VAN MORRISON ASTRAL WEEKS INSANELY RARE SEALED ORIG '68 WARNER LP w/7 ARTS COVER

$

575

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WE CURRENTLY HAVE  MORE  THAN 500 LISTED ITEMS

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·       VAN MORRISON - ASTRAL WEEKS - ORIGINAL 1968 WARNER BROTHERS STEREO LP WS-1768

·       ORIGINAL U.S. PRESSING

*** STILL SEALED GUARANTEED ORIGINAL FIRST PRESSING ***

THIS ITEM COMES FROM THE INCREDIBLE, SINGLE-OWNER COLLECTION WE ACQUIRED A WHILE AGO, IN WHICH ITEMS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT BY THE OWNER FROM THE MID-1970s to THE MID-2010s WERE KEPT STILL SEALED IN A NEAR-LABORATORY, TIME-CAPSULE CONDITIONS AND IN PRACTICALLY CLIMATE- AND HUMIDITY- CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.  CONDITIONS OF SOME OF THESE ITEMS RANGE FROM IMPECCABLE TO TRULY UNBELIEVABLE. SOME OF THESE BEAUTIFUL MUSEUM PIECES LOOKED SO PERFECT THAT WE HAD TO REINSPECT AND RE-EXAMINE THEM A FEW TIMES TO MAKE SURE THEY OUR EYES ARE NOT DECEIVING US.

·       ORIGINAL GREEN WARNER BROTHERS LABEL WITH A W-7 LOGO AT THE TOP OF THE LABEL (THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, FIRST PRESSING)

·       THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC, FIRST U.S. PRESSING; THIS IS NOT A REISSUE, AN IMPORT, OR A COUNTERFEIT PRESSING.

·       HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THIS STILL SEALED ALBUM CONTAINS ORIGINAL, FIRST PRESSING INSIDE? THAT’S EASY: ORIGINAL COVERS HAD WARNER BROTHER’S “SEVEN ARTS” (W-7) LOGO ON THE BACK COVER ; ALL REISSUES, WHETHER ON GREEN “SHIELD” LABEL (1970-1973) OR ON “PALM TREES” LABEL (1974-1978) OR ON BEIGE WARNER LABEL (1979-1989)  HAD A WARNER BROTHERS “SHIELD” LOGO ON THE BACK COVER. PLEASE SEE A COMPOSITE PHOTO WITH A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON, SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR ILLUSTRATION.

·       A NOTE ON THE ALBUM'S TITLE:  WHILE NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW FOR SURE HOW THE ALBUM GOT ITS NAME OR WHAT IT WAS NAMED AFTER, WE HAVE A THEORY THAT IT WAS NAMED AFTER THE ASTRAL BUILDING (NOW A NEW YORK CITY LANDMARK) IN GREENPOINT, NORTH BROOKLYN, AND WE SPECULATE THAT VAN THE MAN HAD SPENT A FEW WEEKS LIVING IN THE BUILDING IN THE WAKE OF HIS LEGAL AND FINANCIAL WOES FOLLOWING HIS BREAK-UP WITH THE BANG RECORDS IN LATE 1967 (OUR LITTLE THEORY MAY BE ENTIRELY WRONG; YOU'D HAVE TO ASK THE MAN FOR VERIFICATION, UNFORTUNATELY, IN A BAD CASE OF "WHEN IRISH EYES ARE FROWNING" OUR MAN'S BEEN A LITTLE UNCOMMUNICATIVE AND GRUMPY AS OF LATELY).

·       THE THICKNESS OF THE VINYL, THE APPEARANCE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE COVER, LABEL’S LOGO AND OTHER PERIPHERAL ELEMENTS OF THE COVER, ARE ALL PERFECTLY CONSISTENT WITH THE ORIGINAL, FIRST PRESSING OF THIS TITLE.

·       TWO “BREATHE” (AIR) HOLES NOTED ON THE SHRINK WRAP

·       ORIGINAL, THICK CARDBOARD COVER (AMERICAN STYLE)

·       THICK, HEAVY VINYL PRESSING

(?PLEASE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE COVER, LABEL OR BOTH, SHOWN BELOW)

(Note: this is a REAL image of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. This is NOT a "recycled" image from our previous auction. What you see is what you'll get.  GUARANTEED!)

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Astral Weeks is generally considered one of the best albums in pop music history. For all that renown, Astral Weeks is anything but an archetypal rock & roll album: in fact, it isn't a rock & roll album at all. Employing a mixture of folk, blues, jazz, and classical music, Van Morrison spins out a series of extended ruminations on his Belfast upbringing, including the remarkable character "Madame George" and the climactic epiphany experienced on "Cyprus Avenue." Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, Morrison sings in his elastic, bluesy voice, accompanied by a jazz rhythm section (Jay Berliner, guitar, Richard Davis, bass, Connie Kay, drums), plus reeds (John Payne) and vibes (Warren Smith, Jr.), with a string quartet overdubbed. An emotional outpouring cast in delicate musical structures, Astral Weeks has a unique musical power. Unlike any record before or since, it nevertheless encompasses the passion and tenderness that have always mixed in the best postwar popular music, easily justifying the critics' raves.

