KING CRIMSON In The Court… UK 1969 PINK ISLAND EX++ LP

	£		310
	$		411

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World and Wishing All Customers – Old and New – A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Postage: UK £4.25. Europe (including Russia) £12. Rest of World £16. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible after the very significant Royal Mail price increases and will never compromise on solid, safe packing.

Artist or Band: KING CRIMSON

Album Title: In the Court of the Crimson King

Producer(s): King Crimson.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: 21st Century Schizoid Man; I Talk to the Wind; Epitaph.

Side 2: Moonchild; In the Court of the Crimson King.

Cat Number: ILPS 9111

Label Format: Island – pink i label with ring ridge and having a very slightly textured finish to the fingertip. This is best described as not being ultra smooth or very textured – just a mild hint of roughness. The labels on this classic album vary considerably in shade, hue and finish and the total accuracy of their shade cannot be guaranteed by a) my reflective scanner or b) the individual’s computer screen set-up. These are very deep in colour and a shade darker than a real pink but not as intense as the ‘Salmon’ pink variation.

Label Conditions & Overview: Both look fantastic: ultra clean, fresh and retaining that rich, very deep colour that makes this one of the most attractive of labels. Going by these labels and the lovely clean playing surfaces, this is one of those most unusual examples that appears hardly even played. For those who did purchase this early, most played it to destruction on heaven knows what. Any spindle traces are ultra fine and faint and hardly any of at all, and without doubt, this has avoided the usual usage and traumas most of these ‘pink originals’ suffered. The cover is very impressive also and as most will know, it’s equally prone to all forms of wear. Over time I have found the pink rims were more reliable for better, cleaner sound. Many initial runs were not so well pressed, that is well-known and so many were played to destruction on old, heavy-tracking, often mono record players. With such complex and intense sound and so many passages of extreme volume and then near silence – these were often written-off very quickly. But this wonderful example really DOES buck-the-trend and IS well pressed and sounds for the vast majorith SUPERB. A little brief surface sound at the very beginning of the opening track, but thereafter, hardly anything at all – and that is massive achievement on one or rock’s most challenging and difficult albums ever made. Effortless tracking with no pressing issues, never dismiss a copy like this, the sound totally blew me away. ‘Moonchild’ is so quiet and delicate with minimal instrumentation, will any standard copy ever play it without the odd reminder of what you are listening too – an over 42-year-old record? Here this very difficult song plays superbly with little unwanted at all and up there with the best pressings I have heard – not totally silent – but close. Such superbly preserved and definitely little-played pink copies of this masterpiece are rare and must be cherished when found as such. A real Christmas cracker (NOT CRACKLER) that is a privilege to offer and I will not make light of the fact.

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: 138 grams. A very good weight for this pressing.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Original Year of Release: 1969.

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9111 A 2 12 4 / ILPS 9111 B // 4U 1 1 3

Musicians: Robert Fripp – guitar; Ian McDonald – reeds, woodwinds, vibes, keyboards, mellotron and vocals; Greg Lake – bass and lead vocals; Michael Giles – drums and percussion. Words written by Pete Sinfield.

Brief Artist & Album Info: Subtitled: ‘An Observation by King Crimson’, this was arguably the birth of ‘real’ British progressive rock and rarely, if ever, was this pioneering album ever matched or bettered. Issued back in 1969, this actually charted at 5 in the UK and it’s rarity on the pink label is so often overblown – it’s the condition that REALLY counts. The same cannot be said of it’s musical brilliance, nothing had been heard quite like this before. Even the cover design and artwork was quite radical and is visually stunning, it can hardly go unnoticed can it? It was designed and created by Barry Godber. A somewhat sad story, it was his only record cover and the man died at the tender age of just 24. His legacy to the world of rock is one of the most famous and visually stunning covers of all-time. It just makes you what other amazing covers he could have produced?

The excellence of the music lay within the band personnel with highly skilled and talented musicianse. Comprising of just five songs, this groundbreaking, and at times ear shattering, rock masterpiece - an album that more than justifies this word - still sounds fresh and is still eagerly searched for as ever. As far as vinyl goes this has to be one of the most challenging albums to ever find that plays well throughout, for me, far more significant than ‘rarity’ which I will not overblow to try to make a sale. A record I have had several times on different label variations and most all had varying degrees of surface sound and sometimes even minor pressing flaws – these are far from unusual, especially on the pink pressings that are a minefield. A roller-coaster ride of extremes, the manically powerful and electrifying opener ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ – arguably the greatest progressive track ever written – is as loud and thrilling as rock ever gets, and then to the other end of the extreme comes the lengthy ‘Moonchild’ that occupies a large proportion of side two. This is a fragile and delicate track that plays very quietly to almost near silence in places with very sparse instrumentation. All very challenging for any vinyl recording with nowhere to hide even minor blemishes. Delicate acoustics and percussion interplay with gentle clarity and fine stereo imagery, but so testing for pressing and groove-wear quality. Finding an example that plays the loud passages distortion-free and ‘Moonchild’ anything like quiet and noise-free is always a challenge bearing in mind what early copies of this album were likely to have been played on – I know I mention this often, but it is a plain and simple fact. This copy plays the fragile ‘Moonchild’ beautifully with little unwanted, any crackle traces are very light and modest and amongst the least I have encountered, especially from a ‘pink’. The odd mild sporadic tick or crackle trace at the very least has to be expected but here minimal. The most of any surface sounds on the very begin of the record just before the music really gets going, but little thereafter. A very clean disc, it retains lovely shine and the lustre of a little handled copy – why? – well it appears it has hardly been played – that a major rarity in-itself.

