FOCUS Focus 3 UK 1st Press A1//B1 NICE COPY

	£		20
	$		27

A BREAKDOWN OF THE ARTIST/S :-

A former Amsterdam Conservatory student, Thijs van Leer (keyboards/flute/vocals) with Martin Dresden (bass) and philosophy graduate Hans Cleuver (drums) backed Robin Lent, Cyril Havermans and other Dutch singers before 1969's catalytic enlistment of guitarist Jan Akkerman (Born 24 December 1946, Amsterdam, Netherlands), veteran of the progressive unit Brainbox. The new quartet's first collective essay as recording artists was humble - accompaniment on a Dutch version of Hair - but, heartened by audience response to a set that included amplified arrangements of pieces by Bartok and Rodrigo, Focus released a bona fide album debut with a spin-off single, "House Of The King", that sold well in continental Europe. However, aiming always at the English-speaking forum, the band engaged Mike Vernon to produce Moving Waves which embraced vocal items (in English) and melodic if lengthy instrumentals. The album included the startling UK Top 20 hit "Hocus Pocus".

After reshuffles in which only van Leer and Akkerman surfaced from the original personnel, the band stole the show at British outdoor festivals, and a slot on BBC television's The Old Grey Whistle Test assisted the passage of the glorious "Sylvia', into the UK Top 5; Focus 3 and earlier album also reached the upper echelons of the charts. After stoking up modest interest in North America, 1973 began well with each member figuring in respective categories in the more earnest music journals' popularity polls. An in-concert album from London and Hamburger Concerto both marked time artistically and, following 1975"s Mother Focus, Akkerman left to concentrate on the solo career that he had pursued parallel to that of Focus since his Profile in 1973. With several solo efforts, van Leer was also well-placed to do likewise but elected instead to stick with a latter-day Focus in constant flux which engaged in a strange studio amalgamation with P.J. Proby before its final engagement in Terneuzen in 1978. Akkerman and van Leer guided Focus through a 1985 album before the 1972 line-up re-formed solely for a Dutch television special five years later. Another line-up, fronted by van Leer and guitarist Jan Dum‚e, released a comeback studio album in the new millennium.

Discography:
In And Out Of Focus (Polydor/London 1970)***, Focus II aka Moving Waves (Imperial/Blue Horizon/Sire 1971)****, Focus 3 (Polydor/Sire 1972)***, At The Rainbow (Polydor/Sire 1973)**, Hamburger Concerto (Polydor/Atco 1974)**, Mother Focus (Polydor/Atco 1975)**, with P.J. Proby Focus Con Proby (Harvest 1977)***, Jan Akkerman & Thijs Van Leer (Vertigo 1985)***, Focus 8 (Musea/Rock Symphony 2002)***.

THE COVER :- Textured gatefold sleeve

THE LABEL :- Polydor labels

THE VINYL VISUALLY :- On initial inspection of this piece of vinyl I cannot see any areas of immediate concern. The vinyl sits perfectly flat on the turntable so there are no nasty warps to worry about. The vinyl still retains its just pressed quality, full of deep shine and lustre. There are a few light scuffs on Disc One, nothing i would consider a scratch more handling in and out of the sleeve marks. Disc Two as is often the case looks a lot less handled and played and shows far less in the way of wear. Disc One visually graded as Excellent and Disc Two at Excellent Plus to Near Mint.

THE VINYL PLAY GRADED :- The playgrading of the vinyl reveals hardly any lessening in the sound quality. It lives up to its visual grading. There is very minimal surface noise. What there is can be only heard on the run in and run out of tracks and extra quiet areas of the album. The sound quality is high with a full dynamic range and very detailed sound. I feel certain this album has been played carefully and stored well over the years. There are a few ticks at the start of Disc One and a little crackle at the start of Track 4 but thereafter it is a strong solid play. I would grade the audio playback as Excellent condition for Disc One and Excellent Plus to Near Mint for Disc Two.

THE SLEEVE FRONT CONDITION :- This is the very earliest 1st press textured sleeve. The front of the sleeve is free from writing, free from stickers or evidence of previously removed stickers. The sleeve reveals just some very light ringwear and a few light spidery creases. The colours are bright and crisp with just a little feathering. I would grade the front of the cover as Excellent condition.

THE SLEEVE REAR CONDITION :- The rear of the sleeve is free from writing, free from stickers or evidence of previously removed stickers. There are only a couple of light creases on the rear of the sleeve and light ringwear. Just some very light corner wear. Again the rear still retains its original crisp colours. I would grade the rear as Excellent condition.

THE INNER GATEFOLD CONDITION :- The inner of the sleeve is free from writing, free from stickers or evidence of previously removed stickers. There are only a couple of light creases on both sides. Just some very light corner wear. Again the inner still retains its original crisp colours. I would grade the rear as Excellent condition.

THE LABEL DISC ONE CONDITION :- Original Polydor labels in excellent order free from stickers or writing and no damage at all, light signs of play around the spindle hole. Excellent Plus condition.

THE LABEL DISC TWO CONDITION :- Original Polydor labels in excellent order free from stickers or writing and no damage at all. No signs of play around the spindle hole. Near Mint condition.

THE SPINE CONDITION :- The writing on the spine is crystal clear. No spine splits at all. Just very light signs of shelfwear along the length. Excellent condition.

THE TOP EDGE CONDITION :- The top edges have a little shelfwear rubbing in the corners and one spot along the back length

THE BOTTOM EDGE CONDITION :- The bottom edges are in great shape with only a very light rubbing of the surfaces.

