THE CARS DEBUT CANDY O GREATEST HITS & MILKWOOD 4 RECORD VINYL ALBUM OCASEK ORR

$

40

     This auction is for a FOUR (4) ALBUM LOT OF VINYL RECORDS BY THE CARS; DEBUT / CANDY-O / GREATEST HITS / MILKWOOD.   The CARS album were played no more than three times before getting filed away in my personal collection (I was buying a LOT of vinyl back in the day...).  The MILKWOOD album was a college radio station copy, and a more in depth description of this album appears below.

THE CARS -- THE CARS  --  This was The Cars debut album, released in 1978, and I'd have to say that there's at least seven of the nine songs that are radio classics!  Catalogue number is Elektra 6E-135.  I can remember picking up the Connecticut radio station WPLR from across Long Island Sound in probably late 1977 or 1978, and hearing what would become the single "Just What I Needed".  What a GREAT song!  A powerhouse intro, great chords and melody...

     Anyway, the COVER is in VERY GOOD++ condition.  You may be able to make out a very faint white line going across the top throught the letters of "THE CARS".  The top right and bottom corners have blunts on them, and there is some minor foxing along the bottom open edge on the front cover.  There are a couple of small light creases on the bottom left quadrant, and along the bottom of the back cover.  Really no ringwear to see.

     The RECORD is plays in VERY GOOD condition.  You may hear some very low, minor tics here and there on the first two songs of side one, and the first three songs on side two.  I can see some light scratches on the first three songs on side two, but I played the songs all the way through, and they barely affect playback! 

     If you look at the record label you can see that this is a white label promotional copy.  It looks like the A-side had a label torn off  where it would say it was a promo (the label is torn on this side ).  The B-side has the same disclaimer, but you can see the promo designation, and there is just a hint of tape residue.  The inner sleeve has a 1 1/2" seam split along the bottom.

     I play-tested all songs except the last two.  No skips, and as I said, some low tics to be heard, mainly on low volume intros (like Moving In Stereo) or between cuts.

THE CARS -- CANDY-O  --  Released in 1979 on Elektra Records, catalogue number 5E-507.  The COVER is in EXCELLENT condition. There is a hole punch in the upper right corner, and a small blunt on the bottom left corner.  Hardly any wear to see on this fantastic Vargas (Playboy) cover! 

     The inner sleeve is fine, with no seam splits.  I had cut out the original clear sticker (included) that was on the shrinkwrap, and slipped it inside the jacket forty years ago.  An edge of the sticker got stuck to the inner sleeve, so you can see a short, white line on the inner group photo (on Ben Orr's elbow).  There is some very, very slight ringwear on the group pic side of the inner sleeve.

     The RECORD is in EXCELLENT condition.  Again, since this was my personal copy, so I just skipped around when the record was play-tested.  I heard four pops at the beginning of "Let's Go" caused by a small scratch.

THE CARS -- GREATEST HITS  --  Released in 1985 on the Elektra Record label, catalogue number 9 60464-1-E.  There is a notch cut on the upper right corner.  The hype sticker is still there (cut off the shrinkwrap) for the previosly unreleased song "Tonight She Comes".  The COVER is in NEAR MINT condition.  There's a very, very tiny blunt on the bottom right corner, and a small bottom edge crease on the back...nothing that wasn't there when you bought it new in '85.

     The inner sleeve is near mint with no seam splits.  The RECORD is in NEAR MINT condition.  Play-testing was done by skipping around the songs, as this was from my personal collection.  I don't even think I EVER played this album.

MILKWOOD -- "HOW'S THE WEATHER"  -- This was a college radio station copy, and it looks like it!  Released in 1972 on the Paramount Records label (same label as the Brady Bunch records, by the way), catalogue number PAS 6046. 

     For those of you who haven't heard this album, do not expect any indication of what The Cars would sound like five years down the line!  It reminds me of The Doobie Brothers acoustic songs...  Milkwood would contain the genesis of The Cars, even at this early stage.  They were Richard Otcasek/Ocasek on acoustic guitars and vocals (who wrote 9 of the 10 songs), Benjamin Orzechowski/Orr on bass and vocals, and Greg Hawks/Hawkes lending a hand on baritone and soprano sax and horn arrangements.  Rick O. had not yet developed that "hiccup" vocal that would be his trademark.

