KING CRIMSON Red RARE UK 1974 1st Press SUPERB N/M COPY

	£		232
	$		307

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Artist or Band: KING CRIMSON

Album Title: Red

Producer(s): King Crimson.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Red; Fallen Angel; One More Red Nightmare.

Side 2: Providence; Starless.

Label/Format: Island – original pink rim format.

Label Conditions: Both look superb: fresh, clean and unaged or likely handled many times. Spindle marks few very few, fine and light. At last, a copy of this monumental progressive classic that will delight my discerning customers.

Cat Number: ILPS 9308.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 134 grams a very good weight for this album.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Getting scarce and this stunning copy is the best I have ever seen or heard for simply ages.

Original Year of Release: 1974

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9308 A-3U and B-6U

Stamper Codes: 1 G / 1 R [one of the earliest copies ever made, one 1 G being the ultimate first mother and stamper]

Other Etchings: Sean / PECKO

The Band: Robert Fripp - guitar and mellotron; John Wetton - bass and vocal; William Bruford - percussives. Guests: David Cross - violin; Mel Collins - soprano saxophone; Ian McDonald - alto saxophone; Robin Miller - Oboe; Marc Charig - cornet.

Brief Artist & Album Info: I have been a huge fan of King Crimson since my schooldays and Red for me is one of their finest albums. Now scaled down to just three members but guests include five previous players as listed above. This fantastic album has it all, moments of quietness and moments of thrilling frenzied power with devastating volume. The final song for me has to be one of the best rock tracks ever - ‘Starless’ starts quietly with shimmering mellotron and guitar and slowly builds up into one of the most powerful climaxes ever put to record. Fripp’s splintering guitars will test out your speakers’ treble units, then comes a sublime short sax break followed by sheer rock power with the band going at full throttle. The bass rattles the foundations and Bruford’s percussion is devastating and when the mellotrons kick in again at the very end this gives me that incredible tingle factor that only the great recordings ever can. Play this album, and especially ‘Starless’ loud and you are in for hi-fi nirvana. Fripp decided to dissolve the band after this album and ‘Red’ is a stunning finale. You will not believe such a small band can create so much intensity. This copy is a beauty and one barely even played. Like all King Crimson albums, this has moments of near silence and then breathtaking power and high volume, their albums are always hard to find absolutely perfect on vinyl. This is no different, and this copy must rank as the very best I have yet heard with barely any unwanted sounds at all, even on the passages of near silence. Again the finale will test out any serious hi-fi system to its limits. A barrage of sound and instrumentation that can clearly all be followed with the ultimate detail on a worthy system with each instrument clearly defined and separate. The cover is as equally impressive as the record, also the blue inner the same. The main cover is a fragile one that often chips and creases and is ruthless in showing blemishes, being black anything is highlighted but this has few blemishes at all and goes very close to remining of new. This progressive classic and I mean the term ‘classic’ most sincerely, is getting more difficult to find on record now and this copy will please even the most discerning audiophile purists reading this.

Cover Grade and Format: MINT(-): a single format, laminated both sides. Printed in England by Robor.

Lamination: Front & Back: An uncompromisingly revealing cover in black, this shows all blemishes and marks freely, so delight to be able to state, this has barely any of note at all. Retaining a supreme, deep and luscious shine with any friction rubbing or marks almost conspicuous by their absence. Crucially, the laminate is fully adhered with no lifting or blisters which on a cover this intense black, would not be good news. Same goes for creases of which there are hardly any, any tiny ones present being edge fine hairline types only. Both surfaces retain incredibly freshness and top visual good looks, any record impression is very fine indeed and this sets a standard there to be beaten.

Top & Bottom Edges: Both unworn, dead straight and totally unscuffed.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Very clean and razor sharp with no wear whatsoever and guaranteed untrimmed. Record entered on right outside edge.

Spine and Text: Mint as made: solid, very straight with no compression. All text is perfect under the very solid clear laminate, and even this retains super shine. No chipping and the ends have the manufacturer’s nipped finish which are long and still neat and well defined.