THE OPENING EDGE CONDITION :- The opening edgesshow a few handling marks and a little wavyness around those areas

THE INNER SLEEVE CONDITION :- Generic white inners in Excellent condition

THE EXTRAS :- No extras were given with this album

THE CATALOGUE NUMBER :- 2344 038/039

THE YEAR OF RELEASE :-  1972

THE LABEL :- POLYDOR

THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN :-  UK

PLAYING FORMAT :- STEREO

THE MATRIX NUMBERS :-  2344038 A//1  &  B//1  2344039 A//1  &  B//1

TRACK LISTING :-

SIDE ONE :-

1. ROUND GOES THE GOSSIP
2. LOVE REMEMBERED
3. SYLVIA
4. CARNIVAL FUGUE

SIDE TWO :-

1. FOCUS III
2. ANSWERED QUESTIONS! QUESTIONS? ANSWERS

SIDE THREE :-

1. ANONYMUS II (PART 1)

SIDE FOUR :-

1. ANONYMUS II (CONCLUSION)
2. ELSPETH OF NOTTINGHAM
3. HOUSE OF THE KING

WHAT WE PLAY THE RECORD ON :- 

We use a Project 6 Perspex Turntable to play grade our records which delivers a rich authoritative sound and achieves a rich and weighty vibrancy unrivalled by the majority of decks within its price range

HOW WE CLEAN YOUR RECORD :- 

We use a V.P.I. HW-16.5 record cleaning machine to clean your vinyl. "A highly recommended machine" as quoted by Stereophile magazine. This removes any excess dirt before playing

HOW WE PACKAGE YOUR RECORD :- 

Your record will be package very securely to minimise any risk of damage during transit. We remove the record from the outer sleeve unless asked not to do so. This helps to minimise the risk of seam spliting. We use a high quality record mailer which is designed to give superior protection for your vinyl record. We place stiffeners either side of the record for added protection. The album will also be placed in a 450 gram Poly outer sleeve for even extra added protection

POSTAGE AND PACKAGING CHARGES FOR UK CUSTOMERS :-

We advise that items reaching over £50 in price to be insured and sent by Special Delivery. This protects both of us and ensures better handling of the parcel during transit.We are in no way out to make money from postage. The postage price includes the record mailer, stiffeners and plastic sleeve. We just want your item to reach you in the best possible condition. A breakdown of insured postal services are listed below. Please choose to use the relevant postal service for your own protection as once these rare records are lost they can quite often seldom be replaced

 SECOND CLASS RECORDED (INSURED UP TO £50) :- FREE

FIRST CLASS RECORDED (INSURED UP TO £50) :- £0.45

SPECIAL DELIVERY NEXT DAY UPTO 500g :- £3.80

SPECIAL DELIVERY NEXT DAY FROM 500g - 1000g :- £5.00

(SPECIAL DELIVERY INSURES YOUR ITEM UPTO £500)

POSTAGE AND PACKAGING FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION :-    

All records reaching under £10 are sent to the European Union by Airmail small packets. We will not ship abroad without insured post for items reaching over £10

AIRMAIL SMALL PACKETS  :-  £6.22 (For items under £10)

INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR :-  £11.37 (For items £10 - £50)

INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR :-  £13.97 (For items £50 - £500)

(These prices are based on a package weight of no more than 500g and can vary for heavier packages)

POSTAGE AND PACKAGING FOR THE USA AND CANADA :- 

All records reaching under £10 are sent to the USA & Canada by Airmail small packets. We will not ship abroad without insured post for items reaching over £10

AIRMAIL SMALL PACKETS  :-  £8.78 (For items under £10)

INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR :- £13.93 (For items £10 - £50)

INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR :- £16.53 (For items £50 - £500)

(These prices are based on a package weight of no more than 500g and can vary for heavier packages)

POSTAGE AND PACKAGING FOR THE AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN AND ROW :- 

All records reaching under £10 are sent to the Australia & Japan by Airmail small packets. We will not ship abroad without insured post for items reaching over £10

AIRMAIL SMALL PACKETS :- £9.06 (For items under £10)

INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR :- £14.21 (For items £10 - £50)

INTERNATIONAL SIGNED FOR :- £16.81 (For items £50 - £500)

(These prices are based on a package weight of no more than 500g and can vary for heavier packages)

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DO NOT PROFIT FROM POSTAGE, THE PRICES WE QUOTE ARE QUITE ACCURATE AND INCLUDE THE PACKAGING MATERIALS AT COST PRICE

NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS:

PLEASE AWAIT AN INVOICE BEFORE PAYING SO WE CAN WORK OUT THE CORRECT POSTAGE/SHIPPING CHARGES

BUYERS OF MULTIPLE ITEMS :- 

Postage prices and courier methods for multiple purchases will be calculated after the auction end. It is impossible for us at the pre auction stage to determine these prices as the final weight is unknown.If you are the winner of multiple items the please await contact from us or alternately contact us yourself for a breakdown of the shipping costs.You will only pay the stamp price + relevant packaging charges so there are big savings to be made with multiple purchases

HOW TO PAY FOR YOUR RECORD :-

We can accept the following payment methods

UK BUYERS :- 

• PayPal
• Personal cheque (Please allow to clear)
• Bankers Draft
• Postal Order

OVERSEAS BUYERS :-

• Paypal only

TERMS AND CONDITIONS :-

We always try to appraise the record for sale as openly and honestly as possible and provide plenty of pictures for you to look at but please be aware that errors however rare do occur and not everyone has the same audio  equipment. There is no problem that cannot be worked out in a civilised manner. We urge you to contact us so that we can discuss any small problems that may occur. We offer a refund of the purchase price for returned items within 7 days of purchase and are happy to help you with any questions or concerns you may have during the auction

SAVE US TO YOUR FAVOURITES LIST AS WE INTEND TO LIST MANY MORE RARE VINYL TREATS OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS