HARSH REALITY - HEAVEN & HELL Orig Philips '69 LP UK PROG **EX UK 1st PRESS**
£
314
$
416
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Description
I'm relisting this again with no reserve this time...I'm surprised it didn't go as the last nice copy I saw a few weeks ago went for £670 on ebay (361114520556).
This is one of the UK's best late 60's Progressive/Psych LP's, Harsh Reality only made one LP, this is it, before parting their own ways and continuing into other notable bands. A superb and extremely rare and sought after UK LP.
Here's your chance to own a UK 1st press, these don't turn up often, especially with EX vinyl/audio.
HARSH REALITY - HEAVEN AND HELL, UK PHILIPS SBL.7891. 1969.
ORIGINAL UK ISSUE with Laminated Sleeve, Orig Black Labels.
Mega rare UK Prog/Psych Rock.....Harsh Reality are a little-known, proto-prog band from Stevenage, Hertfordshire formed out of the remnants of the Freightliner Blues Band (formerly the Revolution) in the early 60s. The band consisted of Mark Griffiths and Dave Jenkins on guitars, Alan Greed on lead vocals and organ, Roger Swallow on drums, and Steve Miller on bass and backing vocals. They released a single for Phillips in 1968 (Tobacco Ash Sunday/How Do You Feel) before releasing their only LP, Heaven and Hell, on Phillips in 1969. A final single followed soon after, before the band split in 1969.The LP is now a highly-sought rarity, going for ever increasing sums...for this reason, Harsh Reality is now somewhat famous/infamous in collecting circles.
Highlights are "Praying For Reprieve", "Heaven And Hell", and all of side 2, the excellent "Quickenut/Devil's Daughter", "Melancholy Lady", "Don't Shoot Me Down", "Girl Of My Dreams" plus the 2 short mellow interludes "Mary Roberta Part 1" & "2".
Following the band's demise, Roger Swallow has lent his talent variously to Principle Edwards Magic Theatre, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong, Albion Country Band, and Al Stewart before moving to California and establishing himself as an electronic musician, songwriter and entrepreneur. Alan Greed went on to work with Ray Russell on the Rock Workshop albums and as a session singer. Mark Griffiths has worked with Matthews Southern Comfort, Jonathan Kelly, Al Stewart & others. The rest of the band also went into session work.
Now a monster rarity and probably the rarest Philips LP....with original copies seldom turning up in any condition. Even reissues are now rare and sought after.
Cover: Cover is generally EX-, has some slight wear along the opening/bottom
edges, a bit of wear at the top left corner (see pic), a bit of lamination lifting on
the left side on the front (common to all copies I've seen), minor small creases.
No writing anywhere...there is a faint indentation on the rear of some initials
which can only be seen under a light...but not any actual pen marks.
Labels: Side 1 in great condition, no marks whatsoever, side 2, some minor, very
light spindle marks.
Record: The best bit is that the record is in great condition, looks as though it has
hardly been played at all, just a couple of minor light surface marks. Sound wise,
it plays really nicely, close to M-....in fact some sellers would grade this as M-.
Try finding a copy....especially in this condition.
The last nice copy I saw a few weeks ago went for £670 on ebay!
Condition is VG+ to EX-/EX (cover/record).
POSTAGE:
CONSIDERING THE VALUE OF THIS ITEM, THE POSTAGE/SHIPPING AMOUNT INCLUDES A FULLY INSURED METHOD.
UK: FREE
EUROPE: 10 GBP
REST OF THE WORLD: 15 GBP
If you win more than one item please wait for your invoice for the correct combined postage amount.
UK: £4 for the first 2 or 3 single LPs under 1Kg (signed for add £1.20), then £6 for 1 to 2 Kg with a value up to £50, £8 for weights 1 to 2Kg with a value up to £100.
For 2 to 5 Kg prices range from £7 for values up to £50, £9 for values up to £100, £10 for values of £250.
For urgent/high value items, special delivery is reasonable for weights up to 2Kg, cost is £12 for values up to £500.
CDs & 7" Singles are £1.30 for the first then 50p each after. Thicker CD Box Sets are the same as LPs due to the size/weight.
For items outside of the UK, Royal Mail now use a pricing scale which increases for every 250g instead of 100g previously.
