THE VELVET UNDERGROUND Loaded RARE UK 72 TRANSITIONAL.

	£		54
	$		71

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all. More details on this nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND

Album Title: Loaded.

Producer(s): Geoff Haslam, Shel Kagan, The Velvet Underground.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Who Loves the Sun; Sweet Jane; Rock & Roll; Cool It Down; New Age.

Side 2: Head Held High; Lonesome Cowboy Bill; I Found a Reason; Train Round the Bend; Oh! Sweet Nuthin’.

Label/Format/Info: Atlantic – first, 2nd-press on the new green and orange labels, these richer in colour than later ones with a very flat matt finish with ridges. These little-less rare than the Plum originals. When the label format changed in early 1972, the initial new runs included the original 2400111 matrixes along with the plain A / B (unnumbered) K 40113 Kinney number (full details further down). This also quite a poor selling album and this copy a real beauty with all evidence strongly indicating it has hardly even been played. (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both immaculate: ultra clean, fresh and attractive with just a couple of faint spindle marks only. Two near factory-fresh first issue Kinney labels that will be hard to ever find better.

Cat Number: K 40113.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 130 grams. Way above average for this album and era where vinyl was in short supply due to the oil crisis of the time.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce: Plum originals are quite rare, very first Kinney ones almost the same. Dual matrix first pressings with the new label format (I refer to these types as ‘transitionals’) and number from 1972 in supreme condition are no less easy.

Original Year of Release: 1971 (this first issue Kinney copy from 1972)

Matrix Nos: K 40113 A [2400111 A // 1 1 1] & K 40113 B [2400111 B // 1 1 1] [a very scarce dual matrix pressing, these details all punched Roman and very pronounced, NOT scripted]

Musicians: Sterling Morrison – guitar; Lou Reed – vocals, guitar, piano; Doug Yule – keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, drums, backing vocals, lead vocals; Adrian Barber, Tommy Castanero, Billy Yule – drums. Mo Tucker is credited with drums on the back cover, this is incorrect information.

Brief Info: The Velvet Underground’s final classic and almost as hard to find as an early issue as their previous albums. Loaded is regarded as the ‘lost’ Verve/MGM album, they had been contracted to do one more for the label, but relations had broken down. The songs had been recorded, but MGM were not ready to ‘invest’ more money into a band that were not selling enough and the two sides parted company. It took some time before Reed and Co found another label that would issue their material – Atlantic. A band that were never ones to follow the crowd: in 1966, when catchy, lucid, three-minute pop tunes were the rule, they recorded their first album, which was dominated by dark themes and taboo songs of drug use, sex, sado masochism, feedback and femme fatales. By 1970, when they recorded this, their fourth album, the vogue was for unwieldy drug anthems. Therefore, they made Loaded, an album dominated by catchy, three-minute pop tunes, probably in an attempt to get more air-play and even a hit single. Their record label, expecting a wild, Warholesque romp, did not know what to make of the album, and it died a commercial death. It failed to even chart in their native US and proved a massive flop in the UK too, it’s spectacular failure means all early pressings are rare. Since then, it has gained respect from fans and critics as the source of many of Lou Reed’s best compositions, including classics such as ‘Rock and Roll’ ‘Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ and the classic - ‘Sweet Jane’ (Standing on the Corner, Suitcase in my Hand) – Reed rarely sounded better than this. By now a four piece, Cale and Nico had now gone and Mo Tucker was away having a baby (although credited on the cover). Apparently, Reed, who left the band soon after, was not happy with the production and subsequent re-mix. Quite how this wonderful melodic album, loaded with such fine songs could simply be ignored by all but the very few is a total mystery. I have had a small few Plum originals before, but this only my second ever ultimate first issue on the new Kinney label with the dual matrixes. Both record and cover are in very clean condition and offers top quality sound throughout. For fans of Reed and his final Velvet Underground album, this copy will prove hard to be significantly better.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(+): a single unlaminated format with a very matt finish. Printed and made in England by MacNeill, just the same as the one with Plum copies inside except the catalogue number.

Cover Front: Impressive with little wear at all, and always so difficult. Highly prone to all forms of wear, this has survived the years well, and now over 40-years-old. Any traces of grubbiness or darkening are very light with just one faint surface crease (look very hard) and minimal rubbing or marks. Hardly even a hint of any record impression or rim marks, thus no ring wear, this front will take a fair degree of beating.

Cover Back: Even more challenging, this black back takes no prisoners, but here is seen as fine as the attractive front. The lack of ring wear on a 40+-year-old cover with matt black surfaces is little short of remarkable and only shows a light thumb type surface crease under light. The small surface mark but the real bonus apart from the lack of ring wear is the general absence of finger marks or handling issues on the very revealing matt black surface.

Top Edge: Dead straight and unworn.

Bottom Edge: Same again just with a near microscopic rub trace near the right white corner tip.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Ultra clean and razor sharp with no wear. Even when viewed end-on, barely even a hint of thickening or burring. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced.

Spine and Text: Solid, quite straight with a little fairly light patchy compression – probably the only reason I did not grade with an extra (+). All text is present and unworn and beautifully centred, the ends are pinched in manufacture.

Corners: All four are crisp and pointed with barely any wear, creasing or dinks.

Cover Summary: Always a difficult cover and finding one so little aged is extremely difficult. Flat matt McNeill covers printed in 1972 are rarely seen a great deal better. One that should please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): a plain white unlined inner that has barely any wear, just lightly darkened with age. Barely a crease to be seen and all edges unsplit with no repairs, both window circles immaculate.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): this being ultra critical. A superb visual copy that is very clean, shiny, intense black and solidly pressed. A copy hardly even played on all the evidence with any surface traces almost minuscule, even when scrutinised under bright angled light. Visually a wonderful record that should please most-all collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This superb, first pressed record on the new label format plays up to it’s high visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is high with a full dynamic range and detailed sound. Any surface sounds barely even registered and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing. This brand new cut is very impressive, later issues would not compare. Few copies will match, let alone outperform this scarce example that, as stated and detailed above, includes the original Polydor A//1 & B//1 matrixes. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has hardly been played – barely even run-in in vinyl terms – and has been clearly little handled and generally carefully stored. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. This record will prove very difficult to find better and this more unusual and rare set merits my highest recommendation.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.