ZAPPA / MOI Freak Out Rare Stereo Verve Single LP N/M

$

122

Artist or Band: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION

Album Title: Freak Out!

Cat Number: 710 003.

Track Listing:Hungry Freaks Daddy; I Ain’t Got No Heart; Who Are the Brain Police?; Motherly Love; Wowie Zowie; You Didn’t Try to Call Me; I’m Not Satisfied; You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here; Trouble Every Day (short single album edit); Help, I’m a Rock; The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet.

Label and Condition: Verve a very dark blue/deep purple format that I have never seen quite like this before.

Label Condition: Incredible conditions, both look virtually new. Very deep, almost pastel like thick colour, very matt finish. Spindle marks would have to be almost the lighest I have seen on any Verve label. Just one fine trace on each side and no wear whatsoever to the hole areas. This is an amazing record. Although pressed in Germany, all the circumference blurb is in English.

Country of Manufacture: Germany.

Rarity: I honestly cannot say, I am not even sure when this album was made, the imprint on the matrix states 1967 and this is a very heavy thick record pressed by the famous German, high quality manufacturer, Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft, famous for their state of the art classical records - this is way thicker than any DG record I have ever had. What makes this record even more interesting is the fact this is the same as the UK first issue of this amazing album, that is to say it’s the original single album format and in stereo. Now I do know a bit about Zappa albums and I can honestly say in my experience the UK issued original single Freak Out pressed in stereo is probably the very hardest Zappa album to find, yes even rarer than a mono Lumpy Gravy, these at least do show up sometimes - a stereo single Freak Out rarely ever does. Regarding rarity still more, this copy is in near mint condition throughout, the record has been played twice only, once by myself for grading (more on that further down). And one final point this has to be the very best copy of Freak Out I have ever heard, the stereo mix on this single album is quite astonishing, so clean, so detailed, so dynamic with sounds I swear I have never heard before. I have only once had a UK stereo copy of this album and that sounded great, but this German pressed copy, which appears to use the US mastering is even better, I say that quite honestly. When play-grading this copy, I actually had to stop tapping out this advert, my senses and concentration was shattered by the pure sound on this record. As interesting as the original single mono album is, this incredible real stereo mix is in a class of its own and any FZ fan who never experienced the single album edit in stereo should and will be left aghast too. Is this rare? I truly dont know, my hunch tells me yes, I think this could be early, the massively thick record, the label and the packing all looks right. For sure if any FZ collector is missing the UK single record copy of this in stereo and wants; for me; a copy that’s even better sounding and looking virtually new, dont let this one go. UK copies from 1966 in stereo are near impossible to find, the conditions are likely to be variable (maybe that’s being too polite). This is an amazing record and experience, from 1971 any reissues I know about were the more common and most known double sets, this single version has three original tracks omitted and one track abridged - I guess the UK market did not think a double set was worthy of the larger investment into something they knew would not sell back in 66. If rare, not sure and quite frankly it bothers me little, this is a stunning piece of vinyl, contents-wise the same as the UK original and the cover format virtually the same too, that is artwork wise. This cover has no flipbacks and is glossy front AND back. So something unusual, this like any other single cut of this record will not be found often - its special and for any Zappa fan - extra special.

Original Year of Release: 1966 - when this copy was manufactured, I do not know.

Matrix Nos: 710003 A 1 P1967 B7 B and 710003 B 3 P1967 B7 V

Brief Artist & Album Info: It’s always a huge pleasure to offer such an important album in such stupendous condition - I take my Zappa items very seriously as he is my man and items have to be of the highest quality to offer, this more than fits the bill.

