ART Supernatural Fairy Tales UK Pink Island

	£		294
	$		390

Artist or Band: ART

Album Title: Supernatural Fairy Tales.

Producer(s): Guy Stevens.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: I Think I’m Going Weird; What’s That Sound; African Thing; Room With a View; Flying Anchors; Supernatural Fairy Tale.

Side 2: Love is Real; Come On Up; Brothers, Dads and Mothers; Talkin’ to Myself; Alive Not Dead; Rome Take Away Three.

Label/Format: Island – Original pink labels with red and black ‘eye’ logo and deeply textured with ridges. The hole rims have the reinforcing ‘block’ each side, please see this on my label scans.

Label Conditions: Certainly worthy of a second look as these will not be seen often. Two stunning examples with only light and faint spindle marks. Without any doubt, this incredible copy has hardly been played reitterated by quite breathtaking mono sound.

Cat Number: ILP 967.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 147 grams. A super heavyweight. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Very Rare – and as a first pressing it’s rarely seen or offered and rarely in such fine conditions. One of the ‘lost’ Island classics, this title rarely ever gets seen or offered and even the pink second issues are elusive – they had unlaminated covers whereas the originals were fully protected. This album is so rare infact, it has been bootlegged but these are very easy to spot being pressed on very thin vinyl and having no proper matrix numbers. The covers were not laminated either, it all speaks volumes for the genuine rarity of this record people will go to such great lengths. A record that sold in absolutely tiny amounts with little promotion and no success at all. Its status as one of the ‘lost’ British psych greats is fully justified. This could be one of the best examples for looks and playing conditions that will be offered on Ebay - the few who actually purchased it initially often played it into submission on less-than-worthy record players. But those made to play such records. Few shelled out their money back then on an unknown psych band but those who did cherished it. This was issued then disappeared with barely anyone even noticing, hence its huge rarity these days especially as a first pressing.

Original Year of Release: December 1967.

Matrix Nos: ILP+967+A / ILP+967+B (deeply punched and very clear and precise).

Musicians: Luther Grosvenor - guitar; Mike Harrison - vocals, keyboards; Mike Kellie - drums; Greg Ridley - bass.

Brief Info: Issued at the back end of the ‘Summer of Love’ this one-off ‘lost’ psychelic album disappeared practically unnoticed and that with one of the greatest colourful psych covers from this period ever. Lack of promotion for an unknown band made this a leading loss-maker for Island Records and it simply faded away lost in the vaults. Art were a prelude to Spooky Tooth minus Gary Wright who did go on to record many albums on Island with some moderate success but ‘Supernatural Fairy Tales’ was doomed to failure and now in massive demand from psych collectors and record connoisseurs worldwide – and justifiably so. This has some supreme moments blending psych with progressive rock, it utilises many sound effects and various instrumentation and at times has a quite primitive sound. Often described as unique with a very ‘British’ psych sound, ironically their best known song is a rendition of the Buffalo Springfield classic ‘For What It’s Worth’ included here and renamed ‘What’s That Sound’ and beautifully performed it is too. The stunning cover is highly noteworthy with artwork that still astonishes and always looks much better when fully laminated – only the originals ever were. There were no stereo pressings of this record, even the pink rim reissues were mono. This rare example has a very nice cover, a few creases but none too serious with just one deemed ‘moderate’ on the back bottom corner area. The record has a few light surface marks/storage blemishes but have NO sound and this has incredible audio quality and was a delight to listen too. The lack of pops or clicks and fully focused and dynamic mono sound totally blew me away. Play loud with total confidence, owning this record is a rare privilege and even connoisseur collectors will enjoy this one. One of the rarest major label albums I have ever had to offer - do NOT lose this lost treasure.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Moderate.

Cover Grade and Format: EX or very close too, no damage and looking lovely, just a few light creases as stated above. A single fully laminated format, printed and made in England.

Front: Lovely psych and very colourful artwork and this has little wear and few marks. The lamination gives this extra class, sparkle and verse - the full richness of the graphic comes fully to the fore. It remains very solid with just a fine line of non-adhesion down the spine edge which is almost impossible to avoid and is considered normal by most. This has not cracked or split and has minimal visibility anyway. The laminate is ultra clear and shiny with barely any traces of friction rubs or dulling on this side, the stunning artwork can be enjoyed to maximum advantage. A very edge creases, all light and a couple near the corner areas (top left and bottom right), again largely lost in the complex rich artwork. A beautiful front and one of the contenders for the best artwork of the period, how on earth did this album go unnoticed?, this looks fantastic as I hope my picture shows.

Cover Back: Again the laminate is solid and shiny but does have a moderate crease near the bottom left corner but few others of note on this side. A mild laminate line ‘lift’ near the spine edge again, similar to the front but try to find one with less. A few fine surface marks only really show under angled light as does any dulling around the records shape, most apparent around the label area. Practically unavoidable due to the sheer weight of the record and the amount of time its been stored inside, again will any show less? All mainly nit-picking blemishes on what is a superb cover and looking this good, it’s one that does it near full justice.

