Deep Purple - Shades of Deep Purple - TRUE 1st press.

	£		123
	$		163

Deep Purple - Shades of Deep Purple - TRUE 1st press.

Shades of Deep Purple is the debut album by English hard rock band Deep Purple - released in 1968 on Parlophone.

Here we have the very first pressing of this album. This is a VERY RARE item. This really is the first pressing, just try to find another like it, some come close but none will match this!

Points to note - visual description....

Catalogue number: PCS 7055

Original Parlophone yellow and black label.

'Sold in UK...' Label Text shown on both sides of label.

KT tax stamp in centre of label.

Issued in 1968

Matrix numbers-

YEX 689-1
YEX 690-1

Mother stampers : 1 A   (the very first!!!!) /   1  R

Vinyl wieght : 148g

Garrod and Lofthouse GF sleeve, Laminated front, unlaminated purple back.

More general details....

Personnel
Rod Evans - lead vocals
Ritchie Blackmore - guitar
Nick Simper - bass, backing vocals
Jon Lord - organ, keyboards, backing vocals
Ian Paice - drums

Produced by Derek Lawrence
Engineered by Barry Ainsworth

Sleeve condition: Front shows small amount of laminate lifting, spine is readable but not quite perfect with a few laminate creases (see pics). Small name written twice on back of cover, non-intrusive. Corners are solid. Lower flipback has section of colour missing. Overall a very good sleeve, solid but showing that 40 years has an effect on anyone and anything !!! Check the pictures, they speak a thousand words, really - this is a very nice cover!

Grade : VG++ 

Disc (visual condition)

Small name written on side 1 label. Disc on first inspection does show some (light) marking, although this is almost all insignificant paper scuffing. Play grading will tell me more.

Visual grades...

Side 1 : EX-

Side 2 : VG+

Due to the significance and rarity of this album I have decided to give a full writeup as I listen to each track. I will also give a play grade to each and every track with notes of any noise I may hear.
Just so you know, I've decided to play this one on my favourite turntable, an Audio Technica Soundburger - alleged to be the worlds highest quality portable turntable.
 

Track listing with play grade for each track.

a)

"And the Address" (Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord) – 4:38

Very quiet physcadelic organ intro to the track does show slight crackle, nothing too bad though. Track continues to play with awesome clarity, this is a superb pressing on first impressions. 

Play grade : EX-

"Hush" (Joe South) – 4:24

Perfect reproduction of this absolute classic track, no crackle, no pops, just awesome!!

Play grade : EX+++

"One More Rainy Day" (Rod Evans, Lord) – 3:40

Another clear full sounding track.

Play grade : EX++

"Prelude: Happiness" (Evans, Blackmore, Nick Simper, Lord, Ian Paice, Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov [1])

5 light clicks after about 1 min, otherwise clear.

Play grade : VG+

"I'm So Glad" (Skip James) – 7:19

No clicks, clear audio - superb.

Play grade : EX++

b)

"Mandrake Root" (Evans, Blackmore, Lord) – 6:09

7 light clicks at the start of the track, then clears up completely and just reconfirms the true quality of the pressing. Awsome clarity.

Play grade : VG+ due to clicks, otherwise would have been EX+++

"Help!" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 6:01

1 light click at start of track, quiet leadin to vocals - very faint crackle. 1 medium click after about 3 minutes, otherwise lovely, what a superb track !!!!!
WOW !!!!! - what an awsome version of this classic Beatles track ! So much better than the 'boys' !!!

Play grade : VG+ due to clicks, otherwise would be EX++

"Love Help Me" (Evans, Blackmore) – 3:49

1 click, otherwise lovely.
Play grade : EX-

"Hey Joe" (Billy Roberts) – 7:33
Very clear and full sounding, nothing to note other than what a superb album this really is !!!

Play grade : EX+

I hope this 'live' description helps you to understand the accuracy I'm trying to provide for this piece, This is afterall, the very first pressing of the very first album Deep Purple ever made. And a superb album it is. Do not underestimate the infrequency that one of these if found, there are others on ebay I know, but not a single TRUE first issue that I remember this year.

Please bid with confidence, I have described this as accurately as possible and my reputation is very important to me, please check my feedback.

I'll be sorry to see this one go, but - Low start and Low reserve. Happy bidding !!!!!!!

PLEASE NOTE - THIS ITEM WILL BE SENT 1st Class recorded in the UK and signed for internationally hence the additional postage.

Shipping:


OVERSEAS BIDDERS WELCOME. WE REGULARLY SHIP WORLDWIDE.
PLEASE SEE THE POSTAGE COSTS BELOW.

UK - £3.00 for first LP and then £1.50 each thereafter (Double albums £4.50).

Europe - £4.00 for first LP and then £2.00 each thereafter (Double albums £6.00).

Rest of World - £4.50 for first LP and then £2.50 each thereafter (Double albums £7.00).
7"s   UK - £1.50 for first SINGLE and then £0.25 each thereafter.
Europe - £2.00 for first SINGLE and then £0.35 each thereafter
Rest of World - £3.00 for first SINGLE and then £0.50 each thereafter

ITEMS WILL BE SENT BY 1st Class ROYAL MAIL (AIRMAIL SMALL PACKETS OVERSEAS) - PLEASE ASK IF YOU WANT REGISTERED / RECORDED DELIVERY OR EXTRA INSURANCE.

All items carefully packed in cardboard mailers.

Terms:

PAYMENT WITHIN 5 DAYS OF END OF LISTING PLEASE

About Us:

We are holders of a very large (50,000+ pieces) collection of vinyl amassed over the past 45 years by one man - a true lover of music, and of course vinyl.
Over the coming months we will be listing a wide range of vinyl with many rare, collectible and sought after pieces. We hope you find something to interest you in our selections.

We understand that when buying vinyl on the Internet, that the description is vital and MUST be accurate. WE WILL ALWAYS DESCRIBE OUR ITEMS AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE.

All collectible or rare vinyl is play graded as well as being given a visual grade as this gives the buyer a more complete understanding of the item.

We grade STRICTLY using the 'Record Collector Magazine' grading system.

HAPPY BIDDING!!!!!!