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The Who : My Generation 1B / 1B 1st Press Mono 1965 (Brunswick)

This first mono pressing on the Brunswick label plays to a superb standard with hardly any intrusion and S2 in particular is absolutely stunning!  It has NO interference at all and the clarity, depth and power of the audio is phenomenal!  I cannot overstate just how impressive the sonic quality is and S1 is not far behind either.  There is just one small hairline scratch on 'Out In The Street' but the good news is that it does cause any clicks or pops and all you pick up are a few very light ticks which are not intrusive.  I have still graded it as Ex+ such is the quality.  There are so many highlights here - only two tracks grade as Ex+ all the others are Mint or Mint- and this is clearly a vinyl that has not been overplayed.  I have never heard a S2 like it - they all play with sublime quality and 'A Legal Matter' is a prime example of that, never heard better!  'The Ox' also plays with a clarity and power you hardly ever find - there is no distortion, how rare is that!  Aside from that one small scratch the vinyl is in lovely condition and rarely do you see one as clean as this today.

The cover is one of the finest I have ever seen and hopefully the photos do it justice!  The front is immaculate but it's the back cover that really stands out as it has been preserved so well and remains so clean with very little marking with nothing that you would say is obvious.  The inner sleeve has only minimal wear although I'm not sure it is the original one.

LAT 8616 // MG-10256-1B / MG-10257-1B // K  2B / H 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T1 & T6 Ex+)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The cover is a very strong Ex

The labels are Near Mint-

The inner sleeve is Ex-

The vinyl is in excellent condition and still retains a very strong glossy sheen.  The only 'obvious' wear is one small hairline scratch on the first track on S1 but as detailed it only results in a few light ticks which is good.  Aside from that the vinyl is visually so impressive with only one small hairline on S2 that you would say is a little more obvious but has no impact on the superb audio.  A small number of faint sleeve removal hairlines and a couple of very minor blemishes also but this is without doubt one of the finest first pressings I have seen in a long time.  You can clearly see the KT tax stamp on the run out grooves and the Brunswick labels are in lovely condition with only minimal spindle wear.

Play grading  

The classic intro on 'Out In The Street' plays perfectly with that deep rich mono sound and Daltrey's opening vocal has no background either.  It continues to play with superb audio and it's only at the start of the 'Listen to me...' verse around the halfway mark that you can hear a small number of light ticks, they are not clicks and because they are quiet they really are not intrusive.  A couple are slightly more obvious but still not loud.  It does not last long and the rest of the track plays with stunning quality.  Ex+ is still an honest assessment of the audio and the majority is better than that!

'I Don't Mind' plays with wonderful clarity and definition with no sign of any interference not even a solitary dust tick.  For a debut album the production values are so high and that is further enhanced when you find a clean vinyl such as this.  Every verse and instrumental section plays with stunning sonic quality and the fade out has no background either.  Undoubtedly a Mint track in every way.

The intro on 'The Good's Gone' often has some static distortion but not here!  It is perfect!  The opening vocal section plays to the same high end standard and continues in the same way.  The vocal harmonies have lost none of their original quality and from start to finish there are no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  Townshend's mid instrumental could not be any stronger and the remainder plays with exceptional power and depth.  Another Mint track and another perfect fade out also :-)

The percussive intro on 'La-La-La-Lies' is faultless and the opening vocal is equal to that.  Theis standard is kept up and what you really notice is just how sharp and clean the audio is.  A powerful track and yet it sounds as good as it would have done back in '65 if not better on my 'set up'!  No distortion, no interference just pure Mint audio all the way through.

The vocal only intro on the classic 'Much Too Much' is flawless and it continues to play with great power and depth and the sonic quality is nigh on perfect.  There is no muddiness to the sound and no discernible inner groove distortion.  It is a stunning version and Mint- is richly deserved.

'My Generation' always plays with some distortion so in a sense should not be downgraded as result - it's very common on final tracks of course and this mono classic is being played through a stereo set up by the way.  I am pleased to say it plays very clearly with no actual interference and only a minimal amount of inner groove distortion.  You can still turn it up to 'loud' without having to turn it down immediately!  There is perhaps a touch more during Moon's final frenetic solo but is still a great listen.  I think Ex+ is fair at the very least.

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'The Kids Are Alright' on S2 keeps up the good work and plays with genuine quality from Townshend's first note and through every vocal and instrumental section.  Daltrey's vocal is so clean and fresh and the depth of the audio is again outstanding!  Mint

The soulful 'Please Please Please' is 'as new' with no interference of any kind.  Perfect clarity and depth not a lot more needs to be said.  Another Mint- track.

Another classic (aren't they all!) in 'It's Not True' and I can confirm it plays with impeccable quality right from the first note.  I mean if you win this LP just listen to the first vocal - it just bursts out of the speakers and the same applies to the brief instrumental that follows.  The next vocal is equally as strong and it continues in the same precise way with a sonic quality that is just off the scale amazing!  Audio does not get any better than this and this is MINT every day of the week!  Wow!

'I'm A Man' is on the same level and plays with incredible clarity throughout.  It has a number of relatively quiet passages and yet the clarity is stunning for a record that is fast approaching 60 years of age!  The long instrumental has not so much as a dust tick and Daltrey's vocal is as strong and clear as ever and Moon's work at the end is so powerful etc.  Mint

The guitar intro on 'A Legal Matter' again has no static distortion and from then on plays with remarkable quality.  Again.  The penultimate track on the side and yet the clarity and definition of the audio is UNBELIEVABLY good!  This is audio of the highest calibre and yep Mint is 100% deserved.  I'm running out of superlatives for this album! 

'The Ox' plays with great power from the get go and the quality does not diminish which is a rarity.  This instrumental is regularly affected by distortion but there is none here.  Hard to believe I know but I am telling the truth!  A 'busy' track and yet you can hear each instrument / note perfectly and there are no negatives.  This has to be the most 'complete' version I have heard and it provides a STUNNING Mint end to a near perfect album.  The fade has not one dust tick either let alone anything more.

In summary I cannot emphasise enough just how well this first 1B/1B pressing plays.  Ok there are a small number of light ticks on the first track but the rest of the album plays as you would want it to - with a clarity, depth and power that reaches levels that any later pressing / reissue always fail to reach!  The original sonic quality is still there and put simply I am blown away by the audio on offer here.  Apart from that one minor scratch the vinyl is visually very impressive and this very collectable album would certainly feel at home in any high end collection.  Just look at the cover also!

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

This iconic cover is easily one of the best I have seen in many a year.  In a way it's always the back you look at first as it is so often marked / stained but this one has been very well preserved and remains super clean with minimal light marking.  The 'laminated' front cover is also in superb condition with no obvious creasing and just one tiny corner crease top left and an even smaller 'nick' near the top edge, it hardly deserves a mention!  The edges are in fantastic condition and the thin pinched spine is practically 'as new' also!  It has no real wear and the corners are extremely as are the right hand ones.  The opening edge has no handling wear either just one tiny 'crimp'.  A stunning example, it would be very difficult to find better.

The plain white die-cut inner sleeve has no side splits or tears, very little marking and just some light creasing.  It has Patent Applied For and Made In England printed on one side.  I'm not sure it's the original one but it is certainly very old!

Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

LAT 8616 // MG-10256-1B / MG-10257-1B // K  2B / H 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

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