POET SONG David & Tina Meltzer SERPENT POWER Folk/Psych

$

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POET SONG David & Tina Meltzer SERPENT POWER Folk/Psych

  Description: David & Tina Meltzer
(SERPENT POWER)
POET SONG
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Vanguard Records VSD•6519
Original 1969 issue • Stereo LP
FIRST PRESSING
Matrix #s:
SIDE 1: XSV221591 1A
SIDE 2: XSV221592 1A

Disc is NM
Super clean high gloss vinyl looks and plays like new throughout. Gold/tan VANGUARD labels are immaculate.

Cover is EX
Still in shrink wrap, vivid, bright, extremely clean cover has small cut-out punch, u.r. Printer error on back. Otherwise NM.

Original VANGUARD company inner sleeve included.
 
Real Berkeley period piece from two of the main movers behind the Bay Area psych band The Serpent Power (also on Vanguard) but this slightly later LP is rarer.
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ARCHIVED UNPLAYED FIRST PRESSING:
I owned a record store in Monterey, CA during the 1970s-'80s. Within my first month of being open (NOV. 1973) a man walked into the store off the street with a box of records.

That man was David Meltzer; the records in the box?  25 sealed copies of POET SONG. We struck a deal, he hung around, shared the herb and I played the LP. VERY COOL record indeed.

I sold all but about 10 of the LPs at the store over the next year; stashing the rest away in my already bursting back room collection. I sold the last few of those archived copies a few years back, here on eBay, but going through the storage locker a few weeks back I came across this one final copy that had been separated out.

Remembering back to 1973, I had seen that the back of this particular (still sealed) copy had what appeared to be wear, and suspecting a re-seal I opened it up in front of David to check the vinyl: lo and behold, the vinyl was (and still is) absolutely pristine. These were from his allotment from Vanguard, releasing him from the label contract and that copy had improper post-printing drying w/ ink on back (He apparently added one to each box of 25 that he sold to stores).

         At first glance it appears to be wear.
No need to pull off the shrink to check, though; a magnifying glass clearly shows the black ink missing in reversed background is in a pattern that perfectly demonstrates being in brief contact, before drying completely, with a chemical or surface that pulled and beaded the ink at point of contact. I worked as a graphic artist for many years, a few of them in print shops, so I recognize this exactly, but any layman w/ a strong magnifying glass or optical loupe will see clearly that the white areas in black background is not wear of any kind.
(to see this more clearly, click on PHOTO 3 to enlarge it)

THE VINYL IS GUARANTEED TO BE A STONE MINT GENUINE FIRST PRESS.

The Serpent Power's sole album (self titled, from 1967) is one of those lesser known gems from the San Francisco flower scene. Discovered and planted on Vanguard by ED Denson (Country Joe & the Fish and Fahey manager), their brand of psychedelic folk rock strongly resembles the intoxicating vibes of the Fish.

After the Serpent Power dissolved, David (a published poet with roots in the 1950s beat era) and Tina Meltzer, the creative force behind the band, recorded one further album for Vanguard. The resulting Poet Song LP from 1969 contains a few short surreal spoken poetry pieces by David, surrounded by 2 full sides of bittersweet psychedelic-tinged folk-rock; these comprising the bulk of the LP -sung by his angelic-voiced wife, Tina.

David played all guitar solos, accompanied by a rather psych/baroque chamber group including cello, flute, guitars, clarinet, french horn and percussion.
The album is produced by Sam Charters.


From ACID ARCHIVES OF UNDERGROUND SOUNDS:
"Obscure follow-up to the Serpent Power LP by the main duo. Like that band, still somewhat underrated. He reads some of his poetry which may turn some off though the poems are brief and enjoyable, and do not detract from the excellent folk/psych songs that make up the bulk of the LP. Less poppy and more meditative than the earlier album, some tracks are truly great. Well worth checking out."