     The COVER is in VERY GOOD MINUS condition.  There is a bright orange promotional sticker on the upper left corner (pic #9).  This was slid in an out of a vast record library, so there is ringwear on the front and back cover.  Some razorblade lines can be seen along the top edge and down the top right quadrant (pic #10).  A long crease above where it says "How's the Weather", and a couple along the bottom...and these have corresponding light creases on the back cover. 

     The upper left corner probably had a filing sticker attached at one time, and was later torn off.  There are no seam splits, but there is seam wear on all along the left seam.

     I play-tested the entire ALBUM, and it is in VERY GOOD condition.  A few scratches can be seen on side one.  Some moderate (but not annoying) pops can be heard for about two-thirds of the first song, "With You With Me".  Light pops can be heard on "Dream Trader", at the end of "Lincoln Park", and through "Bring Me Back".  Side two sounded fine.  There were no skips, and there are no deep scratches.  I guess it's better to have this rare record in ANY condition than not at all!

     If you have any questions about these items, please feel free to email me.  Also, check out my other auctions going on NOW of various other items of interest (a couple exploitation movie posters and some 8mm horror films).  Thanks again for looking...during these most very...very...very...troubled times...

Record Grading:

MINT (10) Perfect! Still sealed albums are presumed MINT, but covers may not be. I will not grade any opened album as "mint", since there's obviously been some handling.

NEAR MINT (9.5) ---- Close, but one or two tiny flaws that do not impact play. Vinyl may have a barely visible scuff mark, but no scratches. Label is bright, clean and unmarked. Covers close to perfect with very minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident.

EXCELLENT (9) ----Disc plays near-perfect. There could be scuffs or a hairline scratch or two that does not impact play. Vinyl is bright and shiny. Label is clean and unmarked. Cover may have some slight corner creases or minor ringwear.

VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS (8) ---- Record handled and played occasionally, but very carefully. Very minor scratches and/or scuffs that should have little impact on the sound quality, or minor label imperfection---noted, but otherwise clean. VERY GOOD PLUS PLUS records may have some light surface noise during quiet passages or between tracks. Covers: one or two minor wear issues such as writing on cover, corner creases, some ringwear, minor staining, etc. (All noted).

VERY GOOD PLUS (7) ----The record has been cared for, but has some minor flaws. Light scratches and/or marks/scuffs that won't make a big impact. Light surface noise here and there, but nothing to overwhelm the listening experience. Covers may have a few minor defects (duly noted). Those who are looking for pristine-only might not be pleased, but most music fans would be happy to have a collectible album in this condition.

VERY GOOD (6)---- The record has been played often with some care, but also a little neglect. Record displays visible surface wear---scratches or scuffs that will cause some minor to perhaps occasionally moderate surface noise. Vinyl could be "dull" at this point and not "shiny', or still perhaps shiny, but then a little more scratched-up. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc. Most music fans would be happy to have a highly collectible album in this condition.

VERY GOOD MINUS (5) ---- Well-played with little luster and moderate surface noise, but skip-free. Lots of scratches/scuffs or fewer but more deeper marks. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork---seam splits, significant ring wear, tears, cuts, taping (all noted). I will only sell RARE "VERY GOOD MINUS" records.

GOOD (4) --- Pretty beat-up with lots of scratches, but not dead yet. Record should still appear not to skip, though it's possible it can. Surface noise is moderate to occasionally heavy. Seam splits are usually a bigger issue around this level with the records better off in a plastic sleeve. I only sell VERY RARE "GOOD" records. They are certainly "good enough" until another copy comes along.

GOOD MINUS (3) --- Even more beat with tons of scratches and LOTS of surface noise. Skips are possible, though I wouldn't intentionally sell a record that does. Given the right moment, fans could probably enjoy a GOOD MINUS record, but might also be irritated by it at times. I will only sell VERY VERY RARE "GOOD MINUS" records. Covers are hanging together by a thread (seams shot) but not intentionally defaced.

FAIR (2) ----FAIR records appear and sound lousy (significant surface noise, horrific scratches). I won't sell these, unless I find something that is SO INCREDIBLY RARE. Expect skipping or a very unpleasant listen. Covers may be defaced, seamless, stained beyond belief.

POOR (1) ---- Unlistenable and undisplayable.

10-6-19