Top Edge: One microscopic chip but little else.

Bottom Edge: Barely any wear at all, tiny chip on right corner has been improved.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, quite sharp with little wear and no feathering. Slight, small burr traces if viewed ‘end-on’. Record entered on this right outside edge.

Spine and Text: A very fine spine too, solid with minimal compression, all text is perfect and unworn under very solid uncracked laminate.

Corners: All very neat and showing little wear, bottom left has a tip chip, right bottom tip has been improved or simply looks a fraction dark because the laminate has chipped. Corners on a cover this age and thinness will seldom be found much better. All retain fine shape and definition.

Cover Summary: Made with very thin card, the overall lack of creasing and no damage is almost remarkable. For fresh clean good looks this will take some beating - take another look before deciding to bid, you will not see this often and it’s one that can be held and enjoyed. Not quite for the perfectionist as my grade will verify, but for one of the rarest Island and 60s classics covers made, it will prove incredibly difficult to find better, most collectors will enjoy owning this I feel certain, a very rare opportunity to do so too.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX(-) is hardly doing this wonderful record full justice. It has a few light surface marks, paper scuffs and hairlines but none sound whatsoever making them of little consequence unless you want to sit and look at a record’s playing surface instead of listen to the sheer quality embedded into these unworn mono grooves. Now 41 years old, there is no shame in any record showing a few marks, it’s when they sound its more a matter of concern but nothing is any noteworthiness sounds and this wonderfully rare record plays to near perfection throughout and how many mono records of this vintage ever will? The difference lies within the fact it has not been played on mono equipment ever. The owner was always the proud owner of quality stereo equipment right back then and has upgraded it now to a substantial set-up - a genuine hi-fi buff and there lies the difference. The record is very clean with fine shine, intense black and heavily press on top quality, very durable vinyl and it sounds FANTASTIC! Again, it will please many collectors and being as rare as it is, a little compromise sometimes has to be made for minor visual imperfections.

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 snippetts 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 highly important, rare Island record and stunning piece of recording history plays above its still attractive visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, powerful, distortion-free mono sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Practically free of any surface sounds this is an exceptional clean pressing for a demanding and complex album. Intricate sounds are replayed effortlessly and my LP12 tracked this with precision and great ease. Totally devoid of any groovewear, this still has wonderful sound. The minor visual blemishes are simply ignored, if any minor blemishes are present, they are totally lost in the loud mix and volume of the music - this is a wonderful experience and I enjoyed it immensely. This record has certainly not been overplayed and the lack of any groovewear distortions within the mono grooveds is vitally important for maximum listening pleasure and this has none. Not one for the visual perfectionist, but for those who simply want top quality, precise, focused sound from vintage classic records, this more than thrills. For those collectors, I strongly recommend this wonderful piece, I doubt if a much better sounding copy will surface for some time.

End Piece: Highly attractive and laminated cover - two absolutely beautiful original island labels and matrixes. A clean and heavy, lightly played record with only minor surface marks with no audible significance at all and truly supreme focused sound. Anyone wanting this elusive album will be hard pressed to find another in better all round condition. A legendary and elusive Island classic, owning the first pressed original is a privilege that must never be taken for granded. One of the earliest rock albums to adorn this label design and the birth of Island psychedelia, a truly important historical piece - one I shall remember for some considerable time. Do not let this slip the Net.

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 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

POSTING & PACKING: What You Get: I now offer the fastest possible posting, mostly the very next day after payment is received or within 48 hours maximum. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT mailers) with the record(s) 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 TWO thick stiffners for even extra protection. The cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. Printed address labels are used for clarity and well as sender label. 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. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but NOT surface mail abroad. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with the total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional extra insurance’ P&P – ALL UK and Russian packets go out non-negotiable Recorded Delivery. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.1 per percent based on over 4,000+ items sold in over 7 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional.

PLEASE NOTE: I will now only send packets to Russia with Recorded Delivery at a cost of £7 per single LP. If this is unacceptable to Russian collectors, please do not bid. I only want my records to arrive safely and this gives packets a better chance to do so. Also ALL UK packets will be sent with either Recorded or Special Delivery as standard (both have to be signed for). All shipping costs and rules can be found after my description. If they are not acceptable, please do not bid.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: ALL EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (NOT RUSSIA, see below) (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £5.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £9 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: RUSSIA (Recorded Only, if this is unacceptable, please do not bid):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ only £7) = £9 (OPTIONAL extra insurance as above).

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (any part); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £8.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £13 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

PLEASE NOTE: I always get a Royal Mail ‘Proof-of-Posting’ receipt for ALL packets that are sent out and I am happy to prove this to any customer who wishes to see it via email.

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders.

The customer can choose their method of shipping with the exception of second class or surface mail overseas – these I will NOT use. The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£35).

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help.

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 neccessarily 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’.