MOTHERS OF INVENTION We’re Only In It For The Money RARE ORIG UK 1968 NEAR MINT.
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ONEADAYRECORDS – Serving-up a Christmas & New Year Feast of Entertainment
I would like to wish all my customers, regulars and newcomers, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR
Over the Holiday Period, I am offering some interesting Christmas ‘Crackers’ – lovely albums – some rare – ENJOY!
Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all, and records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time as most record buyers will already know. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS including full side protection and bubble wrap, the records removed from the covers of course. All this very safe packing means I lose money on every box I post, but safe delivery is, and will always be paramount. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives. Also, I will pay for insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received if possible. PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT send any item, no matter what its value without a Royal Mail or courier tracking number. ALL my items must be signed and trackable to comply with Ebay delivery rules. Please do NOT ask me to make any exceptions to this rule as no country offers 100% reliable service without it.
Artist or Band: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION
Album Title: We’re Only In It For The Money
Catalogue Number: SVLP 9199
Producer: Frank Zappa
Executive Producer: Tom Wilson
TRACK LIST:
Side 1: Are You Hung Up?; Who Need the Peace Corps; Concentration Moon; Mom and Dad; Telephone Conversation; Bow Tie Daddy; Harry, Your a Beast; What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body?; Absolutely Free; Flower Punk; Hot Poop.
Side 2: Nasal Retentive Calliope Music; Let’s Make the Water Turn Black; The Idiot Bastard Son; Lonely Little Girl; Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance; What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body (reprise); Mother People; The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny.
Label/Format: Verve – intense matt black surfaces with a gentle hint of texturing, all text details seen in the pictures. Side one has the embossed ‘K T’ tax codes.
Label Conditions: Both little short of immaculate, very clean, fresh and highly attractive with hardly a spindle trace to be seen. This truly incredible copy appears hardly played and sounds fantastic.
Rarity: First SVLP UK issues are quite rare and seldom found in anything like top conditions. In recent years, available original Frank Zappa and Mothers of Invention albums have declined as more people are discovering this man’s work. Older fans also seeking upgrades for well worn copies of their favourites. The early originals especially did not sell well, this one fared a little better charting at 31 in the UK, certainly the ‘Sgt Pepper’ cover similarity with would have attracted some attention. Most of the early original Verve classics, when they do surface, often trashed with grubby, creased and very shabby covers, and records hardly fit to even play. Few who bought these were hi-fi connoisseurs, many copies scratched and worn-out by vintage heavy-tracking record players. Finding these gems that still offer perfect sound is incredibly difficult. This one matches my own prized copy and all elements in fantastic condition. Fully play-graded on my Linn LP12 Sondek, no guess-work or presumptions, this is an amazing example and rarely found as such.
NOTE: Original copies were intended to include an insert, again a spoof of the one included in ‘Sgt Pepper’. These were forceably withdrawn and originals are near impossible to find. The very first covers had both front and back open for its storage, even the quickly reprinted second ones were sealed on the front. So, to make this copy extra special, because I deem the insert crucial and fun to own, I include a reproduction taken from a UK original (my own), a FREE bonus for the winning bidder. This archive quality original is likely to prove the final upgrade.
Original Year of Release: September 1968
Matrix Nos: V6 5045 A-1 / V6 5045 B-1
Stamper Codes: 1 G / 1 G [the ultimate first stampers, ‘G’ being the very first in the pressing sequence]
Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.
Warps or Lateral Movement: Assume all records I offer have no significant warping or lateral movement to cause sound or tracking issues. All should play fine even on budget turntables.
Weight of this Record: 153 grams. A heavyweight ultimate first pressing.
Musicians: From left to right: Frank Zappa – Guitar, piano, vocals; Billy Mundi – drums, vocal; Bunk Gardner – All woodwinds, mumbled vocal; Roy Estrada – Electric bass, vocal; Don Preston – keyboards; Jimmy Carl Black (The Indian of the Group) – drums, trumpet, vocals; Ian Underwood – piano, saxophones. Motorhead Sherwood (not pictured on the front, he is seen face-on, on the red inside left) – soprano and baritone saxophones.
Guests: Eric Clapton contributes some vocals; Suzy Creamcheese (Pamela Zarubica) – telephone voice; Dick Barber – Snorks; Gary Kellgren – creepy whispering; Spider Barbour, Dick Kunc – vocal parts; Vicki Kellgren – additional telephone vocals; Ronnie Williams – backwards voice.
”Hey Punk, where you goin’with that flower in your hand?” – “I’m going off to Frisco to join a psychedelic band”.
