AQUALUNG - ORIGINAL (1st) UK PINK ISLAND - JETHRO TULL

	£		207
	$		275

JETHRO TULL – AQUALUNG

ORIGINAL UK 1st PRESSING - PINK ISLAND

RARE AND HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE UK LP, FIRST ORIGINAL PRESSING  E/X  E/X!!

“I have decided to sell my record collection which has been accumulated over many years”

I am not a trader or record shop. I am music fan who has collected vinyl records over many years and over the coming days/weeks I will be offering rare, and much sought after vinyl records including Prog Rock, Blues, Folk, etc from collectible labels such as Pink Island, Blue Horizon, Deram/Decca, Atlantic plum, Vertigo swirl etc etc..

Artist:  Jethro Tull

Title:   Aqualung

Catalogue No:  ILPS 9145

Release Year:  1971

Country of origin:  UK - original pink rim label guaranteed first pressing/issue.

This LP is in EXCELLENT CONDITION and is genuinely a reluctant sale.

There are absolutely no obvious visible scuffs, no sticking or jumps. Both sides of the vinyl, inner sleeve and gatefold cover are visually clean.

Can you remember the last time you saw this as an original pressing?! ..At last here is one... a very first UK pressing (and not the Chrysalis green label) ..If you’re looking at this classic prog rock LP then it’s likely you are already aware of how rare and extremely collectible this LP is, and perhaps because it’s unlikely you’ve even seen one for sale.. Believe me when I say this rare UK first pressing seldom comes up for sale, almost never! ..

This LP was not ever released in the UK on the three previous Island labels; White ‘I’, ‘Black Block’, or the ‘Eye’ labels – This is the first UK pressing of this LP.

Discerning and serious collectors, and particularly Tull aficionados, know that to have this LP on this original Pink Island label in their collection is a ‘must’, and an indispensable addition their catalogue – This very rare original Pink Island first pressing of Jethro Tull’s Aqualung is virtually impossible to find for sale!

To emphasise how collectible this LP is of course a massive understatement, and it unquestionably is one of the most sought after LP’s from the Pink Island stable and certainly one of the rarest UK Pink Island pressings – Only a very limited number would have been pressed on the Pink Island label, before the transition to the more common green Chrysalis label became the standard and which is often seen for sale.

Compare how many times you have seen this first pressing for sale, with Nick Drake Pink Island first pressings of Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, and Pink Moon. Those LP’s come up for sale much more frequently than this UK first pressing of Aqualung and this pressing by Jethro Tull is almost certainly their rarest.

Purists and determined collectors would either already own this masterpiece of classic British prog rock, or simply yearn to have it in their collection. Some still dispute which LP is Tull’s most celebrated release, with the likes of This Was, Stand Up, Benefit, Thick as a Brick, A Passion Play and, of course Aqualung all vouching for that accolade.

Record Grading

Before I offer for sale I play grade to check my LP’s and I have just played both sides on an upmarket deck.

The LP plays excellent, with just some very minimal background (static??) sound underneath the instrumentation on just a couple of the quieter songs. On the louder songs there is no sound distortion whatsoever.

As always, I am being genuine and highly critical, but honest in my evaluation of the LP; .. You’d be thinking I’m doing myself an injustice with my description but I treat others the way I wish to be treated myself so I am describing it to the best of my ability. (I have not attempted to thoroughly clean the record in case of damage to the LP)…

There are no ‘jumps’ or sticking whatsoever. There are a very few small ‘clicks’ on the track ‘My God’, but this does not, and should not pose any concerns whatsoever for such a rare and greatly sought musical masterpiece from 1971…Bear in mind this actual LP is assured to be an original first UK pressing and is absolutely certain to be 39yrs old.

The winning bidder will not be disappointed!

Inner Sleeve:   Printed lyric inner sleeve is in excellent+ condition. All oldie English lyrics print to all of the tracks is bold and clear. No unwanted ink, blemishes, etc

LP Cover

Heavy duty textured gatefold sleeve.

The top quality heavy duty gatefold sleeve displays the incredible artwork in all its original brilliance; no rips, tears, unwanted ink..etc. The LP cover is in excellent+ condition and still retains bright colours and a solid structure. Even more proof that everything about this LP and cover is the absolute original authentic is that it states on the reverse of the sleeve in ‘olde’ English print that it is produced by the E. J. Day Group.

‘Manufactured and distributed by Island Records Ltd., Basing Street, London, W.11. and produced by the E. J. Day group, London and Bedford’. (see image)….This print does not appear on the more common Chrysalis pressing.

Labels

Both Pink Island labels are free of unwanted ink and are bright and clean. If you look very closely there seems to be a very slight, small ‘scrape’? just below the date on the side 2 label. I would view this as inconsequential and in absolutely no way does this impair the LP - you have to look hard to see it, and it really is almost negligible.

