THEO SCHUMANN COMBO 1969 FUZZ FREAKBEAT MOD PSYCH HEAR

$

28

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

THEO SCHUMANN COMBO "same"

Original 1969 LP on the East German AMIGA label, STEREO 8 50 200

Cover:  VG, not bad but 6" spine split

Vinyl:  Clean, plays VG+, 1 skip detected on Side 1 Track 1 at start of "Vesuv"

Anyone who says the Germans can’t groove has never slept with Uschi Obermaier, or watched her biopic Das Wilde Leben (I’ve done one of them, betcha can guess which one).  And anyone who says the Germans can’t groove has also never heard the Theo Schumann Combo, a downright groovy go-go shakin’ Sergeant Pepper marching band of mini-skirt madness!  Granted, I think the matching oompah band outfits on their first album from 1969 were a goof – I don’t believe they always dressed like the sales department for Cherry Hi-C – but you’ll notice three of the five guys are carrying guitars, and two of ‘em are electric.  And there’s nary a tuba or glockenspiel in sight.  Good sign.  And sure enough, once you actually take the gamble and spin this plattenspiele, you’ll find a number of fantastic go-go strobe light dancefloor shakers in these grooves.  Like the awesome “Vesuv,” which slides in some killer fuzz work and groovy shiver organ.  And the plinking wah wah frenzy of “Feverland,” which sounds like the name of Peggy Lee’s theme park, another great Bavarian discotheque mover and shaker that erupts midway in a flurry of blitzkrieg fuzz.  And since we are talking late 60’s here, the Theo Schumann boys throw in a couple of mystical Indian magic carpet rides too, like the warbly Bombay spy theme “Aladin.”  Sure, they may seem a little rigid at times, and their trains run wa-a-ay too efficiently for my taste, but any nation that prides itself on getting drunk for a full month in the Fall has got to have a little bit of groove in ‘em.  And if you can imagine Uschi Obermaier in a mini-skirt and thigh-high boots getting down to “Vesuv” after another tryst with Mick and Keith, you might seem a little rigid yourself.

 HEAR IT!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS REQUIRE DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS AN EXTRA 75 CENTS.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $10 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $16 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  ALL FOREIGN ORDERS REQUIRE CERTIFICATE OF SHIPMENT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA $1.10.  I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.   I DO NOW REQUIRE THAT ALL FOREIGN BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1.10 FOR PROOF OF SHIPMENT.  IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR ME TO PROVE THAT I ACTUALLY SHIPPED YOUR PACKAGE AND DIDN'T JUST POCKET YOUR MONEY AND SKIP TOWN.  For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.