BUDGIE 1L/1L 1st PRESS MCA Red/Pink LABEL BEST EVER SUPERB COVER & AUDIO NM/M-
£
332
$
440
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Description
Budgie : Budgie 1L/1L 1st Press Red/Pink 'Dogbone' Label MCA
This very collectable first pressing is absolutely stunning! I have sold a few of these down the years but never one as good as this. The clarity, depth and power of the audio is phenomenal and to say 99% plays 'as new' is an honest appraisal of the audio. With only a couple of very light clicks it could hardly play any better and this is not surprising when you see just how visually stunning the vinyl is. Judging by the audio and that there is barely any spindle wear this is obviously a record that has hardly been played, the sonic quality is exceptional.
I am delighted to say that the cover is also in fantastic condition with no obvious wear and I have never seen a better one. It is so rarely seen as pristine as this and the original inner is also in superb shape.
Their talented leader and frontman Burke Shelley sadly passed away only four months ago. I'm sure he and his bandmates would have been very impressed with this copy! In my opinion it is one of the finest heavy rock albums ever recorded and went on to influence many bands such as Metallica and Iron Maiden. It was of course produced by Rodger Bain of Black Sabbath fame and recorded at the famous Rockfield Studios in South Wales. It would be extremely difficult, nigh on impossible, to find a better one than this!
MCA used the same matrix BUCKINGHAM matrix system as Decca and as you can see this has B on S1 and C on S2. Did S2 ever have a B or U stamper? Regardless of that this is undoubtedly one of the first off the 'press'.
MKPS 2018 / 7-LNMG-240-1L / 7-LNMG-241-1L // B 1 / C 1
The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T3 Near Mint but Mint- for the vast majority)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 & T4 Near Mint but Mint- for the vast majority)
The cover is Near Mint
The inner sleeve is Ex+
The 'dogbone' labels are Mint-
Visual grading
The vinyl is in beautiful condition and still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen. There are no marks or scratches, no groove wear or dulling and it is quite simply the finest first press I have ever seen. There are only a few very faint sleeve removal hairlines and they are difficult to find! At first glance it looks 'as new' no exaggeration! The run out grooves are pristine and the red/pink 'dogbone' labels have no marking and barely any spindle wear. They have retained their original colour perfectly. Superb!
Play grading
The intro on 'Guts' plays with stunning clarity and Shelley's first vocal then plays with no background either. The more you get into this track the more you are impressed by it! This is perhaps not surprising when you consider the unbelievable visual quality of the record. It plays with that typically deep and resonant Budgie sound and has lost none of its original sonic sonic quality. The mid instrumental is faultless and the final vocal/instrumental section is equally as strong. This is a sublime start to this classic album and Mint is very much deserved as there is literally no background.
With complete silence in the dead wax 'Everything In My Heart' then plays beautifully for such a quiet acoustic number. I detected only one very light dust tick and l believe Mint is again a fair reflection of the audio. It is rare for this track to play with such clarity.
The quiet intro on 'The Author' once again shows how infrequently this record has been played, the playback is nigh on perfect with only a couple of barely audible dust ticks. The first vocal is just as 'clean' and this has to be the most impressive opening two minutes I have ever heard on this classic, there are just 3/4 dust ticks. As the volume increases the playback is STUNNING! There is just one very light click before Bourge goes into that first classic riff and from then on it plays with phenomenal power and depth with no distortion on the top end. I detected just one other light tick but this is without question the finest version I have ever listened to and the overall 'sound' cannot be faulted. Shelley's vocals are so clean and indeed his final vocal is flawless as is the the high octane ending. It plays to such a high standard and demands to be played loud! If not quite Mint- then this has to be Near Mint at the very least.
