Gentle Giant - Octopus (Vertigo Swirl) - or should it be Vertigo Spiral? NICE
£
100
$
133
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Description
What is it: Gentle Giant - Octopus (Vertigo 6360 080)
Ah yes, the Shulman brothers who used to be Simon Dupree and the Big Sound before going more prog than anyone known to man. This is an original copy of their fourth (?) album from 1972. This is one of the first pressings, with the fancy spiral/swirl label - later ones have a spaceship label. If you thought Matching Mole and the Soft Machine's time signatures were not mad enough, or that Larks Tongues In Aspic by King Crimson was a bit too commercial, this could be for you. Classic Roger Dean sleeve too - one of his best.
The record: VG+ - I am being extraordinarily tight on this as I know it is (potentially) an expensive record - there is a tiny wispy mark on one track and you can see from the label that this has been played a few times. However, it looks pretty stunning, as if the previous owner only allowed it to be played on a very expensive deck and only touched it while wearing snooker referee's gloves. See note below as to what I consider a VG grading to be.
The sleeve: VG+ - It loses marks for a tiny amount of ringwear on the back and the tiniest amount of feathering on the opening edge - i.e. evidence that it has not spent its entire life in a plastic sleeve. There is a sticker from the shop that originally sold it on the back, which I have left on as it is quite a cute period detail, though I am sure you could get it off with a dab of lighter fuel. Fundamentally, a sleeve in great condition as it approaches 40 years old.
Trust my gradings! I worked in the rarities department of a famous London record shop chain and I grade old school. If I say something is VG I am speaking Old School Record Collector grading - i.e. a record that has been very well looked after, not (as you see all the time on eBay) something that has been found in a lake. And I don't grade anything MINT unless I know it is unplayed.
I post everywhere, and my rates are fair. I will endeavour to send expensive things signed-for, and will provide proof of postage if necessary and help you hound the postal service if anything goes missing (hasn't happened to me yet - touch wood).
NB: I recycle packaging - it's cheap and (in environmental terms) it's the right thing to do.
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