JOHN LENNON Unfinished Music 2 VERY RARE Orig UK ZAPPLE

	£		102
	$		135

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for. – NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P as low as possible after the very significant Royal Mail price increases.

Artist or Band: JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO

Album Title: Unfinished Music No 2 – Life with the Lions.

Producer(s): John Lennon & Yoko Ono.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Cambridge 1969.

Side 2: No Bed For Beatle John; Baby’s Heartbeat; Two Minutes Silence; Radio Play.

Label/Format: Zapple – a subsidiary of Apple – an original first issue format of this rare label (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with only few, mainly light, fine and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area.

Cat Number: ZAPPLE 01.

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: 132 grams. About average for it’s era.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity & Info: Rare and one of the rarest and most elusive Beatles related albums ever made. Barely any promotion at all and this failed to even chart in the UK and sold very poorly. US sales were slightly better and most of any copies that surface are invariably American. One of only two records issued on The Beatles subsidary label Zapple that briefly appeared in 1968 to 1969 making it one of the rarest record labels ever to feature a major artist. Zapple was created to feature avant garde music and spoken word and this album features both. It was a commercial non-starter and makes for challenging listening. For the few who even noticed or purchased this record when first issued, it must have caused shock-waves. It followed the highly controversial ‘Two Virgins’ set, subtitled ‘Unfinished Music No 1, and this one being even more difficult. A highly personal recording made at a difficult time for the couple as Yoko had suffered a miscarriage. Side one features vocal improvisation by Ono and side two has some spoken word of press text of the time followed by the heartbeat of the unborn child. Two minutes of silence and then sounds of radio dialing – all very out-there material. This is a very fine copy, a little cover wear but the record little used and with the highly prized 1G mother and stamper on side one.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: ZAPPLE 01 A-1 / ZAPPLE 01 B-1

Mothers / Stampers: 1 G / 1 M

Musicians: Yoko Ono - vocals; John Lennon - vocals, guitar, feedback, radio; John Tchicai - saxophone; John Stevens - percussion.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(-): a single fully laminated format. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse. Includes the elusive printed inner sleeve.

Lamination – Front & Back: Quite a thin and flimsy cover: the laminate retains fine shine and clarity with some fairly mild dulling around the rim shape. A few quite light marks seen under light but no peeling or lifting. A small chlip is seen on the right front edge. There is some moderate creasing in places but even this has modest visibility with normal viewing. Overall, a very rare cover in very respectable condition.

Top Edge: This has hardly any wear at all and is still straight.

Bottom Edge: The corners have rubbed but little else, still generally straight again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: This entrance edge has thickened a little in places with a little mild burring and a chip on the front edge. No at all bad for a delicate cover with a fairly thick record inside for around 43 or so years. Most is still quite sharp and neat.

Spine and Text: Quite flimsy and thin. Fairly solid, with a smallish surface scuff just below centre and a couple or three fine creases – so not dead straight. Most of the text is present and unworn under the mostly solid still laminated areas. Just a couple of small clips on the fine creases area. The text is seen on my close-up pictures.

Cover Summary: With just enough blemishes and mild signs of wear to remind of it’s considerable age, this rare cover still looks attractive and could possibly prove to find a great deal better. Not one seen often, this really was a commercial non-starter. This should please many collectors but not the highly discerning.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: the ZAPPLE 01 text inner sleeve has aged very modestly. One corner crease but generally clean with any adhesive darkening on the edges light. Unlined and fragile, all the edges unsplit with no repairs. The catalogue number is written on the top right in pen, small and neat by the original retailer.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: a splendid visual copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed. A copy with only very modest plays on all the evidence with any surface marks few, light and faint as seen under bright angled light. One very tiny mark emits a small few light ticks on side one, but this will prove very difficult to find better. Visually a super record that should please many collectors again.

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 very rare Lennon record plays up to and mostly 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 sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and no pops and few clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing. One of the most challenging and difficult recordings I have encountered. Complex groove patterns on the vocal extremes on side one and with some passages of quietness and total silence on side two. A little played copy is essential to have any chance. Few copies will outperform this 1G / 1M pressing significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally carefully handled. Again with a few clues to age and era, but little really to fault. An album of avant garde extremes and even to these experienced ears of the most out-there music around, this was difficult. Clearly an important collector’s piece for Beatles fans, but this is not a record that will be played often but has a vast historical importance. Not only that, on one of the rarest label variants ever. This copy could prove quite difficult to find significantly better and can be highly recommended. This IS John Lennon – but not as most rememer him.

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 Terrarium 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 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 8,000+ items sold in over 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 2 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). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please as me first.

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.

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] = £4.25

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (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 [£50 maximum]) = £12 (enhanced 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 [£50 maximum]) = £16 (£17 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’.