(EXCERPT FROM AN ONLINE REVIEW BY WILLIAM RUHLMAN, ALL MUSIC GUIDE  /ALLMUSIC.COM/)

For its extraordinary contribution to the contemporary music, superb production, craftsmanship, fine musicianship, revolutionary significance and influence it exerted on numerous generations of musicians, songwriters and general public, or for some other inherent quality, this album was voted one of top-200 albums of all time in one of the largest poll of critics, music reviewers, show business professionals and producers ever organized: the poll, which was conducted by Paul Gambaccini, the legendary BBC Radio A&R man, surveyed more than 50 top music professionals (including Roy Carr, Jonathan Cott, Robert Christgau, Cameron Crowe, Chet Flippo, Ben Fong-Torres, Charlie Gillett, Greil Marcus, Murray the K., Lenny Kaye, Bruce Morrow (a/k/a "Cousin Brucie"), Tim Rice , Lisa Robinson, Robert Shelton, Ed Ward, Joel Whitburn, Pete Wingfield, etc.). For more details, see: "Critics Choice: Top-200 albums" , Omnibus Press, Library of Congress Catalog No.7855565.   Finding a still sealed original copy?!?! Forget it – not even a HOPE!!! This may be the last one you will ever see.

TO SEE IF WE HAVE OTHER LISTED ITEMS BY THIS GROUP OR ARTIST ?  CLICK HERE

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·                               CONDITION:

·                               THE RECORD

(IMPORTANT NOTE: unless otherwise noted, ALL records are graded visually, and NOT play-graded!; we  grade records under the strong, diffuse room light or discrete sunlight)

(a)          THE ALBUM IS STILL FACTORY SEALED AND IS BELIEVED TO BE PERFECTLY MINT. Please note: sealed items are assumed to be mint and are sold as-is, as we have no way of inspecting them. For our policy on still sealed records ?click here (PLEASE READ BEFORE PLACING A BID).

(b)          The record is believed to come in its original stock inner sleeve

(c)           The record is apparently pressed on a beautiful, thick, inflexible vinyl, which was usually used for the first or very early pressings. Usually, the sound on such thick vinyl pressings is full-bodied, vivid, and even dramatic. Do not expect to obtain such a majestic analog sound from a digital recording!

(d)          Of course, this is a full-bodied ANALOG recording, and not an inferior, digital recording!!!

·                               THE COVER

COVER IS STRONG NEAR MINT, STILL SEALED AND COVERED IN ITS ORIGINAL ?SHRINK WRAP   (A SMALL PIECE OF SHRINK WRAP IS MISSING)

The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the cover:

-         The cover has a small (3") razor-like line (cut) on the back panel, as if someone attempted to cut away the shrink wrap with a razor, but inadvertently left the mark on the cover as well. The paper slick is intact and no part is missing, but the razor line is visible.

-        Cover has some tiny, faint writing on its back side (a microscopic price code written in one corner)

-        Cover has a few tiny wrinkles along the top and bottom seams  (nothing significant)

-         Cover shows JUST A HINT of yellowing on back side, apparently from aging. bare'

NO OTHER VISIBLE FLAWS OR IMPERFECTIONS ON THE  COVER

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POSTAGE & SHIPPING:

We offer THREE postage rates for both Domestic and International Mail: Media Mail, Priority Mail and Express Mail for domestic, and First Class, Priority International Mail, and Express International Mail for international orders. INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: WE RECOMMEND (BUT DO NOT INSIST) that you select USPS International Priority Mail OR International Express mail when making a payment.

INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE rates vary from one region of  the world to another. For SPECIFIC international and domestic postage rates ?click here. While you can be rest assured that our packaging is careful, sturdy and impact-proof, please note that damage, loss or theft in transit is always possible, and in the case of some countries even PROBABLE. To discuss this potential problem and ensure flawless delivery, please contact us thru eBay BEFORE placing a bid.

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OUR REFUND POLICY :

WE OFFER UNCONDITIONAL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM THE RECEIPT OF THE MERCHANDISE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED; Still sealed items MUST be returned sealed in order to be eligible for a refund Some restrictions apply. Please read our complete refund policy before placing a bid. ?Click here  for the full text of our policy

FINE (BUT IMPORTANT!) PRINT

(1) The year indicated in the title bar is the year of the original release,  NOT necessarily the year of the actual pressing; for the actual generation of the pressing, please see our item description (top section, text in red letters). (2) Please do NOT bid based on the title bar, subtitle bar or item specifics box alone; instead, please read the entire description and grading before bidding; (3) Absolutely NO order cancellations after the auction closes. ever, under any circumstances. We can ONLY cancel bids before the item closes. (4) We are unable to cancel bids in the final 12 hours of the auction; if you need to do so, please contact eBay for help (5) We are unable to provide matrix-, stamper- or other pressing  information in the final 24 hours of the auction. If you require this information, please contact us well before the final day of the auction. (6) Yes, we DO combine shipments. Please click on "Shipping and Payment" tab on top of the auction page for additional details. (7)  All Paypal payments must be made from confirmed Paypal shipping addresses. NO third party shipping addresses will be honored (8) Absolutely NO partial refunds: if you are unhappy with the merchandise you received, please return it for a full refund, postage included (9). Civilized people can disagree without accusing each other of being indecent or dishonest; if you need proof of this seller's personal integrity, please check our eBay feedback, which speaks for itself  (10) All disagreements and miscommunications can be - and will only be - solved in a civil and mutually respectful manner;  please avoid puerile, offensive, abrasive or menacing language (attempted humor is fine and usually appreciated, although overused-to-death sarcasms can be really, really tedious. (11) This seller will accommodate all reasonable requests and is generally a flexible and agreeable person (12) Our love & appreciation for your trust, loyalty and business, always and forever; Thank You & Good Night!

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