Kaleidoscope Faintly Blowing LP ORIG 1969 UK FONTANA PSYCH HOLY GRAIL

$

1,400

PLEASE NOTE: I WILL ONLY GRADE AN OPENED LP NEAR MINT (NM) IF I CAN GUARANTEE IT HAS NEVER BEEN PLAYED (i.e. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER).  OTHERWISE, NEAR MINT MINUS (NM-) IS THE ABSOLUTE HIGHEST GRADE I WILL ASSIGN AN OPENED LP.


I have, or at least I like to think I have, a decent collection of Holy Grails.  I'm currently auctioning some of them off this week and if you take a look you may agree or disagree but I digress.  Out of all of the Holy Grails I own this is the one I'm most reluctant to part with.  In my opinion one of the greatest psychedelic records of all time, on par with Sgt. Peppers, S.F. Sorrow or Odessey & Oracle.  Pressed in minute quantities back in 1969 but spoken of in hushed tones of reverence among psych collectors now, this sophomore release is far more accomplished than their debut LP from '67, also released on Fontana and also massively rare.  They recorded a third LP in 1971 but by then the impish UK paisley psych scene with whom the band were so closely aligned had given way to the seriousness of prog.  The LP was shelved and wouldn't see a release until 20 years later!!!  It would have taken a creative miracle to top Faintly Blowing, however, and the band were most likely running on fumes by then, discouraged by slow sales and diminishing returns.  But thankfully we still have this masterpiece.  A true lost classic if ever there was one.  LP is VG+ with a few very light paper scuffs directly above and to the right of the big Fontana "F" on side 2 and a thin water mark that only extends one quarter of an inch into the actual grooves on the first track but isn't audible.  Side 1 has even fewer and lighter paper scuffs and 2 thin water marks but only one that extends around one quarter of an inch into the actual grooves on the lead track.  The other barely touches the grooves on the first track.  Neither is audible however.  Cover is fully laminated on the outside and easily VG+, close to VG++ with a tiny seam on the rear gatefold at the bottom middle and barely a hint of corner wear or ring.  This LP ranked number 113 out of the 200 rarest UK records of ALL TIME (Record Collector Magazine #355) so don't sleep psych collectors.  Just hope I don't get seller's remorse and decide not to part with it. 


I USE GOLDMINE GRADING: MINT (SEALED)
NEAR MINT: LOOKS UNPLAYED VG++:  VERY VERY MINIMAL SIGNS OF USE
VG+:  AVERAGE SIGNS OF USE, NOTHING DEEP, SUPERFICIAL VG:  STILL AN OK RECORD, NOISE BETWEEN SONGS
GOOD: WORN BUT PLAYS FINE WITH DISTRACTING NOISE POOR:  FILLER COPY ONLY.  LOTS OF SCRATCHES