PURPLE WINE-EP-1971-Obscure PSYCH-Fully SIGNED *CLIP*

	£		49
	$		64

PURPLE WINE - It's My Mind / I'm Lonely, Friends (Mental Health Council MHC1) - 7" - 1971

Original pressing of this incredibly rare psych gem which was issued by the Mental Health Council in 1971. This three track EP by Purple Wine (Dave Moore - guitar / vocals, Bob Tansley - organ / vocals and Brian Cox - drums) features the stunning prog-psych It's My Mind plus I'm Lonely and Friends. Comes complete with the original sleeve and is FULLY SIGNED on the label by Moore, Tansley and Cox. The vinyl retains a very good sheen with some light surface marks and a few hairlines and light scratches (mainly on the B-side) - nothing too serious - see descriptions below.

This is what Dominic Reynolds wrote about this record in Issue 27 of Sweet Floral Albion: This EP is a super obscure unknown UK Psych item which was actually issued by the Mental Health Council. Most unsold copies were later removed from the offices of the MHC and destroyed. A few have survived in the collections of band members, their friends and family. The EP, comprising three tracks - It's My Mind, I'm Lonely and Friends, was issued in a specially designed thin white card sleeve, bearing the band name and song titles, together with an illustration (in purple ink) of a wine glass. It was produced by Bob Hopton, recording engineer Roger Guest (or "Buest" as his name is misprinted on the sleeve), and the Mental Health Council paid all costs, with a view to recouping their outgoings and moving well into profit when the EP moved into the Top 10! Oh, those poor misguided bureaucrats! All three songs stick close to the Mental Health Council's brief, for which Bill Kirk was responsible, the theme of the tracks being mental illness - alienation, angst, insanity, and horror all loom large. It's My Mind is stunning. Meandering psychedelia with a touch of Hendrix, distortion-treated lead vocal and a spookily-echoed backing vocal whispering the song title over and over, "It's my mind, it's my mind, it's my mind..." Although it is closer to prog-psych or acid rock than to psych pop, it is not inaccessible. It does maintain a pop sensibility. The guitar sound reminds me of Human Beast, the harmonies of Czar, and the weird keyboard runs of The Floyd (circa 1968/69). Track two, I'm Lonely, is a poignant, melodic acoustic ballad which builds up slowly, adding shimmering washes of cymbal and low-key Hammond organ and electric guitar; and lyrically veers into weirdo territory ("I didn't ask to be born this way"). A plea for understanding and compassion. It is pretty damned good. They were unable to maintain the high standard over three tracks, and alas Friends, a rocking fuzz popper, is nothing very special. As a whole, these three tracks almost amount to a mini-opera on the theme of mental derangement. Bearing in mind the scarcity of the release and the brilliance of the A-side, a three-figure sum would seem to be a realistic value for what is one of the only known example of a psychedelic charity record.

A-side: There is a small amount of background surface noise with very small, small and some smallish pops and hissy clicks - please listen to the attached clip. Grade - VG

B-side: There is a smallish improving to small amount of background surface noise with very small, small and some smallish pops and clicks. A couple of scratches cause clicks through much of Track 1 that range from very small to moderate, most being somewhere in between. Grade - Track 1 = G+/VG- improving to VG-/VG Track 2 = VG

Labels: There is a little light discolouration to both labels (see scan).

Sleeve: There is some light creasing to the edges and corners, plus a splash-mark stain at the bottom centre of both the front and back of the sleeve (see scan).

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