KRAFTWERK - 1st UK Press Vertigo Swirl NM unplayed 1972 archive investment

	£		212
	$		281

KRAFTWERK -

double album

VERTIGO

1st UK Press 1972

6641 077

Up for auction is this stunning near mint copy of Kraftwerk's first UK album, which actually contains the first two German issued albums. on the Vertigo Swirl label. This one is indeed unique as it is possibly unplayed and looks in over the counter superb condition. This is a major investment grade album and is as such impossible to find this late in the day. It also has the two original swirl inner sleeves which are immaculate safe from some light age related yellowing.

Credits

• Producer – C. Plank*, F. Schneider-Esleben*, R. Hütter*
• Written-By – F. Schneider-Esleben*, R. Hütter*

Notes

UK combined release of Kraftwerk's first two German albums (originally released on Philips).

Outer-laminated gatefold sleeve.
Initial pressings feature Vertigo "swirl" labels & inner sleeves.

 "Made in England" is printed above "? 1972" on both "side B" labels.

The label erroneously lists D3 as ''Wellenlange'', omitting the "umlaut"

Publishers:
Record 1 - Capriccio Music
Record 2 - Ralf Arnie Musikedition

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Other (Cat# record 1): 6499 268
• Other (Cat# record 2): 6499 269
• 
  
• Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped): 6499268 1Y//1?420 1 1 1 04
• Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped): 6499268 2Y//1?420 1 1 7 04
• Matrix / Runout (Side C runout, stamped): 6499269 1Y//1?420 1 1 4
• Matrix / Runout (Side D runout, stamped): 6499269 2Y//1?420 1 1 2 04 (courtesy discogs.com)

Original gatefold sleeve is in really excellent plus condition with a fully intact and readable spine and scarcely any wear marks. No writing or tears. Rare to see copies in such condition. The original £3 price sticker is still attached adding to the authenticity of this rarity. This has been archived from day one and will be impossible to find.

Records itself in normal daylight are super clean with a bright glossy sheen like just over the counter. Even under a strong light this is fantastic without any lines visible at all. These vinyls are truly NM and impossible to find these days. A true investment grade target.

Labels and grooves clean and unmarked and NM over the counter condition.

Play test showed superb clear sound and this album has clearly barely been played if actually at all!!

Here is a chance to own a super copy of a very rare and desirable album. 

 This is a double LP-set issued only in Britain on the Vertigo label. It's basically a repackaging of their first two albums, and for me, was the easiest way for me to get to here these two overlooked albums. Anyway, disc one is of course, Kraftwerk 1, a totally amazing Krautrock album, their least electronic album, and most like Krautrock itself, with guitar, organ, violin, and flute, with only sound generators as the only thing electronic used here. The opening cut, "Ruckzack" is familiar to anyone watching PBS back in the 1980s, as that was the theme to Newton's Apple! (In the 1990s, a re-recorded version done by someone else was used, before being dropped altogether on that TV program). "Statovarius" oddly has a more psychedelic feel than you usually expect from these guys, it almost screams "hippie" music, although as everyone knows, given Kraftwerk came from a working-class background in a working-class town (Düsseldorf), they weren't hippies at all. "Megaherz" is a real interesting one, almost Pink Floyd-like, with the organ. I like the use of the bass flute. "Von Himmel Hoch" is a creepy one, sounding like airplanes crashing, it really gets experimental and off the deep-end. The second disc is Kraftwerk 2. I haven't been as fond of this one. Too much simply noodling around without going anywhere. The opening cut, "Klingklang" is perhaps the earliest Kraftwerk song to sound like something they would later do (I'm referring to Autobahn). But I find cuts like "Atem" and "Harmonika" rather pointless, the former just featuring breathing sounds, while the latter is just some playing around on a melodica (a keyboard instrument you blow in to). The rest features some bizarre sounds off string instruments. Definitely like it or hate it, Trans-Europe Express this is not! In fact none of the music on their first two albums much resembles the synth-pop they're best known in the late '70s. It was great that Vertigo Records repackaged their first two albums as a 2-for-1 deal back in 1972, that's how I got to hear their first two albums! And because of that, it's without a doubt their first album is the one to get, in fact it's actually my favourite Kraftwerk album ever! (since I'm not that big on their far more popular synth pop albums). (from: rateyourmusic.com)

Vinyls: NM.  Barely played as you will not be able to find anymore. No detectable spindle traces, this looks pristine, even under a very strong light there are no flaws. This vinyl sounds out of this world, a majestic classic. This is most likely unplayed. The audio has beautiful separation and there is no background noise. These vinyls look and sound great with a beautiful "just over the counter" sheen. I played this in full on my Linn Sondek/Rotel system and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I was even tempted to keep this album as it will be impossible to find this ever again, it is indeed mega rare these days. Only two or three went up for sale this last year. Needless to say NO jumps or clicks. Nothing unwanted on this superb album for both vinyls.

 Sleeve: EX+. Fantastic looked after outer laminated gatefold sleeve without any issues. Beautiful deep unfaded colours. A superb iconic sleeve with the fantastic artwork. A  superb spine without any storage wear on the sharp edges. NO tears and NO splits The album has been kept in a protective sleeve from day one!!  No writing no marks no stains etc!! The opening is as crisp as it can possibly be and the top and bottom edges have virtually no wear. Just one miniscule thumb crease near the opening, barely noticeable. This is an upgrade copy. Probably one of the best you will ever find for this insanely rare album. A phenomenally scarce album and rumoured to only have been pressed in a quantity of around 1500. (Rarity scale on vertigoswirl.com is indicated as R3). How many would have survived over the last 47 years??

Inner swirl sleeves: EX++. Fully intact, just light yellowing.

I am restricted to 12 pictures for this listing. Please mail me through Ebay if any other pictures are needed and I will try my best to accomodate. I update on my messages once a day only.

International postage will incur an extra fee for tracking if over £30.00. Please wait for me to send you an adjusted invoice before paying. The tracked fee will be at actual Royal Mail grade. I do not profit from postage and actually undercharge.

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items, I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!  PLEASE REMEMBER to contact me FIRST,  if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy! Similarly with the amount of stars, anything less than a full 5 * rating is effectively detrimental to a seller's rating as lower ratings will incur higher Final Value Fees  and lower priority in the bidlists eventually making it unattractive to list items on Ebay at all. I know of at least one major previous Ebay seller who has decided not to list via Ebay again. Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again!!

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer soon. I am limited to 12 pictures for the listing. If you would like any other angles please ask and I will try to send more pictures.