BLUE COMETS In USA 1968 ORIGINAL JAPAN CONCEPT PSYCH LP their Sgt Pepper LISTEN

$

81

The Blue Comets "IN U.S.A." LP

ORIGINAL 1968 LP on the Japanese COLUMBIA label, STEREO YS-10045-J

COVER IN EXCELLENT shape, original booklet too

VINYL plays EXCELLENT

So Jackie Yoshikawa and his Blue Comets paid a visit to the United States back in 1968?  And this is how they saw us?  Really now, if the psychedelic cowboys and Indians on the cover aren’t politically insensitive enough, what are we to make of their freakish blending of Beach Boys harmonies and island luau music on “Hawaiian Ring” – I mean, didn’t they at least know the Wilson boys were from California, not Hawaii?  And what about their tribute to San Francisco, “Flower Town” – why in the world did they set it to a supper club lounge jazz backing track?  Did they think Jefferson Airplane went on tour with Tony Bennett?  Thankfully, somewhere midway through In The USA, Jackie and his politically incorrect Comets wisely switch to what they do best – mystical exotic native Japanese sounds – and so the tribal psych-o-delic mantra “Etenraku” is a trippy cosmic highlight, a plunking and plinking magic lotus ride that comes off like their own “Within You, Without You,” or, more accurately, their own “Gomper.”  And the echoed-out guitar break is positively mesmerizing.  They mix up Japanese themes and spy music for the thrilling “Blue Chateau,” which, when they sing it, sounds more like “Blue Shadow.”  Which also fits the music better.  Actually, to be racially insensitive like the Blue Comets themselves, they shoulda called it “Secret Asian Man.”  Album closer “Love/Light Show” is clearly meant to be their “Day In The Life,” and it even has multiple musical crescendos.  But again, the Beatles weren’t American, so it seems like they missed the point of their album title and theme once again.  Or maybe they just lost interest.  After all, there’s only so much you can do with Hawaiian surf music, psychedelic Apaches and Tony Bennett on brown acid, right?  Or is there?

HEAR IT!

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  Overseas shipping has, unfortunately, gone way up in the fast few months, which translates to $15 for the first LP to Canada ($3 each one thereafter) and $24 for the first LP everywhere else in the world, with each add'l LP an extra $5 (so it pays to buy more, nudge nudge wink wink).   I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.