FRANK ZAPPA Hot Rats Rare UK Tan RSLP. STUNNING N/M LP.

	£		56
	$		74

Hi, I am Mike, I am 46 and have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 33 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and ellusive items now. 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, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirity, not just bits to guess a grade (on a Rega 3 deck with Ortofon cartridge) - 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 reader – 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. The only thing I cannot guarantee one hundred percent is exact colour matching - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. Variation can sometimes occur too in colour of the label scans and labels taken next to the sleeve with a digital camera, the scanned full label pictures should be the most accurate. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert. 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 or sticks or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

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. 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. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed, you never know - I may just have a copy in stock. I by quality single items and collections also (Email me please if you have quality items for sale).

Debutant Bidders: Many sellers refuse first time buyers: I do not follow this practice (everybody has to start somewhere), but I would appreciate any first timer letting me know their intentions of their intended payment method and very prompt communication, preferably before any bid or soon after the auctions ends. This gives confidence that their intentions are honourable, and I in return guarantee extra special good feedbacks to get zero rated Ebayers off to a flying start to help them with future transactions. NOTE: I WILL NOT ACCEPT BIDS FROM UNREGISTERED USERS, I will cancel them immediately, and sorry, I cannot give valuations on people’s personal items just for their own curiosity, no item can be accurately valued blindly.

Please read all the information carefully - these adverts take an age to compile properly - so it’s well worth a few minutes of your time to read the details thoroughly. I really cannot take any responsibility if any bidder fails to read any facts that are clearly stated in the advert - Thankyou.

Artist or Band: FRANK ZAPPA

Album Title: Hot Rats

Cat Number: RSLP 6356 Stereo (Not issued in Mono).

Label/Format: Reprise (Very deep orange/tan format. These have the original RSLP prefix and this is very rare to see on the tan labels).

Label Condition: Absolutely stunning labels and so rarely seen - most tan copies have the far more common K-44078 number, which was changed along with the label format from the tri-coloured riverboat version. Both labels are supremely clean and unblemished. Spindle traces are very light, its quite difficult to see many actually, there are a few, but they are so light they cannot be easily seen. Wear around the centre holes is zero. This fantastic record looks hardly played. (Please see label scans for all information needed).

Country of Manufacture: England, UK

Rarity: I personally consider this even rarer than the tri-coloured original. How long this tan copy with the RSLP number on was available must have been very brief. This particular verson of Hot Rats I have very rarely seen. This, like the original pressing is very heavily pressed, this indeed seems even heavier (I compared to my original), a massively thick and heavy record. The matrix numbers are the same too: RSLP 6356 A1 and B1. This album, like Zappa’s Chunga’s Revenge is one of the few I have seen pressed with the tan label that retains the original non-Kinney cat number.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: RSLP 6356 A1 and B1

Brief Artist & Album Info: At the end of 1968 Zappa’s contract with MGM expired, he and his manager Herb Cohen set up Bizarre Records. This gave them total control over their own packaging and music. Major distribution was needed too, so they chose Reprise, Frank Sinatra’s label which had recently been acquired by Warner Brothers. Hot Rats was the second album to be just accredited to Frank Zappa, it used a 16-track recorder for the first and state-of-the-art production techniques. It had many overdubs and in fact the CD reissue replaced some overdubs vinyl could not cope with. This was quite a successful album for Frank in the UK, but mysteriously was a relative failure in his native US. This is a jazz-rock, predominately instrumental album and one of the greatest rock albums ever made - I simply adore this album and I have probably heard this album more times than any other (not this copy hasten to add, just the once for a mandatory play grade). Zappa called upon some of the great musicians of the West Coast. Don ‘Sugarcane’ Harris features heavily on electric violin with some blistering solos as does French violin virtuoso Jean luc Ponty. Also featured is veteran bassist Max Bennett, John Guerin a young drummer who had been working with Tom Scott on fusing rock and jazz, also Shuggy Otis, Ron Selico and Paul Humphrey. Zappa supplied himself with the finest rhythm section money could buy. The other hugely important presence was Ian Underwood, who played keyboards and electric saxes. This is one of Underwood’s finest moments recording with FZ, his blistering solo on ‘The Gumbo Variations’ takes the breath away. Last but not least there is a cameo performance from Don van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart on vocals on ‘Willie the Pimp’ the lyrics of which are derived from an interview Zappa conducted with a New York-based groupie named Annie. Zappa himself plunges into a classic guitar solo. His wah-wah pedal made the notes talk, but amongst the frenzy there remains a marvellous melody throughout. Frank dubbed in percussion, chains, castanets that added that extra fizz and Underwood is credited for playing ‘organus maximus’ which was actually a pipe organ. The cover is as famous as the music too, it features Christine Frka of the (in)famous GTO’s lurking inside a disused swimming pool: a striking image that was seen under many an arm in the heady days of the late 60s. It charted at 9 in the UK and a lowly 173 in the US. A work of genius, even non-Zappa fans who simply never understood his music often appreciated this album. It has been said that some rock guitarists have been quoted as saying Hot Rats contains impossible to play guitar chords, well this great man played them, and how. This easily ranks in my top five greatest albums ever made, I never tire listening to it and this copy is a real beauty. It plays nearly as quiet as a CD with all the detail and dynamics of a master recording - an original pressing of this almost takes you into the recording studio (I still consider this to be an original, its certainly as good as). Even as fine as the new Japanese card cover CDs are, they still do not compare to this record. The basslines are far less forward on the silver disc and some details seem more muted, even lost. There will never be a better way to enjoy the king of the bizarre than on this record - I have rarely seen a much better copy of this actual record on the quite possibly the most ellusive label version of them all.

