CRAZY WORLD of ARTHUR BROWN 1968 MONO 1/1 Press UK TRACK NM- Prog/Psych LP =FIRE

$

80

One of many PSYCH and Classic 1960's Rock LPs from a fanatically well-kept collection of a long-time former DJ
Mostly 1st PRESSINGS, including a large amount of PROMOs and a few choice IMPORT LPs.
Many of these still in SHRINK WRAP ...several STILL SEALED
Quite a few WLP, Sterling, RL and Masterdisk pressings in the mix!

*Sadly I am NOT FAST at listing and am lucky to get around 50 up at a time, but they will keep on coming (as I pause between each auction series to focus on top level packing and immediate shipping) throughout this fall, several hundred to list, so keep checking back.
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USA Shipping: FREE ...no matter how many LPs
International Shipping Worldwide at EXACT POSTAGE Only cost

This auction is for:
ARTHUR BROWN
THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN
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TRACK Records 612005
Original 1968 issue • MONO LP
1st PRESSING • A1 / B1 Matrix

VINYL is NM-
Gorgeous full gloss on very solid vinyl, extremely close to new with just a few faint sleeve wisps, viewed under hard bright light, that are inaudible. LP plays with NO pops, sticking, or jumps and barely any crackle at all, just a faint bit in beginning grooves of each side. The sound quality is simply SUPERB, bright bold and full with no distortion or groovewear. Silky smooth, unblemished matte black labels are pristine both sides, with immaculate, sharp, bright silver print. Perfectly round, snug center hole.
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COVER is EX+
Vibrant laminated cover is super clean, front and back with no wear, writing or soil. a few very light laminate surface creases, barely noticeable, to drop it out of true NM territory. Edges straight, corners sharp; seams and spine 100% intact with no wear or splits.

STRICT CONSERVATIVE GOLDMINE GRADING
NM / EX(VG++) / VG+ / VG

Rare TRUE 1st PRESS MONO in Top Condition?

MATRIX NUMBERS
?Side One: 612005 A ? 1   1    1 1
?Side Two: 612005 B ? 1   1    1 1
*...if you see any "?" marks in above matrix #s ... those are supposed to be DELTAs (upside-down triangles).
Some computers/portable devices cannot read the code properly, defaulting to replace with a question mark.

Original issue black/silver Track label w/ MONO triangle at 3 o'clock.
Laminated full color front cover; non-laminated black / silver ink back.
612 005 catalog number printed on cover • 612005 printed on labels.

Title misprint on the back cover: Side 2, track 4 is titled "Money"
instead of "I've Got Money", as it is correctly listed on the label.

Cover notes credited to "Charles Fox. New Statesman".
"Manufactured by Polydor Records Ltd., London." on bottom, back
Produced by PETE TOWNSHEND

Featuring: "FIRE"
Amazing and legendary UK Prog/Psychedelic masterpiece

Classic 1968 British psychedelia...features pre-Atomic Rooster organist Vincent Crane and pre-Emerson Lake & Palmer drummer Carl Palmer.

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown issued just one album in 1968 (a follow-up LP was recorded but remained unreleased until 1988). But this one album holds up as one of rock’s great one-shot wonders. Prior to releasing this LP Brown had been singing in a number of semi-pro bands throughout the early 60’s while studying in France. It was during this period that Brown developed his strange stage persona and eccentric nature.

In 1967 The Crazy World of Arthur Brown released a Track single: Devil’s Grip backed by Give Him A Flower. In 1968 this full LP was unleashed on the world. This album is a strong slice of soul drenched psychedelia that was notable for Brown’s often over-the-top vocals and heavy organ interplay. In 1968 Brown and the group released Fire, a huge top ten hit over in England and here in the US. When Fire hit the airwaves nothing sounded quite like it. Brown’s vocals were demonic, the song’s lyrics were threatening and like the album overall, it had an R&B feel in it's soul, beneath the psychedelia.

