THE CURE THREE IMAGINARY BOYS EX- LP Fiction FIX 1 A1/B1 Inner & Postcard

$

125

THE CURE ~ THREE IMAGINARY BOYS

Vinyl grading - EX

Sleeve grading - EX-

Various pictures uploaded, sleeve close ups, front and rear, disc - apologies for the tripod reflection - and a view of the label details. The pictures are part of the description, too, look them over...

'Maybe it was youthful exuberance or perhaps it was the fact that the band itself was not pulling all the strings, Three Imaginary Boys is not only a very strong debut, but a near oddity (it's an admittedly "catchy" record) in the Cure catalog. More poppy and representative of the times than any other album during their long career, Three Imaginary Boys is a semi-detached bit of late-'70's English pop-punk. Angular and lyrically abstract, it's strong points are in its utter simplicity. There are no dirges here, no long suites, just short bursts of energy and a rather strange cover of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady." For some, this is the last good Cure record, many fans of this album being in no way prepared for the sparse emptiness and gloom that would be the cornerstone of future releases. For the most die-hard Cure-head, however, it's an interesting sidenote, hard to place in the general flow of the band's discography. Cure leader Robert Smith has voiced many times over his mixed feelings about the record, most notably the cover art (the three "representative" appliances on the cover, the lack of a real track listing - all the songs are represented with arty type pictures - and in no real order) and the production, which at times is admittedly a little muddy, but even that lends it a certain youthful charm...'

...and, yes, final track, Side Two, it's there, The Weedy Burton...

Released on - Fiction

Catalog number - FIX 1

UK issue.

Produced by - Chris Parry

Duration -  35 minutes, approx.

Matrix numbers, UK style, earliest press...

Side One - A1

Side Two - B1

...each side also has STRAWBERRY etched.

Please read the record grading guide below and familiarize yourself with the grades used. Goldmine standards adhered to, plus full description in all aspects.

I strive to grade fairly, and have never sold a record without listening to it first.

Visual grading is not an option at all.

This 41 year old LP I have graded as being in Excellent- condition. Both sides play through with no jumping, skipping or any other audio horrors, maybe an isolated low-level click during the quieter sections between tracks, and with only minimal signs of age or previous ownership...

The sleeve, which has spent the last 40 years in a protective plastic sleeve, I have graded being in Excellent- condition with a 6mm / 1/4" 'ding' on the spine - visible in the picture showing the close up of the bottom left corner - and that's about it, colors are still strong, no fading etc, and you can spend enjoyable hours musing over which picture equates to which track...

The labels are in good condition, with no defects, see close-up pictures uploaded.

The inner liner is in very good condition, no seam splits, and the house in, if I remember correctly, Dollis Hill still looks in good shape...

The record still has the original postcard that came with it, as part of the earliest releases, this is in very good condition. It is the usual size for a postcard (150mm x 102mm / 6" x 4") amd shows the album cover on a blue background. The back is basically plain, some details on the bottom right corner, plus on each corner there is a small mark where the card was fixed to a wall using Blu-Tack, the adhesive putty stuff...

Tracklisting -

See pictures uploaded, track titles and details shown.

Any questions, email and I'll help if I can.

Original UK issue, Excellent- all round, inner liner and postcard...

...this is where it all started, look after it, and give it a good home...

Thanks for looking!

:o)

Buy-it-Now, $144.95

Postage - USA - Free Priority Shipping and Signature Confirmation included, too...nice!

Overseas orders welcome - $34, wherever.

* Records are posted in dedicated record mailing boxes with 2 corrugated cardboard stiffeners.

GRADING GUIDE. (Goldmine Standard)

* Gradings range between - for example - VG, VG+ and VG++. In some cases, for example again, VG- may be used.

MINT (M) Absolutely perfect in every way. Often rumored but rarely seen, and if it is not just out of the pressing plant it is unlikely that, personally, I would ever use this grading.

NEAR MINT (NM OR M-) A good description of a NM record is ?it looks like it just came from a retail store and it was opened for the first time.? In other words, it?s nearly perfect. NM records are shiny, with no visible defects. Writing, stickers or other markings cannot appear on the label, nor can any ?spindle marks? from someone trying to blindly put the record on the turntable. Major factory defects will be absent. If played, it will do so with no surface noise. NM covers are free of creases, ring wear and seam splits of any kind.

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) or EXCELLENT (E) A good description of a VG+ record is ?except for a couple minor things, this would be Near Mint.? VG+ records may show some slight signs of wear, including light scuffs or very light scratches that do not affect the listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. Minor signs of handling are OK, too, such as telltale marks around the center hole, but repeated playing has not misshapen the hole. There may be some very light ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable.VG+ covers should have only minor wear. A VG+ cover might have some very minor seam wear or a split (less than one inch long) at the bottom, the most vulnerable location. Also, a VG+ cover may have some defacing, such as a cut-out marking. VG++ is a step up from VG+ generally.

VERY GOOD (VG) Many of the imperfections found on a VG+ record are more obvious on a VG record. VG records lack most of the original gloss found on factory-fresh records. Groove wear is evident on sight, as are light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail. When played, a VG record has surface noise, and some scratches may be audible. Minor writing, tape or a sticker can detract from the label. They remain a fine listening experience, just not the same as if it were in better shape.VG covers will have many signs of human handling. Ring wear in the middle or along the edges of the cover where the edge of a record would reside, is obvious, though not overwhelming. Some more creases might be visible. Seam splitting will be more obvious; it may appear on all three sides, though it won?t be obvious upon looking. A small pen or ink mark, or an original price sticker may be noticeable.

GOOD (G), GOOD PLUS (G+) or VERY GOOD MINUS (VG?) Good does not mean bad! The record still plays through without skipping, so it can serve as filler until something better comes along. But it has significant surface noise and groove wear, and the label is worn, with significant ring wear, heavy writing, or obvious surface damage to the label. A Good to VG? cover has ring wear, has seam splits obvious on sight and may have even heavier writing.

POOR (P) and FAIR (F) Records that have obvious damage, they are cracked, impossibly warped, or skip and/or repeat when an attempt is made to play them.

Please note :-

A word about Shipping and Delivery times.

I offer Free Shipping on nearly all of my Buy-It-Now items, and on Auction items a fairly priced Shipping charge (which includes USPS service and the cost of a dedicated mailer suited to the particular item).

Items are shipped within 3 day of the order being placed. Sometimes they are shipped the same day, sometimes on the third day.

It's 'shipping within 3 days', end of.

CD's are shipped First Class, it's cheap and cheerful for them, no worries.

Records ? all formats, 45's, vinyl LP's and 78's ? plus books are all shipped by Media Mail, which is an Economy service and, in general, can take a few days longer.

However, if you want it delivered Priority or 1st Class, ask beforehand, it's not a problem and I can make the necessary adjustments.

Thank you for reading this.

:o)