Cover Grade and Format: EX+, A gatefold format, not-laminated (no UK copies were). It was printed and made in England by MacNeill Press Ltd, London. A notoriously difficult cover to find in nice condition due to the dark ink and lack of laminate protection. This must rank as one of the very best I have ever seen with the RSLP original number. A light front crease and some lightish bottom rubbing apart this is pretty sensational. Beware of later covers being offered as originals, they will have the K44078 number.

Cover Front: A very attractive one indeed with no rubbing or dreaded ringwear. Clean too, the white areas on this always seem to grubby very easily, some are seen bad. This has only very mild traces of any discolour. The actual main picture is fantastic with rich vibrant colour. The small crease is light and barely even shows. No indentations, even surface traces are minimal, there is a very small, and very faint light stain on the bottom left hand corner and a tiny (and I mean tiny) graze mark above the T in HOT. This is so small you will not even see it and I would very much doubt if any other seller would even mention it. This front is wonderful.

Cover Back: One of the very best examples I have ever seen for this back, this always seems to attract heavy ringwear and rubbing but this one has almost zero wear - the best I have ever seen for sure.

Cover Gatefold Inner: Pristine perfect with deep rich colour - magnificent!

Top Edge: Virtually perfect.

Bottom Edge: Moderate(-) rubbing, but neat, the front shows up little as its white anyway.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear. Record enters on right outside back edge.

Spine and Text: Solid and square with only the faintest hint of any wear. Text is very solid and neat and close to perfect. Again this has RSLP 6356 on the spine.

Corners: All show a little wear mostly to the tips, the spine corners are very strong, and way better than most found, mostly full inked with no whites.

Cover Summary: A fragile item that never wears that well, but this is still a very strong one, generally this is a true EX+, I have taken a fraction off for the edgewear which does not detract much anyway, but a true RSLP version of this one will rarely show up looking much stronger these days. (Please study the pictures, they are totally untouched up, what you see is what you get)

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-). A superb copy the likes I have rarely seen for a real vintage copy of Hot Rats. Around 34 years old and nearly as fresh as press day. This copy appears almost unmarked, there is nothing more than a single pin-prick mark which is virtually ignored anyway. Its super clean, with a good shine and very heavily pressed, another stunning aspect is the vinyl colour - this is a very deep rich, almost coal black. Very deep grooves with intricate patterns - a sure sign of a fantastic sounding (real hi-fi) recording. This is a stunning vintage peach of a copy that does full justice to the brilliance of this astonishing album.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This super record plays brilliantly with awesome sound, crank this up loud and prepare to be astonished. Barely a pop or tick to be heard and a superb pressing with barely any unwanted sounds. Both channels are crystal clear and the sound and production are up there with the very best from this period. This copy of Hot Rats will simply make your system sing, completely distortion free, the high frequencies of the violins, guitars and electric winds are totally unclipped and simply flow from the speakers. If only all vintage vinyl played like this there would be no need to grade because the astonishing sounds embedded in these very deep grooves will rarely be heard much better. I feel the record is so clean and special, even with the light cover wear it should still appeal to most vinyl lovers and collectors. An original Hot Rats is a cornerstone in any serious FZ collection.

