Focus - Focus 3 - Genuine MINT 1972 UK First Pressing on Polydor Label 1/1/1/1

	£		23
	$		31

Artist & Title: Focus – Focus 3

Focus 3: Rare mint 1972 UK 1st pressing on the Polydor label 10-track double LP including the hit singles Sylvia and House Of The King, gatefold picture sleeve with original inner sleeves. Both the gatefold sleeve and vinyl are in superb condition and show no signs of being over forty years old. Highly desirable for its first press matrices (all four sides are from the first lacquers and mothers) and increasingly hard to find in even reasonable condition, this copy is in Mint condition. And as these first UK Polydor pressings come up so infrequently in this condition this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to add this extreme rarity to your collection at an extremely advantageous price.

Catalogue Number: Polydor ?– 2659 016 Super Double

Release date: 1972 (UK)

Overall Grade: MINT/MINT (LP/Cover)

Matrix/Runout: Side 1: 2344038 A//1?420 1 1 1  Side 2: 2344038 B//1?420 1 1 2  Side 3: 2344039 A//1?420 1 1 4  Side 4: 2344039 B//1?420 1 1 4

Produced By Mike Vernon for R.T.M.
Radio Tele Music
BRITICO
Made In England
? Polydor Records Ltd
Recorded at Olympic "B" Studios, Barnes, July 1972
Sleeve design by Hamish Grimes
Printed and Made by the E.J. Day Group, London & Bedford

This rare UK FIRST POLYDOR ISSUE of this Focus double LP is hardly ever offered for sale in this condition.

This is the extremely rare real thing: a GENUINE UK first Polydor pressing in MINT/MINT condition. The records, cover and inner sleeves are all in excellent condition, without any obvious defects (they genuinely look like they might have been bought new today). See pics. All items are the genuine originals bought together by me in 1972 not reprints. The LPs are the original UK first Polydor pressing stereo LPs, which were only played occasionally on top-end audiophile equipment and lovingly cared for.

THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS ALBUM EVER OFFERED FOR SALE IN RECENT TIMES

Focus 3 is the third studio album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1972 on Sire Records. It is the first and only double album released by the band. Focus 3 peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart. The album spawned one single, "Sylvia", which reached number four in the UK and number 89 in the US.

This may be your only ONCE IN A LIFETIME chance to own this piece of rock history in this condition.

After a solid debut and a better second release (Moving Waves), Focus had really crossed the borders of the Netherlands and were gaining a solid fan base all over Europe and even in the USA, so they had to do something spectacular not to lose this popularity. Instead they did something better, they took the risk and went for a double album.
"In and Out of Focus" presented us with a band determined to make sober and solid music, with echoes from the 60's and a delicate style of jamming, then they moved towards a more spectacular instrumental sound, using the voice almost only as an extra instrument in "Moving Waves". But in "Focus III" we find a more mature band that reached the balance between pomp and virtuoso attributes, a band with enough courage to go further back into the past to the Medieval era in search for their roots, but using a clear Flemish style or Hard Rock when required, in other words a band with the guts to be different, not just a bunch of guys following the model that came from the UK, they took the best of both worlds to create something exquisite and unique.
The album opens with "Round Goes the Gossip" a vibrant track that starts with a drum intro that leads to an elaborate and complex multi instrumental passage in which Thijs Van Leer uses his versatile voice to create strange sounds, part in joke part completely serious and complementary to the music. The peculiar way of playing the organ is shocking, less lush but extremely complex, jumping from melodic passages to jazzy cacophonies. One can describe this song with five words....Progressive Rock at its best.

A fantastic time warp example of this rarity in amazing condition, a true investment grade item - get it while you can!

AND IT MUST SELL IN THIS ONCE ONLY AUCTION

You can read more about this album and Focus all over the web.

I pack my records professionally in stiff corrugated cruciform record mailers leaving the Vinyl (housed in anti-static bags) outside the Sleeve.

“I've bought LPs brand new that weren't in as good condition! Very quick delivery.”

“Mint means MINT for this seller!! trade with confidence!!!! AAAAAAAAA”

“Very fine item. Well packed. Quick shipment. Thanks.”

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