kentgirl22 is pleased to offer for sale the following very rare original 1968 UK 1st pressing vinyl LP:

NICO

"The Marble Index"

Elektra EKS 74029 Stereo

Original 1968 UK Elektra First Pressing Orange Label Plus Silver Text With "MacNeill Press" Fully Laminated Sleeve!!

A Truly Seminal Nico LP Which Sold In Very Small Numbers When First Released In 1968 But Through The Past 40 Years It Has Been Cited By Many Artists As Being A Major Influence!!

THIS ORIGINAL 1968 UK ELEKTRA 1st PRESS STEREO LP IS SERIOUSLY RARE AND VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND!!

Tracks

Side One

1. Prelude
2. Lawns Of Dawns
3. No One Is There
4. Ari's Song
5. Facing The Wind

Side Two

1. Julius Caesar (Memento Hodie)
2. Frozen Warnings
3. Evening Of Light

Format: LP Record

Record Label: Elektra Records

Catalogue No: EKS 74029 

Matrix No's:

Side One: EKS 74029 A1

Side Two: EKS 74029 B1

Very First Original Stereo Pressing

Year of Release: 1968

Country of Origin: Made In Great Britain

CONDITION

Sleeve: Excellent (+)

The beautiful fully laminated sleeve "Printed and Made by MacNeill Press Ltd.,London" is in really excellent condition with only very minor light wear ......Bright and clean ......only a few tiny laminate wrinkles on front of sleeve and a moderate laminate blister on the front spine edge which seems to be a trait of this rare cover. This is not wear or damage, simply a manufacture flaw. Here it’s totally uncracked or peeled, simply lifted slightly from the cover’s surface, the only other one I have seen was exactly the same. The spine is fully readable and all corners are sharp. There are NO tears, NO rips, and NO unwanted writing on the sleeve. The sleeve is graded at EXCELLENT (+).

Labels: Excellent

Original Orange labels with Silver text are in lovely clean unmarked condition with only a few spindle traces evident

Vinyl: Excellent (+)

The vinyl retains it's original full gloss and lustre, it displays only a very few feint wispy paper marks seen under a bright light. This LP has had very careful and very light use during the near 40 years I have owned it! Vinyl displays No serious 'marks' , just a few very faint wispy surface traces evident beneath a strong light. The record plays excellently with only the odd touches of MEGA low level background sound on the run-in grooves, and a couple of tiny 'tics' can be heard on side one. The disc is graded at EXCELLENT (+) condition. A lovely original UK pressing of this seminal NICO album. I doubt if you can find a much better original copy.

NOTES

On offer here, from my own collection, is a very rare original 1968 UK Elektra Orange label with Silver text true first stereo pressing of the seminal Nico LP "The Marble Index".  The record comes housed in it's superb original "MacNeill Press" fully laminated sleeve. Both the vinyl and sleeve are in excellent condition. The record plays excellently, it has barely been played during the near 40 years in my ownership. I doubt if you can find a much better original UK 1st stereo pressing of this legendary and highly influential Nico LP.

 At the time that Nico released her first album, Chelsea Girl, in 1968, she was the toast of the Warhol crowd, a familiar face in the society pages, featuring in fashion magazines throughout the Western world. By the time "The Marble Index" appeared the following year, her record label advances went largely towards medical bills, as her beauty and talent diminished in the face of something very familiar to the Warhol crowd: a heroin habit. Arranged by former Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale, The Marble Index established Nico as a songwriter. Her gothic compositions, intoned in her unearthly voice, captured all too well the angst of one whose much-heralded looks hid a soul that was unable to allow itself to feel or express love.

What to classify this one under - I really do not know - the former German beauty queen and singer on the masterpiece The Velvet Underground & Nico. Her debut album was Chelsea Girl issued in 1967 in the US, it was an underground folkesque gem, backed by her former colleagues. No-one could have foretold what was in store on this follow up album. This is a strong contender for the darkest album ever made. It possibly invented the term Goth in music. The lady herself too had changed visibly: check out those early pictures in her glamour day and on the cover of the aforementioned Chelsea Girl. On here Nico had almost transmogrified into a ghostly figure - the heroin addiction had clearly kicked in alarming effect. The Marble Index is very dark, bleak, desolate and compelling - its not easy listening - its truly scary - you have been warned. But amongst the dark gothic tones there is beauty: an album of haunting, sparse songs. She is joined by John Cale who is only credited with arrangements, but plays backing instruments too, his electric treated viola is distinctive. Nico plays harmonium, which gives the eerie soundscapes - this album should have been a big hit in Transalvania!

