David Bowie LOW Vinyl LP RCA AYL1-3856 1977 Sound and Vision Be My Wife

$

41

David Bowie LOW Vinyl LP - RCA AYL1-3856 (1977)
Condition: VG+ Vinyl and VG++ (EX) Cover. Vinyl was tested on both sides and plays very well. I see a very slight warp, but it does not affect playback at all. Cover is strong, fully intact with great color and very little wear.
Low is the 11th studio album by David Bowie, released on 14 January 1977 by RCA Records. After years of drug addiction when living in Los Angeles, Bowie moved to France in 1976 with his friend Iggy Pop to sober up. There, Bowie produced and co-wrote Pop's debut studio album, The Idiot, featuring sounds Bowie would explore on his next record. After completing The Idiot, Bowie began recording the first of three collaborations that became known as the Berlin Trilogy with American producer Tony Visconti and English musician Brian Eno. Sessions began at Hérouville's Château d'Hérouville in September 1976 and ended in October at Hansa Studios in West Berlin, where Bowie and Pop had relocated.
Grounded in art rock and experimental rock and influenced by German bands such as Tangerine Dream, Neu!, Harmonia and Kraftwerk, Low features Bowie's first explorations in electronic and ambient styles. Side one consists primarily of short, direct avant-pop song-fragments, with mostly downbeat lyrics reflecting Bowie's state of mind, and side two comprises longer, mostly instrumental tracks, conveying musical observations of Berlin. Visconti created the distinctive drum sound using an Eventide H910 Harmonizer, a pitch-shifting device. The cover artwork, a profile of Bowie from the film The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), was intended as a visual pun, meaning "low profile".
RCA refused to issue Low for three months, fearing it would be a commercial failure. Upon release, it divided critical opinion and received little promotion from RCA or Bowie, who opted to tour as Pop's keyboardist. Nevertheless, it reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and number 11 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. Two singles were released: "Sound and Vision", which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, and "Be My Wife". The success prompted RCA to release The Idiot in March 1977. In mid-1977, Bowie played on Pop's follow-up album Lust for Life before recording his album "Heroes", which expanded on Low's musical approach and features a similar mix of songs and instrumentals.
In later decades, critics have rated Low one of Bowie's best works, and it has appeared on several lists of the greatest albums of all time. It influenced numerous post-punk bands such as Joy Division, and its drum sound has been widely imitated.
Track listing
Side one 1. "Speed of Life" 2:46 2. "Breaking Glass" Bowie, Dennis Davis, George Murray 1:51 3. "What in the World" 2:23 4. "Sound and Vision" 3:03 5. "Always Crashing in the Same Car" 3:29 6. "Be My Wife" 2:55 7. "A New Career in a New Town" 2:51
Side two 1. "Warszawa" Bowie, Brian Eno 6:20 2. "Art Decade" 3:43 3. "Weeping Wall" 3:26 4. "Subterraneans" 5:39
Personnel David Bowie – vocals, saxophones, guitar, pump bass, harmonica, vibraphone, keyboards: ARP synthesiser (1, 10–11), Chamberlin, piano, "instruments"  Brian Eno – keyboards: Minimoog, ARP, EMS Synthi AKS, piano, Chamberlin, other synthesisers, vocals, guitar treatments, synthetics, "instruments" Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitars (1, 3–7, 14), lead guitar (1, 2) Dennis Davis – percussion (1–7, 14) George Murray – bass (1–7, 11, 14) Ricky Gardiner – rhythm guitar (2), lead guitar (3–7, 14) Roy Young – piano (1, 3–7, 14), Farfisa organ (3, 5)
Additional musicians Iggy Pop – backing vocals (3) Mary Visconti – backing vocals (4, 14) Eduard Meyer – cellos (9) _____________________________________________
Shipping: Calculated domestic shipping via Media Mail or Priority Mail. Will ship internationally at FLAT RATES.  Records mailed in a proper cardboard LP mailer. All records cleaned prior to shipment.
Check out my other auctions, and save on shipping! I do offer multiple-bid shipping discounts -- please contact me before paying if you plan to purchase or bid on multiple auctions.
Payment: Paypal is preferred method of payment.  
Return Policy: I do accept returns for up to 30 days. Please let me know if you have questions about this item or any others I have for sale before you bid or purchase.  If you are unhappy with your purchase, please contact me immediately and I will do whatever I can to resolve. This may be a replacement, a credit, or a full or partial refund depending on the circumstances.
_____________________________________________

I use the Goldmine Grading System, and play-test all records. I note any differences between vinyl and cover, and make note of any inserts, special sleeves, or potential defects.

MINT (M) - Absolutely perfect in every way. Most often this is a still sealed record, records that have been opened are rarely if ever marked as Mint.

NEAR MINT (NM) - A good description is that it looks like it just came from a retail store and it was opened for the first time. In other words, it?s nearly perfect, with no visible defects. 

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) - Except for a couple minor things, this could be Near Mint. Most collectors will be happy with a VG+ record, especially if on the high end (VG++). VG+ records may show slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Covers should have only minor wear. 

VERY GOOD (VG) - VG records are among the biggest bargains, and for many, will be worth the money. They can lack the original gloss, may have surface noise, and some scratches may be audible, especially in soft passages. But the noise will not overpower the music. VG covers will have signs of handling, and may have minor splits. 

GOOD PLUS (G+) - Good+ does not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, but it has significant surface noise and groove wear. Cover may have significant ring wear, noticeable writing, or obvious damage.

GOOD (G) - Record may have some skipping, but is otherwise listenable. I generally avoid selling Good (G) rated records unless they are highly collectible or desirable, in order to enjoy until something better comes along. Cover has major wear or seam splits that need repair, or heavy writing like radio station call letters to prevent theft.

Feel free to contact me with any specific questions.