FRANK ZAPPA/MOI Absolutely Free RARE ORIG UK 1967 SVLP VG LP. MOSTLY FINE SOUND.

	£		25
	$		33

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION

Album Title: Absolutely Free

Producer(s): Tom Wilson

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Absolutely Free – Plastic People; a) The Duke of Prunes; b) Amnesia Vivace; c) The Duke Regains His Chops; a) Call Any Vegetable; b) Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin; c) Soft-Sell Conclusion.

Side 2: The MOI American Pageant – America Drinks; Status Back Baby; Uncle Bernie’s Farm; Son of Suzy Creamcheese; Brown Shoes Don’t Make It; America Drinks and Goes Home.

Label/Format: Verve – early intense black and silver format with MGM credits. Also ‘Sold in the UK…’ text. The surfaces are matt with a very gentle hint of texturing.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with any of the very few spindle marks, light and faint.

Cat Number: SVLP 9174

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 140 grams. A typically heavier original copy.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: These early Verve albums are getting very scarce and elusive. Hence no qualms offering a copy with a few light audio blemishes.

Original Year of Release: 1967

Matrix Nos: V6 5013 A-1G / V6 5013 B-1G

Stamper Codes: 1 R / 1 R

Brief Artist & Album Info: Zappa and The Mothers of Invention’s second classic: Freak Out! sold just 30,000 copies according to Frank – MGM deemed it a flop. He was reduced to a budget of $11,000 for it’s successor. He lost Elliot Ingber, the quintessential underground/psychedelic guitarist who resurfaced as the Winged Eel Fingerling in Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, but he gained other musicians to add to Roy Estrada and Jim Black as the rhythm section. Drummer Billy Mundi, woodwindist Bunk Gardner and keyboardist Don Preston. Preston hadn’t played on Freak Out! because he apparently ‘couldn’t play rock ‘n’ roll’. Now, after gigging with a few rock bands, he was ready to join Zappa, and take avant garde music to the masses. This was again produced by Tom Wilson, all selections were composed, arranged and conducted by Frank Zappa.

Absolutely Free is as equally challenging as Freak Out!. First-time listeners found it hard to believe that this wild melange of bizarre rock, political jokes and lewd satire vocalising could become a favourite, but repeated listens reveal wonders. ‘The Duke of Prunes’ and ‘Call Any Vegetable’ have terrific melodies, the latter was Zappa’s first long guitar work-out on record. The main centre-piece for this lies on side two: ‘Brown Shoes Don’t Make It’, it’s a song with bassoons, violins and electronics constructed into a seething mosaic of contemporary subjects and ills – it was again outrageous for the time and I am still surprised, even today, this was allowed to be issued uncut, taking into account the heavy censoring on the following album We’re Only it For the Money and the labels nervousness for anything Zappa did. An extraordinary decision considering the sexual nature and activity in ‘Brown Shoes’ (What would ya do Daddy?), and heavily political lyrics and taboos, obviously drugs were less tolerated in those days than teenage sex within the UK anyway. This vintage record, now fast approaching 50, is in fine condition, but does have several, quite light clicks, mostly on ‘Duke of Prunes’, and a few sporadic ones here-and-there, but the sound remains strong and very clear. So not for the real purists who want on perfection – these so hard to find on such albums. Many collectors will be pleased I feel sure.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: and arguably worthy of a (+), this is seldom seen this clean. A single format with a laminated front, this wraps around the folds and ends on three rear external flipbacks. The main back panel is matt and smooth. This is the original stereo cover with it’s SVLP 9174 catalogue number. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse with the early ‘Patents Pending’ text. The back also has the ‘Mothers Teach You’ text by Mike Raven which is not seen on the Select repressings from the 1970s. Includes the plain white inner sleeve. The later covers are very different, only the front artwork is the same. They were not laminated, matt, with a gatefold format.

Lamination & Front: Very nice as seen, this has minimal wear or issues. The laminate with gentle dulling seen under angled light, but hardly registering when viewed normall full on. Still with a fine shine and clarity, it no lifting and few creases, any present are only light. The graphic is superb and an impressive front.

