INDIAN SUMMER S/T 1971 UK 1st press RARE prog gem NEON stereo NE3 VG+

	£		128
	$		170

INDIAN SUMMER - self titled

An impressive, rare and highly sought after 1st press copy of this 1971 UK prog rock classic on the coveted NEON label, STEREO NE3

 Matrix Numbers :

Side 1    ZGBS 0491 - 3  hand etched "A2B" at 7 o'clock

Side 2   ZGBS 0492 - 3  hand etched "A1H" at 5 o'clock

The appearance of this 1st press vinyl is excellent. Gorgeous jet black lacquered sheen, completely flat and an impressive gleaming appearance. Close inspection of both sides of the vinyl under a bright halogen light reveals a few wispy hairlines and superficial paper scuffs all of which are non-intrusive to both the appearance and audio quality. The exception to this is a very small scratch/nick (no more than the size of a pin head) towards the beginning of track 4 on side 2 where possibly a needle has been dropped at some stage or it could be a manufacturing fault, resulting in six audible clicks (no skips)...adjacent to this "nick" are some very, very light surface abrasions - you have to inspect really, really closely to spot them. For this reason I categorise the appearance and condition of the vinyl as excellent for side 1 and very good for side 2.

The labels are excellent. The only blemish is a 2cm straight line score/groove (see photo) on the side 1 label which is otherwise perfect; the side 2 label is pristine.

The iconic E. J. Day outer gatefold sleeve is very good+. There is some mild scuffing on the corners, however, and some very occasional and very light scuffing on the rear side bottom edge - apart from this the edges remain rigid and the corners are still well defined right angles. There is a deletion drill hole in the top left corner and just a little minor buffing on the opening edge towards the top.There are also just a few sporadic surface nicks on the reverse side and a very mild abrasion towards the front top edge. The spine remains rigid with all text perfectly legible and there is no creasing at all. Furthermore, the external photo and colouring remains as impressive as ever. The inside of the gatefold is similarly impressive with no unwanted writing or doodles but there is a vertical crease (or buckle in the cardboard) which runs 1cm parallel to the centre fold from top to bottom - nothing nasty here, but it is clearly evident and could be a manufacturing fault. I have tried to show all of these blemishes (all of which are minor) in my photos.

Finally, the quality of the audio is excellent. Super tone and clarity throughout even at higher volume and tone. The only blemishes are the aforementioned 6 clicks on track 4, side 2, and just some occasional very, very light background crackle/static which I am sure is due to dust in the grooves due to decades of storage. A great listen throughout with some fabulous prog guitar work.

The tracks are :

Side 1 :

1. GOD IS THE DOG

2. EMOTIONS OF MEN

3. GLIMPSE

4. HALF CHANGED AGAIN

Side 2 :

1. BLACK SUNSHINE

2. FROM THE FILM OF THE SAME NAME

3. SECRETS REFLECTED

4. ANOTHER TREE WILL GROW

Comes with original poly-lined "MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN" inner sleeve in excellent condition with no splits or tears and fully functional. I always supply a new plain white inner as a matter of course.

In summary a VERY GOOD+ copy of this scarce and sought after 1971 UK prog rock classic - a necessary addition to any serious prog rock vinyl collection.

 If you require any further information, including photos, then let me know and I'll do my best to oblige. 

If this record interests you then take a look at my other 60's & 70's classic vinyl listings.

A bit about myself : I have been collecting vinyl for more than 48 years and have amassed a huge collection covering a varied genre, but mostly of 1960's and 70's origin. Most of my records were originally bought by myself for my own collection, but over the years I have embellished my collection by buying records from a variety of sources : friends/acquaintances, car boots, auctions, and even through putting up a "vinyl wanted" notice in my wife's shop! I never intended selling any of my records but now I am retired and a combination of space requirements (caused partly by duplication) and a need to help fund my retirement has prompted me to "rationalise" my record collection and sell many of my much loved gems. 

My ebay feedback speaks for itself so rest assured that you are buying from a trusted seller and in the very unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase just e-mail me and I'll sort out the problem. I offer a "no quibble" refund policy. 

On the subject of postage, I take great care in the packaging of all items, using a proper vinyl cardboard mailer along with at least two cardboard stiffeners. I take great care in separating the record from the outer sleeve in order to help prevent sleeve damage in transit and I always insert the vinyl, outer sleeve and inner into a clear plastic sleeve, thus adding further protection. 

For this item postage & packaging will be Royal Mail 1st class signed for (and tracked for non-UK bidders)  : UK £5.00, continental Europe £10, and Rest of the World £14. 

 I do discount post & packaging costs for multiple purchases. I do NOT profit from postage.

Good luck with your bidding! Richard

Descriptions of any records I sell comply with the Rare Record Price Guide grading guidelines :

Mint

Description: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent

Description: The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packag­ing might have slight wear and/or creasing.

Very Good

Description: The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable sur­face marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good

Description: The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discoloration, etc.

Fair 

Description: The record is still just playable but has not been cared for prop­erly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.

Poor

Description: The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad

Description: The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.