FUSE Prog/Psych 1969 PROMO 1/1 Press Epic BN-26502 Rick Nielsen RARE Cheap Trick

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This auction is for:
FUSE
Self-Titled LP
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EPIC Records BN 26502
Original 1969 issue • Stereo LP
1st PRESSING • 1/1 Matrix
PROMO

VINYL Condition:
SIDE 1 EX: Few very light hairlines that do not affect play, viewed in hard bright light. // SIDE 2 VG/VG+: Few mostly inaudible scattered light surface, non-feelable scratches. Play grade rises way above and, other than a very few occasional tics, plays EX or better. Labels are super clean both sides.
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COVER Condition:
VG/VG+: Generally quite nice with minimal wear showing at bottom edge, overall clean and bright but FRONT has "DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE" stamped, u.r. corner and BACK has large date written at top. Light wear to bottom seam. No splits.

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

RARE HARD Psych/Prog ROCK from Pre-CHEAP TRICK Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and friends.

FIRST PRESS PROMO issue
MATRIX NUMBERS:
?Side One: XSB 151329-1B
?Side Two:  XSB 151330-1B

The 1969 recorded FUSE featured a young longhair named Rick Nielsen (Guitar, Organ, Mellotron) and Tom Petersson (Bass) who went on to found Cheap Trick... a surprising and often quite fantastic Hard Rock album with serious Progressive overtones -well before "Prog" really took hold.

The only album by FUSE, enjoyable late 60's heaviness and quite collectable ... influenced by The Yardbirds and Cream, with classical-tinged keyboards, but with a Midwestern industriousness. Actually, it seems a little ahead of its time in how the songwriting, hard rock/organ combinations, long winding melodic progressions, and belting vocals of Joe Sundenberg anticipate some early-'70s hard rock/prog rock.

FUSE, earlier called The Grim Reapers, has an interesting history, being a pre-cursor to Cheap Trick, though it's got nothing in common with them sonically, it's more like early Deep Purple, and also includes members of Nazz. Definitely worth hunting down. "Show Me", "To Your Health" and "Mystery Ship" are good hard rockers with plenty of crunch and strong vocals from Joe Sundberg that were quite heavy for their time, with some brash guitar, bass and organ exemplifying the transition from psychedelia towards hard rock that was happening at that time.

Fuse offers a fascinating glimpse into the musical beginnings of Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson before superstardom beckoned as members of Cheap Trick. As "Fuse", only this solitary album was issued prior to guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson allying themselves with ex NAZZ members vocalist Robert 'Stewkey' Antoni and drummer Thom Mooney for a revised NAZZ, though a second album's worth of material was also recorded but never released.? Great tunes throughout on this lone, self-titled album, and Rick Nielsen mainly plays Keyboards (organ, mellotron) on this, but he does get some great guitar licks in and definitely displays some early songwriting ability as in Show Me and To Your Health.?The singer, Joe Sundenberg, was only 17 years old when this was released, what a strong voice for a kid !!!

Tom Peters(s)on has to be one of the most UNDERrated Bass players in popular rock. Just listen to his tight, chunky-bass on this album, and he was only 19 years old! Each track is unique, nothing seems repetitive ...the guitarist, keyboards, everyone sounds original on each track. Do not expect to hear any "Cheap Trick sounding" material on this album. It is progressive, heavy-hitting Hard-rock.? Overall, FUSE is very good album, played by a bunch of Rockford Illinois kids 48 years ago - highly recomended!

TRACK LISTING
A1
Across The Skies 4:35 A2 Permanent Resident 4:22 A3 Show Me 4:13 A4 To Your Health 6:00 B1 In A Window 5:54 B2 4/4 3/4 3:58 B3 Mystery Ship 3:22 B4 Sad Day 5:49
Not a MINT copy, but a very nice playing Promo 1st Press - far lower price here than you're likely to find anywhere else?.?

Vinyl inside anti-static poly inner sleeve.
Album kept in a protective, poly outer-sleeve.

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