UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - RARER ORIG UK 1968 MONO EX LP & COVER with INNER.

	£		60
	$		79

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

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 – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrived damaged in them at some time. More details on my packing nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important to any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full 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. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

Artist or Band: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Album Title: The United States of America.

Producer: David Rubinson.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The American Metaphysical Circus; Hard Coming Love; Cloud Song; The Garden of Earthly Delights; I Won’t Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar.

Side 2: Where is Yesterday; Coming Down; Love Song for the Dead Ché; Stranded in Time; The American Way of Love.

Label/Format: CBS - original deep orange format with matt smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both fresh, clean and attractive. Spindle marks are few in number but a little long, but being fine they are little with normal viewing.

Cat Number: 63340.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 160 grams. This is a heavy record, just the way the more discerning collectors want them. Considerably above average.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce, UK pressings of this album are elusive and not seen that often. Also this one plays superbly with very little unwanted, wish I could say this for all I have heard. I have found pressing quality on this album variable and most who bought this at the time, played it considerably.

Original Year of Release: 1968

Matrix Nos: BPG - 63340 - A . 1 / BPG - 63340 - B . 1

Mother & Stamper Codes: B 1 / C 1

Musicians: Dorothy Moskowitz - lead vocals; Joseph Byrd - electronic music, electric harpsichord, organ, calliope, piano; Gordon Marron - electric violin, ring modulator; Rand Forbes - electric bass; Craig Woodsono - electric drums, percussion. Also Ed Bogas, occasional organ, piano, calliope.

Brief Info: One of the genuinely great one-off albums and for those few who heard it from way back, it must have been a real eye-opener. A pioneering tour de force and ahead of its time, this band created some amazing sounds and this album packs in so much, it’s all a little difficult to take in immediately. Try to imagine Jefferson Airplane blended with It’s a Beautiful Day, the early Mothers of Invention with bit of Doors and Country Joe and Fish added – you might be getting the feel for The United States of America – this is an amazing recording. With many new psych and ‘garage’ bands around at this time from the States never being issued in the UK, this was simply too good to go ignored – but how many actually bought this when it first came out? Lead vocalist Dorothy Moskowitz sounds a little like an icy Grace Slick with captivating appeal. Exhilating music that does not use guitars, but scintilating electric violin. Gordon Marron’s instrument used a divider that raised and lowered its pitch by an octave, it was often used through tape echo units and modulators – all very experimental, even ‘progressive’ for its time. Byrd’s ideas of blending psych-rock with ethnic influences and classical music, this bought rock n roll into new realms of experimentalism. Using very early electronics and synthesisers made this a ground-breaking album, and their use and unpredictability made this fascinating listening and a huge challenge to actually record. Even the drums got the electronic treatments, again unusual at this time – Frank Zappa was another who experimented with the classics, early electronics, early synths and Moogs and his work will be more familiar to most, but The United States of America were there too at the very beginning. Moskowitz said, the early synths were highly unpredictable, and that was part of their appeal, you never quite knew what to expect. The whole sound blend was held together by Forbes fretless bass and this amazing album is really unique. Sadly, they were short-lived, internal problems and disagreements even fighting bought them to a swift end. But this legendary album was a gateway for the future, it had a cutting edge sound and lyrics that reflected the state of America at this time. Hard-edged, ironic and with a real tension, it could never last, but the mood of this band is captured brilliantly in this set and I consider it essential. If indeed I did not already own a really nice copy, this would not even be offered. The only frustration is when it ends is, you know there is no more, it makes you wonder just how brilliant this band could have been if they had just stayed together longer. This copy on offer is a vintage, early pressed, UK mono, rare and in very fine condition. The cover looks very nice and has only minor blemishing or wear, but now into it’s mid-40s, has it not earned the right too? The heavy-pressed mono record looks and plays beautifully and is devoid of distortion or groove-wear and that is the vital factor for these types. With such complex sounds embedded into delicate mono grooves, this record is in remarkable shape and plays with little unwanted. Just a faint trace of surface sound on ‘Love Song for the Dead Che’, a very fragile song, but little nothing else was noted and this is a superbly produced set too. This is almost nit-picking, I would more than happy if all mono records could play this well. It’s an amazing listen and experience and for the connoisseur of the truly great music from this period, it’s truly indispensable and quite rare too. One of the ‘lost’ and probably largely forgotten classics, it’s time to get this mind-bending gem spinning again.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: this being critical for a cover this age. A single format with front laminate. This wraps around the closed edges and ends on to the back via the spine. This has conventional black text on the spine, some were different with none. This was printed and made in the England by West Brothers, the CBS promotional inner sleeve is included.

Lamination & Front: Ruthlessly revealing, being so dark but this has generally aged well. It retains a fine shine and freshness, only quite gentle dulling seen with angled viewing but clarity is excellent. All is fully adhered with no lifting, a couple of moderate creases on the right edge with others very fine as more hairline types, mostly on the spine edge.

Cover Back: The unprotected back has aged a little with very mild discolour mainly near the edges. Any marks or toning traces are small and very light indeed. The lack of ring wear and creasing is very good news.

Top Edge: Very thin and practically as made with a super-smooth surface.

Bottom Edge: Similar again, the odd microscopic surface chip being ultra critical.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with minimal wear or thickening and guaranteed untrimmed. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: Solid and very straight with only light compression. A few very fine hairline creases but all text is perfect and unworn, but centred a fraction high on the very limited depth.

Corners: Small tip rubs only and minimal creasing, very fine to excellent shape retained.

Cover Summary: One of the best I have seen for a while, and this is a somewhat intolerant and revealing cover. This can be held and enjoyed with only small small clues to it’s considerable age. One that will please many collectors seeking out this album.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(–): mainly marked down for a crease, this probably made in manufacture during the folding process. This correct as the inner is not flush when attempts to straighten, this hardly uncommon. This one a ‘The Sound of Entertainment’ promotional and unlined CBS inner with two open windows. Still clean and fresh with no edge splits, a little minor crinkle to one window circle. The main issue is the crease.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: with any surface trace marks few, fine and faint, traces from a vintage replacement lined inner that are totally harmless. A very fine mono record that is very clean with nice shine, intense black and heavily pressed. A complex album with considerable age and avoiding the perils that often destroy mono records. This should please many, if not most 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 B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This very modestly played mono record plays up to and most-all beyond it’s high visual grading with little to fault. Powerful, dynamic, distortion-free sound – always a vital factor on any mono recording, all frequencies are sharp and clear including the highly critical electric violin and early electronics, always high test sounds for groove-wear. Sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very impressive sound, this mix is quite different to stereo version. A pioneering recording with complex and intricate sounds and hugh amounts of details – this one takes a few plays to let it all sink in. This important record, I feel sure has only received light plays confirmed by the clear, totally focused sound, it plays with little unwanted. You can well imagine what many of these will be like these days especially in mono. Any surface sound gentle and very infrequent, the odd trace on one or two very quiet songs, but few will better this. Nothing of any real note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this groundbreaking classic. If you have yet to discover this wonderful, but sadly short-lived band, well this will take some beating. This copy will prove difficult to find significantly better and strong recommendation is mandatory.

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 - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, 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 its 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 taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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 - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. 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.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 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 VPI-17 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 and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap 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 less than one in two thousand+ based on over 10,000+ items sold in over 12 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. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? 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 FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, 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 and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). 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] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 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 £3 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’.