Any fan of the early Velvet Underground will adore this record. Even Lou Reed at his darkest best never, ever came close to the blackness of this dark, desolate gothic masterpiece. Here it is then, "The Marble Index", the seminal 2nd Nico solo album released in 1968 by the original Velvet Underground singer (on their first LP). A daring, brave record that simply was doomed to fail and only very rarely gets offered for sale as a true UK 1st pressing stereo original.

This is the VERY RARE ORIGINAL Elektra UK STEREO 1st Pressing from 1968 and is in EXCELLENT condition!!!  The record is pressed on THICK quality vinyl. The Cat. No. is EKS 4029 on the ORIGINAL 1st Press Elektra ORANGE Label..... 1st PRESS INNER SLEEVE, and 1st PRESS 'MacNEILL' FULLY LAMINATED COVER!!! (please see pictures).

Low Start....No Reserve

Don't Miss Out On This Truly Classic And Very Rare UK Original First Pressing Stereo LP

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER RARE ORIGINAL LP'S CURRENTLY LISTED ON EBAY

Shipping Cost:

UK: £3.00 (First Class) (Shipping cost for each additional 12" / lp will be £1)

Europe: £4.50 (Air Mail) (Shipping cost for each additional 12" / lp will be £2)

Rest Of World: £8.00 (Air Mail) (Shipping cost for each additional 12" / lp will be £3)

Please see below for additional information regarding multiple purchase shipping rates and insurance options 

Note: The pictures provided are REAL images of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. What you see is what you'll get!

Records Are Graded In The Following Way:

MINT (M): The record displays barely any signs of use, if any, with no marks or deterioration in sound quality. Extra items and cover are near perfect.

EXCELLENT (EX): Shows only minor signs of being played with very little lessening in sound quality. The Cover and extras will have some light wear and or creasing

VERY GOOD (VG): Has been played many times but has no major deterioration in sound quality, despite some noticeable surface marks and occasional light scratches. Cover and extras will have normal wear and tear but no major defects

GOOD (G): Has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and any extras may suffer from folding, scuffing, split spine, discoloration etc.

FAIR (F): The record is still just playable and has considerable surface noise and may even jump. Cover and contents will be torn stained and/or defaced.

POOR (P): The record will not play properly. Covers badly damaged or partly missing

+ or - : Indicates slightly better (+) or slightly lesser (-) condition than main grade

All records are from my personal collection and have been carefully play graded before listing. In many cases I have owned them from new and all have been looked after very well. Please check out my other similar LPs currently listed on eBay.

Auction Conditions - Important : Please read before bidding

UK Bidders

Acceptable methods of payment :

• Cheques
• Postal Orders
• PAYPAL

Non-UK Bidders

Acceptable methods of payment :

• PAYPAL

All payment to be made within 7 days of end of auction.

At the end of the auction I will send you an invoice confirming your winning bid(s) with the total amount payable. Do not send any payment until you have received this invoice.

Paypal To: kentgirl22@gmail.com

Postage & Packaging Notes:

For items to be shipped within the UK

All items are automatically insured for up to £39.

If the value of your win(s) is more than £39 then insurance is highly recommended. The cost of insurance within the UK for items over £39 in value will be £4. If you do not select the insurance option offered in your invoice, then I am not responsible for any loss or damage to your item(s) and cannot refund you should loss or damage occur. By not selecting the insurance option you are stating that you agree to this.

For items to be shipped outside of the UK

The standard air mail postage prices do not include any insurance. For an additional £4 (for packages up to £39 value) or £6 (for packages over £39 value), Royal Mail 'International Signed For' delivery is available. This provides tracking and compensation should your item be damaged or lost.

If you do not select the insurance option offered in your invoice, then I am not responsible for any loss or damage to your items and cannot refund you should loss or damage occur. By not selecting the insurance option you are stating that you agree to this.

Packing Procedures: All 12" / LPs are securely and well packed in top quality material to avoid any unnecessary damage during transit. When posted the records are removed from the cover, if possible, and placed in a PVC outer protective sleeve to prevent sleeve splits in the post. I use brand new mailers, either the envelope style with thick stiffeners to prevent any sleeve bends in transit, or the "cruciform" style that wrap around the LP. I aim to dispatch all items within 48 hours of receiving payment. It is recommended that you choose the insurance option for higher value items. As stated above I cannot be held responsible for any item(s) lost or damaged in the post that are not shipped via insured / registered mail. I always obtain a certificate proof of posting receipt for every item sent, which will complete our transaction. Thank you for taking the time to look at my listings, I hope you will be lucky if deciding to make a bid. 

                                                                                                                                SHIPPING COSTS:

Thanks for looking and good luck with your bids