Led by the genius that was Frank Zappa, The Mothers of Invention were outsiders, even on this their debut album. Older than most of their contemporaries, they brought a cynicism to their work that celebrated joys without recourse to nostalgia. Telling parodies of pop forms that were as engaging as those upon which they drew, while experimental pieces, drawn from avant garde compositions by Varese and Stravinsky, took the notion of ‘rock’ into unchartered territory. Zappa’s skills as a musician and engineer ensuring the innovative nature of this creation. Still, even today, its great fun to listen too. The original did not chart in the UK and only made 150 in the States. Made with a budget of $25,000, some $6,000 more than average at this time the albums’ producer was Tom Wilson, he laid his job on the line to make this album and stayed with the band for four albums. This copy on offer is more unusual, for one thing its a rarer stereo mix of the single album format and also pressed by the master German vinyl manufacturers Deutsche Grammophon in Hamburg- like all Zappa Verve albums, this is vital to any collection, all the Verves were different and Freak Out, along with Money are the most essential. Even from the opening bars of ‘Hungry Freaks Daddy’ with its distorted riff which replicates the Stones ‘Satisfaction’ the stage is set. It has a leering savagery and points the finger at Mr America and suggests a wave of non-conformism. The original album, issued in 1966 was a single album (as here), three short songs are omitted (only to be found on the double reissue set or as different versions on Ruben and the Jets). ‘Trouble Every Day’ a song about the Watts race riots in America at this time and is found with a shortened abridged mix here. The astonishing ‘Help, I’m a Rock’ must be the ultimate ‘Freak Out’ track - this must have send shock-waves out to listeners on first issue, nothing had been heard like this before. The final track is even more challenging: ‘The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet’ a modernist sound-composition, it has to be heard many times to be fully appreciated, almost like ‘Revolution No 9’ from The Beatles White Album. This track alone saw Zappa trashing 60s top ten pop music - this was loud, rude and mind-shattering - one subtitle, ‘Ritual Dance of the Child Killer’ - referred to the plot of Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, but in this scandalous context, with ‘Suzy Creamcheese’ (a high-school virgin, who tells us this band is crazy and that they all smell bad on the reissue double cover), played by Jeannie Vassoir, shes sounds as if she’s simultaneously losing her virginity and having an orgasm, but this was the 60s and nobody noticed. A stunning conclusion to a remarkable work - nothing had ever been heard like it before (or since). Zappa with the greatest moustache in musical history, put the snarl and sneer into music, he did not conform and this album, like the man himself was a true original. Too weird and unconventional for most at the time, Freak Out remains one of the most important albums ever, breaking so much new ground, its influence and importance cannot be overstated - its was rock’s first double album too back in the States, but this copy replicates the original UK copy.

Cover Condition and Format: EXCELLANT, with square but light corner dings, very high glossy finish on both sides, this appears to be a very high gloss laminate, you can just about see the end line about 2mm from the front opening edge. Its in the original single cover format and it was printed in Germany by DG Hamburg. The artwork is virtually identical to the UK orig issue but has no flipbacks.

Cover Finish: The high gloss finish is stunning and near perfect and totally devoid of creasing or dulling. Just one very tiny chip on the top front near the left corner next to the 7, you will hardly see it for real let alone on the picture. No peeling or dry areas and even surface marks are virtually non-existent, this cover has been stored inside a protective sleeve for years and if anyone has this better, well lucky them I say.

Cover Front: Rich deep colour and classic psych artwork, this will be near impossible to find better. Tine light creases appear on edges from laminate endue

Cover Back: Very white and unyellowed, no ringmarks or wear. This is close to perfect again.

Cover Gatefold Inner: Not on this one.

Top Edge: Unworn.

Bottom Edge: Unworn.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear, faintest or faint hint of feathering on the front but bear in mind this is black and the glossy protection ends a fraction short so this is vulnerable. Record entered on right outside edge.

Spine and Text: Solid and square with zero wear - this is perfection, text is perfect and unworn under the glossy protection.

Corners: All four show little wear. All still nicely shaped too.

Cover Summary: A near perfect all round example of this stunning cover, one of the most famous in rock history, one that could prove near impossible to find much better. This strong item should please allcollectors.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-) and some would be pure mint. A superb visual copy. Super clean, shiny, jet black and very heavily pressed, even heavier than a UK original on Verve. Barely a mark to be seen, this looks really lovely. A copy not even ‘run-in’. Visually a super record that should please all collectors again. Record comes in its original very heavy, lined plain white inner.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: The record plays virtually as good as it looks. Clean undistorted sound with great detail and definition. This almost takes you into the recording studio itself. Check out that bass-line at the start of ‘Brain Police’ - awesome! Minimal unwanted sounds - faint surface sound maybe in odd place or linking groove, but this is just simply nit-picking, few if any records like this will play in their entirity CD quiet - this comes pretty close though for most part, no scratches, no ticks and the pressing is top quality. Both channels are clear and defined, this is a superb stereo record with great presence and imagery and beats any other copy I have yet heard. I am hyper-critical on FZ albums as important as this (they are all important to me). Play-grading this masterpiece again is always a joy, I swear I hear something new everytime I hear it - as good as the new Japanese pressed CDs are, even these do not compare to the sounds embedded in these deep grooves - a truly astonishing record and recording (produced by Tom Wilson). You want this vintage format looking and sound close to new - it here - Suzy Creamcheese, what’s got into ya?