Cover Back: These vintage Verve cover backs are notoriously prone to grubbiness and toning – any on this unprotected predominately white panel is little and very light. No rubbing, ring wear or writing, and even avoid creasing, so again impressive. All three flipbacks are solid and undamaged with neat quite clean ends with no burring. A few creases to the laminate, but these beyond difficult to avoid.

Top & Bottom Edges: The bottom edge is neat, smooth and quite straight, just small rubs/chips to the ends. The top largely the same with a tiny few small laminate chips that show little on the white surface.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Remaining sharp with minimal thickening seen viewed end-on. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: Solid, mainly straight with any compression light. All text being perfect and unworn. All laminate intact and mostly smooth and clear, any hairline cracks very few and light.

Corners: Light to moderate tip rubbing with very fine shape retained, no bashes, any hint of dinking little and light.

Cover Summary: A really nice original, so very different to the Select reissues from the 1970s (that are often sold as ‘original’). Certainly not seen better often – it took me an age to find a near mint one myself. This should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: a plain solid white unlined inner with minimal creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs. Just moderately aged with some darkening of the edges that few can hope to avoid this great age.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: VERY GOOD: actually looks better, but it does have a couple of stylus marks that do emit several light clicks, mostly on ‘Duke of Prunes’. So not a perfect copy by any means, but still a fine visual example that actually looks lightly played. Still very clean with excellent shine and very solidly pressed. Other marks or blemishes are mainly faint surface types seen under light. Not for the highly discerning, but as stated further up, these Zappa first issue Verve albums are getting really hard to find now and in demand. So sometime a little compromise has to be made – still a very nice example for those who can tolerate a few mainly light clicks – and this record has far more positives than negatives. It will please many, but if you have doubts … etc etc.

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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This still impressive example mostly plays at least a full grade (and most even more) above it’s fine visual grading. Offering strong, mostly clean stereo sound, sound quality is high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Tom Wilson put his reputation on the line producing Zappa’s first three Verve albums, and even with the lesser budget, this still has marvellous sound and effects. Incredible and vast amounts of information amongst the weirdness – I absolutely love this album, and this does it pretty fine justice. Any surface sounds minimal, but as stated, some mainly light clicks mostly on ‘Duke of Prunes’ and a few sporadic ones here-and-there. This apart, little else spoilt the experience for a very challenging and complex album. Most plays superbly well, but blemishes – yes. No tracking issues* and I really enjoyed this record, but not for the purists or those wanting perfection from a 49-year-old record – these so incredibly hard to find, as I know for an absolute fact. The sound embedded is definitive and (obviously) not messed around with like the modern versions. A copy I can warmly recommend as long as perfection is not expected and a few mostly light clicks being acceptable.

End Piece: All The Mothers Verve titles were issued in mono and stereo (‘Mothermania’ the compilation seems very doubtful in mono, I have never seen one anyway) and never easy in highly playing conditions, this copy largely still delivers. The music is presented quite differently to the digital versions, the original analogue format the only way to really experience it. The back of the original (S)VLP covers included text by Mike Raven which states:

“Listen to the songs the Mothers teach you. Out of the crawling compost of a heap of rotting plastic flesh the sweet and sour stench of the great American nightmare will steal upon you blind mind’s nose. While shrieking vegetable sounds born of necessity tear through your brain. Leaving their train of shining slime and painfully disturbing images of thought like painted discords electronically projected from the womb-world where the Mothers drift. Excreting comment on the passing show of iridescent rubbish that surrounds their lives. And yours and mine and mine deeper and deeper into the empty cess-pits of our souls. Our souls are cheap today but values may be found. Unlooked for in the wreaths of smoke blown through the almost uncorrupted minds of those society rejects. The voice is here for those with ears to hear. The plastic people will hear nothing but a noise.”

This also is not seen on any later record cover. * As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 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]) = £16.50 (£17.50 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’.