AFFINITY / MAY BLITZ / CRESSIDA / FAIRFIELD PARLOUR / GRACIOUS - VERTIGO ANNUAL.

	£		90
	$		119

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.

Album Title: The Vertigo Annual 1970.

TRACK & ARTIST LISTING (Artist in Parentheses)

Side 1: Elegy (Colosseum); Handbags and Gladrags (Rod Stewart); Half Baked (Jimmy Campbell); I Don’t Know (May Blitz).

Side 2: Mississippi Woman (Juicy Lucy); In My Box (Fairfield Parlour); Goin’ My Way (Magna Carta); Three Sisters (Affinity).

Side 3: Behind the Wall of Sleep (Black Sabbath); Introduction (Gracious); To Play Your Little Game (Cressida); Elastic Rock (Nucleus).

Side 4: One Way Glass (Manfred Mann – Chapter Three); No Time Like the Present (Bob Downes); Summer Breeze (Dr Strangely Strange); Gypsy (Uriah Heep).

Label/Format: Vertigo – Original with full spiral on sides one of both records and large format spiral logo on side two of both. These have matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: All four are very clean, fresh and attractive, clearly modestly played. Any spindle marks are very light and few, side two of each see the white areas still just that, the lack of grubbiness always the best news.

Cat Number: 6657001.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of these Records: 140 / 142 grams. Above average.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce: this may be a sampler album, but still a significant title within the Vertigo Spiral catalogue and just as collectable as all the others.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: 6499407 1Y//1 420 1 1 5 & 6499407 2Y//1 420 1 2 1 & 6499408 1Y//1 420 1 1 5 & 6499408 2Y//1 420 1 1 6

Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very high indeed. All Spiral covers were very wear-prone and most all were unlaminated as this one. Unforgiving surfaces that gave-way to price stickers, so often seen with bad tears or damage. Gatefold covers with two quite heavy thick records inside will be rarely seen devoid of ring wear, creasing, rubbing or worse.

Brief Info: A sampler of sixteen great Vertigo artists from the golden Spiral era all captured on one fantastic double album. This includes some of the rarer bands that are seldom seen or offered now with the original large format Spiral labels. Never label this album as ‘just a sampler’ – far from it – this album is essential for all Vertigo Spiral label collectors and no ‘full run’ is ever complete without it of course. Not only that, this great set features another classic surreal ‘Spiral’ cover and, although not perfect, it’s the best example I have seen since 2006. A great double set with some truly superb material including Rod Stewart singing ‘Handbags and Gladrags’ as featured in the popular TV series ‘The Office’ [how many younger viewers would have known the age of this song?]. Also the Uriah Heep classic ‘Gypsy’. The rarer Vertigo artists like May Blitz, Fairfield Parlour, Affinity, Gracious, Cressida and Dr Strangely Strange rarely sounded more perfect than on this supreme Spiral records. The only issue of any real note is a scratch on the first song, ‘Elegy’ by Colosseum, a fairly short track with the mark covering half it’s duration with fairly light clicks. That apart – and things are rarely perfect on such albums – there is little else really to fault. A fine chance to fill another gap in that elusive full set, but the fine mark means not for the perfectionists.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or very close to. An unlaminated gatefold format and has the classic Spiral logo on the top right front. This has matt, smooth surfaces and was printed and made in England by Howards Printers. Both the original design Spiral inners are included.

Cover Front & Back: Another Spiral classic sleeve, eerie and slightly unsettling in a surreal kind of way – best enjoyed fully opened – the ‘spaced out’ naked girl on the child’s rocking horse is viewed by a creepy young boy in a solidier’s uniform against a backdrop of purple-magenta foliage – they truly don’t make them like this anymore do they? It looks superb and highly attractive with its still very deep, unfaded colour and blemishes are very small and few. The odd tiny surface chip and corner tip rubs, most of any rubbing near the very sides, but only very little. Being a double set, this is highly prone to ring wear on both front and back – here almost conspicuous by it’s absence. Both sides are impressive given all the facts.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Within, we have the rocking-horse from hell – ultra surreal and looking magnificent with an extra eerie green negative appearance – the stuff of nightmares. Barely any wear or creases on this unique centrefold. The quote inside is testament to the importance of the early Vertigo artists… “Vertigo is the least pretentiously and most happily married of the ‘progressive’ labels to emerge from ’neath the wings of the large record companies.”

Top Edges: Both straight with only a little light patchy rubbing.

Bottom Edges: Moderate rubbing to both, the main reason for not grading higher.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Both reasonably sharp with little wear and guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced. Records entered on these vulnerable edges.

Spine and Text: A very fine spine and lacking the rubbing most are seen with. Solid, straight, uncompressed and folded square, so all edges meet up flush and parallel. Just a small central chip and small end rubs. All text is perfect and unworn which can never be taken for granted on these types.

Corners: Fairly light to moderate tip rubbing with fine to very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: A highly attractive all-round example of this uncomprising and very ring wear-prone early 1970’s cover, one that could prove very difficult to find much better. With a high percentage of Vertigo covers heavily ringworn, rubbed, creased, grubby, tatty, torn or split, this is some way above ‘average’, and I regard this as one of the most difficult of the non-diecuts to ever find attractive for the simple reason it has two records inside. This beautiful artwork should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeves: EXCELLENT: both are very similar – still fully lined and only quite lightly aged with some darkening of the seams and a little tone spotting. A little creasing but all edges unsplit with no repairs. All four window circles superb, neat and untorn with very clear linings. The important factor is both are original and include identical text and date codes which are 0970 (September 1970).

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(–) (side one) / EXCELLENT(+) (others): a very fine visual pair that are clean with fine shine and above pressing weight average for their year. As mentioned already, side one has a fine scratch on the first song that covers around half the band, this does sound with fairly light clicks, but this the only real issue on the entire set that thereafter plays clean and impressively. So not for the purist or perfectionist. If this brief sound is acceptable, this is a lovely example of this scarce Swirl sampler, it could also prove difficult to find much better overall.

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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: Both records play up to their high visual grading, and most all above with little else to fault bar the aforementioned clicks from the mark on ‘Elegy’ that opens side one of the double set. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality for most is very high with a wide dynamic range, very detailed and clean sound. Few surface sounds and overall, an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly testing set than can often crackle from wear if not treated respectfully in those early days. Few copies will outperform this early pressing significantly I feel sure. I feel very sure both records have been played very lightly and have been generally quite well stored and handled – one mishap yes, but it happens. Nothing after the first minute or so spoilt my pleasure when play-grading these fine records and its always a pleasure to hear these elusive artists on vinyl. This set could prove very difficult to find significantly better and is strongly recommended if the one sounding mark is not an issue.

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’.