QUEEN, Queen II UK 1st pressing 1st label design BLAIRS LP

$

56

Queen?– Queen II Label: EMI ?– EMA 767, EMI ?– OC 064 • 95186 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold Country: UK Released: 1974 Genre: Rock Style: Hard Rock, Glam Tracklist Side White A1 Procession A2 Father To Son A3 White Queen (As It Began) A4 Some Day One Day A5 The Loser In The End Side Black B1 Ogre Battle B2 The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke B3 Nevermore B4 The March Of The Black Queen B5 Funny How Love Is B6 The Seven Seas Of Rhye Companies etc Record Company– EMI Records Ltd. Phonographic Copyright (p)– Trident Audio Productions Ltd. Printed By– Garrod & Lofthouse Engineered At– Trident Studios Credits Bass Guitar, Acoustic Guitar– John Deacon Castanets [Virtuoso]– Roy Thomas Baker Design Concept [Sleeve Concept]– Mick Rock, Queen Engineer– Mike Stone Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Bells– Brian May Management– Jack Nelson Percussion, Vocals– Roger Meddows-Taylor* Photography By, Art Direction– Mick Rock Producer– Queen, Robin Geoffrey Cable (tracks: B3, B5), Roy Thomas Baker (tracks: A1 to B2, B4, B6) Typography– Ridgeway Watt Vocals, Piano, Harpsichord– Freddie Mercury Written-By– May* (tracks: A1 to A4), Mercury* (tracks: B1 to B6), Taylor* (tracks: A5) Notes ? 1974 Trident Audio Productions Ltd. An edition with slightly different center label design: Queen II First pressing has 'Side White' and 'Side Black' just beyond spindle hole.

UK FIRST PRESSING VINYL LP IN LAMINATED GATEFOLD SLEEVE WITH ORIGINAL LYRIC INNER SLEEVE.

Why buy a first or early pressing and not a re-issue or a ‘re-mastered’ vinyl album?

First pressings are made from first generation lacquers and stampers. They usually sound vastly superior to later issues and re-issues (which are often pressed from whatever tapes or digital sources are currently available).

Many recent vinyl pressings claim to be mastered from ‘original tapes’ and are pressed on expensive 180g vinyl. Sonically, they frequently sound disappointing when compared to a decent condition first pressing. All too often, they sound like a CD pressed onto vinyl.

If you want the best analogue reproduction possible from vinyl, it is always a better investment to seek out original pressings in clean playing condition. They nearly always have more immediacy, presence and dynamics. The sound staging is wider, and subtle nuances are better placed with more spacious textures. Balances are firmer in the bottom end with the bass far tighter. Upper-mids shine, and the overall depth is more immersive. Inner details are clearer, and the music tends to sound more ‘alive’.

MATRIX NUMBERS IN RUN-OFF GROOVES: SIDE A: YAX 4735-6 BLAIR / SIDE B: YAX 4?7?35? 4736-4U.

MOTHER No. SIDE A: 1 / SIDE B: 5

STAMPER No. SIDE A: H / SIDE B: GAO

SLEEVE: VERY GOOD+, JUST LIGHT SHELF AND EDGE WEAR. INNER SLEEVE IS VERY GOOD+.

DISC: VISUALLY VERY GOOD+ THAT PLAYS MOSTLY EXCELLENT MINUS. NO SCRATCHES, MINOR SPINDLE WEAR, SOME LIGHT SCUFFS AND HAIRLINES. CLEAN LABELS. A VERY DECENT PLAYING COPY.

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