DAVID HEMMINGS+THE BYRDS HAPPENS VERY RARE SEALED ORIG'67 MGM MONO (PROMO?) LP

$

98

WE CURRENTLY HAVE  NEARLY 300  LISTED ITEMS

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·       DAVID HEMMINGS with JIM McGUINN AND CHRIS HILLMAN (TWO THIRDS OF THE 1967 LINEUP OF THE BYRDS)  – DAVID HEMMINGS HAPPENS – ORIGINAL 1967 MGM RECORDS MONO LP E-4490 PRODUCED BY JIM DICKSON, THE FIRST BYRDS' PRODUCER AND MANAGER.

·       ORIGINAL U.S. PRESSING

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

THIS ITEM COMES FROM THE INCREDIBLE STOCK OF STILL SEALED MGM/VERVE/VERVE-FOLKWAYS/FORECAST FAMILY OF LABEL PRESSINGS IN WHICH WELL OVER 90% OF ALL TITLES TURNED OUT TO BE EITHER WHITE OR  YELLOW LABEL PROMOS; WHILE WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THE PRESSING YOU WILL FIND INSIDE WILL BE A PROMO, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING ODDS ARE EXCEEDINGLY HIGH THAT IT WILL BE.

·       BELIEVED TO BE A CUSTOM YELLOW MGM SPECIAL DJ PROMO LABEL

·       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.

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

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

·       ORIGINAL, THICK CARDBOARD COVER (AMERICAN STYLE)

·       THICK, HEAVY VINYL PRESSING

·       MONO version of this album has NEVER been available on legitimate Compact Disc or in any other digital format.

 (►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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This is an unexpected gem from the Sixties. Certainly, David Hemmings was very well known but not as a singer. He starred in a number of classic films from the era, most notably "Blow Up" where he portrayed a photographer apparently uncovering a murder. The singing side of him remained relatively unknown. Having made his name in the UK, David Hemmings headed off to LA where he met up with a number of the Byrds as well as their producer Jim Dickson. The seemingly unusual collaboration produced this album. In keeping with the Byrds connection, the opening track "Back Street Mirror" is a Gene Clark song that was written and recorded subsequent to his departure from the group. However, it was never released, and David Hemmings recorded his vocals over the existing backing track. This is really something to thank David Hemmings for, otherwise this Gene Clark song would have remained unreleased. "Reason to Believe" is the Tim Hardin classic, and Hemmings' version stands up with the best of them. The guitar style of this track reminds the listener of the Incredible String Band, a likeness that appears in later tracks. "Good King James" starts with some clearly recognizable Roger McGuinn guitar. Like many of the other tracks, this was improvised in the studio. This was done in one take! "Bell Birds" is an old song but the lyrics had disappeared over time so new lyrics were written by David Hemmings. Like "Good King James", the track "Talkin' LA" is another studio improvisation where McGuinn and Hillman provide the backing to Hemmings' semi-spoken vocals. The backing track is less free-form, and this allows Hemmings to improvise with his thoughts about Los Angeles. He had recently moved to the area and seems happy. "Anathea" is another traditional folk song where Hemmings lays down a beautiful vocal on tops of the Byrds' backing. The song also appeared on the Judy Collins/Jim McGuinn album of 1964. While some of the tracks feature spoken, improvised vocals Hemmings shows here that he has a fine singing voice. "The Soldiers Wind" & "After The Rain" are beautiful songs. Another improvisation is "War's Mystery" which has the unmistakable Roger McGuinn Rickenbacker guitar sound, but with the addition of Indian instruments it has the air of a Robin Williamson song, even if the lyrics are quite different. The track is a long improvisation. This is more than just a curio from a 1960s actor. Hemmings shows that not only does he has a fine singing voice but also that he can improvise his lyrics on top of a backing track. You could say that it is folk-rap! The album stands up on its own and the fact that Hemmings is an actor is quickly forgotten. The album is easily accessible to fans of the Byrds or the Incredible String Band and will be of interest to others with more of a leaning towards folk psychedelia. The rare and strange Clark composition "Back Street Mirror" is worth the price of admission, but it's the McGuinn & Hillman free jazz-psych session playing & backing vocals on their own compositions like "Good King James"; "War's Mystery" & "Talkin' LA", that make this a fully satisfying listen.

