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The Smiths : The Queen Is Dead A-1 / B-1 1st MPO Press 1986

This first press plays to the highest standard possible.  As always I have listened to every track and there is no background of any kind, the clarity and depth of the audio is STUNNING!  Not one tick even let alone anything more.  Remember this is now 37 years old so to find one such as this is rare in my opinion.  The vinyl is visually stunning and has clearly hardly ever been played.  A FINAL UPGRADE archive classic without a doubt, audio does not get any better than this!  Probably owned to be part of a 'collection' rather than to be played.

The cover is in lovely condition with barely any wear, just one small scuff on the back that is the only obvious thing, and as can be seen it still has the original sticker top right.  The picture inner is in perfect condition I am pleased to say.

This is the genuine first press of this album as denoted by the matrix.  The MPO pressing followed very soon after. 

ROUGH 96 // A-1U-1-1- FEAR OF MANCHESTER / B-1U-1-1- THEM WAS ROTTEN DAYS

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The gatefold is Near Mint-

The picture inner is Mint

The labels are Near Mint / Mint

Visual description

The vinyl is in beautiful condition with an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen and no obvious marks or scratches.  There is one very small faint blemish on S2 that has no affect on the audio and you can only see it at a certain angle anyway.  Under a strong light I can only find a handful of mega faint sleeve removal hairlines.  The labels are near perfect with just one minor mark (more a pressing / production thing) on S1.  I looked very closely and could only detect one barely visible spindle trace on each side.  This is one stunning vinyl!

Play grading

'The take me back to dead old Blighty' intro on 'The Queen Is Dead' plays with stunning clarity with only a couple of barely audible static ticks.  Joyce's percussion and Marr's feedback is faultless and then the opening verse plays to perfection.  It continues to play with impeccable quality through every verse and I cannot overstate just how STUNNING the audio is!  There is no background and it has that clean aesthetic CD quality but with the warmth and depth that only vinyl can bring.  Marr's work is of course legendary and Rourke's bass adds so much to this opening classic also.  The instrumental end section is 'as new' and even the fade out has no background.  An immaculate Mint start to the album.

'Frankly, Mr. Shankly' is just as impressive with no intrusion on the audio.  So far this album is certainly playing like it has never been played before!  Each note is so clean and precise and Morrissey's vocal is a prime example of that.  This truly is audio of the highest standard and Mint is again deserved.

'I Know It's Over' plays with unbelievable clarity from start to finish with no interference.  The quiet acoustic first half is 'as new' and again Rourke's work is so strong here, such a strong deep bass sound.  The second half plays with outstanding sonic quality with literally nothing getting in the way of the audio.  A stunning Mint version.

'Never Had No One Ever' is of the same high end standard and already I am running out of superlatives in which to describe this album!  The vocals are perfect and the accompanying music equally so.  If you are lucky enough to win it just listen carefully to the end instrumental, it has 100% perfectly and that includes the long fade out.  Another sublime Mint track.

The intro on 'Cemetry Gates' is flawless and Morrissey's opening vocal is just as good.  From then on it plays with great quality and with a clarity and depth that is second to none.  No inner groove distortion either and it provides a Mint finish to the most perfect side that you could find :-)

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The acoustic intro on 'Bigmouth Strikes Again' has not so much as a dust tick and it then proceeds to play with superb sonic quality.  Once again there are negatives - the clarity and depth of the audio is out of this world and this classic is Mint in every way.

'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side' and 'Vicar In A Tutu' both play with stunning precision with no sign of any interference.  They have that clean, sharp sound that we have now come to expect and grade as Mint

'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' plays with such quality and 'as new' is again a correct description.  As always I listen to every track in full (never a chore!) and that is exactly how I can give a 'complete' grade.  Another long fade out and another long fade with no background.  Mint

The fade out / in section on 'Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others' plays perfectly as does the rest of the intro.  The opening vocal has no intrusion and it continues in the same precise way.  Every vocal and instrumental section is so clean and this is another Mint track.  What an album!

In summary this first pressing plays to a standard you so rarely find today.  It basically plays 'as new' from the first note to the last with no background of any kind.  I often grade a track as Mint- but I have just noticed that I have graded every track here as Mint and that is truly a measure of the clarity on this first pressing.  It's hard to believe this classic album is now 37 years old and there cannot be many around as 'clean' as this one!  The sonic quality is EXCEPTIONAL and it is easily a FINAL UPGRADE archive classic for sure, it just could not play any better.

The Gatefold & Picture Inner

The glossy cover is in superb condition with only very minimal wear.  There is just one tiny rub on the top edge of the back cover in the centre and one small scuff next to the opening edge on the back also.  Aside from that it really is super clean - the corners have barely any wear and the wide spine has lost none of its original shape.  In fact the cover itself is still so strong and has no bending or creasing, it has clearly hardly ever been handled.  A stunning example.

The glossy picture card inner is perfect with marking or creasing.

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

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

ROUGH 96 // A-1U-1-1- FEAR OF MANCHESTER / B-1U-1-1- THEM WAS ROTTEN DAYS

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

I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.

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