EUROPE: 6 GBP for the 1st LP (under 500g), then additional single LPs are 2 GBP each up to 5 or 6 LPs in total (under 2Kg).
2LP sets: 8 GBP, additional LPs are 2 GBP.
1st CD/Single is 4.50 GBP then additional CDs/Singles are 1.50 GBP each.
For larger orders over 6 LPs, it is now cheaper to send altogether in one package by courier rather than separate packages but depends on the destination.
Generally the basic cost for 7+ LPs (over 2Kg, under 10Kg) to most EU destinations is around 25 GBP plus any extra for insurance (50 GBP of insurance is inclusive, higher insurance works out at 1 GBP extra for every 20 GBP of value).
REST OF WORLD: 9 GBP for the 1st LP (under 500g), then additional single LPs are 3.50 GBP each up to 6 LPs in total (under 2Kg).
2LP sets: 12 GBP, additional LPs are 3.50 GBP each.
1st CD/Single is 5.50 GBP then additional CDs/Singles are 2 GBP each.
For larger orders over 6 LPs, for many countries, it is now cheaper to send altogether in one package by courier rather than separate packages but depends on the destination and weight.
Surface mail is available on request for cheap LPs only, to the Rest of the World but delivery times are 6 to 8 weeks minimum!
Insurance/Registered Mail outside the UK is extra: 6 GBP for values up to 50 GBP, 9 GBP for values over 50 GBP.
NOTE: Ebay now levy an extra 9% charge on all postage amounts...so please realise the actual postage cost is: the actual cost of shipping + the ebay 9% charge + other smaller costs such as petrol, cost of mailers etc where appropriate...
PAYMENT:
PERSONAL CHEQUES IN UK STERLING/ PAYPAL.
GRADINGS:
I DO TRY TO PLAY/TEST GRADE ALL THE LPs I SELL.
MINT:
RECORD: PERFECT....AS NEW CONDITION, SO NO DETEORIATION IN THE SOUND QUALITY…..bear in mind that not all ‘new’ LPs are Mint because of the quality of the pressing etc....also SEALED/UNPLAYED LPs are sold as is.....
COVER: AS NEW CONDITION WITH NO OBVIOUS DEFECTS.......except maybe a deletion hole/cutout on a SEALED LP.
M- :
RECORD: SLIGHTY WORSE THAN M, LP may have several surface marks due to removal from it's sleeve etc....but certainly NO audible scratches....LP may have the occasional light crackle/hiss...but still in great condition.
COVER: SHOWS SIGNS OF BEING HANDLED WITH SLIGHT CREASING/WEAR...or may be a M cover with a very slight split seam or very slight showing of ring wear or a very slight sticker tear, but not all of these together.
EX:
RECORD: MOST REGUARLY PLAYED LPs KEPT WITH CARE FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY....LP may play with more hiss/crackle but not louder than the music......sometimes it may be a M or M- LP with one slight audible mark or a very slight edge warp but not affecting it.
COVER: SLIGHTLY MORE WEAR/CREASING/BENDING even some slight ring wear.....or may be a M or M- cover with a split seam(s) and minor sticker tears, but still nice.
VG+ :
RECORD: LP PLAYS WITH MORE NOISE DUE TO EITHER DIRT OR SLIGHTLY STRONGER SURFACE MARKS BUT STILL IS IN A VERY LISTENABLE CONDITION.....or it may be an LP which plays say M- but has one or a few audible marks/slight warp etc.....but still no skips/jumps.
COVER: HAS QUITE A LOT OF CEASING/BENDING often with FADING/RING WEAR/ STICKER TEARS/TEARS....or may be an EX cover with a split seam(s), but still acceptable.
VG:
RECORD: THE SOUND QUALITY OF THE LP IS AFFECTED BY SURFACE MARKS/ AUDIBLE MARKS or DIRT etc....but still plays through and is still in quite a REASONABLE condition.....it may be an LP which plays EX but has audible marks.....
COVER: PLENTY OF CREASING/BENDING/FADING/RING WEAR but still in one piece.
G: LP still plays through but is very noisy due to scratches/dirt etc....but still not totally trashed!!!
COVER: AS VG BUT TORN and starting to fall apart.
F/P: LP is trashed...for ornament purposes only...
+/-: Slightly better/worse than stated.