The percussive intro on the timeless classic 'Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman' has a stunning clarity of sound - there is no background static and just one mega light tick. In essence a perfect start. Once the volume 'cranks' up the playback is flawless and Shelley's first vocal is of the same standard. It continues to play with breathtaking quality with audio so strong ,deep and clear it sort of confirms this vinyl has hardly ever been played. The 'I got a feeling inside' vocal section could not be any better and this of course leads into one of the finest riffs ever written in rock! It plays with incredible power and depth from the get go and then the mid bass section is 'as new' also. Shelley's bass is of course an integral part of their sound and nowhere is it more in evidence than here. This high energy section plays with STUNNING audio all the way through and I cannot emphasise enough just how powerful it is. There is 'muddiness' to the sound and it's like you're back in 1971! This is the definitive version and and the final few riffs and end vocal play with great quality also. I did hear a couple of minor static moments at the end but they are so quiet and totally non-intrusive. This is easily a Mint- version and wow what a version!
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The intro on 'Rape Of The Locks' plays with great clarity also and one thing I've never noticed before is Philips' gentle percussion in the background. That is the true measure of a 'clean' vinyl when you pick up things you have not heard before. As the volume increases there is no drop in quality and that applies to the opening vocal also. From then on it plays with sublime precision and the long instrumental section has no background other than one very light tick that you could easily miss. The final vocal is 'as new' and the last 3/4 grooves just have a handful of mega light static ticks. This is another Mint- track I can confidently say.
'All Night Petrol' has only a couple of dust ticks on the intro and then plays with stunning audio...again. There are no clicks or pops and only a small number of very light dust ticks which is something you find on new vinyl and not just ones over 50 years old! Again the audio is so strong and deep and the percussive/bass section is a prime example of that. The final vocal is faultless and to the end there are no negatives. Overall I think Near Mint is about right here although I am sure many would say that is a little harsh!
'You And I' plays beautifully with just one mega light tick. The clarity is just out of this world! Each note is so clean and precise and for this quiet acoustic track to play this well is a genuine rarity. Mint
The intro on the total classic 'Homicidal Suicidal' is phenomenal! It plays with immense power and depth and Shelley's opening vocal is more than a match for it. I honestly cannot believe what I am listening to here, do I really want to sell this album?!! The instrumental section that follows could not play with any greater intensity and that deep and rich Budgie sound is very much to the fore. It continues to play with STUNNING audio although the 'quieter' section towards the end does have one light click followed by a very light tick, the only interference across the entire side! The super 'heavy' bass section in conjunction with Shelley's vocal is flawless and the 'high octane' finish ends this classic on a high with incredible power and definition. This would be Mint but for that one light click but Near Mint is infinitely deserved for sure.
In summary this relatively rare and very collectable first pressing plays with exceptional quality on both sides and it has to be the most impressive version of this LP that I have ever had the pleasure in listening to. In my opinion this is one of the greatest heavy rock albums ever recorded and it's not easy to find one this 'clean' today. Yes a couple of minor clicks but 99% is 'as new' no exaggeration. The clarity, power and depth of the audio is so much better than any later pressings/reissues and that is what makes it so collectable of course. There are so many highlights but the three 'big guns' 'The Author', 'Nude...' and 'Homicidal Suicidal' really do stand out. This is a powerhouse of an album, a classic debut album, and as detailed below I have never seen a better first press cover either. A stunning 'package' all round.
The Cover & Inner Sleeve
The non-laminated cover is more or less perfect if I'm honest and I have certainly never seen one as impressive as this. They are of course notoriously difficult to find in decent condition precisely because they are not as well protected as laminated covers so to find one as stunning as this is a genuine rarity. It is difficult to find fault! The edges and spine are unmarked and only the top right hand corner has a very small 'rub' - there you go that is the only fault! The opening edge is in lovely condition and the front and back cover are super clean with no marking or creasing. Both sides have retained their original colour and the cover has also kept its original shape and structure so well. This has been so well preserved down the years and I suspect it has been kept inside a pvc sleeve for most of that time. I'm almost tempted to say Mint- but I will grade as Near Mint just to err on the side of caution. A stunning example in every regard!
Not surprisingly the original poly-lined Stereo inner is in superb condition with no side splits or tears and only very minimal creasing. There are no marks other than a few 'spots' along the top edge that you often find due to the poly-lining 'reacting' to the paper.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
MKPS 2018 / 7-LNMG-240-1L / 7-LNMG-241-1L // B 1 / C 1
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
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Postage & Packaging
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