Uriah Heep : Very 'Eavy...Very 'Umble 1Y1 / 2Y1

This first pressing on the Vertigo label plays with stunning audio for the vast majority and Side A in particular is amazing!  It plays with incredible clarity, depth and power and 'Come Away Melinda' is the finest version I have ever heard.  Actually the best Side A I have ever heard!  Side B is also very impressive but does have one brief skip on 'I'll Keep On Trying' during an instrumental section.  I'm not sure exactly why but as detailed below I did clean the record again and the skip was replaced by a dull pop but it returned again after a couple more plays.  The rest of the track is 'as new'.  This is still one of the finest first pressings I have ever listened to and has clearly not been over-played judging by the audio and the visual quality.

A first pressing has a large swirl on the label and 'Real Turned On' and 'Walking In Your Shadow' have been swapped around on the cover credits / label.  It was also released with a laminated cover.

The gatefold is in superb condition with barely any wear and has been so well preserved down the years.  The original swirl inner is also in great shape.

With international shipping (including Europe now) I will declare a lower amount so as to decrease/avoid any Customs' fees.

6360006 1Y//1 ? 420 1 1 1

6360006 2Y//1? 420 1 1 4

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio S2 is Mint(-) (T1 intro Ex+ / T3 Poor for one second / T4 Near Mint) 

The gatefold is Ex++

The labels are Near Mint-

The original inner is Ex+

Visual grading

The vinyl is in lovely condition with no marks or scratches and still has an immaculate glossy sheen.  Side A in particular is stunning with only a very small number of barely visible hairlines and Side B is also very impressive with only one small hairline that is a little more obvious but has no affect on the audio of course.  There are a handful of other sleeve removal hairlines but these are again very light.  The run out grooves are super clean as are the Vertigo labels which have no marking or writing and not too much spindle wear.  It would be difficult to find a better looking one than this!

Play grading

The classic 'Gypsy' plays with stunning clarity and power from the get go with no sign of any interference.  A Mint start for sure!  There is no let up in quality as Byron's vocal comes in and it continues in the same precise way.  The 'wild' organ solo is so strong and there is distortion on the top end, it has the wow factor!  It has no ticks or clicks and no static either, can't say I've ever heard it play this well.  The following quiet section is perfect aside from a couple of light ticks and the next 'heavy' section plays with stunning quality also.  The final vocal is faultless and the closing section has no 'background' either - this has to grade as Mint- overall.

The percussive intro on 'Walking In Your Shadow' is 'as new' and the first verse is of the same standard.  Thereafter it plays with superb audio and...no interference.  Judging by the visual quality I was hoping it would play well and so far I am not disappointed!  There is no 'muddiness' to the audio, just that strong deep typical Heep sound that is even more impressive on a Vertigo first pressing.  The mid solo is flawless and the remainder more than maintains this 'high end' standard.  The fade out has no 'background' which gives a good indication of the clarity here.  Another Mint- track.

If you are lucky enough to win this album 'Come Away Melinda' will amaze you for sure!  In all my years I have never heard such a beautiful version.  The first half is of course so quiet and yet the clarity is just STUNNING!  There is no 'background', perhaps a couple of barely audible dust ticks but that hardly qualifies as 'background'!  It continues to play with exceptional quality as the volume increases and acoustic end sequence is also faultless.  Byron's vocal throughout is so strong and I am confident in grading this as Mint- such is the sonic quality.  A truly sensational version that delivers on every level.  Never heard better and so much better than you will find on any other pressing.

The intro on 'Lucy's Blues' plays perfectly as does the first vocal section.  The mid section instrumental is equally as good and again there are no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  From start to finish there is no interference and Mint- is again an honest appraisal of the audio.  What a side!

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The quiet intro on 'Dreammare' plays very clearly with only a small number of very light ticks (not clicks!) and as the volume ramps up the playback is flawless.  The first vocal section is of the same quality and from then onwards plays with tremendous power and depth with no sign of any distortion.  So an Ex+ intro and Mint- for the remainder.

'Real Turned On' is stunning from the word go and there is no intrusion on the audio across the entire track.  The sonic quality is comparable to a first ever listen and remember this record is over 50 years old!  There is no 'background' of any kind, not even a dust tick, and Mint is very much deserved here.

The intro on 'I'll Keep On Trying' is outstanding!  No interference, no static distortion just the 'cleanest' of audio that you could wish to find.  Byron's opening vocal is again sublime and it continues to play to an exemplary standard.  The 'quieter' section does have one brief skip right in the middle.  I gave the record another clean and it then played with a dull pop sound instead but after another couple of spins the skip returned.  Please be aware of this before bidding!  Perhaps with a heavier cartridge it would not occur.  It's a shame because aside from that this section plays with great clarity and there is no underlying static at all.  Damn it!  Box's work then plays with terrific power and definition and the remainder is faultless.  The end section really stands out - the playback here is mind-blowing!  Difficult to grade but 99% is Mint but is Poor for that one second of interference.

'Wake Up (Set Your Sights)' plays with superb audio from the very first groove - this entire powerful opening sequence has no interference at all and it's worth noting again there is no inner groove distortion at all.  The quieter section then plays beautifully with just one static tick but again there is no actual background static tick to be heard.  As the music comes back I detected just one faint tick but overall the clarity is stunning and the final vocal also plays to perfection.  I will grade as Near Mint but the majority is certainly better than that!

In summary this very collectable first pressing could hardly play any better.  The clarity and power on both sides has to be finest I have heard on this classic album and it is just unfortunate about the momentary skip on S2.  Aside from that you cannot fault the sonic quality on offer and the quieter sections do play so clearly which is a rarity.  The cover as detailed below is also in lovely condition.  A fine 'package' overall.

The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve

The laminated cover is in superb condition with no obvious shelf wear.  The edges are super clean as is the spine which remains 100% legible.  It has a slight rough feel over a couple of sections but there is no actual laminate damage.  There is hardly any corner wear and the opening edge is pristine.  The front cover is in great shape also with only a small laminate crease bottom left and a small number of faint creases around the edges which you always see anyway.  The back cover is equally as good and the inside of the gatefold is near perfect with only a minimal amount of the usual white 'speckling' you find near the top edge of the left panel.  Nothing on the right hand side.  A very  impressive cover for sure.

The original inner dated 0470 is in superb order with only one tiny corner split.  There are no side splits or tears and barely any creasing and only minimal related fading around the edges.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

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

6360006 1Y//1 ? 420 1 1 1

6360006 2Y//1? 420 1 1 4

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

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