Even the manic nirvana of ‘Schizoid Man’, which can often sound muddled on less than worthy systems, can be enjoyed with all the instruments sounding individual, not just blended together. The keyboards also heard separately from the rasping saxes, even on the wild climax, the clarity and detail remain in focus. Greg Lake’s vocals, usually so clear and precise and one of the best of his type ever, are now treated and distorted on ‘Schizoid Man’, it makes the neck hair stand on end – ‘Cat’s foot, iron claw, neuro surgeons scream for more, at paranoia’s poison door, 21st-Century Schizoid Man!’ – crazed lyrics sung in a totally bizarre voice, this is prog at it’s blistering best. Sound quality of the highest order and it’s not unique to just this track, all songs are clear and well-balanced with master tape definition and clarity. That stunning drum crash after the quiet flute passage on the title song (often where a pressing fault lies) is massively solid with terrific slam and when the Mellotron’s kick in soon after it gives the rare tingle factor that only the great recordings ever can. I cannot and will never guarantee CD silence on ‘Moonchild’ – and never will, if that is demanded, best stick to the digital format (but lose out on one of the truly great vinyl recordings ever made). The number of copies that will play this near impossible track to near silence will be few, especially so on the early ‘pinks’. I have heard many copies of this record via full pink and pink rim, even the late Polydor pressings that simply are unlistenable, virtually all have often considerable surface noise with loud clicks or pops, and often accompanied by distortion and pressing rasps that make me cringe - many simply sound awful and I will never offer such rubbish. Often repressings hold an advantage, as they more often avoid the heavy-tracking equipment of yesteryear and some early Island pressings are known to disappoint. This hardly played pink ‘original’ is totally devoid of distortion and that is hugely important, Mellotrons and electric saxes and winds do not tolerate over-playing or abuse gladly and all play sharp and focused on this splendid example. As a massive bonus, the cover is in very impressive condition too – look at the pictures, they do not lie – a beautifully cover-protected example that has probably not seen light-of-day for decades – it has, as it should to be an original – the prized E. J. Day imprint (as seen in close-up). It has little to fault and the beauty of the glorious piece of prog artwork can be enjoyed to nigh-on maximum advantage. This sets a high standard and could conceivably one of the best all-round pink label copies you will see (or hear).

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): an unlaminated gatefold format with intense, rich and vibrant colour to the matt, smooth surfaces. Printed and made in England by E. J. Day, this was later changed to Robor or uncredited. Only this imprint goes with a pink labelled copy, so PLEASE beware of cover switching as they all look similar apart from this very important detail.

Cover – Front & Back: One of the most famous covers in rock music and this does it very high justice with any wear to the front and back being near minuscule. A cover that does vary in shade and hue, the most important proof or originality is the E. J. Day imprint inside. Both front and back are hugely impressive, fresh, clean and with intense colour that remains unfaded. Barely any marks on a super-attractive front and any rub traces on the back (which is especially very prone to ring wear) tiny, few and faint. One or two small spine chips or minor edge rub just about encroach into view, but little else. A couple of very fine and faint surface edge hairline creases on the front and barely any at all on the back and no press or sticker marks – both are hugely attractive and this is one you will want to hold and view, not hide away. A rare example that retains genuine freshness, and so few do these days – simply superb.

Cover Gatefold Inner: Stunning artwork again, with practically nothing to fault – I will let my pictures do the talking.

Top Edges: A little gentle patchy surface rubbing, both remain very straight with NO tip-ins or enhancements which is factor for the entire cover.

Bottom Edges: Similar again, just a little more which is no real surprise on storage edges that seldom escape as lightly.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Both are neat and quite sharp with little thickening or burring – any present gentle and light as seen viewed end-on. The front is closed, so the record enters via the back – both are guaranteed untrimmed.

Spine and Text: Very solid and thick, straight with no compressio and folded square so the edges meet up very closely together and parallel. This I consider important for maximum visual pleasure and neatness. The artwork and text has avoided rubbing but have a tiny few small chips and a little rubbing to the very ends. All the text, of which there is plenty, has avoided wear and fading as seen on my close-up pictures – another considerable bonus not to be taken for granted. And lastly, both the fold hinges are superb avoiding dinks, scuffs and friction rubs, so practically all of the ink is retained. Such things make the difference between average and exceptional.

