THEM "BELFAST GYPSIES" ORIGINAL SONET PRESSING GP-9923

	£		68
	$		90

THEM "BELFAST GYPSIES"

ORIGINAL COPY. FIRST SWEDISH PRESSING. Released 1967 . Mono. Sonet/Grand Prix Records, catalogue number; GP-9923, Matrix numbers; 9923A / 9923B.

ULTRA RARE SWEDEN ONLY LP with a classic late-60 MOODY picture of THEM. This is a LEGENDARY THEM LP & HIGHLY desired by the TOP THEM collectors due to such a UNIQUE SLEEVE & the fact that it is a SWEDISH ONLY ISSUE.

It also doesn't have that bloke on it, you know, Van Morrison. This was the LP they made after he left.

It is on the VERY collectable SONET label. Sold POORLY at the time, so not many copies around. VERY RARE item.

The last comparable condition copies sold on eBay for $307, $223, $125.

Not currently for sale anywhere else worldwide.

99p start.

Sleeve Condition : NEAR MINT-MINT.

The laminate cover (front & back) is practically mint bar a very small tear on the back at the bottom.

Spines are mint with extremely light almost non existent corner scuffs,

Vinyl Condition, Visual: EXCELLENT.

Has some light surface marks which generally don't affect sound quality

Vinyl Condition, Audible: EXCELLENT-NEAR MINT.

Just some light crackles mostly in between tracks, also a couple of small clicks on side one, track 2

Label Condition : NEAR MINT.

Some signs of ring wear otherwise mint

This item is offered with a money back guarantee, please see below.

TRACK LISTING:

SIDE ONE

1. GLORIA'S DREAM

2. THE CRAZY WORLD INSIDE ME

3. MIDNIGHT TRAIN

4. ARIA OF THE FALLEN ANGELS

5. BABY BLUE

6. PEOPLE, LET'S FREAK OUT

SIDE TWO

1. BOOM BOOM

2. THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

3. PORTLAND TOWN

4. HEY GYP! DIG THE SLOWNESS

5. SUICIDE SONG

6. SECRET POLICE

Biography:

Garage rock is an ugly beast which rears its head every so often even at times when it is unwanted. 1967 was a dull time for garage rock, and yet the Belfast Gypsies put out a sneering, garage rock platter of an lp, and because of the changing times, were considered has-beens. But given time, Them Belfast Gypsies has indeed become known as a garage rock classic, inspiring everyone from The Modern Lovers to Iggy Pop (who claimed the Belfast Gypsies' Secret Police was one of his favorite garage rock singles), and thanks to reissue label of the year Rev-Ola, Them Belfast Gypsies has been finally reissued on cd.

Kim Fowley discovered the Belfast Gypsies from the remnants of Van Morrison's group Them. Upon the birth of Van Morrison's solo career, Them split into two different groups - Them bass player, Alan Henderson took the group's name to the U.S. and released some psychedelic albums (Now & Them and Time in! Time Out! For Them! have also been reissued by UK reissue label Rev-Ola). The other off-shoot of Them, was re-christened the Belfast Gypsies, and included Them's organist Jackie McAuley and his brother, Pat, on drums. Under the wing of Kim Fowley, who was visiting the UK fresh from California, looking for new bands to work with, the Belfast Gypsies released a couple of singles and an album under the names Belfast Gypsies and The Freaks of Nature. Where the splinter Them group who settled in the U.S. took a foray into psychedelic music, Belfast Gypsies stayed true to their R&B garage rock roots, creating primal stabs of vinyl passion. Rev-Ola has done an incredible job bringing together all of this music on one amazing cd, which - if you haven't heard, will shatter your illusions that you've heard it all before.

At a time when The Beatles' Revolver and Sgt Pepper were paving the way, creating a blueprint for other groups to follow, often these lesser groups were followers and their end results were dire. Belfast Gypsies, however were caught and held in that moment which made them so great. Kim Fowley did a wonderful job in that way - he was able to take the angst of rock groups of the day and nurture that angst for all it was worth.

Belfast Gypsies is that mix of folk rock gone asunder (a la the Animals' House of the Rising Sun) and the Bo Diddley beat mixed with Kim Fowley's freaky LA paranoia. Kim Fowley gave the group help on such songs as Gloria's Dream (a take on the original Them's hit song with great follow-up results), People, Let's Freak Out (definitely a tune worthy of being released by a band also called The Freaks of Nature... as only Kim Fowley would name them) and the astounding Secret Police (the crowning moment for the Belfast Gypsies sound - a snarling, paranoid anthem which pulsates with angst).

Belfast Gypsies combine these moments with their own originals, some blues and folk covers, as well as a couple of Dylan/Donovan tunes.

