ENGLISH BEAT I JUST CAN'T STOP & SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE ALBUMS RECORD VINYL ROGER

$

22

     This auction is for the FIRST & THIRD ALBUMS BY THE ENGLISH BEAT: I JUST CAN'T STOP IT & SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE. 

1.     I JUST CAN'T STOP IT -- This was the 1980 debut album by The Beat in the U.S.  This was released on the Sire Record label, catalogue number SRK-6091.  I was in college radio from 1978 onwards, and I can tell you it was thee most exciting time to be in the midst of all the new music happening around that time!  This lp was part of the whole Ska/ 2 Tone / New Wave movements.  "Mirror in the Bathroom" and "Tears of a Clown" (on the U.S. version) received a ton of play.

     I was buying so many records the last two decades of the last century, that any one record received no more than three plays before it got filed away.  I did a needle drop on these two slabs of vinyl and they sound brand new...silence when the needle drops.  This vinyl is in EXCELLENT condition.  The original inside sleeve has a 1 1/4 inch split seam along one side edge.

     The cover is in VERY GOOD condition, and that is due to one reason.   Back in the day, my local record store would sell promo albums as soon as they were released.  They would cut out the gold promo stamp with an Exacto knife and put a "STEREO" sticker over it.  You can see this in pic #5 for a bottom right corner view.  Pic #4 shows a small blunt on the bottom left corner of the back cover.  There are small blunts on the top and bottom right corners of the front cover.

2.     SPECIAL BEAT SERVICE -- This was the third album release by The English Beat.  It came out in 1982 on the I.R.S. Record label, catalogue number SP70032.  Lots of play for "I Confess", "Jeanette", and of course..."Save It For Later". 

     The vinyl is in EXCELLENT condition.  The original inner sleeve has a 1 1/4 inch seam split along the bottom edge, with a ripple here and there (one corner and the top edge in pic #9).

     The cover is in VERY GOOD+ condition.  Nothing majorly wrong...just some minor wear on the four edges of the front cover, and a small blunt on the bottom right corner (pic #7).  There is an area that has a handful of very small light creases on the bottom right corner of the back cover.  Not bad for records between 35 - 40 years of age!  (By the way, the side binding says "The Beat", and not "The English Beat".)

      If you have any questions about this item, please feel free to email me.  Also, please check out my other auctions going on NOW of various other items of interest (including a large GENERAL PUBLIC 1984 poster, A Flock of Seagulls "I Ran (So Far Away)" mono/stereo promo '45, and a stock copy of "Space Age Love Song" stock copy with pic sleeve).  Thanks again for looking...during these most very...very...very troubled times...

SHIPPING RATES (all rates include cost of shipping materials):

United States (Domestic)

Media Mail (affordable, but can be slow - especially to the West Coast):

$ 4.00 1st LP, $ 1.00 each additional LP.

US Priority Mail (faster, but pricier):

$ 9.95 1st LP, $ 2.00 each additional

INTERNATIONAL RATES

Canada (First Class International) ***

$ 14.95 1st LP, $ 3.00 each additional

Worldwide (First Class International) ***

$ 22.95 1st LP, $ 4.00 each additional (up to 4 total).

For more than four albums, Priority Mail International (roughly double the 1st Class Costs) or insurance, contact me for specifics.

*** NOTE: SHIPPING UPGRADES ARE REQUIRED ON ALL INTERNATIONAL PACKAGES OVER $ 100 (Such as Priority with Tracking, Registered, etc. Rates and services vary by country).

Cost of postage includes $ 1.75 for shipping materials (including cardboard mailer and polysleeve).  I separate the vinyl from the cover when shipping all opened LP's.

Record Grading:

MINT (10) Perfect! Still sealed albums are presumed MINT, but covers may not be. I will not grade any opened album as "mint", since there's obviously been some handling.

NEAR MINT (9.5) ---- Close, but one or two tiny flaws that do not impact play. Vinyl may have a barely visible scuff mark, but no scratches. Label is bright, clean and unmarked. Covers close to perfect with very minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident.

EXCELLENT (9) ----Disc plays near-perfect. There could be scuffs or a hairline scratch or two that does not impact play. Vinyl is bright and shiny. Label is clean and unmarked. Cover may have some slight corner creases or minor ringwear.

VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS (8) ---- Record handled and played occasionally, but very carefully. Very minor scratches and/or scuffs that should have little impact on the sound quality, or minor label imperfection---noted, but otherwise clean. VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS records may have some light surface noise during quiet passages or between tracks. Covers: one or two minor wear issues such as writing on cover, corner creases, some ringwear, minor staining, etc. (All noted).

VERY GOOD PLUS (7) ----The record has been cared for, but has some minor flaws. Light scratches and/or marks/scuffs that won't make a big impact. Light surface noise here and there, but nothing to overwhelm the listening experience. Covers may have a few minor defects (duly noted). Those who are looking for pristine-only might not be pleased, but most music fans would be happy to have a collectible album in this condition.

VERY GOOD (6)---- The record has been played often with some care, but also a little neglect. Record displays visible surface wear---scratches or scuffs that will cause some minor to perhaps occasionally moderate surface noise. Vinyl could be "dull" at this point and not "shiny', or still perhaps shiny, but then a little more scratched-up. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc. Most music fans would be happy to have a highly collectible album in this condition.

VERY GOOD MINUS (5) ---- Well-played with little luster and moderate surface noise, but skip-free. Lots of scratches/scuffs or fewer but more deeper marks. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork---seam splits, significant ring wear, tears, cuts, taping (all noted). I will only sell RARE "VERY GOOD MINUS" records.

GOOD (4) --- Pretty beat-up with lots of scratches, but not dead yet. Record should still appear not to skip, though it's possible it can. Surface noise is moderate to occasionally heavy. Seam splits are usually a bigger issue around this level with the records better off in a plastic sleeve. I only sell VERY RARE "GOOD" records. They are certainly "good enough" until another copy comes along.

GOOD MINUS (3) --- Even more beat with tons of scratches and LOTS of surface noise. Skips are possible, though I wouldn't intentionally sell a record that does. Given the right moment, fans could probably enjoy a GOOD MINUS record, but might also be irritated by it at times. I will only sell VERY VERY RARE "GOOD MINUS" records. Covers are hanging together by a thread (seams shot) but not intentionally defaced.

FAIR (2) ----FAIR records appear and sound lousy (significant surface noise, horrific scratches). I won't sell these, unless I find something that is SO INCREDIBLY RARE. Expect skipping or a very unpleasant listen. Covers may be defaced, seamless, stained beyond belief.

POOR (1) ---- Unlistenable and undisplayable.

Please note that sealed albums can only be returned unopened.

3-31-19