Corners: One tiny tip crease apart, all four are immaculate as made. Ultra sharp and pointed with close to perfect definition.

Cover Summary: A fantastic all-round example of this very revealing 70’s cover, one that will prove nigh-on impossible to find better. A deceptively difficult cover that does not age as well as it should. A near off-the-shelf example that will thrill the cover connoisseurs.

The Inner Sleeve: MINT(-): this being critical, its almost as new. This blue lined Island inner that now correctly includes the new premises text at the bottom that reads: ‘island records ltd 22 st peters square london w6 9nw’. Unfaded with a lovely rich pastel-blue colour and the lining firmly attached with all edges unspit. Ultra clean, fresh with no creasing, jusst a trace of mild crinkle near the bottom corner. Very light traces of adhesive browning on the seams is near impossible to avoid but here shows little. Even the top opening is uncreased and as sharp as when made which reitterates still further, the record has barely made the trip out. The one and only original owner dated very neatly in pencil near the top right corner 13.1.75.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: MINT(-) and even that is being very critical, I am very tempted to put a full Mint grading on this truly stunning record, only the couple or three faint spindle marks stops me doing so. A supreme copy with barely a noteworthy blemish or mark to be found which is the news all vinyl connoisseurs want to hear for such a challenging record. Super clean and shiny, intense black very solidly pressed, a copy hardly played on all the evidence. One of the earliest made too with the prized 1 G mother/stamper and the very next run 1 R on side two. Few early examples will survive in this barely used condition, of that, I am certain. Visually a wonderful record that should please all collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This fantastic record plays up to it’s high visual grading which can never be taken for granted on any King Crimson album. I can never emphasise enough just how difficult this band’s albums are for vinyl, along with van der Graaf Generator this pair are consistently the most difficult to find on record that will play well due the a) the nature of the complex music and sound and b) the massive scale of alternating quiet and loud passages, indeed some so quiet as to be near silent. And not all Island pressings are of this incredibly high standard. This record is like a powder keg waiting to EXPLODE on to your system. It plays beautifully and totally distortion-free with minimal traces of anything unwanted. Total silence is an almost impossible ask and often this, and others from their early Island catalogue, offer far too much crackle, this has barely any of note at all. This is maybe as close as it realistically gets and this copy of Red is almost certainly the best I have yet heard. This has phenomenal in-built power with the climax to ‘Starless’ near ear-shattering and will test out even high-end hi-fi systems when played at high volume (let that amp warm up first) – an experience not to be missed by vinyl rock lovers. This breathtaking finale still leaves me awestruck and I am NOT exaggerating – just listen to Wetton’s bass chords that go head-to-head with Fripp’s mellotron and Collins soprano saxophone, this must rank as one of rocks greatest crescendos and no prog-rock lover should ever be without it. These totally unworn and barely run-in grooves carry enough information and slam to make the lights dip in a room if played loud enough. I still remember this album from my pre-marriage days on my orginal Linn LP12, Naim active 6-piece amp system and SBLs and little else made this system sound much better – enough! No pops or clicks were noted and this is certainly one of the cleanest pressed and quietest ‘Reds’ yet. Such lightly played copies are at a premium and this is a supreme all-round copy – record, inner and cover are of the highest quality – of the one of the most awesome rock albums ever made, a fitting finale to the first phase ‘early’ King Crimson, and quite honestly they were never this good again. Like ALL the albums they made previously, this is essential listening and this is a copy that merits my highest possible recommendation – do not lose this one.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with QED Silver terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET - PLEASE SEE MY TYPICAL PACKING BOX PICTURE.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). The record(s) REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with THREE or EVEN FOUR ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. The thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand based on over 7,000+ items sold in nearly 10 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£40 maximum]) = £9. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2.50 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£39 maximum]) = £13. Add £4 per extra LP. (insurance optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT neccessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.