Eden' Island - Eden Ahbez (Nature Boy) LP exotica psychedelic
$
142
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Description
LP VG+
Jacket VG+
biography
by Richie Unterberger
One of the genuinely strange characters of pre-rock American popular music, Eden Ahbez's main claim to fame was as the composer of "Nature Boy." The melodically and lyrically beguiling song was a huge pop hit for Nat King Cole; it would be covered by many other reputable performers, including Frank Sinatra, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughan, and the Great Society (Grace Slick's pre-Jefferson Airplane band). But Ahbez's modern stature rests on a 1960 album that mixed exotica album and beatnik poetry. It rates as one of the goofiest efforts in the goofy exotica genre -- and brother, that's saying something, given the stiff competition. Ahbez boasted a resumé as colorful and mysterious as his music. Born Alexander Aberle in Brooklyn in the early 20th century, he changed his name in the 1940s shortly after moving to (where else?) California. A hippie a good 20 years before his time, he cultivated a Christ-like appearance with his shoulder-length hair and beard. He claimed to live on three dollars a week, sleeping outdoors with his family, eating vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Ahbez's big success was getting Nat King Cole to record "Nature Boy," after diligently pestering some of Cole's associates at the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles, where Cole was performing. Some of the luster was taken off that triumph when a publishing company claimed that Ahbez had taken some of the lyrics from "Nature Boy" from one of their copyrights, the Yiddish song "Schweig Mein Hertz" (the parties reached an out-of-court settlement). Ahbez did manage to place another tune with Cole, "Land of Love (Come My Love and Live With Me)." In the mid-'50s, he did some recording with jazz musician Herb Jeffries; he also did some occasional composing and singing, sometimes for rock & roll novelty records. His most comprehensive statement as a recording artist, however, was the 1960 LP Eden's Island, which wedded Martin Denny-style exotica to Ahbez's near-stereotypical beatnik poetry. Nat King Cole, for one, claimed that Ahbez's hippie-mystical image was no act. That doesn't mean that his desert-island paradise trip doesn't sound darned silly today. It was ripe for revival by space age pop aficionados in the 1990s, however, and reissued on CD in 1995. Ahbez was photographed with Brian Wilson in the studio in 1966, lending further credence to the theory that the head Beach Boy was influenced by exotica during the Pet Sounds and Smile sessions. Ahbez died in 1995 after an auto accident.
All Lps are sight graded
Note: I Do Not Grade inner sleeves, If these are Important to you then you may e-mail me)
RECORD GRADING Based On Goldmine Grading Standards:
Near Mint (NM): A nearly perfect record. There may be one or two small inaudible defects. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other sights of slight handling. An LP jacket should have no creases, folds, seam splits or any other noticeable similar defect. No cut-out holes, either.
Near Mint Minus (NM-): A record that should play mint but has a few slight visible marks. The album will have as much luster as an NM, there just may be some superficial scuffs from the sleeve or very light hairlines that shouldn't be audible. An NM- album cover subjectively fits somewhere in between VG+ and NM.
Very Good Plus (VG+): A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don t significantly affect play. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play. 45 Picture sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned-up corners, or a slight seam-split. An LP jacket may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.
Very Good (VG): Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song s intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as will light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, just two or three of them.
Good (G), Good Plus (G+): Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play though without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear. A jacket or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the subject.
Poor (P), Fair (F): Below good. imperfections will be described.
Please check out my other items for sale. (I offer shipping discounts) I'll Be adding More Daily except for Friday and Saturday.
ALLSHIPPING PRICES ARE FINAL
additional items are 1.50 per item up to 6 within USA (if you are bidding on multiple items lots I have in one listing. you pay each shipping total added together)
Priorty shipping is available e-mail for total
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NOTE: Gatefold Lps Count as 2 Lps when shipping out of the country
SHIPPING TO CANADA Multiple LP Shipping Rates In USD
1 LP 11.50
2. Lps 13.00
3 Lps 15.00
4 Lps 17.00
5 Lps 26.00
6 Lps 29.00
Multiple Shipping Rates SHIPPING TO Rest Of The World Outside USA in USD
Note: Gatefold Lps Count as 2 Lps
1 LP 17.25
2 LP 20.00
3. Lps 26.50
4 Lps 30.00
5 Lps 48.00 (price jump becuse weight usually takes it to priority mail rate)
6 Lps 51.00
7 Lps 54.00
8 LPs 58.00
9 Lps 61.00
10 Lps 64.00
11 Lps 67.00
12 Lps 70.00
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