SIR LORD BALTIMORE s/t 1971 HEAVY SKULL SPLITTING ACID PSYCH LP Sabbath Led Zep

$

26

SIR LORD BALTIMORE "SAME" LP

ORIGINAL 1971 LP ON THE US MERCURY LABEL, STEREO SRM 1 613

COVER IN VG++ shape, light ringwear, cutout hole

VINYL plays VG++ to EXCELLENT

Often cited as the first “heavy metal” band (and that’s ‘cuz the first time the term “heavy metal” was used, it was in a review of their 1970 LP in CREEM), Brooklyn-based Sir Lord Baltimore have become a sought-after commodity, enough to cause them to reunite in 2006, 35 years after they broke up.  Their self-titled album is actually their second (and last of the initial lineup), from 1971, and even though it only runs a scant 32:00, it goes for the throat like a rabid badger and never lets up.  Opening track “Man From Manhattan” is a worthy demonic prog metal gauntlet, a 10-minute devil-worshipping behemoth that sounds like what Black Sabbath and Queen might put together for a tribute to HOUSES OF THE HOLY.  Its spooky “No Quarter” intro gives way to a skull-splitting Gothic ascending guitar riff and near-operatic Ian Gillan vocals, culminating in a great big chiming guitar coda.  “There was a man who came from Manhattan, tied in white satin; he could speak Latin,” the lyrics claim, pushing the rhyme as much as they could without mentioning General Patton or Skip Battin.  Later, the politically incorrect misogynist anthem “Woman Tamer” splits more crania with a relentless barrage of shrieking guitar, while the closer “Caesar LXXI” is a stroke of Spinal Tape genius, an epic slab of Roman Centurion prog metal that comes off like Black Sabbath doing a Queen medley of “The Prophet’s Song” and “Ogre Battle”.  And really, if the boys are being misogynist and all, wouldn’t a better title be something like “Caesar IV Legs”?   As in “Seize Her Forelegs”?  I mean, they WERE taming women after all, right?  Regardless, it’s clear these kids must’ve been a force to be reckoned with live, with all this Wagnerian sturm und drang, yet the only “live” track on here ain’t live at all; it was overdubbed with audience cheers later in a weird John’s Children type move because the producer thought it would be a good idea to have a live track on the album.  And if that ain’t heavy metal, I don’t know what is.

SOUND CLIP COMING SOON, PLEASE CHECK BACK LATER!

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Overseas shipping has, unfortunately, gone way up in the fast few months, which translates to $15 for the first LP to Canada ($3 each one thereafter) and $24 for the first LP everywhere else in the world, with each add'l LP an extra $5 (so it pays to buy more, nudge nudge wink wink).   I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.