JOHN MARTYN Solid Air LP Island 1973 UK 1st Press

	£		246
	$		326

Hi, and welcome to psych_out! auctions!!!

I've collected 50's, 60's, and early 70's records of almost every genre - Psych, Prog, Psychedelic Funk, Soul, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Pop, Folk, Garage, Acid, Freakbeat, Rock, Jazz e.t.c and everything in between for all my life!!! Obviously, 90%+ of the LP's i've ever gotten hold of are completely trashed from the hard living ways and the rock 'n' roll, drug and booze fuelled debauchery of all the wild parties of the times, but the golden 10%? Reluctantly, i've decided to offer them to all of you serious record collectors out there!!! I'm currently trying to set up a record label so unfortunately personal sacrifices have to be made when it comes to my collection, resulting in GREAT benefits for all you shrewd bidders and serious connosieurs of TRUE solid gold music history out there!!! Make no mistake, i'll try my best to consistently offer some of the VERY BEST records available on ebay, many which have taken me YEARS to find!!!

I aim to put a weekly batch up (time permitting) every wednesday, all timed to end 10 days later on saturday night. I'll only ever offer THE BEST, MOST AMAZING, MOST IMPORTANT, VERY RAREST UK 1ST PRESS ORIGINAL RELEASE RECORDS i've got!!! I won't insult you with later 2nd pressings unless they are of exceptional quality and rarity. I'm sure you love good music as much as me, especially when it's a 1st Press LP, direct from the master tape, as the musicians intended it to be heard (none of this "digitally remastered", weak reissued, remixed rubbish from hired hands with one eye on the mixing desk and the other on the clock! If these session men really knew how genius should sound, surely they would've been geniuses themselves?! There will only ever be one Hendrix, and that's just a tiny example).

I try to be one of the best sellers on ebay and would like to thank all of you potential bidders for your support and taste in music!!! I strictly grade all LP's I list, visually and sonically using the UK RRPG standards as customer satisfaction is highly important to me, and i'll always do my very best not to let you down. Be sure to add me to your favourite sellers list and check my auctions frequently as i'll be listing some gems that you just WON'T want to miss out on!!!

I think that's everything, so let the auction commence!!!

Title :  John Martyn - Solid Air

Label & year : Original Island ILPS 9226 LP , INCREDIBLY RARE Stereo 1973 UK 1st Press!!!

Matrix's : Side A : ILPS 9226 A-1U, Side B : ILPS 9226 B-1U (EARLIEST EVER!!!)

AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE AND ULTRA RARE CLASSIC LP!!! FINDING A TRUE UK 1ST PRESS IN ANY CONDITION IS HARD ENOUGH, BUT THIS OUTRAGEOUS EXAMPLE HAS BEEN PLAYED ONCE OR TWICE AT THE VERY MOST AND SOUNDS AS CLOSE AS YOU'LL EVER FIND TO ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!! MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAR THIS CLASSIC...

Widely regarded as John Martyn's finest LP. He actually wrote "Solid Air" about his good troubled friend and Island label-mate, Nick Drake. To find a day of release 1st press of this LP is truly hard enough, but in condition like this? UNHEARD OF!!! An UNBEATABLE example of this Folk classic.

About : Ultra Rare Original 1973 UK 1st Press!!! This MASSIVELY RARE LP initially sold barely anything (LP's were also really expensive to most people back then!!!) and therefore had a very small run, and is INCREDIBLY HARD TO FIND, especially in this condition!!! AN absolute classic LP from this incredible songwriter!!! An astonishing album that really DESERVES to be in EVERY serious 60's / 70's record collection!!! Don't miss out on this MEGA RARE LP!!! If you like good music, bid now!!!

The LP :

Labels : 

Classic UK 1st Press pink rim palmtree Island labels!!! Both sides are AMAZING with NO signs of age, NO writing, NO stickers, and NO tears whatsoever!!! Just has an absolute MINISCULE amount of ultra light spindle marks which suggests that this has literally been played once or twice at the very most!!! IMPOSSIBLE for a 38 year old record!!! Both must grade overall at least as Mint minus!!!

Record : Visual - 

Spectacular Original UK 1973 1st Press Vinyl!!! Nice bright, clean and shiny as if it was just pressed!!! Fantastic jet black mirror like surfaces, it looks ASTONISHING with NO nasty marks, NO scuffs, NO scratches, NO fingerprints, and NO groovewear whatsoever!!! The only POSSIBLE blemish off TRUE 100% perfection is literally just one or two IMPOSSIBLY light wispy sleeve traces (only visible in the very strongest of lights) from where it has sat or been removed from it's cover over the years!!! Of course, these ridiculously light blemishes doesn't interfere with play AT ALL!!! UNBELIEVABLE for a record of this age and rarity!!! AS NEW!!! (and I bet virtually ALL new records don't even come close to looking as amazing as this!!!) Must grade overall visually at least as Mint minus!!! (graded STRICTLY to the UK RRPG standards, not overgraded AT ALL!!! Customer satisfaction is of 100% importance to me) QUITE POSSIBLY THE VERY BEST LEFT IN EXISTENCE!!!   Record : Audio -    Thankfully, it plays PERFECTLY with fantastic stereo seperation and clarity!!! It really sounds incredible with NO hops, pops, distortion, sticks, or clicks!!! Only like ALL records has maybe the MEREST TOUCH of low level static in few and far between places such as on the run in grooves, but that's about it!!! It really is THE SOUND OF A MINT RECORD!!! You simply CAN'T find one that could possibly sound better!!! The music is TRULY crystal clear - It really does play with a CD-like near 100% black silence but with that depth, warmth, bass and clarity you can only get from a UK 1st Press vinyl!!! EVEN the quiet sections!!! Absolutely ESSENTIAL!!! UNHEARD OF for a record of this age and rarity!!! Must grade overall audiably at least as Mint minus (to be safe)!!! (graded STRICTLY to the UK RRPG standards, not trashed or overgraded AT ALL!!! Customer satisfaction is of 100% importance to me)   Sleeve : 