SIDE 1
1. I'm the Early Morning Racer (Poem)
2. I'll Forget You
3. The Bath (Poem)
4. I'm a Lover
5. Ravel Blues
6. The Blackest Rose (Poem)
7. It Is for You
8. Lullaby

SIDE 2
9. I'm So Willing
10. Lamentation for Hank Williams (Poem)
11. Hymn to Love
12. Confessin' (Poem)
13. Pure White Place
14. Poem for My Wife (Poem)
15. For Tina   


Even though still in the original shrink-wrap
this LP is kept in a protective, clear poly outer-sleeve.


All records packed with vinyl (inside inner sleeve) behind cover - and shipped in strong cardboard  LP mailers with bubble wrap around all sides - between stiff cardboard flats for best protection in the mail.
 
Please be aware that these important supplies add to my shipping costs - of which only a very small amount is added into the shipping charge.
My LP packing is considered to be among the very best on eBay. I would have it no other way.


SHIPPING RATES:
USA: Media Mail: $4.00 ... or Priority Mail: $8.00. Most of my customers prefer Media Mail because it is very cheap. Please keep in mind that it's cheap because it is SLOW. I have had Media Mail boxes take a month to travel 30 miles and in excess of two months to travel cross-country. Sometimes it can arrive cross-country in 5 days. Due to Postal Service conditions, the actual arrival time cannot be known in advance.
Additional LPs in same shipment: $1.00 each. Combine buys to save on shipping.

ALL OTHER COUNTRIES: I charge only EXACT POSTAGE, Worldwide.
*PLEASE do not ask me to mark the item as a 'GIFT' for customs. I cannot. The postal clerks know better; I ship LPs constantly (over 30 years) and cannot fool them.

The sadly necessary ITALY, RUSSIA, BRAZIL SHIPPING NOTE:
If you are in ITALY, RUSSIA or BRAZIL, you are completely welcome to bid and buy here.
Just be aware that your countries' postal / customs services may slow things down. THIS WILL NOT BE MY FAULT.

I ship as soon as I receive cleared payment and treat ALL my customers and their records with the greatest respect.
(in 'shipping details' I state '2 days handling/dispatch time' ...in case life gets in the way. The actual ship-out time will usually be quicker.)
I package the LPs to survive even the worst conditions the postal systems can hand out.
You will LOVE my LP packing!

After the auction:
You will receive my invoice within 24 hours. IF you are in the USA and only buying ONE LP, you may simply PayPal right away. For COMBINED purchases, please wait for the TOTALED INVOICE.
Payment to be received within 7 days of auction end.

If you are bidding on more than ONE ITEM from my list, please don't pay before your last item in my listings (in same 7-day period) -so that I can combine your LPs on the INVOICE and charge you reduced shipping accordingly.
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*If you want a price for double-boxing or any special services, send me an eMail letting me know your needs. Use jeffhelwig at sbcglobal dot net.

NOTE: eBay has recently decided to send automatic "payment reminders" to buyers. I'm uncomfortable with the idea that someone is getting an email from me that I didn't write, yet eBay makes it impossible to defeat that feature. Please be aware that those extra emails are not coming from me, but from a computer somewhere in a dark room at Ebay Towers.

Bid to win, but please do not bid if you do not plan to pay!
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HAPPY BIDDING - and please see my other auctions for more collectible LPs.
 
  Shipping: I ship as soon as I receive payment. I CANNOT mark the item as a "gift" for overseas customers.
Shipping discount for multiple items shipped together (SEE ITEM DESCRIPTION for specifics).
I ship very quickly and treat ALL my customers and their records with the greatest respect.
I package the LPs to survive even the worst conditions the postal systems can hand out.
(SEE ABOVE for the specifics)
You will LOVE my LP packing!   Payment: Payment to be received within 7 days of auction end. I prefer PayPal for their secure, fast, dependable payment service. If you need to pay by any other method, please eMail me at: jeffhelwig at sbcglobal dot net to see if your alternate choice can be accepted. I am happy to do my best to make payment as easy for you as possible. Any mailed payment MUST contain the name of the item and YOUR name AND ADDRESS to be sure I know which item you are paying for.  
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