Pink Floyd ‎– Obscured By Clouds

1972  Original UK Promo issue. A2 / B2 run-out matrices.
"Gramophone Co." Label Rim Text.
"Not For Sale - Factory Sample" sticker on the A side label. Ultra early pressing, with the earliest run-out matrices ever recorded.
A-2   1   A    (1st Mother 3rd Stamper)
B-2   1   M     (1st Mother 4th Stamper)
These are significantly earlier than the earliest recorded on any online data base, including Discogs, and The Pink Floyd Archives.
This vinyl record currently stands on top of the world for this issue!. A high quality, and supreme pedigree collectors issue.

The labels are Near Mint (A side label has a "Not For Sale - Factory Sample" sticker)
The vinyl is Near Mint The sleeve is Excellent (Earliest and fragile - fully textured, with rounded corners. 7206 TPS Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd )
The inner sleeve is Excellent (The earliest variant, printed with advertising of other LPs)

• Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, stamped): SHSP 4020   A-2   1   A
  
• Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, stamped): SHSP 4020   B-2   1   M

Label: Harvest ‎– SHSP 4020, Harvest ‎– 1E 062 ○ 05054 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, First Corrected Cut, Promo. Country: UK Released: 1972 Genre: Rock, Stage & Screen Style: Soundtrack, Acoustic, Psychedelic Rock

Tracklist Hide Credits

A1 Obscured By Clouds Written-By – Gilmour*, Waters*
A2 When You're In Written-By – Gilmour*, Mason*, Wright*, Waters*
A3 Burning Bridges Written-By – Wright*, Waters*
A4 The Gold It's In The ... Written-By – Gilmour*, Waters*
A5 Wot's ... Uh The Deal Written-By – Gilmour*, Waters*
A6 Mudmen Written-By – Gilmour*, Wright*
B1 Childhood's End Written-By – Gilmour*
B2 Free Four Written-By – Waters*
B3 Stay Written-By – Wright*, Waters*
B4 Absolutely Curtains Written-By – Gilmour*, Mason*, Wright*, Waters*

Companies, etc.

• Record Company – EMI
• Record Company – E.M.I. Records
• Record Company – The Gramophone Co. Ltd.
• Phonographic Copyright (p) – The Gramophone Co. Ltd.
• Pressed By – The Gramophone Co. Ltd.
• Published By – World Copyrights Ltd.
• Printed By – Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.
• Made By – Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd.

Credits

• Composed By, Producer – Pink Floyd
• Cover [Album] – Hipgnosis (2)

Notes

First UK issue, second pressing, with SHSP 4020 A-2 / B-2 runout matrices (additional letters and/or digits are mother/stamper identifiers).

This second cut is the first corrected pressing, quickly re-cut and issued after the initial A-1 / B-1 copies (Obscured By Clouds) were found to have a mastering error causing excessive sibilance. The error is discussed by the band in the "Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii" film.

Original sleeve has pinched ends to the spine, with matte-finished textured sleeve and rounded corners.

Two type of EMI inners are known for this album:
- plain white one with "PATENT Nos. 1,125,555," and "MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN" on bottom, with shaped corners and flipback.
- polyline (plastic bag inside) with advertising of other LPs, on bottom has "THE GREATEST RECORDING ORGANISATION IN THE WORLD" on one side and EMI's address on the other side, with shaped corners and flipback.

Labels:
Text around top edge :
The Gramophone Co.Ltd. All rights of the manufacturer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved.

Boxed "EMI" logo
℗ 1972 The Gramophone Company Limited
World Copyrights Ltd.

Text around bottom edge :
Made in GT Britain.
Unauthorised public performance, broadcasting, and copying of this record prohibited.

Backcover:
E.M.I Records (The Gramophone Company Ltd)
Hayes • Middlesex • England
Made and printed in Great Britain

Harvest - Regd. Trade Mark of The Gramophone Company Ltd - A Company of The EMI Group

7206 TPS Printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd

Subtitle (backcover):
Music from La Vallée

Some early copies and later re-releases had a pink sticker, normally in top right-hand corner of the front sleeve. "Obscured by Clouds, Music from La Valee - Pink Floyd". Sticker clearly designed by Hipgnosis.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Other (Printing date, back cover): 7206
• Matrix / Runout (Label side A): (SHSP.4020A)
• Matrix / Runout (Label side B): (SHSP.4020B)
• Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, stamped): SHSP 4020 A-2   1   M
  
• Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, stamped): SHSP 4020 B-2   1   A
  

A few words about condition.

Grade & 
score out of 100
                                           GRADING
Mint is a Rigid Band - The next Four Grades are all Narrow Bands, that slightly widen as the condition gradually deteriorates - Good is still Good, but there is a rapid widening of the Grade Bands, as the condition deteriorates over the last Four grades.

MINT
100
The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality.
The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition.
Only graded on records that are sealed or clearly unplayed.
 
NEAR MINT
97 to 99        

EXCELLENT
90 to 96
The record shows virtually no signs of having been played,  there is no lessening in sound quality.
The cover and  packaging might have the slightest of tiny defects.
 
The record shows some slight signs of having been played, but there is very little, (if any) lessening in sound quality.
The cover and  packaging might have very slight wear. 
 
VERY GOOD PLUS
80 to 89

VERY GOOD
69 to 79
The record shows signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality.
The cover and  packaging might have slight wear, light creasing.

The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch.
Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects.
This is an above average used record, that has been well looked after.




GOOD
56 to 68
The record has been played so much that the sound quality has deteriorated, but the record will still play through, and it will not be a completely unpleasant listening experience, even at the bottom of this grade (56).
The cover and contents may suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc. 




FAIR
41 to 55
The record is still playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even stick, skip or jump.. This is starting to be an unpleasant listening experience at the top of the grade (55) and will not be a pleasant listening experience at all by the end of it (41).
The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced. 
 
POOR
25 to 40
The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc.
The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing. 
 
BAD
0 - 24
The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.
The Sleeve is non existent (0) or what is left, is only just recognisable.

A few words about postage.

Within Australia, the best value for multiple purchases is a 5KG satchel, where as many as 15 to 20 LPs can be posted for $22.00 registered post. (well packed in a box, inside the satchel)

My Policies on postage are simple.

I post at cost.
The user pays.
I package well.