Both labels are visually clean and the printing on both labels is stunning, (Excellent+) and the ‘olde’ English black print looks amazingly distinctive on the white background – see images.

This LP is indeed highly collectible and words simply cannot emphasise adequately the scarcity of this LP - it is mega-rare. How often do you see this 1st pressing for sale? I can not even recall seeing another one on the UK Pink Island label previously for sale, can you?

Please take into consideration that I am not a photographer or a professional salesman. What you can be certain of are the descriptions of all the LP’s I shall be offering for sale, and that they are all critically evaluated.

I will do my best with any further images you require and, if you have any questions about the LP please email me.

Contact is to be made within 3 days of winning bid and payment to be made within one week of winning bid.

Postage and packing within the UK = £3.50

International worldwide postage = £7.00

(If the winning bidder requires further postage security on the LP please email for price – see details below)

Thanks and Good Luck!

I am a private seller gradually disposing of my vinyl collection.  Please note that whilst it is rare for items to be lost or damaged in the post, I am unable to accept responsibility for any loss or damage by the postal services. Whilst I am happy to provide assistance, advice, and proof of postage, all such claims remain the responsibility of the buyer. All items sold for more than £39 will be subject to an extra charge for 'signed for' posting (This is not usually very expensive) if the purchaser requires package to be covered for compensation to cover the unlikely loss/damage in the post an extra charge will be necessary. If compensation cover is required buyers should contact me so that the full cost can be invoiced for insurance purposes.

"Aqualung," to many, is Tull's masterpiece. The title track and "Locomotive Breath," with their catchy riffs, would be joined by "My God," "Cross-Eyed Mary," and "Hymn 43" as classic rock staples. There's no arguing with its commercial success, having sold more than seven million copies and continuing to outsell anything in the back catalogue.

Yet, "Aqualung" is arguably Tull's most misunderstood album. Critics dubbed it a concept album, particularly for Anderson's critical, sceptical views of organized religion, mostly on side B ("My God"). Anderson has disputed, almost resented, the assessment seeing the record as "just a bunch of songs." The labelling lead the band to really give the critics a concept album with the following studio release "Thick as a Brick."

"Aqualung" has a dominant theme but is certainly more, much more, than a concept album hinging on a solitary subject. Anderson explores the struggles of the less fortunate in our society (e.g., "Aqualung," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Up to Me"), teenage angst and formal education difficulties ( e.g., "Wind Up," "Mother Goose"), and returns to his parental themes with "Cheap Day Return, a tune encompassing Anderson's feelings while travelling to visit his sick father.

"Aqualung" also cemented the exaggerated image, especially to those only casually acquainted with the band, that Tull was a "heavy rock" group. Years later, a Grammy for best heavy metal album (viz., "Crest of a Knave") would officially sanction the misconceived stereotype. Yet, ‘Aqualung’ is where Anderson really begins to develop his personal style for acoustic guitar songs with ‘Cheap Day Return,’ ‘Mother Goose,’ and ‘Slipstream.’

‘Aqualung’ did establish one of the most notable features of Tull's music: songs varying with intensity, mixing medium to heavy electrical sounds with lighter acoustical passages (e.g., "Aqualung," and "My God"). Indeed, every album up to "Under Wraps" (1984) would have at least one such styled number.

At the end of a brief U.S. tour, drummer Clive Bunker left to get married and form a band called "Jude" with Robin Trower. Anderson recruited Barriemore Barlow. Barlow remained drummer for the next eight years.

   Ian Anderson - flute, acoustic guitar, vocals
    Martin Barre - electric guitar and descant recorder
    Clive Bunker - percussion
   John Evan - piano, organ, mellotron
   Jeffrey Hammond - bass guitar, alto recorder, and odd voices

Released at a time when a lot of bands were embracing pop-Christianity (à la Jesus Christ Superstar), Aqualung was a bold statement for a rock group, a pro-God antichurch tract that probably got lots of teenagers wrestling with these ideas for the first time in their lives. This was the album that made Jethro Tull a fixture on FM radio, with riff-heavy songs like "My God," "Hymn 43," "Locomotive Breath," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Wind Up," and the title track. And from there, they became a major arena act and a fixture at the top of the record charts for most of the 1970s. Mixing hard rock and folk melodies with Ian Anderson's dour musings on faith and religion (mostly how organized religion had restricted man's relationship with God), the record was extremely profound for a number seven chart hit, one of the most cerebral albums ever to reach millions of rock listeners. Indeed, from this point on, Anderson and company were compelled to stretch the lyrical envelope right to the breaking point – Brilliant!