NEIL YOUNG – RARE UK DEBUT EX LP with 'NO NAME COVER'.

	£		78
	$		103

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

PLEASE NOTE: Overseas packets that go through the customs system, can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to process and deliver, this IS normal. For Russia, this can take even longer and is out of my control, so please be patient.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: NEIL YOUNG

Album Title: Neil Young.

Producer(s): David Briggs; Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder & Neil Young.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Emperor of Wyoming; The Loner; If I Could Have Her Tonight; I’ve Been Waiting For You; The Old Laughing Lady.

Side 2: String Quartet From Whiskey Boot Hill; Here We Are In The Years; What Did You Do To My Life?; I’ve Loved Her So Long; The Last Trip To Tulsa.

Label/Format: Reprise – original first press tri-colour format (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both clean, fresh and attractive with only a small few very light, mostly fine and faint spindle marks that have minimal visibility. So rare to find an A 1 mother and stamper (side two) with so little obvious usage. This also reitterated by superb, very clean sound on what has always been a challenging album.

Cat Number: RSLP 6317.

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: 175 grams. A super-heavyweight first pressing, even by Reprise standard at this time, this is a platter-crunching record, way over average.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity & Overview: Rare: and it always has been. The title itself is fairly easy to find as a tan K- prefix reissue, but that is very different to a first issue. The repressings were also remixed and put in the more common ‘named’ cover and with the new Kinney number. Firstly, a poor selling record and many sources state it was not issued in the UK initially but was delayed and appeared after the US release date, so the amount of time this title would have been available on either RSLP format would have been very limited. Only early copies of this record included the cover without his name appearing on the front, an unusual and bold thing to do on a ‘debut’ album, later pressings had his name included. Remember, Neil Young was a relative unknown at this time. A member of Buffalo Springfield but they had minimal sales in the UK as well and many would not even know who this man was. Another major factor about these early pressings, they were the only source to the original mix which Young himself was not satisfied with. Subsequent pressings had some songs remixed with his voice a little more prominent and clearer in the sound. Two tracks had additional guitar added too. Many Young connoisseurs preferred this original mix, his slightly muted voice actually adds to the atmosphere and mystery of the songs. The remixed version is different, the original sound is the most cherished by his fans. A delicate album that many acclaim as one of his finest ever, it experiments by blending folk, rock with orchestral elements and it works brilliantly. This is a massively pressed record and a very early pressed example as mentioned above. It plays very well too with very little unwanted – a couple of three very faint ticks but little else – that some achievement for a record of this vintage. This album was not issued in mono, so it was more than likely a high percentage that did initially sell were subjected to much harsher mono record-player treatment – and most collectors will know what that potentially means. The cover for this copy is very nice and still highly attractive. A little scuffing on the spine edge, but importantly, virtually all the text is intact and undamaged, just one tiny chip to one character. So a lovely copy – they will rarely be found this early, heavier or less played. A terrific album that got Young’s legendary career going and rarely looked back since.

Original Year of Release: January 1969.

Matrix Nos: RSLP 6317 A-1 *T / RSLP 6317 B-1 *T

Stamper Codes: H 1 / A 1

Musicians: Neil Young: guitar, piano, electric piano, harpsichord, pipe organ, vocal; Jim Messina: bass; George Grantham: drums. Also: Ry Cooder: guitar; Jack Nitzsche: electric piano. Guest Vocalists: Merry Clayton; Brenda Holloway; Patrice Holloway; Gloria Richetta Jones; Sherlie Matthews; Gracia Nitzsche.

Brief Info: After the breakup of Buffalo Springfield, Stephen Stills stayed with Atlantic records but Neil Young went his own way to pursue a solo career and signed for Frank Sinatra’s fledgling label Reprise. This debut album received mixed reviews at the time and sold poorly making the early ‘original’ pressings incredibly difficult to find. I have outlined the details of the production and it’s subsequent remixing above. The material is varied: from rock to folk and unusually, the opener is an instrumental. The Young classic ‘The Loner’ follows and actually benefits from the low vocal mix. There is not a bad track throughout and time has acknowledged this album a ‘classic’. ‘The Old Laughing Lady’ has genuine eeriness and mystery, the death-like creepy backing vocals again work brilliantly on this original mix and here, plays beautifully. These vocals are intense and often break-up or clip with crackle even on modestly played copies if played on less worthy equipment from the distant past. Here focused and sharp, most will fail this test, this to on very revealing equipment. ‘The Last Trip to Tulsa’ is Young’s first solo epic, a long finale with psych lyrics and a distinct folk-rock sound, an astonishing piece that set out the pathway for future great songs and eventual popularity, although the path at times became rocky. This is a rare record as a first UK pressing and this is possibly hard to imagine for a man who is now a household name, but this was the beginning of the journey that made him a superstar. The actual time this was available in this format was only quite brief and few took any notice. With a very clean record with impressive sound and an attractive cover, this is a real opportunity to experience this now somewhat legendary ‘original’ recording.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or very close to, in real terms looks even better. A single fully laminated format that was printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse. It was distributed by Pye Records. This is the very scarce original ‘No Name’ cover that was later replaced with his name printed on the front. It was made with very thin card, which is the main reason why is rarely seen anything like perfect.