Belfast Gypsies were honing into the folk rock sound on their originals which include The Crazy World Inside Me (a plea-ridden song with a building melody), Aria of the Fallen Angels (a tongue in cheek "classical" inspired instrumental which sounds like soundtrack music), Suicide Song (the strangest song on the album about the suicide of the girl form the wrong side of town) and The Last Will and Testament (another folk rock inspired ballad which owes a lot to the sound of The Animals).

The blues and folk rock songs include Midnight Train (with an amazing workout on harmonica), Boom Boom (a chestnut no-one was covering in 1967, and this version blows away many of the versions I've heard of this oft covered tune), and The Gorilla (an obscure French EP instrumental and one of the true gems on this cd).

The Dylan cover of It's All over Now, Baby Blue is also another one of the finds on this disc - one of the better covers of this song, and it should be in any Dylan fan's collection. The Donovan cover of Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) is a fitting Belfast Gypsies cover (check that song title) because it has that Bo Diddley beat that the Belfast Gypsies do so well.

Our accurate condition gradings are based on those used in the UK 2008 Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide. Please see below for a complete explanation.

International bidders welcome – Internationales Bewerber Willkommen – Bienvenue Internationale De Soumissionnaires – Recepcion Internacional De los Licitadores

Please read the description and terms of sale carefully and contact me with any questions or further information you may need before you place a bid.

Google the Rat Records website for anything else you want to know about Rat Records.

Please see our other items currently offered. We will be uploading more items every Thursday evening. Thank you for looking. I wish you very good luck bidding. Regards, Tom Fisher.

Why you should buy from Rat Records:

I GUARANTEE this item to be in the condition as described above. If it is not as described, I offer you a full refund of the sale price and sale postage.

Please check my 1800 plus 100% positive feedbacks, from over 2100 separate transactions accrued over 8 years on eBay. That's a lot of record listing and satisfied customers.

I provide a professional, swift and honest service. I value your custom, aim to treat you well and hope we can do more business in the future.

I have been trading in records and CDs for over 20 years in London and have owned 4 shops before the current one.

I never describe our records as Mint unless they really are superb. Correspondingly my Excellent (Near Mint) is a very high standard. All my records are play graded. As part of my gradings I listen to each item. I will contact you by the next business day after the auction has finished. Items are despatched the next working day after payment clears. I will keep you informed by email throughout the sale.

I do not set reserve prices. I start all my auctions at 99 pence. I do not end my auctions early.

My packaging is excellent, will protect your purchase, and is at cost. Items are sent in a PVC sleeve with the vinyl placed in a separate card sleeve. The package is then wrapped in bubble wrap and sent in a heavy grade cardboard mailer.

If you buy more than 1 item from me at a time, I make a postage discount, please see postage terms above.

Please see our other items and add me to your favourite sellers. I list new items once a week on Thursday evenings finishing 10 days later on Sunday nights.

Please mail me with any specific wants you have as I am always buying and processing fresh stock. If you are passing, drop into the shop – Rat Records, 348 Camberwell New Road (Denmark Hill end), London, SE5 0RW, open 6 days 10.30 -18.30 - where I have thousands of records and CDs on sale.

If you do not reply within 3 days to arrange payment, or payment does not reach me within 7 days without explanation I will relist the item or offer it to the second highest bidder.

If you have a problem with your item, please get in contact before leaving any feedback, and I will try to remedy the situation.

Returns. The item must be safely returned to us in the original condition using an insured, traceable delivery method. The item must be returned to us within 7 days of your receiving it. Return postage costs are your responsibility.

Payment & Postage terms

Acceptable payment forms are; Pay Pal in £ Sterling or cheques from a UK bank. It takes 5 working days to clear cheques so please allow for this when waiting for delivery.

We make no charge for PayPal payments, and offer you the reassurance of PayPal’s Buyer Protection Plan £500 cover, subject to their T & C.

Currency conversion by the xe.com site at end of auction.

Postage Options:

UK, First Class Recorded Delivery: Costs: £3.00, Delivery time: 1-2 working days, Online tracking, Signature required, Insured up to £30. Multiple Purchase Discount: 2 LPs: you pay £1 less.

UK, Special Delivery: Costs: £5.00, Delivery time: next working day, Online tracking, Signature required, Insured up to £250. Multiple Purchase Discount: 2-3 LPs: you pay £8.50.

Europe, airmail, Costs: £3.50, Delivery time: 3 working days. Multiple Purchase Discount: 2 LPs: you pay £1 less.

Japan, USA, rest of world, airmail, Costs: £5.50, Delivery time: 5 working days. Multiple Purchase Discount: 2 LPs: you pay £1 less.

For airmail items worth over £30, we strongly recommend buyers pay an additional £5.00 for the International Signed For service which insures the item up to £500 and prioritises delivery.

UK Record Collector Grading System:

MINT: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in the sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition.

EXCELLENT (US version of this term: Near Mint): The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in the sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.

VERY GOOD (US version of this term: VG++): The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover, or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

GOOD (US version of this term: VG): The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits etc.