HAWKWIND (1st) SCARCE EARLY UK 70 LIBERTY BLACK EX++ LP

	£		26
	$		34

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Quality Music to the World

Please see my Detailed Packing Description Further Down & All Shipping Costs and Options – NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment.

Artist or Band: HAWKWIND

Album Title: Hawkwind.

Producer(s): Dick Taylor and Hawkwind.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Hurry On Sundown; The Reason Is?; Be Yourself; Paranoia – Part 1.

Side 2: Paranoia – Part 2; Seeing It As You Really Are; Mirror of Illusion.

Label/Format: Liberty – Black format (please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both in super conditions: fresh, clean and attractive with only very light and faint spindle marks. Light handling traces on the matt black surfaces are near impossible to avoid – few Hawkwind fans wore gloves when handling their records. For those who bought early copies of this album, most played them heavily and usually on less than wonderful equipment. This still very early issue plays perfectly and this set is in exceptional condition.

Cat Number: LBS 83348.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 125 grams. Around average.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: First pressings of this classic psych-prog album were issued on the Liberty blue format and are very rare indeed and now command huge prices, even if conditions are down (as many are). Almost immediately repressed on the new black format with different matrixes but that’s only real difference. Of equal or even more importance to this seller is the playing quality of the record on offer and this still scarce early black copy delivers big-time. I have seen horrendous examples of this one, played ruthlessly and covered in massive scratches with dulled and grubby surfaces and covers – I will not look at them twice, and leave well alone. These early acid-rock albums were usually bought by younger more experimental music fans of time, few were carefully stored and looked after thus finding them in the aforementioned conditions is more the norm. This copy has a very clean and hardly played record with two fantastically clean playing surfaces and very fine cover. It plays superbly with nothing unwanted and such copies are pretty hard to find now as increased interest and demand for this legendary debut album rises. So a black label is not as rare as a blue, but conditions are a major factor for these types.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: LBS 83348 A-2U / LBS 83348 B-2U

Stampers: 1 M / 1 L [one of the earliest black label pressings]

Musicians: Dave Brock – vocals, six and twelve string guitars, harmonica, percussion; John A. Harrison - bass guitar; Huw Lloyd – lead guitar; Terry Ollis - drums; Nik Turner – alto saxophone, vocals, percussion; Dikmik - electronics.

Brief Artist & Album Info: Amazing to think this now a 41-year-old album and the band, albeit in many different guises, are still recording and touring today. This is not really so much a typical Hawkwind album and remains a fascinating curio, it merges 67 psych with spacy instrumentals that blend into early acid-rock, at times sounding like a less polished Pink Floyd circa Saucerful of Secrets. Not the most technically gifted band ever, this album received minimal attention when first issued but its stature as one of the best British psych albums has grown immensely with time. Initially it was tried recording all the songs separately but that failed to work, so the whole album was recorded live in a studio in one take. Much of the music is free-form improvisation with spacy sounds and effects and is captivating and compelling. The opening song is a pure Hawkwind classic, the untypical and brilliant ‘Hurry on Sundown’ with acoustic guitars and harmonica but the long trippy ‘Be Yourself’ and ‘Paranoia’ with improvised guitar are far more typical. The front cover gives more than a clue of what to expect with the band name spelt out in marijuana leaves, this mini-classic debut album is the embryo and catalyst of the acid-rock space band they later became with more than a fair degree of success. Needless to say, this album did not chart, and has now become a highly sort-after and collectable album to own. So set your controls for the heart of the turntable – yeah man!

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High: this has always been an uncompromising cover and few survive even looking decent. Prone to all forms of wear that time and heavy handedness and poor storage has to offer.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: an unlaminated gatefold format with smooth matt surfaces. Printed and made in England by E. J. Day. Great artwork and a very clean example that remains highly attractive. Most seen are badly rubbed, very grubby, ringworn and often with major sticker tear damage.

Cover Front: Retaining fine colour with hardly rubbing or creasing. Still clean with a high degree of freshness with any mark few and faint. The artwork looks very impressive as seen on my close-up picture.

Cover Back: Quite similar to the front and the lack of ringwear is very significant. A light edge rubs and the odd mild surface mark or two on the main area. I have seen few better overall and both the outer faces are quite impressive.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Practically as made with rich deep colour and barely aged or marked at all.

Top Edges: Some light rubbing and a little faded.

Bottom Edges: Moderate rubbing.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and sharp with little wear and no feathering or trimming. Record enters on the back edge.

Spine and Text: A little light patchy rubbing on the folds and this has faded a little. Hardly unusual on this one, a cover that appears somewhat light intolerant, the orange ink does pale with age. Still solid, straight with minimal compression and folded square. The good news is all text is present and unworn, but does appear a little pale.

Corners: All corners have rubbed but retain fine shape.

Cover Summary: With the main four faces looking impressive with minimal traces of wear, this a very fine example. Given all the facts, this has withstood the test-of-time well with most wear on the edges, but even here is mainly neat. Not for the perfectionist, but many, if not most will enjoy this vintage cover.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: a plain white unlined, solid format inner. A small few light marks but barely any creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs. Mild seam glue darkening but the quality of this original inner reflects the fact the record has been played so little.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): a superb visual copy with any surface marks tinym, few and very faint, all but one, only really seen under light. Very clean, shiny, intense black and solidly pressed. A title so often in very poor condition, even trashed, the majority bought initially by those of a certain type, rarely hi-fi buffs – you know what I mean, these were heavily used and so often abused by less than sensitive users and equipment. To see any early copy in this clean and little marked condition is a pleasure. This trip into the psych-acid world – still relatively new at this time – will seldom be heard better than this, it will should please most-all collectors.

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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This wonderful record plays even above it’s high visual grading with very little to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed psych sound and production. A lovely rawness the band desired and it works to perfection. Any surface sounds barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is a record with some quiet passages. The impossibly quiet beginning to side two with its bendy solo bass has very clean sound, often very noisy with inherent crackle and even distortion, this has little to fault, any surface sound ultra gentle and faint (this too being played on very sensitive equipment). This plays focused and precise and was very enjoyable indeed - a gateway into that recording studio where this was recorded live. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this now in-demand record – now regarded as a classic within its field and justifiably so. Up there with the very best I have heard and even matching a near mint blue example I offered a couple of year ago. This will please most even the most discerning sound collectors.

End Piece: Who would have thought some 41 years after this album was first conceived, the Hawkwind band would still be performing with their legendary leader Dave Brock still at the flight controls? A well worthy copy with just enough minor visual blemishes to the cover to remind how old this is, but the record gives nothing away other than supreme clean sound. Remember, the blue pressing was only available for the briefest of time with only a tiny run ever made. Get this on to your deck and transport yourself away to those distant stars with the kings of speed. Strong recommendation is mandatory.

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 - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, 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 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 and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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 Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with QED Silver 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.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or prompt payment is a problem, please do not bid.

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 and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap 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 less than one in two thousand based on over 7,000+ items sold in nearly 10 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. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. 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). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, 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 and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied. If you cannot pay, DO NOT BID.

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.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

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

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£46 maximum]) = £10. (Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 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 [£46 maximum]) = £14. Add £4 per extra LP. (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: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, 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’.