WISHBONE ASH Argus Mca BLACK UK 1972 G/F VERY RARE ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE UK PRESS

	£		30
	$		40

ASTRAL DREAM RECORDS

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PLEASE CONSIDER THAT IN THESE EBAY AUCTIONS I USE A STRICT RECORD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE GRADING SYSTEM THAT CAN'T DISAPPOINT ANYONE BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT ,FOR EXAMPLE,  A VG+ COVER OR A VG+ VINYL  IT'S EQUIVALENT TO "BAD CONDITIONS" BUT SIMPLY THAT MY GRADE IT'S STRICT AND PROBABLY EQUIVALENT TO AN EX OF SOMEONE ELSE WITH  NOT A SO STRICT GRADE. I HAVE SOLD IN THESE AUCTIONS EX- RECORDS THAT WERE SURELLY M- COPIES BUT I PREFERE TO BE STRICT TO AVOID ANY DISAPPOINTEMENT BECAUSE I TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY REPUTATION.

Record Collector Magazine Grading System MINT The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

EXCELLENT The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.

VERY GOOD 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 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, discolouration, etc.

FAIR The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.

POOR The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing.

BAD The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.


graded VG++/EX- for a strict Record Collector magazine grading system

label: The BLACK MCA label with grey writings it's in nice EX conditions without defects. This is the very first press it's just BLack, SO NOT BLACK BLUE AND THE REMAINING COLOR AS SOME DEALER SAY including R.C. magazine (WRONG!). The is the unique label structured as for the DECCA standard label requirement of the period so for example "Made In England-The Decca Record Co. ltd" writing in the upper side of label as all the DECCA label of the period, Decca factory print these MCA labels so it press this MCA labels in the same way of his proper labels.  So this is a fact and the hence the Wishbone Ash first four lps are with BLACK label as it's BLACK the first CAMEL lp. These lps are more hard to find than you think...with the BLACK LABEL of course!
cover: the beautiful gatefold MATT  cover it's a very nice and strong VG++ .
vinyl: The  vinyl it's close to clean and no marks so EX-.
review: The great Wishbone Ash were pioneers of the twin lead guitar sound which was also used by Thin Lizzy and which would become famous in the 80s through the work of Iron Maiden. Some of their early work, including this album, is actually progressive rock, although no keyboards are used.
What immediately stands out on Argus are the bass lines of bassist / vocalist Martin Turner. Unlike many rock bassists of this time, Turner does not just follow the guitars but does his own thing, adding an extra dimension to each song on this album. A prime example of this is formed by the beautiful bass riff (which is even played without guitars for a while) about 3.30 into 'Sometime World'.
The swapping of solos between guitarists Andy Powell and Ted Turner is extremely innovative on this album, especially on the track 'Throw Down the Sword'. I would like to turn everyone's attention to the solo section of this song, since both guitarist are soloing at the same time by playing different lines, yet keeping in perfect harmony, continuously diverging and converging. A great accomplishment which has rarely been heard since.
That being said, the twin lead guitar sound is really great on the album as a whole, which includes a great many beautiful harmonies.
The album has a lot to offer in terms of song structure as well.
The opener Time Was starts out with some beautiful, mellow, acoustic acoustic parts, accompanied by soothing vocals. Halfway the song gains in tempo and becomes more heavy, leading up to a grand finale with some really nice guitar solos.
The song 'Sometime World' starts out as a soft melodic rock song, fading away around 3.30 into the song, only for a beautiful melodic bass line to arrive which increases the tempo of the song and is soon joined by the rhythm guitars, which gradually increase in volume. Vocals follow soon after that, after which a great solo section launches.
A favorite of mine is the song 'The King Will Come', which gradually builds up in volume, starting off with a nice guitar riff with a lot of great wah-wah effects. After about a minute the song is underway and becomes a real melodic rock song. It shows some nice interaction between both guitarists. This really helps to build up the atmosphere. Halfway through the song has an easy, melodic break/interlude which adds even more to the atmosphere and feel of the song.
I guess atmosphere is one of the strong points of this album in general. The album has a bit of a mystic feel, which is nicely represented by the album cover. The feel of each song nicely corresponds with the lyrics as well.
'Warrior' is another highlight off the album, starting out with a real hardrocking riff, arguably the loudest riff on the album, which is followed by one of the better leads on the album right away. The song has a few nice mellow and mystic sections and a great sing-along chorus with heavy riffs: 'I have to be a warrior, a slave I couldn't beeeeee. A soldier and a conqueror, fighting to be freeeeee'.
The only weakness of the album is the lack of a real vocalist. Although bassist Martin Turner does a good job which fits the songs, and so do some of the other members who take part in the singing, a true lead vocalist may have given the album just a little bit extra.
1972's Argus is the prime piece in the Wishbone Ash collection and a must have for any fan of 70s progressive rock. It shows pioneering twin lead guitar work, great (independent) basslines, a lot of melody, and a nice mystic feel in the music and lyrics, which is also expressed in the album cover.. ...GREAT JOB! ... Don't Miss It!

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ALL THE RECORDS ARE SHIPPED FROM ITALY AND I CAN'T SHIP FOR 4$ TO USA ... SO PLS READ THE FOLLOWS POSTAGE RATES AND
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POST & PACKING:
ITALY:  € 9 (Raccomandata 1)
UK:  € 13  for 1/2 lps - from 3 to 6 € 19 (registered air mail)
EUROPE (including ISRAEL - RUSSIA + EASTERN EUROPE COUNTRIES ): € 13  for 1/2 lps - from 3 to 6 lps € 19 (registered air mail)
USA/CANADA/SOUTH AMERICA/JAPAN/SINGAPORE: € 18  for 1/2 lps - from 3 to 6 lps € 29(registered air mail)
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZELAND: 1/2 lps € 24 from 3 to 6 lps  € 34  (registered air mail)

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Guarantee: I try to be as accurate and honest as possible when describing the condition of any LP but of course if you feel that I am mistaken and the description is inaccurate I will offer a complete, no quibble refund (through Paypal) upon return of the item

ALL RECORDS ARE PROFESSIONALLY CLEANED BEFORE DISPATCH AND PACKAGED INSIDE CRUCIFORM MAILER WITH 2/3 STIFFENERS WITH THE VINYL OUTSIDE OF THE SLEEVE TO PREVENT ANY 'KNIFING' DURING TRANSIT.