Pink Floyd : Atom Heart Mother 1G/1G No EMI logos

This first pressing plays to a very high standard and is the finest example of its type that I have seen or heard in a long time.

As it is a genuine first press it has no EMI logos on the labels and on the inside of the gatefold it reads '7010 TPS Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd...' lower left.  The cover incidentally is in wonderful condition and remains very clean and strong - not flimsy or marked like so many you see today.  The original Harvest inner is also included.

SHVL 781 // A - 1G / B - 1G // RH 1 2 / RA 2

The audio on S1 is Ex+ (Near Mint in many sections)

The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- in many sections / track 1 Ex+ / track 2,3 & 4 intros are Ex-) 

The cover is Ex close to Ex+

The Harvest inner is Ex

The labels are Near Mint

Visual grading

The vinyl is in superb condition and retains a very healthy glossy sheen.  It has always been very carefully handled down the years and that is reflected in its visual and audio quality.  S1 has only one tiny 'speck' and a very small fade mark which is easily missed as it is so faint.  S2 has only a couple of faint hairlines and no markings of any kind.  There is very little spindle wear on S1 and only a little more on S2 so I believe this has only been lightly played.  It really is in lovely condition and the run out grooves and labels are also in fantastic shape.

Play grading  

This has to be one of finest intros to 'Atom Heart Mother' that I have ever heard!  As any Floyd collector knows this very quiet opening is susceptible to static, crackle etc but the playback is very 'clean' from the very first groove.  There is barely any static and what you can hear is so quiet and totally non-intrusive and there is not one single click or pop.  A superb start!  As it progresses there is no decrease in quality and the definition of the audio is so impressive.  There are so many quiet sections and yet they all play to a very high standard with no obvious interference.  There is just a minimal amount of very light static here and there but it does not intrude on the quality of the listen and I only mention this to be complete in my grading.  So far there have been no clicks or pops and no crackle either!  On the 10 minute mark there are a couple of faint static ticks but as my regular customers know I will mention any 'background' however minor.  And this is minor!  It continues to play with stunning depth and clarity with just one faint click after 12.5 minutes.  I play every second of every track so as to provide a comprehensive grading and this is undoubtedly one of the 'cleanest' versions of this epic that I have heard in many a year.  You will always find some 'background' on a genuine first pressing but it really is kept to a minimum here.  I did hear a few seconds of minor static distortion and a handful of mega quiet static ticks but again, I must reiterate, this does not impair the listening enjoyment.  An example of the wondeful clarity around the 18 minute mark when the violin comes in - there is no 'background' at all and this section is so very quiet!  As the volume increases on the end section the audio still plays with stunning definition i.e. there is no 'muddiness' to the sound, each note can be heard so clearly.  In fact this closing section is very strong indeed and is without fault.  I turned it up loud and there is no distortion of any kind and the final denouement blasts with real power through the speakers!  Superb!  How to sum this up?  It is difficult to grade but the clarity is very impressive and there are no loud clicks, pops or crackle.  Yes a hint of minimal static although I am sure some of this is just the needle running through the groove!  A small number of inconsequential of light static ticks but I honestly think you would be hard pressed to find a better version.  I visit a lot of record fairs and they are certainly getting harder to find and especially in this condition.  I will be conservative and grade it as Ex+ but the majority does play better than that in my educated opinion.

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'If' plays with great clarity from the very start and barely any static.  For such a quiet track the playback is very strong and the only real 'background' is one static click and a couple of quieter static ticks.  The clarity is very impressive and whilst there is a little background static here and there it is minimal and non-intrusive.  The vocals are so clear and overall this is a fine Ex+ start to the side although many sections play even better than that.

'Summer '68' has a little more static at the start but it does not affect the piano intro in any particular way.  As Wright's vocal begins there is minimal background static and the first 'chorus' is absolutely stunning, I've never heard clarity like it!  The audio is so 'clean' and each instrument sounds 'as new' there is no other way to describe it.  It continues to play with astounding quality and this has clearly not been played that much at all.  The depth and warmth of the audio cannot be replicated by any other medium and to the very end it plays with 'high end' audio.  Play it loud!  What a stunning version!  Yes a little static on the intro but the remainder is of Mint- quality for certain.

'Fat Old Sun' again has a little static on the intro but the 'bells' can still be heard clearly.  Gilmour's first vocal is very 'clean' with only minimal static and there are no clicks, pops or crackle.  From then on it plays with excellent quality and no intrusive interference.  The guitar solo is 100% stunning and is as good as the day when first released back in 1970!  The fade out has a little static but again the 'bells' can easily be heard.

The surreal 'Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast' has some light static on the intro but again this is not intrusive in my opinion.  It then proceeds to 'play' with exceptional quality and only minimal static here and there.  The playback is superb and the further you get into it the more impressive it is!  The acoustic guitar section especially plays wonderfully well with only a couple of static ticks.  Thereafter it plays fantastically well with no interference, the clarity and depth cannot be faulted and the 'louder' final third plays with Mint- audio and the 'watery' ending has never sounded better.  Stunning clarity.

In summary this first pressing plays with a warmth and richness that is rarely found today and the epic title track is very impressive with only minimal 'background', not one loud click or pop!  S2 also plays with great clarity and it's only on the intros where there is a little more static but I must stress it is not loud by any means.  For a genuine first press the sonic quality of the audio on both sides will not disappoint the avid collector.  The cover is also one of the strongest and cleanest I have seen in a long time.

The Gatefold

The original cover is rarely seen in this condition today and is one of the strongest and cleanest I have seen in a long time.  It has obviously not been handled very much down the years and has retained its 'shape' extremely well.  The edges are super clean with barely any rubbing, just a little towards the corners.  The wide spine is superb and the bottom corner has only a minimal amount of wear as do the bottom right corners.  The top right corners have no wear at all and the opening edge is perfectly clean.  The front cover is in great shape with only one tiny mark near the opening edge and hardly any fading around the edges.  The back cover is in similar condition with only minor ringwear also and the inside is faultless.  A lovely example, and like I say, rarely seen as good as this.

The Original Inner

The Harvest inner is not polylined but it remains in excellent condition with no side splits and only some creasing.  There are no marks or stains.

The Labels

The yellow/green Harvest labels are in superb order with no marking or writing and very little spindle wear as stated.  Great examples!

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

SHVL 781 // A - 1G / B - 1G // RH 1 2 / RA 2

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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