Gryphon - Gryphon - Very Rare Genuine Mint 1973 UK First Pressing Debut Album

	£		26
	$		34

Artist & Title: Gryphon – Gryphon

Gryphon: Rare mint UK first pressing of Gryphon’s 1973 debut album on the Transatlantic label with spectacular textured gatefold picture sleeve complete with original inner. The vinyl is in Mint condition and sounds wonderful - a great play copy - with first press A-3E/B-2E stamped matrices. The sleeve is fabulous near as new condition whilst the vinyl on this copy is a truly excellent copy of this essential LP. Both the sleeve and disc are in beautiful condition.
The disc has First Pressing matrix numbers in the run-out grooves and is in Mint condition. Hard enough to find in good condition, this copy is in MINT CONDITION and the gatefold picture sleeve is also in MINT CONDITION. And as these UK 1st 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: Transatlantic TRA 262

Release date: June 1973 (UK)

Overall Grade: MINT/MINT (LP/Cover)

Matrix/Runout: Side1: TRA 262 A-3E  Side2: TRA 262 B-2E

Made in England

This rare UK FIRST PRESSING LP is hardly ever offered for sale in this condition.

This is the very rare real thing: a GENUINE first UK issue in MINT CONDITION. The textured gatefold sleeve is also in MINT CONDITION, with no creases, scratches, tears, writing, stickers, dog-ears or other obvious damage. See pics. All items are the genuine originals bought together by me in 1973. The LP is the original first issue stereo LP, which was only played on top-end audiophile equipment and lovingly cared for.

THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS ALBUM FROM THE PREMIER BAROQUE ROCK BAND EVER OFFERED FOR SALE IN RECENT TIMES

GRYPHON was founded in 1973 by Richard Harvey (recorder, keys) and Brian Gulland (bassoon, krumhorn) after a stint at the Royal Academy of Music. They shared a vision of blending traditional English folk, Baroque instrumentation and Renaissance music in a modern format. The compositions resemble those of Gentle Giant but give greater emphasis to the authentic textures and sounds of the Renaissance period.
Harvey and Gulland were joined in 1973 by Graeme Taylor on guitar and singer/percussionist David Oberle for their all-acoustic first album 'Gryphon'. Bassist Philip Nestor was added to the line-up in 1974 for their second effort 'Midnight Mushrumps', which featured an increased number of original compositions and leanings in a rock direction. Later that year their classic 'Red Queen to Gryphon Three' was released and has become a progressive rock staple with its longer, somewhat more symphonic arrangements and courtly instrumental rock. The mid-1970s brought big changes to the band with new bass player Malcolm Bennet taking over for Nestor. In 1977, guitarist Graeme Taylor left to be replaced by Bob Foster, bassist Jonathan Davie replaced Bennett, and Oberle switched to lead voice with Alex Baired taking over on drums. Tim Sebastian was also brought in as a lyricist to complete the ever-growing unit. 'Raindance' was released in 1975 and 'Treason' in '77, establishing Gryphon as a top-notch progressive rock act.
With a seamless fusion of British folk and medieval rock, Gryphon developed a strong sound all their own and a loyal following.

This may be your only ONCE IN A LIFETIME chance to own this unique album, which is a very important album in the history and development of progressive rock.

Gryphon is the debut album by the progressive rock band Gryphon. It was originally released in 1973 by Transatlantic, catalogue number TRA 262.
The album was produced by Lawrence Aston and Adam Skeaping and engineered by Adam Skeaping and Nick Glennie-Smith. It was recorded at Riverside Recordings and Livingston Studios. The gryphon cover illustration is by Dan Pearce.
This is the first Gryphon album, with the emphasis still very much on the acoustic and 'early music' instruments, and is quite different from their later albums.
Many Progressive rock fans prefer the band's later, more electronic efforts, but Gryphon's self-titled 1973 debut is by far their best album, because it remains the most genuine of the bunch. Unlike the occasional Elizabethan eclecticism of rockers like Gentle Giant, or the more traditional post-60s Folk Music of bands like Pentangle, Gryphon was the real deal: a quartet of medieval troubadours transplanted to the late 20th century and let loose in a modern, multi-track recording studio.
The music wasn't really Progressive Rock (at least not yet), but it wasn't really Folk Rock either. Authenticity was never Gryphon's goal, and yet their interpretation of traditional music (including one song here penned by the Tudor's own rock star, Henry VIII) remained true to their original era even when adapted to ours, circa 1973. The arrangements were honest, and typically very simple, but the sound throughout is discreetly modern.
It's a very short album (less than 37 total minutes), but in presentation and performance a near perfect one. The material is smartly arranged too, balancing unplugged period instrumentals alongside charming mock 15th century sing-a-longs. And all of it is played with disarming wit and ingenuity, from the haunted romance of 'The Unquiet Grave' (with its near ambient middle interlude) to the toe-tapping morality tale taught by 'The Astrologer', and finally to the ribald comedy of 'The Devil and the Farmer's Wife'.
And, lest you imagine a band of (mostly) unplugged ersatz Folkies unable to generate any musical heat without the friction of electronic instruments, lend an ear to the whirlwind of 'Estampie', propelled into overdrive on the virtuoso recorder trills of Richard Harvey, and David Oberle's manic drumming. There's even a brief quotation from 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' hidden within the bassoon solo, yet another example of the band's playful iconoclasm.
Gryphon would later jump headlong onto the Symphonic Rock train, just before it was rudely derailed at the end of the decade. But here at the start of their career the band's ambitions were still untarnished, and refreshingly modest for 1973.

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 the album and band HERE and 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.

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