THE STOOGES- FUNHOUSE LP ORIGINAL USA FIRST PRESSING WITH RARE INNER SLEEVE

	£		314
	$		416

FUNHOUSE.
By
THE STOOGES.
Original 197O USA PRESSING.
ELEKTRA RECORDS.
CAT. NUMBER EKS-74071

Matrix number side 1   T   1   EKS 74071   A  RE   CTH
Matrix number side 2   T   1   EKS 74071   B  CTH

This is an original UNITED STATES OF AMERICA first pressing of FUNHOUSE by  THE STOOGES. Released in 1970 by the exceptionally stylish independent record label ELEKTRA RECORDS. This magnificent very heavy card stock gate fold sleeve is actually  the heaviest sleeve I think I have ever come across. This sleeve is superbly made and stands  as testament to the engineering of the day to such a degree one can easily say "They just  don`t make em like this any more". The front of the sleeve is just STUNNING . No colour  fading at all ! Double click the pictures and look at the black the red and the gold of  Iggy`s torso, beautifully bright and vibrant and deep next to the white typeset of the  album title and the artists name. Its only flaws are the two tiny corner dings and the  very slightest edge ware.  The back of the LP sleeve is as great , only the very slightest  of ring ware. Again double click the pictures and have a look at that chunky wide spine.  All the writing is still there even though it has a crack visible in the shot. That crack does  not go through the card stock and is only the poster style paste back picture that is printed  onto the card ! The inside of this wonderful sleeve is totally pristine and thoroughly immaculate  with no fading at all . I am happy to grade the sleeve as EXCELLENT MINUS .
I have owned many many many copies both USA and UK pressings of this LP over the last  40 years but never seen another that comes with this seriously rare and I must say beautiful inner sleeve. A cracking shot of the ELEKTRA BUTTERFLY flying away with the  golden ELEKTRA logo on a white background. This rare inner advertises other artists of the  day also signed to ELEKTRA records. Such asThe Doors ,Tim Buckley, Butterfield Blues band , LOVE, the MC5 and LEADBELLY and of course dates this rare first original !
Side 1 of the vinyl under a normal light shimmers like a brand new record . Under a desk spot light it gleams and looks unplayed. Only under close inspection you can see a few seriously light hairlines probably put there by removing the record from its paper inner. Its plays through its entirety without any faults. Playback is superb . The beautiful ELEKTRA label on side 1 is impeccable and shows about 4 spindle trails only .
Side 2 also has that like new high luster sheen indicating really low usage or previous owners  that knew how to look after their records. There are a few hairlines for those that search but they are so light in their nature they are totally immaterial to the playback . Side two also plays through its entirety without any jumps skips or sticking. Immaculate. The label to side two just like side 1 is STUNNING 4 or 5 spindle marks at most.The record grades as EXCELLENT. 
So a great condition sleeve with a really lovely record and an exceptionally rare inner sleeve. This is a real beauty for the more descerning collector. 
THIS IS THE GREATEST ALBUM EVER MADE BY ANYONE ! I heard my first copy in late 78 when the Punk Movement was beginning to taper off. And I hated it completely. It just sounded like a complete bunch of noise, not music at all. A friend told me "dont give up, dont let this LP beat you, keep playing it and find a way in" Months and months later my way in was T.V.EYE . When the penny drops on this LP it lands hard ! And to this very day , every time I decide to give this album a spin I seam to hear something I never heard on any of my previous 10,000 spins. It is truly an album that matures with you !
Take T.V. EYE .... To this day I have never heard a song with a better start . Total ferocity ,and it continues  through the whole LP. For me this album condensed the whole Punk movement and I could  see what the Punks were trying to achieve. DIRT....... Did you ever get treated like DIRT ? This GENIUS LP TALKS TO ME.......
Back then when it was made in 1970 it sounded 20 years ahead of its time  and it still sounds 20 years ahead of its time today !  25 years ago I had a 16 year old kid working for me and he said put that crazy album  on the cd player. I picked up THE STOOGES debut LP and put it on .  He said no not this one that other one, the one that sounds like there are a bunch of  people are being hacked to death on it. I put Funhouse on and he said "yeah thats it".  Lester Bangs could not have said it better !
Over the past few years THE STOOGES records have been rising steadily and their albums have started to fetch the money that truly reflects their rarity . This is down to the band FINNALLY getting something like the recognition that has ALWAYS been their due !  This is of course down to a number of things but chiefly down to IGGY POP`s total refusal to be ignored. To FINALLY after 8 nominations , getting inducted into the ROCK N ROLL hall of  fame, and to films such as Lock Stock and Two smoking barrels. Trainspotting all using Iggy`s music  and to the recent re-union tours , all the books and the documentaries such as the Superb Gimme Danger. But more than all of this, it seams FINALLY NOW 50 years after THE STOOGES first formed. It seams the world has at last caught up with IGGY And THE STOOGES music. THE MAN IS A GENIUS. And now the cat is out of the bag. The fan base of THE STOOGES is growing all the time. One thing here is certain. The value of STOOGES first pressings and rarities like this one right here are certain to soar in value as the time moves on.


A PENNY START AND NO RESERVE !!!!!!
Please click see sellers other items. I will be selling some exceptionally rare  records over the next few weeks.


Postage and packing is as follows.
I DO NOT POST TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE UKRAINE OR ITALY.

POSTAGE AND PACKING AND INSURANCE IS
FREE.FREE.FREE.FREE.FREE.FREE.FREE.FREE !
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE COUNTRIES LISTED BELOW.
I DO NOT SHIP TO THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION . ITALY or THE UKRAINE.
All my records are housed in Mobile Fidelity Mastering Sleeves. This prevents further paper scuffs marking the vinyl when removing  the record from the original inner sleeve and prolongs the condition of the original inner sleeve .