The LP was released in the US on MGM Records (4490). The Back cover has a long commentary about David by Liz Smith which includes some great descriptions of his "reptilian eyes", his "brooding look of a dissolute poet", "the tangle of those mind-blown blond locks" and "the glacial intensity of those dissipated blue eyes". He is described from "Blow-Up" as moving "pragmatically through the memory's eye in neon white trousers" and expressing "the super-cool of hedonistic curiosity". He is compared to "fabulous villain leads: Richard III; Robert Louis Stevenson's Mr. Hyde; Jack the Ripper; Lawrence of Arabia; Caligula; Dorian Gray; or Alexander the Great." His screen appeal described as "his mystique of feisty masculinity" and "his baby face, the imperturbable blankness of the cynically alienated hero." All in all, a great write-up!

Track Listing

SIDE ONE: "Back Street Mirror" (written by Gene Clark, arranged and produced by Leon Russell); "Reason to Believe" (written by Tim Hardin); "Good King James" (David improvised the lyrics, a one take song); "Bell Birds" (old folk song, David wrote the lyrics since he'd forgotten all but a few words of the original he'd heard in his childhood); "Talkin' LA" (seven minute improvised song, all lyrics by Hemmings, Music by Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman). SIDE TWO: "Anathea" (Roger McGuinn and Jimmy Bond did the music, David did the lyrics, an old folk song); "After the Rain" (written by Bill Martin who taught it to David on the way to the recording session); "War's Mystery" (another improvised song. Lyrics by Hemmings, McGuinn and Hillman music); "The Soldier Wind" (written by Bill Martin for David). Finding a still sealed original mono copy?!?! Forget it – not even a HOPE!!! This may be the last one you will ever see.

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·                               CONDITION:

·                               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)            Mono pressing of this title is much rarer, and by far more  preferable to its stereo counterpart. We think that the mix is more natural, humane, "organic" and that the mixes are somewhat different than on the stereo version. We estimate that stereo copies of this album outnumber mono pressings by a ratio of at least 5:1.

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

·       COVER

COVER IS NEAR MINT, STILL SEALED AND COVERED IN ITS ORIGINAL ►SHRINK WRAP; (PLEASE NOTE: THE SHRINK WRAP HAS SEPARATED ALONG ABOUT 40% OF THE OPENING SIDE, BUT THE ALBUM IS STILL VISIBLY SEALED);

The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the cover:

-         Cover has three corners slightly dinged (nothing significant)

-         Cover has  light "wrinkle" (crease)  in two bottom corners (one in each)

-         Cover shows some light yellowing on back side, apparently from aging  (nothing significant).

NO OTHER IMPERFECTIONS ON THE COVER:

-        No split seams

-        No ring wear

-        No cut-out (drill) holes.

-        No cut-out corners

-        No saw-marks or indents

-        No dirt/dust rubbing stains (friction marks caused by rubbing against other covers)

-        No writing

-        No stamps

-        No peel-off marks

-        No stains

-        No mold or mildew spots

-        No stickers or labels

-        No water damage

-        No razor marks, scratches, pressure marks, lines, streaks, or  cuts.

-        No warping

-        No wax, glue, paint or liquid drops on the cover

-        No glue traces or wax residue.

-        No bar codes

-        No RIAA stamps or stickers. 

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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 that you pay for USPS International Priority Mail OR International Express mail when making a payment in order to obtain tracking information, which is NOT available for First Class International shipments.

INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE rates vary from country to country. 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 (THE BUYER PAYS FOR THE RETURN POSTAGE); 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

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