1968 SHRINK 31st OF FEBRUARY Psych Allman Brothers

$

79

            the 31st Of February

\                                         USA - VANGUARD RECORDS - VSD 6503 

TOP M- vinyl ...

Original 1968 first pressing vinyl...**Still in original factory shrink wrapper (see details below) = always hard to find and highly sought by collectors around the globe...It's kind of sad and outright erroneous that when this short-lived outfit is mentioned by collectors as little more than a footnote in conversation that focuses on The Allman Brothers Band. That's made even more ironic by the fact that while Duane and Greg Allman contributed material to the The 31st of February's planned second LP, they were never formal members of this outfit.  That tentative connection to the Allmans also overlooks the band's considerable talent, to say nothing of the members subsequent successes - Scott Boyer going on to the band Cowboy.  David Brown serving as bass player for Santana.  And yes, Butch Trucks played drums for The Allman Brothers Band ...

Singer/guitarist Scott Boyer, bassist David Brown, and drummer Butch Trucks met in 1966 while students at Florida State University.  Discovering a mutual interest in music the trio decided to form a band.  Borrowing a page from The Byrds folk-rock catalog, as The Bitter Ind the three started playing parties, dances, and clubs.  They quickly graduated to local clubs and eventually scored a recording contract that saw the release of a one-shot single for the small Memphis-based ACP label

That 'success' led Boyer to drop out of school with The Bitter Ind subsequnelty morphing into The Tiffany System.   Under the new name the trio started their recording careers with an instantly obscure single for the Florida-based Minaret label

While the single did little commercially, by 1968 the trio had generated a large following in their native Jacksonville, Florida.  Opting for yet another name change they relocating to Miami and as The 31st of February (anyone know the significance?), signed a recording contract with the Vanguard Records.

Co-produced by Steve Alaimo and Mike Shapiro, 1969's "The 31st of February" has always struck us as an undiscovered gem. Performed with considerable enthusiasm, the collection was varied and energetic. Boyer had a great voice, that occasionally reminds of Greg Allman, perfectly suited for the band's excursions into Byrds-styled folk-rock ('Porcelain Mirrors' and 'A Different Kind of Head'), progressive ('Treason') and psyche ('A Nickel's Worth of Benny's Help'). Elsewhere, the standout tracks may have been Brown's stomping 'Wrong' and the trio's ghostly cover of 'Co'dine'. Unfortunately, the set generated little in the way of sales.   Highly recommended !!! One of those Lp we pull out to hear on a regular basis.

With an assist from Duane and Greg Allman, the trio regrouped recording material for a projected sophomore LP.  Unfortunately, internal disagreements saw the band fold in 1969 at which time the tapes were shelved.  Drummer Trucks joined the newly formed Allman Brothers Band and following Duane Allman's untimely 1971 death, the Florida based Bold label acquired the tapes and released the material as a Duane and Greg Allman album.

CONDITION: The Cover:  Still in the original factory shrink wrapper but has (dry) moisture affects with light subtle ripple near top right and lower corners ...not bad but 'there' ...a square of the outer cellophane is missing near top left...otherwise outer cellophane fits tightly on all of front and back ...VG++ with no split seams, no writing...

The Vinyl: all shiny on both sides M- clean...looks and plays brightly exceptional. No problem here for anyone ...the labels are both clean...

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record