Lamination – Front: A strikingly beautiful cover and this does it nigh-on maximum justice. It retains a rich intense colour as seen through very shiny, fresh and clear laminate. This has no lifting and minimal traces of any dulling, even when viewed under angled light. There is corner tip creasing and small rubbing on the right pair, any other creases are few and mainly very light and little detracts from this little short of gorgeous front.

Lamination – Back: Similar again with just a few light and faint surface laminate creases that again show little. Any rim impression is very light and faint indeed, which is little short of remarkable with such a massive slab of vinyl inside for over 40 years.

Top Edge: Straight, smooth and with full laminate and barely any hint of wear at all up to the very corner tips.

Bottom Edge: Almost the same again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean and sharp with little wear and guaranteed untrimmed. Any thickening or burring very light and mild.

Spine and Text: The spine is thin but still solid and straight. The main issue is a scuff of approx one inch a little right of centre and a smaller trace near the right corner. The good news is the text is unaffected and all is fully present bar one microscopic chip to the ‘S’ in ‘REPRISE’, all else is perfect. Also, all the text is perfectly centred on a very narrow depth, that also quite unusual.

Corners: The top right has a small tip rub with small tip rubs to a couple of others. Fine to very fine shape is largely retained.

Cover Summary: A rare and still attractive cover. The ‘No Name’ original graphic is beautiful and the lack of identity gives it a real sense of mysteriousness. Okay, a few light and mostly minor blemishes or traces of wear, but this still sets a high standard. It’s flimsiness is a always such a factor, but overall – very nice indeed and many, if not most fans will enjoy owning it.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: only really marked down a little for corner creases on one side. Many used to fold these corners to stop the record falling out. A plain white, polylined inner with all the edges unsplit and no repairs. The lining ultra clear and fresh as seen through two crisp and barely blemished window circles. Even the top opening is generally neat with just the odd tiny nick. This is UK patented and has ‘Foreign Patents Pending’ text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: or again, very close to. A copy with a few light surface marks of which most are very fine and faint indeed as seen under angled light. This has NO penetrating scratches at all and both playing surfaces are still attractive. A very impressive visual copy that is clean with excellent shine and freshness, intense black and massively pressed on thick, robust vinyl. This will make belt-driven turntables take an extra second or two to get up speed. A copy played modestly on the evidence and few records that have been played will not have the odd minor visual evidence of usage. This is never an easy record to find like this with most all I have seen being badly marked and played considerably more. This is a record that does not tolerate thick heavyweight stylus well and a high percentage would have been played on such equipment as there were no mono copies made. Visually a lovely record with only light clues to it’s age that should please many, or even most collectors as it is not seen too often.

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 very scarce record, easily for me Young’s rarest, plays even above it’s high visual grading with very little to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound (a huge bonus on any record of this era), all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high and the original mix is very interesting. Often strongly implied that the vocals are low in the mix, well they are in places but not in a bad way as I have outlined in my piece above. Quite why Young insisted on a remix with all the costs involved seems harsh and most connoisseurs of the man prefer the original. I would still imagine many fans have never even heard an original being honest but they should - the differences are subjective with mixed opinions but owning the first is usually preferable. Any surface sounds are few and faint and any odd sporadic ticks being very few and faint indeed. This has some very quiet passages and find a copy this clean will never prove easy. No irritating crackle, pressing noises or loud unwanted sounds, this offers impressive sound that almost takes you into the recording studio itself and nothing of any note spoilt this rare first mix experience. Indeed this is up there with the very cleanest I have heard, the minor surface blemishes being of no audio consequence. With record, cover and even the inner only offering mild hints of their considerable vintage, this is a copy that merits strong recommendation.

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’.