Original 1973 UK 1st Press unlaminated "MacNeill" gatefold sleeve complete with original inner!!! IMPOSSIBLE to find this sleeve in anything approaching a good condition - most are spent, torn and worn due to age and the lifestyles of the buyers of this particular LP!!! This one is NOT, and looks FANTASTIC, especially considering the nature of these fragile sleeves!!! NO tears, NO real dulling or discolouration (PHENOMENAL for this age-prone sleeve!!!), NO writing, NO graffiti, NO splits, NO bad marks AT ALL, and still ULTRA strong and solid after all these years!!! This sleeve only has a TINY amount of ULTRA light signs of ageing such as one or two of the very SLIGHTEST signs of mild surface rubbing here and there from where it has sat between other sleeves over the years (i'm being ultra picky here) and just some mere hints of ink rubbing on the far right of the front (truly, truly minimal), the most minor possible touches of the lightest whitening to few and far between parts of one of the lower seams from where it has sat on the shelf over the years, and POSSIBLY (just to be sure!!!) one or two other minor signs of age here and there, though nothing that really stands out to note at all!!! And that's truly about it!!! An AMAZING sleeve, and a TRUE rarity to find one as incredible as this - most have been virtually destroyed or are just about being held together, but not this one!!! This is EASILY the best i've ever seen, and I truly believe this is a near UNBEATABLE example of this VERY age prone sleeve!!! Even the unlaminated inside shows no sign of ageing!!! It remains ultra strong, solid, unsplit and unspoilt, and even the spine remains ultra strong, solid, unsplit and 100% readable!!! Must grade overall at the very least as Excellent+!!! (graded STRICTLY to the UK RRPG standards, not trashed or overgraded AT ALL!!! Customer satisfaction is of 100% importance to me)

Summary : An UNBEATABLE example of this ULTRA RARE classic Stereo UK 1st Press LP!!! Hard to find in ANY condition, but SERIOUSLY RARE TO FIND ONE AS UTTERLY PHENOMENAL AS THIS!!! YOU WILL NEVER GET THE CHANCE AGAIN, so don't miss out on this scarce opportunity to own a true piece of 60's/70's music history!!! Bid now!!!

Please take a look at all my other auctions for many other ultra rare classic LPs, and feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Thanks again for looking, it's truly appreciated!! Cheers!!!

I've realized that most countries have their own unique grading system. I base mine strictly on the UK RRPG grading system (occasionally with a + or a - to indicate the higher and lower ends of the grade, though I only use these if i'm having real trouble deciding!), so please check their chart for further clarity if you are unsure of what my grades mean. As a general rule, a mint record will be 100% perfect, an excellent record will be in fantastic clean condition with the occasional mild mark and minor use from the years, and a very good record will have noticeable, yet light visual markings and obvious signs of age and use, but will still remain clean with relatively light wear and will play fantastically well with plenty of life remaining in it. I very rarely offer records below the very good region unless they are of an EXCEPTIONAL rarity and playing quality...I hope this helps!

Postage and packing (UK bidders) will be £3.99 for the first item, £3.00 for every item after that. International buyers, postage is £7.99 for the first item, £3.00 for every item after that. Contact is expected to be made within 3 days, and payment usually expected within 7 days of the auction ending, otherwise you may lost priority over the item and it may be relisted e.t.c. UK bidders, I accept paypal or postal orders. I will reluctantly accept cheques, although they will take at least a week to clear. That is why I prefer the other methods, as it means I can get your item to you faster. International bidders, I can only accept Paypal, IMO, or Bank Transfer! I only accept £’s. Unfortunately, I can’t accept any other internet payment other than paypal. 

Please just ask if you have any questions or if you require further information. The photos below are of the genuine item, apologies for the occasional blurryness or glare from the light in some of them. If you would like further pictures or details, please ask. 

If you are not happy with your item, please let me know within 3 days. I pride myself on my 100% feedback so if there are any problems, I will do my very best to sort them out.

All my auctions usually start from a bare minimum price, so there is always plenty of opportunity for a bargain!

Please check my other auctions for many more of the rarest, most awesome Vinyl Record items ever!!!

Thanks for your time, happy bidding!