Mono vs Stereo: Always a matter of opinion. For any serious collector where there is a choice e.g. Beatles, Stones, Hendrix etc. both are essential. True Stereo albums give great imagery and presence whereas mono albums usually are more dynamic, louder and present the detail more clearly. Mono albums are far harder to find in genuinely top playing condition. Most were heavily played, particularly the truly great bands and artists, often covered in mark and scratches, many severe and labels that were a mass of spindle marks. The majority were played on vintage and unsubtle decks with heavy tonearms and thick styli (often sapphire, not diamond, that chipped more easily) that rendered heavy wear in a very short time to many a fine classic record. Wear to the delicate groove walls, particularly the innermost tracks to the labels were most vulnerable where the tracking angle became more severe and the backdrag actually stripped the delicate groove walls. This resulted in surface noise and mild/moderate distortion or worse. These old decks tracked by sheer weight and little of any refined engineering. Next time you see such a deck at a local record fayre, feel the weight of the arm, it almost makes you wonder how any records survived at all. The point of this paragraph is emphasise that when a truly clean, lightly played and great sounding 60s mono album (or stereo come to that) is offered, treasure it, because for sure thery are truly getting vary rare and precious - beware - demand only play-graded records.

Tracks omitted from this original format copy were: Go cry on somebody else’s shoulder; How could I be such a fool; Any way the wind blows. Trouble Every Day is the shortened edit.

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Final Summary: I quote from the back cover of the reissue gatefold format - its written by the (in)famous Suzy Creamcheese “These Mothers is crazy. You can tell by their clothes. One guy wears beads and they all smell bad. We were gonna get them for a dance after the basketball game but my best pal warned me you can never tell how many will show up…sometimes they guy in the fur coat doesn’t show up and somtimes he does show up only he brings a big bunch of crazy people and him and they dance all over the place. none of the kids at my school like these Mothers…specially since my teacher told us what the words to their songs meant.’’

The quote from this cover is very different and it states: “On a personal level, Freaking Out is a process whereby an individual casts off outmoded and restricting standards of thinking, dress, and social etiquette in order to express CREATIVELY his relationship to his immediate environment and the social structure as a whole. Less perceptive individuals have referred to us who have chosen this way of thinking and FEELING as ‘Freaks’, hence the term: Freaking Out. On a collective level, when any number of ‘Freaks’ gather and express themselves creatively through music or dance, for example, it is generally referred to as a FREAK OUT. The participants, already emancipated from our national social slavery, dressed in their most inspired apparel, realise as a group whatever potential they possess for free expression. We would like to encourage everyone who HEARS this music to join us…become a member of the The United Mutations…FREAK OUT!’’

Vinyl like this comes along infrequently for this highly important record, whether its an original or reissue or whatever, for this type of album especially, many are poor, even trashed. But whatever its real age, this still looks close to new. Early Mothers LPs on Verve are fast disappearing and thats all of them, originals and reissues. Like many great albums, this was too ahead of its time, the world was not ready to Freak Out, its just a shame that only after his death does the world more fully appreciates this mans greatness. Freak Out has to be regarded as one of the most important debut albums ever - easily matching or even surpassing The Doors and The Velvet Underground and Nico in the underground genre (and this came first), enjoy this sensational vinyl, as I already said, no stereo single format version is common and I, along with several others who have seen this copy have seen it before, I just hope the winner bidder fully appreciates this fine record – Mike.

Picture is showing the item currently auctioned, no re-use picture !

All my records are Strictly vintage unless otherwise declared, and are conservatively graded, if you are dissatisfied with my assessment of the item's condition, I offer refund.

You can bid with confidence !!!

METHODS OF PAYMENT :

Paypal

SHIPPING AND HANDLING INFORMATIONS :

Prompt careful shipping in a sturdy protective LP box mailer with an additional cardboard and bubble wrap for added protection ($4.00  for 1-3 LP'S  media mail)
Delivery Confirmation is always included when shipped within the U.S

International Rates excluding ITALY are: calculated by distance and weight for 1st LP & $4.50 each additional

Canada: $7 for 1st LP and $2.00 for each additional

All records are packed very carefully in new strong highgrade record mailers, and are shipped prompt upon payment.

Combined shipment is welcome.

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THIS AUCTION, & IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WISH TO GET MORE INFOS, PICTURES... PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME !!