MINT(-): and practically as made. A huge 22 x 33 inch fold-out sheet, printed one side and a board game drawn and conceived by ‘Chicken’. This has barely aged at all, even the back is still white and untoned or discoloured. The green area has five band member pieces to be cut out, folded and constructed to move around the board. Also 22 cards to be cut and used in the game. ALL ARE FULLY INTACT, there are no cuts or any pieces missing at all. The game rules are all included on the sheet, the aim appears to be to play The Avalon and The Fillmore handing in joints etc etc, I think you get the picture. A spaced-out board game very much in the style of the times and try finding this better. All the folds are strong and unstressed, the sheet ultra clean and fresh and totally untorn or creased, I doubt if this has seen light-of-day for decades and has barely even been handled. This will be rarely seen quite like this and again I remind, it was NOT included in the UK version.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(-): with most of any minor surface marks within the pressing and of no audio consequence. I have seldom seen US records without some minor surface marks, but the pressing quality itself is usually top level, and this is no exception. Clean with a fine shine, no penetrating marks and most of all, great sound. A very fine visual copy that should please many collectors.

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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This very lightly played record plays even above it’s excellent visual grading. Musically, strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and detailed sound – this is a better recording than the debut album and sounds perfect for it’s time. No pops or clicks and the sound throughout if focused and sharp. I am sure I heard small finer details on this US recording I failed to notice previously. Both channels are clean and sharp, and I feel certain this has been played very little. This does have some quiet passages and songs and pressing quality will be tested but most all plays impressively well. Any surface sound barely even registered, and my LP12/Naim combination takes no prisoners and will reveal even the faintest blemishes, but here, little and nothing spoilt my listening pleasure. The quality of music takes command and this political psych classic was a real delight. This copy will prove difficult to find much better and I truly found this a thrilling experience to listen too. I have loved this album since the early 70s and continue to do so today, this US original merits strong recommendation.

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 Terrarium 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 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. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 8,000+ items sold in over 10 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 stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. 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 FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, 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 and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). 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] = £4.25

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (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 [£50 maximum]) = £12 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 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 (£17 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’.