The group’s only album to be released in its lifetime is one of the masterpieces of late 60’s British rock, a confident, flamboyant debut that has few equals. Side one is itself consumed by the flames, the so-called "Fire Suite" (actually entitled "Tales from the Neurotic Nights of Hieronymous Anonymous"), a five-part smorgasbord that is part Biblical horror, part bad trip; nevertheless delicious. Themes recur, nightmares return, and Brown himself remains the most dementedly devilish ringmaster ever to lure the kiddies into his circus. You cannot even begin to imagine the fuss that would erupt today, were someone to try the same stunts...imagine switching on MTV to be greeted by a blazing, painted monster insisting "I am the God of Hell Fire." (And you thought Prodigy's "Firestarter" was inflammatory!)

 The album opens with Prelude - Nightmare, a powerful piece of early progressive rock with crazed vocals, thundering drums and soulful organ via Vincent Crane - a true classic. Fire itself follow shortly along with 3 other strong pieces filling out the dark  psychedelic dreamscape. On the second side, The two covers, I Put A Spell On You (Screaming Jay Hawkins) and I’ve Got Money (James Brown) are surprisingly fine examples of British R&B and perfectly suited to Arthur Brown's huge presence, full-throated, wickedly beguiling voice and mad charisma. Spontaneous Apple Creation is possibly the album’s most psychedelic cut with lots of sound effects and delirious, cryptic lyrics - and a good piece of music all around. The band flirts with basic late-1960's UK pop on the catchy Rest Cure, with a great R&B, hypnotically throbbing bassline - but for many, Child of My Kingdom was the group’s finest moment on LP. This track is a superb piece of British R&B with hints of psychedelia and just plain lostness. The albums atmosphere is dark, wry, mysterious - and seemingly from beyond.
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Even before "FIRE" presented the Crazy World of Arthur Brown with the most unpredictable chart-topper in rock history, the band itself stood out from the psychedelic underground like an antelope in a sea of salami. Brown himself was blessed with one of the fullest voices in rock, capable of shifting in seconds from satanic whisper to blood-chilling scream, while his live repertoire included jazz, lengthy improvisations, and even four- or five-minute comedy skits, all set to a thunderous soundtrack of organ and drums and the mental imagery of a night in Hades.

late 1960's review of the Crazy World from author Nik Cohn:
"...he was one long gangling skinny streak, complete with haystack black hair and great staring eyes and an elephant's nose. And when he came on, he was wearing Sun God robes, a science fiction mask, and his head was on fire." Got that? "His head was on fire." Not his hat, not even his hair. His head.

from the liner notes by Charles Fox:
"...there is a sinister element...one which recalls the smell of seaweed and the rattle of spades and pails. For somehow Arthur Brown contrives to be both the malevolent Punch and -- in drag, with grotesque wig and flowered gown -- a psychedelic Judy. The effect is disquieting...with a voice that can swoop and screech and flutter...Arthur Brown could easily be the first genuine artist to come out of our [London] underground. He's disconcerting, even faintly perverse, but distinctly original and very, very English."

1st PRESS MONO ...MUCH Rarer than the stereo and very hard to find in this condition

Disc inside anti-static poly inner sleeve.
Album kept in a protective, poly outer-sleeve.
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Please see my other listings for more
Vintage Collectible PSYCH, Rare 60's and CLASSIC ROCK LPs
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All records packed with vinyl (inside inner sleeve) behind cover with bubble-wrap around all sides - sandwiched between stiff corrugated flats and shipped in strong LP mailer boxes for best protection in the mail.

My LP packing is considered to be among the very best on eBay. I would have it no other way.

Check my feedback and bid with confidence! Money-back guarantee!

SHIPPING RATES
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..
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*OVERSEAS CUSTOMERS:
All packages above 4 Lbs (5-6 or more LPs) can NOT ship by the low 1ST CLASS International rate.
Those must go by higher (but faster) PRIORITY INTERNATIONAL RATE with FULL TRACKING.
These are US Postal System rules, not mine.

PLEASE do not ask me to mark the item as a 'GIFT' for customs. I cannot.
The postal clerks know better; I ship LPs constantly (over 30 years) and cannot fool them.

for packages below $100.00
I will ALWAYS offer you choices
 -the standard LOWEST rate that the US Postal system allows,
plus the FASTER, but higher rate, which includes Full Tracking.

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must ship FULLY INSURED by PRIORITY MAIL INTERNATIONAL for FULL TRACKING.
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