Corners: Light to moderate tip rubbing, no hiding the fact and no shame as most all will have some, and most far more than these. Very fine to near excellent shape is retained with NO tip-ins or enhancements.

Cover Summary: A highly attractive example of prog’s most famous cover, with many seen tired, grubby, creased and rubbed and often rife with ring wear, this is one on the other end of the cover spectrum. A real looker and seldom seen with such little overall wear, Especially so to the vulnerable areas such as the back, edges, spine, (most) corners and entrance. So not perfect but to simply hold and admire without going to extremes, it should please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: being a Polydor-pressed record, it comes with it’s original polylined Polydor inner sleeve with has only gently aged with minor darkening but little real wear at all. The lining is very clear as seen through two pristine window circles. A little creasing to one corner but all edges unsplit with NO repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): and early ‘pinks’ for this album are seldom seen much better. Any surface traces are tiny, very few and faint as seen with close scrutiny under bright angled light. A tiny fine mark near the beginning has a few light clicks and as mentioned above, this is the only real blemish on what is an outstanding example. A beautiful clean visual record with super shine, freshness, intense blackness and very solidly pressed. A record with intricate patterns that indicate to ‘groove readers’, complex sound and varied volume – yes, this is a typical King Crimson record in every respect. As stated, this looks hardly played and barely run-in in vinyl terms. This copy should please many, if not most 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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: The sound on this early-press pink label copy is very impressive. My head was constantly turning towards the speakers as details came out that are simply not present on the CD versions. Subtle acoustic guitars over the Mellotrons on the title song, delicate pianos on ‘Epitaph’ and what sounds like harpsichord pieces too. The power on ‘Schizoid Man’ is breathtaking with the saxes really rasping in anger and the simple things like the percussion on ‘Moonchild’ simply rings ‘n’ tings with super clarity. The Mellotron whooshes and the cymbals zing with astonishing resolution. The delicate flute passage on the the title track is beautifully quiet, and quite honestly this copy will match most around and better the vast majority. Just the brief light sound at the very beginning before the music really gets going and little thereafter – a blemish I can easily live with. I am more than realistic to know few will match, let alone better this. The vinyl record is a contact format, and they hardly get more difficult than this given the age, complex sound and what this could have been subjected to. This is a vintage hi-fi masterclass with faultless production and at last a worthy pressing to present it almost majestically. I say ‘near’, I feel no standard copy will ever play without the odd light tick and crackle trace, especially on ‘Moonchild’ or the very quiet intro the ‘Schizoid Man’. This is the definitive vinyl sound and if you have not heard this album via the original format you simply have not heard it for real. This super record plays mostly for all up to it’s high visual grading and most-all even beyond. Powerful, totally distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear and that’s not putting too finer a point on it - the type of sounds on this album often break up with unwanted echo type distortion or horrendous pressing rasps and noise, of which there are none on this copy. I have outlined pretty much what to expect here on ‘Moonchild’ already – silence is a near impossible ask, but this has little unwanted. Any surface sound is gentle and infrequent, easily tolerable for this sensitive listener, this too being played on ultra sensitive equipment. This example is around 43 years old don’t forget - I think pure silence is unrealistic for this most difficult record - I am very fussy and little beyond the first few second spoilt my enjoyment of this very clean example. The benefits of the vinyl mix and blistering sound quality far outweigh any relatively minor extraneous sounds of which there are few. When virtually no sound is present on the record, the stylus has only to hit the tiniest piece of debris or fragment to induce an audible sound, on ‘Moonchild’ there is simply nowhere to hide. Thus my usual professional clean will always benefit, as it will on all records I offer. This copy will prove immensely difficult to find significantly better for audio playback and will match or better most of the first pinks, of that I am certain. My LP12 bought an even higher dimension to this groundbreaking release with impressive detail and sonic delivery. I refuse to knock CDs, there is a time and place for both formats and when they are played on a top quality player and through dedicated digital equipment, they also offer very impressive sound. But they still lack that ultimate dynamic range, warmth and fine details only the vinyl record can offer, again when played with a quality turntable, arm and cartridge. The vinyl record for this powerful, groundbreaking work will never be beaten by the digital format and this copy is hugely worthy.

End Piece: I cannot emphasise enough the beauty of this album and also the fragile nature of it’s contents and cover. These grooves are as clean and near wear-free as the get – any copy played so little will be rare. This was bought and almost immediately dismissed, the owner appears to have left it alone and it has not seen light-of-day again for decades. It tracks easily and perfectly and sounds amazing - even after all these years. I feel totally confident this copy will give any other a strong run for its money. With UK Pink copies variable to say the least and played on heaven knows what, this very pretty version simply offers the best it can and has not suffered the usual abuse often seen. It merits very strong recommendation and not one to be lost without due thought – a real Christmas cracker.

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 ask 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’.