The Rolling Stones : Aftermath 5B / 1A 1st Mono Press

This first pressing is so close to perfect!  It plays with exceptional clarity, depth, power and resonance and the only intrusion is one light click and a tick on S2.  Aside from that the sonic quality is so impressive and it is patently obvious this album has been so well looked after over the last 57 years.  How often do you find 'Lady Jane' playing to a Mint standard on a first press?  It is probably the most 'complete' version I have ever heard.  Rarely do you see this vinyl playing or looking as good as this, it is visually stunning to say the least.

As can be seen the cover is also in lovely condition with only minimal wear and the original inner sleeve is also in excellent order.

On the stonesondecca site this album has the first label variation with the NCB box above the BIEM one on each side.  More than likely it is the first pressing after the one with the 'Shadow' cover.  Both labels here are of course unboxed and grooved.

LK 4786 // XARL-7209-5B / XARL-7210-1A // H 1 / CC 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T3 Near Mint- / T5 Near Mint)

The cover is Ex+

The inner sleeve is Ex

The labels are Near Mint

Visual description

The vinyl is in superb condition and still has a lovely glossy sheen with no marks or scratches.  Looking under a strong light I can only see a handful of very faint hairlines - it really is stunning.  There is no groove wear or clouding of the surface and only the run out grooves have a little fading, a minor thing only.  You can still easily see the KT tax stamp on each side.  The unboxed and grooved red Decca labels still have their deep colour with only minimal spindle wear and just one tiny spot on the S2 label.

Play grading

Firstly the run in on S1 is so clean and then the opening 'vocal' and intro on 'Mother's Little Helper' plays perfectly as does the first verse.  It continues in the same precise way with no ticks, clicks, pops or static and to say the entire track plays 'as new' is no exaggeration.  A Mint start to the side.

There is complete silence in the dead wax and then 'Stupid Girl' plays to the same high end standard without any intrusion.  The clarity and depth of the audio is superb and it plays with that familiar raw Stones power.  For such an early first pressing the sonic quality is quite impressive so far!  Mint

The intro on the classic 'Lady Jane' plays beautifully with no background and the first verse is equal to that.  The second plays with remarkable precision and the instrumental section that follows is again 'as new'.  This is of course such a quiet track and yet the clarity and warmth of the audio is breath-taking.  You so rarely find clarity like this on a first pressing and from the first note to the last this is Mint in every way.  It's not often you find a Mint version of this classic on a 57 year old record!  The audio really is so crisp and clean.  Amazing!

'Under My Thumb' plays with sublime quality and... no interference.  The depth of the audio really stands out here in no small measure aided by Wyman's strong bass.  Jagger's vocal is as strong as ever and Mint is again deserved.  All the fade outs so far have played perfectly with no background of any kind.

'Doncha Bother Me' has a couple of barely audible dust ticks on the percussive intro and then plays with stunning audio from that point on.  In essence the sonic 'landscape' is as clean and fresh as it would have been in '66 and I cannot fiond one single negative.  Another Mint track.

The intro on 'Goin' Home' has no background and the opening vocal section has not so much as a dust tick the clarity is perfect.  The first chorus is just as good and from then on this 11 minute epic plays with a precision you rarely find today.  I cannot overstate just how STUNNING the audio is!  There is one very light static around 2.30 minute mark it's not even a tick really!  I'll sit back and listen now.......Ok I am up to 10 minutes now and there has been no intrusion on the audio.  One mega light tick during the very quiet section around 6 minutes but obviously not intrusive.  There is no background static and the clarity is just unbelievable!  I have listened to a number of these down the years but I cannot remember when I last heard one as pristine as this one.  Perhaps not typical Stones' but you cannot deny the quality of the audio here.  Every section, be it quiet or loud, plays with wonderful precision and I have no hesitation in grading it as Mint- although I am sure I could be forgiven if the minus wasn't included!  What a version!

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The piano intro on 'Flight 505' has just a hint of a light static, actually it's more of a very gentle hum but it is so so quiet and totally non-intrusive.  Jagger's opening vocal is faultless and it continues to play with great power and depth and no interference.  The clarity is again so impressive and let's say Mint- overall.

'High And Dry' plays with superb audio from the get go and the level does not drop as it progresses.  Great depth and definition here and... Mint

The unmistakeable intro on 'Out Of Time' plays to perfection and the first vocal is just as clean.  The following chorus has no intrusion either and it continues to play so well.  There is one light click during the fifth verse but that is the only interference across the whole track and it isn't loud!  The rest of this classic plays with sublime quality and Near Mint- is still a fair assessment of the audio in my opinion.

The intro on 'It's Not Easy' has only a couple of barely audible dust ticks and from then on plays with genuine quality and... no interference.  Another Mint track.

The gentle acoustic intro on 'I Am Waiting' plays beautifully and the opening vocal has only a couple of mega quiet statics, blink and you miss them!  One slightly more obvious tick during the next vocal but by no means loud.  From then on it plays so clearly and the sonic quality is again so impressive.  There are a number of quiet passages here and yet the clarity is stunning - just that one tick and Near Mint is correct.

'Take It Or Leave It' and 'Think' both play with genuine quality - no sign of any interference and the sonic quality is superb considering we are reaching the end of the side.  They both grade as Mint

'What To Do' ends this fine album with impeccable quality once more.  For once there is no inner groove distortion the clarity is superb!  Even more impressive when you consider this is a mono record being played through a stereo set up.  This final track is Mint in every sense of the word.

In summary this first pressing plays with stunning quality across both sides.  There are many quiet passages and yet the clarity is probably the best I have heard on this album and look no further than 'Lady Jane' and 'Goin' Home' for two prime examples of that.  S1 is 10/10 and S2 is 9.9/10!  The clarity, depth and power of the audio on S1 is so impressive and with just one light click and a tick S2 is certainly not far behind.  I grade honestly as it is not interests (or yours!) to over-grade a track, I just write what I hear, and if it sounds 'as new' then that is what I will say!  A visually stunning vinyl, incredible audio and a great cover it doesn't get a lot better than this!

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

So yes the cover is in lovely condition with barely any wear and has retained its original shape and structure so well due to not being handled very much.  The edges and thin pinched spine are perfect and the corners are also very clean with very little wear.  The opening edge has a couple of minor crimps but is otherwise perfect.  The 'laminated' front cover is so close to perfect with only a handful of tiny 'specks' next to the right edge and the 'Clarifoil' itself has no laminate lift / splits or creasing.  The unlaminated back cover is so clean with only a couple of faint spots and minimal fading along the top edge.  A superb example!

The original poly-lined inner sleeve has no side splits or tears and has just some age related fading around some of the edges and a little creasing.

Play tested on my Rega P2 with Rega Carbon Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

LK 4786 // XARL-7209-5B / XARL-7210-1A // H 1 / CC 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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