Brief Artist & Album Info: ‘Are you hung up’?, asks Eric Clapton on the opening line from this psychedelic masterpiece. A priceless album, for me the greatest ever made. These early Zappa albums were treasured by the few and totally misunderstood by the majority – he put the sneer into underground rock. The brilliant satire of the Sgt Pepper cover should have guaranteed extra sales, but these were modest, but it proved Zappa’s first chart success in the UK peaking at Number 31. Zappa’s scathing wit homed in on modern middle-class America and the West Coast hippies and his fears of what was to later emerge. Nineteen mind-twisting songs of avant garde rock, doo-wop, psychedelic pop and hilarious dialogue, which was so hip it has never dated. Zappa made us confront the obvious, and the results were alarming. ‘Money’ reconstructs music and then turns it inside out – it was so far ahead of its time, as was the man himself, few but the brave could accept it. A surreal collage of sound, a psychedelic masterwork that blends together to form the perfect ‘alternative’ album for that heady time. Speeded up voices, strange sounds, a needle being dragged over a record, sections recorded backwards, phasing, short classical interludes, surf sounds, chamber music and finally, the band going off their heads on ‘The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny’, which was Zappa’s answer to ‘A Day in the Life’ from the more famous album. It’s almost incredible how so much entertainment and sound can be compressed on to an album that lasts less than 40 minutes. Among all the weirdness (Zappa describes this as a ‘monstrosity’ on the cover), there are stark messages. ‘Who Needs the Peace Corps’ ran through a list of Frisco cliches, Augustus Stanley Owsley III, the scene’s acid-maker; the ‘psychedelic dungeons’ that were the hippie clubs; Bill Graham’s celebrated venue, the Fillmore. Zappa’s criticism of the hippies wasn’t just grouchy; it was urgent, political and frightening. ‘Concentration Moon’ gave warnings about the internment camps Richard Nixon was readying for non-conformists, while ‘Mom and Dad’ was a chilling premonition of how establishment forces would respond to the anti-war movement (in 1971, when the National Guard University, Zappa’s lyric became a prophecy and a violent reality). ‘Absolutely Free’ and ‘Flower Punk’ mocked Hippy ‘Flower Power’. The album concludes with ‘The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny’, an outrageous sonic-montage designed to out-do George Martin’s ‘mind blowing’ orchestration at the end of Sgt Pepper. This band were not pretty, older than most when they started, but very special, and the originality of this album and all Zappa’s early works is undeniable.
“What’s the ugliest part of your body?” – “I think it’s your mind”.
First UK pressings differ considerably from the early 1970s Select Verve repressings with much more censorship. For the repressings, most was restored and the album was more as Zappa wanted it to be. So both this the first issue, and the repressing are essential for fans, and it’s fascinating to hear the differences as the censorship relaxed. This is a superb all-round copy with ultimate first issue 1G/1G stampers. The record plays beautifully and the cover is fantastic as-seen – clearly protected since purchase. One that can be enjoyed to the maximum. Wilson and Zappa’s production is just so perfect for this piece with the complexity of the engineering incredibly advanced. With many rife with ugly scratches, severe groove wear and terrible sound in accordance, this has absolutely nothing like that, and being totally honest, reminds of new. For the relative few who bought these initially, most played them heavily and so few of the 1960s issues survived unscathed. Remember what these records were played on and the likely types who originally purchased them – rarely hi-fi buffs. A high percentage found are total right-offs and just to see a copy with gorgeous labels and playing surfaces, sound and cover is a thing of beauty. The famous ‘Pepper’ spoof cover has more than stood the test-of-time and looks truly amazing. Zappa originally wanted the band members in dresses on the inside to make the spoof total and complete, but this was objected to, and the compromise was to put this on the outside. I have included a reproduction of the withdrawn insert, taken from my super-rare UK original. Intended for issue – this cover has both edges open – but forceably withdrawn, seen as a spoof too far – UK originals are near impossible to find. This looks impressive and really does make the set ‘complete’. This a copy to match my own personal copy, it will prove a major upgrade for fans and collectors and is seldom seen for offer in this fantastic condition.
Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): arguably better and the merest whisker off my highest Mint(–) grading which I am actually tempted to grade as. A fully laminated gatefold format. The inside has two large external flipbacks on the top edges which are unique to the first-made covers. First Select repressings were briefly laminated on the outsides only and also omitted these flipbacks. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse and this has both outside edges natually open (no glue residues on the inside front). So this earliest cover was intended to include the insert sheet. Also, it has the correct SVLP Catalogue number, the mono one had its own VLP prefix. Includes the reproduction of the essential insert sheet and original unlined inner sleeve.
Cover Lamination – Front & Back (the band in dresses sides): The Mothers from left back to right front are: Zappa; Mundi; Gardner; Estrada; Preston; Black and Underwood.
Both sides retain excellent shine, freshness and clarity with any dulling gentle and light near the edges seen mostly under light. Barely any lifting, a trace on the bottom front right and left back and any edge hairline creasing few, mostly very fine and faint with none away from the sides at all – that a very rare sight. So the band graphics look stunning with deep, vibrant and unfaded colour. The lack of grim and discolouration make both surface exceptional.
