URIAH HEEP Very 'Eavy… Very 'Umble – RARE UK 1970 LARGE VERTIGO SPIRAL VG++ LP.

	£		100
	$		133

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details 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 ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: URIAH HEEP

Album Title: Very ’Eavy… Very ’Umble

Producer(s): Gerry Bron

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Gypsy; Walking in Your Shadow; Come Away Melinda; Lucy Blues.

Side 2: Dreammare; Real Turned On; I’ll Keep on Trying; Wake Up (Set Your Sights).

Label/Format: Vertigo – full spiral on side one and large spiral logo on side two with the song credits included, so this is a type two ‘first pressing’.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with around moderate, arguably a little less spindle marks. These quite fine and mostly seen under angled light.

Cat Number: 6360006

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: 128 grams. A fine solid pressing.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Early large Swirl copies are getting rare.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: 6360006 1Y // 1 420 1 1 5 / 6360006 2Y // 1 420 1 1 1

Musicians: David Byron - lead vocals; Ken Hensley - organ, piano, slide guitar, mellotron and vocals; Mick Box - lead guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals; Paul Newton - bass guitar, vocals; Ollie Olsson - drums, percussion.

Brief Info: The debut album from Uriah Heep with it’s famous macabre cover and one of the very early titles from the famous Spiral catalogue. Issued to scorn and hostility by the critics of the day, it’s almost miraculous how this band survived and actually thrived selling millions of albums. With one of the most famous and memorable reviews in the history of rock, Melissa Mills of Rolling Stone magazine started with ‘If this group makes it I’ll have to commit suicide. From the first note you know you don’t want to hear any more.’ Well clearly not to her taste, but the band became very popular and what happened to the reviewer? This is superb debut album and live they are always great entertainment. I saw them on at least five occasions in the 1970s and early 80s. A very solid and enjoyable progressive beginning and this includes the sublime track ‘Gypsy’. This very early copy has a lovely little-worn cover, one of the finest I have seen to date. The record has a couple of blemishes: there is a milli-second groove jump at the very beginning of side one – almost a semi-skip as this looses very little information on the non-vocal organ introduction – but a jump is evident from a tiny mark I had to use a magnifier to even locate. Also the final song on side two has a scuff mark that does little at all, this more a visual blemish. For most-all, the sound is impressive with little to fault. But clearly not for the highly discerning or purists who only want perfection. Still a mighty fine example of what is fast becoming a very difficult album to find on this prized collectable label.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(+): and arguably better. A gatefold format with front and back laminate. The inside is matt and smooth. The laminate ends inside the gatefold on the top edges and all closed edges are protected. Printed and made in England and including the original copy warning ‘Copyright subsists in all Vertigo recordings.’ This was later to changed from ‘Vertigo’ to ‘this label’, beware of substitutions. Includes the date-coded 1970 Swirl inner sleeve.

Lamination – Front & Back: Both front and back retain superb shine, freshness and clarity with barely any traces of dulling at all, even under light. No lifting and only gentle rim impression on the back with minimal visibility. Any surface blemishes tiny, few and light, there are several fine edge hairline creases with just one on the back larger, but still light. That famous cobwebbed graphic looks amazing and will never prove easy to find better with such deep vivid colour retained. There is no edge fading with the spine being impressive as well.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Little to fault inside, just a little gentle pulling to the flipback end on the top left face edge. This almost unavoidable, when the cover closes, the slightly sticker end stick and lift slightly, that the case on many similar-made covers, here this is only fine and light.

Top Edges: Immaculate, as new: very straight and fully laminated with no scuffing or abrasions as the fingertip test confirms. These for good measure, also meet up very closely with accurate folding of the spine.

Bottom Edges: Practically the same again.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The tucked and folded, sealed front edge is pristine immaculate with full laminate coverage that is smooth and unpeeled. The open back storage edge is mostly sharp and clean with very little wear. Any thickening or burring being small and light as seen viewed end-on, this is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way.

Spine and Text: Firstly, I will make clear, this spine surface has barely any wear to the ink at all. What may appear chipping to the top of the text area is NOT WEAR, it is part of the graphic which is FULLY INTACT, this confirmed under a magnifying glass. There is a super fine rub trace near the very top on the bottom fold. This is solid, very straight with barely any compression. Also folded very square, so all the edges meet up closely together, flush and near parallel. The hinge style of this cover often means it will form a central ridge simply from opening. This will often mean the text matter sinks and becomes difficult to read. Almost amazingly, this has none at all. Again I state: ALL text is perfect and unworn and the laminate appears mostly intact and strong.

Corners: All corners are very neat and crisp with any tip rubbing tiny, No bashes and minimal hint of any dinks.

Cover Summary: This is almost exceptional – one to hold and simply admire – they come along like this all too rarely. Yes some fine edge creases, but few avoid this. This being one of the few laminate covers made in the Vertigo Spiral era. Finding this better will prove immensely difficult. It should please many, if not most collectors – it could indeed prove a major upgrade for some.

The Spiral Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: and actually looks better. This has its original Swirl inner, date coded 0970 (September 1970). This also in super condition and aged only lightly, it more than does justice to the rest of the set. These Vertigo inners, almost as famous as the labels, do not age well and are normally seen badly browned or split. Any darkening on this original is modestly very light. The lining fully intact, solid and clear with only very mild crinkle. Both window circles are very crisp and sharp with no damage. Any creasing very light – one neat corner diagonal fold – this often purposely to stop the record sliding out. All edges unsplit with no tears or repairs. Overall, an impressive spiral inner, it being the correct original one for this album.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: VERY GOOD(++): a very clean looking record, but as stated, a couple of blemishes. One visual, with a moderate scuff to the final song on side two that is largely superficial with minimal to no audio affect. Side one has a tiny, super fine mark (seen with considerable scrutiny) that causes a milli-second skip at the very beginning of side one. More importantly, on a non-vocal part of an organ introduction. The actual run-in groove has sound, but disappears before the music begins. The any other surface marks very fine and faint as seen under bright light. My visual grading on this is arguably harsh, this is still a lovely record, but the tiny early jump means it is not for purists or the highly discerning. But on the rarer titles, sometimes a little give-or-take is needed – pristine copies of this album command vast prices now. Overall, clean with lovely shine and solidly pressed. Certainly one to please many 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 now quite rare very early Vertigo record plays mostly a full grade better than the cautious visual grading with little else to fault other than mentioned above. The jump is incredibly brief and over with almost immediately it begins. Overall, strong, and mostly very clean sound – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds minimal and light with no inherent pressing or OTHER tracking issues* – it could even be possible a finer tipped stylus than mine may track the flaw at the very beginning – but that is said hopefully, presume it has the jump. So not perfect, so not for everyone, that is fair to say, but if the odd minor, brief issue is acceptable, a very fine example of a Spiral classic. One still meriting high recommendation and this could prove a very nice copy for potentially a more reasonable price.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 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 £2 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’.