Queen : At The Beeb A1 / B1 1st Press

This stunning album provides such a good insight into their early 'live' sound and this particular first pressing may well be the finest I have ever heard.  It came from the same home as the 'Made In Heaven' LP that I am selling and has never been played before.  That is reflected in the remarkable quality of the audio and the clarity and depth cannot be faulted.  It really does have such a strong dynamic and powerful 'live' sound and there is no interference at all.

With no spindle wear (obviously) the vinyl is visually in superb condition.

The cover is in fantastic condition with no wear and and you would be forgiven in thinking it was 'new' it is that good.  The plain white die-cut inner is also in great shape.

BOJ LP 001 // A - 1 / B - 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The cover is Mint-

The inner is Near Mint-

The labels are Mint

The vinyl is in lovely condition and has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen.  There are no marks or scratches and only a couple of very faint hairlines and a small number of tiny barely visible 'specks' on S1.  There is no spindle wear and the run out grooves and labels are also super clean.

Play grading  

The lead in grooves on S1 have no 'background' so you just know 'My Fairy King' is going to play well and it does not disappoint!  The intro plays perfectly and Roger's 'scream' has never sounded better!  As Freddie's vocal comes in the audio could not be any better and it continues to play with wonderful quality.  The quieter vocal/piano section plays beautifully and as volume builds the clarity and depth is still there and the final section is of the same standard.  A stunning Mint version to start the album.

The intro on 'Keep Yourself Alive' plays with great precision and again there is no intrusion.  It continues to play with sublime quality with no ticks, clicks or pops and no static or crackle either.  It's worth noting that the clarity is just so impressive and I have no doubt the vinyl has never been played before - I don't doubt the previous owner!  From start to finish this is 'as new' with no interference and the fade out is a prime example of that.  Another Mint track.

The quiet intro on 'Doin' Alright' plays so well with no intrusion, just a handful of barely audible dust ticks which are hardly worth a mention!  From then on the audio is flawless and the quieter sections play with amazing clarity.  The 'Should be waiting for the sun...' section is a case in point and quite simply plays 'as new'.  The 'high octane' section that follows is equally as good.  Every note is so precise and the last verse (with Roger singing!) also plays to perfection.  The final section again demonstrates just how good the audio is - great power and depth and no distortion at all.  Very rarely does this track grade as Mint but it does here!

The percussive intro on 'Liar' plays with stunning clarity and as May's iconic sound enters the scene there is no let up in quality.  It continues to play with very impressive audio and there is no interference.  There is perhaps a mild hint of inner groove distortion in a couple of sections but it is so minor, totally non-intrusive and I only mention to be 'complete' in my grading.  The vast majority would not!  It is still such a strong 'live' version and the 'All day long...' section is superb!  The following 'heavy' section is so powerful and the 'choral' section is as good as I have ever heard.  To the very end there is nothing to fault and this easily deserves a Mint- grade.

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'Ogre Battle' on plays with great clarity from the word go.  From start to finish there is no interference and the playback is again so impressive - S1 and S2 were recorded at different times at the BBC and you can tell.  This side was recorded 10 months later in Dec '73 and has more of a raw 'live' sound you could say.  Whatever way you look at it this is a stunning Mint version.

The intro on 'Great King Rat' is faultless, just  a couple of dust ticks, and then plays with wonderful sonic quality.  The vocals are so clear and Brian's first extended section is so powerful and has no distortion either.  The 'Now listen all you people...' section plays perfectly and the quiet section that follows has no 'background' at all.  The remainder plays with such depth and, as always, no interference.  Another Mint track I am pleased to say.

'Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll' is superb all the way through and if anything plays with even greater depth and power than the previous track.  A Mint 'live' version for sure.

'Son And Daughter' is stunning from the very first groove!  Every section plays with stunning quality and this extended version encapsulates all that is good about early Queen.  The 'Brighton Rock' interlude is a prime example of that.  I cannot overstate just how well this early classic plays.  So 'heavy' and the depth and power is outstanding!  There is no interference, no distortion and the sonic quality is just phenomenal!  The end section demonstrates exactly what I mean - it is again so 'heavy' and just could not play any better.  A breathtaking Mint version to end this underrated album.

In summary this 'live' album plays to a immaculate standard with literally no interference and it is obvious this record has never been played before.  As stated there is no spindle wear and the audio is so 'clean' even during the quieter moments.  It really gives a fascinating insight into early Queen and it's the quality of the musicianship that really stands out here.  S1 was recorded at the BBC even before their debut album was released and yet they have already honed their skills to perfection!  Freddie's vocals are also sublime!  Now over 30 years old this album cannot be faulted and any avid collector would I am sure be as impressed as I am!

The Cover

The cover is in beautiful condition and has been so well preserved.  There really are no faults and all I can detect are a couple of very faint scratch lines on the front cover and you can only detect those if you hold it at a certain angle!  The edges, spine and corners are in perfect condition and the opening edge has no handling wear either.  The front and back cover are so clean and have no marking or creasing.  A stunning example.

The Inner Sleeve

The plain white die-cut inner is near perfect with no side splits and barely any creasing.  It has just one faint mark near the top edge which is actually on the inside.

The Labels

They are immaculate with no marking or writing and no spindle wear as stated.

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

BOJ LP 001 // A - 1 / B - 1

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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Postage & Packaging

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