Black Sabbath Paranoid Vertigo Swirl 1st UK Press

	£		142
	$		188

Black Sabbath

Paranoid

Paranoid album by Sabbath rocketed into the UK charts in no time at all and set the standards for all heavy rock groups world wide. This was their second record/LP and blew everyone away. The single Paranoid was released a few weeks earlier and reached no. 4 in the UK charts. This record reached the dizzy heights of the no. one spot in the UK charts and smashed through the barrier of no return. Turned everybody’s world upside down . The single was reputed to be the one to have and to hold. The sound was stunning to say the least and discos still thrive on that luscious intro even to this day, possibly making Paranoid  the most infamous and best loved intros of all time.

These very early pressings were very heavily played , so to have a GENUINE 1st UK PRESSING turn up in this condition, is one hell of a find!

Black Sabbath has been so influential in the development of heavy metal rock music as to be a defining force in the style. The group took the blues-rock sound of late '60s acts like Cream, Blue Cheer, and Vanilla Fudge to its logical conclusion, slowing the tempo, accentuating the bass, and emphasizing screaming guitar solos and howled vocals full of lyrics expressing mental anguish and macabre fantasies. If their predecessors clearly came out of an electrified blues tradition, Black Sabbath took that tradition in a new direction, and in so doing helped give birth to a musical style that continued to attract millions of fans decades later.

6360 011 original release date 1970 vintage pressing

Spiral vertigo black and white label format in excellent condition . A few spindle lines only.No mottling. No peeling. No graffiti . No rips nor tears . Exceptional examples.

Vertigo original swirl inner bag in vg+ condition, just discoloured on edges and one central tear which has been repaired internally ! Seams are intact.

Rare UNLAMINATED 1st ISSUE gatefold sleeve in superb condition. Minimal edge wear . Spine is the only real blemish to this magnificent 1st issue sleeve, as there is moderate peels/wear on spinal column. Apart from that, a superb exhibit of one of “the hardest to locate” gatefold sleeves with the BIG BEAR ,BIRMINGHAM credits. Story goes that Jim Simpson was Sabbath’s manager, during the set up to the release of Paranoid, and a few gatefolds were credited with him being their manager. Just before its release, Simpson was sacked and so all subsequent album sleeves had to OMIT this credit so only a very few were printed with this rare credit on ,so a MUST HAVE collectors’ item .Designed by KEEF !Very light vinyl impression on front face only, and a prize asset indeed and rare to locate in this remarkably clean, undamaged condition . VG+/EX-  condition .Centrefold virtually perfect, save for a light discoloration toward inner spine, hardly visible ! No thickening to opening edge and one visible crease on reverse face .Quite clean and is in remarkable condition . Awesome feel , with outer faces with a vivid and strong coloration. One of the BETTER examples of this ultra rare gatefold sleeve, impossible to find in this sensational format !

Audio

Very good and considerably better in some parts. Distant static detected, during the quieter parts/opening grooves/between tracks, but no major faults at all. (Static can be built up due to the accumulation of dust particles in the grooves ,as the vinyl has been dormant for years and playing will improve the audio).This classic rock psyche is normally found very heavily played, so a rare exhibit with the odd solitary pop. Couple of light scratches,resulting in a few faint ticks and one deeper scratch, (causing a more prominent clunk) ,located side 1, but heard between tracks 3-4, so does little to affect the music presentation. Quite remarkable audio channels.  Tones rise above any surface disturbance owing to that masterful LOUD CUT engineering, which throws a shadow over later pressings, as this aural delivery has a tremendous depth of sound. The bass guitar riffs are sensational, executed with the deepest of resonance , that only these wider , 1st pressed vertigo channels can produce .

Vinyl

This is indeed the genuine article. A very first pressing of this awesome hard rock psyche .A thick, heavyweight giant and a delight to hold ! Later pressings are thinner and lighter in weight, so one appreciates the sheer class of this elusive vinyl. Mirror like sheen from this monster slab. Excellent-/vg visual as any surface marks tend to disappear beneath its staggering sheen  .  Under a stronger halogen, several surface marks/ hairlines are visible. But what a sheen to this vintage classic !

A classic to treasure !

Shipping

UK-£3.00

Europe-£4.50

USA/Japan-£7.50