Cover Gatefold Inner: Remember, Zappa wanted these two faces to be the outer, main cover to fully replicate ‘Sgt Pepper’ and are equally important as the outer ones, possibly more so in my opinion, the ‘front’ artwork is simply stunning. This centrefold is in fantastic condition. The laminate ultra shiny and clear with any creasing or blemishes minuscule. The top flipbacks are magnificent, and have virtually avoided pulling or sticking on their ends which rarely happens, often it’s damaging and severe. In fact, this one possibly the very best I have seen on these areas, actually better than my own. The reissue covers omitted the flipbacks and laminate on the inside. The original ‘front’ is immense and the graphic sublime.
…Money hailed the arrived of Cal Schenkel, Zappa’s most suggestively visual interpreter. It replicates Pepper brilliantly, but turns it all around. It was photographed by Jerrold Schatzberg in his New York studio. The blue sky of The Beatles classic now becomes a black thunderstorm. The flowers for the band name now are vegetables and the band are attired in dresses. The Mothers were flanked by executive producer Tom Wilson on one side, and Jimi Hendrix on the other. A photo of manager Herb Cohen’s daughter, Lisa, was placed in Hendrix’s arms (Please see my cover close-up). The woman on the right of Frank is Gail Zappa, then heavily pregnant with Moon Unit (soon to be his first-born daughter). Darker images of guests appear, MGM lawyers insisted on printing bars across the eyes of anyone in the collage who was still alive (other than the musicians or those involved), their paranoia simply made it more dark and sinister. In the sleeve notes, Zappa advised listeners to read ‘In the Penal Colony’, a short story by Franz Kafka that dealt with homoerotic abuse, colonialism and military/judicial atrocity – this album and cover remain a disturbing experience to this day.
Top & Bottom Edges: All four superb, straight, flat and parallel, all four with ultra smooth laminate with no scuffs or chips.
Right Edge(s), and Type: Both edges are open (no adhesive inside either), so naturally so in manufacture. These remain very sharp with any hint of thickening tiny and light.
Spine and Text: Another difficult area for this cover. Solid and straight with any compression very light. Folded square, so the edges all meet up perfectly and parallel. This spine, like most standard ‘Sgt Pepper’ spines, have a raised inside hinge, the spine will form a natural central ridge where the text sinks and also causing the laminate to crack and peel. Any laminate shedding on this one little and light near the ends and all text unworn and bold as-seen. Any sinkage minimal and light near the very top. With many, if not most spines on originals grubby, tatty and worn, this has survived in very impressive condition as-seen.
Corners: Any tip rubs or creases tiny, few and very light with no knocks.
Cover Summary: A visual pleasure to view, few of these vintage ‘Mothers’ survive like this. A superb all-round example of this groundbreaking cover. Who, but Zappa would have dared issue a one like this? Now over half-a-century old, this has not just survived, it comes quite close of reminding of as-made, or as they as they are likely to get. These Mothers were not pretty, but were one of the greatest inventive bands of all time and their appeal to fans of the psych underground scene will never be lost.
The Insert: NO GRADE: as NOT an original, UK inserts are nigh-on impossible to find and took me many years to finally find one, and this is a fine reproduction of it. These are seldom seen or offered from anywhere from this time.
The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: a plain solid white unlined inner – no spoof of the ‘Pepper’ inner was ever made. Clean, fresh and hardly aged, this includes the ‘PATENT APPLIED FOR’ text. A little corner area creasing, but all edges naturally intact. My advice to the winner bidder, keep this inside the gatefold to eliminate risk of the flipbacks sticking.
Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: NEAR MINT: grading less would do this stunning record full justice. A fantastic visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and heavily pressed. A copy appearing hardly played on all the evidence with any surface traces minuscule, even as viewed critically under bright light. Visually an amazing record that should please most-all collectors.
Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing equipment, all listed further down.]
Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This psychedelic masterpiece plays up to it’s high visual grading with barely anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear – sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and this is a very clean pressing with no tracking issues* or inherent pressing noises. Few available copies will match, let alone outperform this ultimate first 1G/1G pressing. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been very well stored (inside a protective cover) and carefully handled within a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this lovely record. Still one of vinyl’s most amazing experiences – play this through a quality pair of headphones to hear the incredible detail and weirdness to maximum effect – the vocal separation on ‘Flower Punk’ still a unique experience. This beautifully preserved copy will prove beyond difficult to find better and merits my highest recommendation.
* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams. Records are a ‘contact’ format, and few will avoid the odd minor sound blemish.
Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – not just bits to guess a grade – visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean it’s good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are the item being offered with no digital enhancements. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking – any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.
Equipment Used for Play-Grading: I now play-grade ALL the records I offer (unless clearly stated to the contrary) on the following equipment:Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 805 Nautilus (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable) with REL subwoofer. All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Nessie vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.
PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.
What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.
I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new Nessie Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is minuscule in over 17 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.
NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.
PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.
SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:
Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:
1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75
1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 per extra LP.
Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):
1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.
Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):
1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)
Payment Conditions:
I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.
Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.
My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.
SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE
My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.
The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.
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