Mono vs Stereo, an overview: Always a matter of opinion which is better or more important. For any serious collector where there is a choice e.g. Beatles, Stones, Hendrix etc. both are essential. True Stereo albums give great imagery and presence whereas mono albums usually are more dynamic, louder and present the detail more clearly. Mono albums are far harder to find in genuinely top playing condition. Most were heavily played, particularly the truly great bands and artists, often covered in mark and scratches, many severe and labels that were a mass of spindle marks. The majority were played on vintage and unsubtle decks with heavy tonearms and thick styli (often sapphire, not diamond, that chipped more easily) that rendered heavy wear in a very short time to many a fine classic record. Wear to the delicate groove walls, particularly the innermost tracks to the labels were most vulnerable where the tracking angle became more severe and the backdrag actually stripped the delicate groove walls. This resulted in surface noise and mild/moderate distortion or worse. These old decks tracked by sheer weight and little of any refined engineering. Next time you see such a deck at a local record fayre, feel the weight of the arm, it almost makes you wonder how any records survived at all. The point of this paragraph is emphasise that when a truly clean, lightly played and great sounding 60s mono album (or stereo come to that) is offered, treasure it, because for sure they are truly getting vary rare and precious - beware - demand only play-graded records. As a general guide to rarity, mono was the far more common format from 61–65; Around 66–67 the balance was roughly equal, then from 68-69 the balance swung more to stereo, making monos from these dates far scarcer, even rare - this guide is important and effects values greatly.

Track Listing: Peaches en Regalia; Willie the Pimp; Son of Mr Green Genes; Little Umbrellas; The Gumbo Variations; It Must be a Camel.

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Final Summary: Its always a huge pleasure for me to offer an early copy of Hot Rats, for sure they are getting far harder to find, when one is found, its often played to death or even trashed. As stated this version is pretty rare and is a tough one to find. Most FZ fans should consider this version, even if they have the first pressing and the later tan K-pressing. This copy is an interesting ‘hybrid’ of the first pressing with the looks of the later pressing. Just picking up this copy will tell you this isn’t a lightweight late pressing, this record is seriously heavy, so much so, it took my deck a few second more to get up to speed. The detail and sound from a RSLP version is definitive, it always has the edge over later pressings. Just holding an original copy of this gives me pleasure, only a tiny percentage will show up on the tan RSLP format, many later copies were not even UK pressings. A pivitol release in Frank’s catalogue, one of around 60 essential albums to own. An enthralling journey into Jazz Rock, the quality on offer is second to none as is this particular record. Zappa was an entertainer, never afraid to change style and content with just about every album he issued, predictable he wasn't and that’s what made him great. Its ironic only after his untimely death have more people come to realise the genius that was Frank Zappa. – Mike.

Payment Details please read carefully:

UK First Class: = £3.00; Recorded Delivery (Recommended) = £4.00 Special Delivery (Next day, insured up to £250), the best service available = £6.00

Europe Air Mail: = £4 Insured: £8.00

Overseas, non-Europe e.g. USA, Japan, Australia etc. Airmail:= £7; Insured with recorded delivery (where available) = £11.00

Singles: (Packed to the high standards of the LPs)

UK First class: = £2.00 Insured: £4

Europe Air Mail = £3.00 Insured: £5.50

Overseas, non-Europe (as above) Airmail £3.50 Insured: £6.00

Doubles add extra £1, triples add extra £2. Box sets add extra £3 (£4 overseas and Europe)

Any item that sells for over £85 will be sent Special Delivery in the UK at no extra cost. Items over £125 get the same service Overseas. This is gives peace of mind for the winning bidder and myself for valuable items. Reduced postage of course for multiple items.

The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£28). PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT use surface mail, its too slow, with a higher risk of loss and damage.

Mailing Details: Please note I do not profit on postage (my packing standards are high and the package weighs a little more. All records are sent in plastic covers with the record taken out of the sleeve and sent in professional mailers with FOUR professional stiffners for extra protection (if space allows), I do NOT use old cardboard boxes or cereal packets for protection. More expensive items are also inserted into a de-luxe heavy duty padded bag AS WELL to give that extra protection. I truly want ALL my items to arrive to their destination in the same condition they leave me. I will also include in most cases a brand new lined inner, but will include the original inner if available and in a condition to be given.

I accept cash for payments worldwide in UK Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars - but this at the senders own risk. Please send registered and insured if this method is chosen. I cannot accept responsibility if any cash payments do not turn up. This system is very reliable and rarely goes astray. The same goes for any shipped uninsured item, I can only try to claim for any undelivered or damaged article at basic insurance levels if no enhanced insurance is requested and paid for (unless the value threshold is high enough for me insure as standard, see above)

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Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. I now only accept PayPal, International money orders or cash from overseas bidders (UK Sterling, US dollars or Euros). Cash, cheques, postal orders and PayPal are fine from the UK. I allow maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if this does not happen I will relist the item and may send negative feedback unless an explanation is given. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask. Please keep watch on my Ebays, I have other interesting items coming very soon. Thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: As listening to every single record I offer all the way through is difficult timewise, can I make it clear if any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. I still endeavour to play all the items in their entirity for grading if at all possible and is usually the case.