KING CRIMSON Starless & Bible Black RARER ORIG UK 1974 EX++ LP - LOVELY EXAMPLE.

	£		75
	$		99

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: KING CRIMSON

Album Title: Starless and Bible Black

Producer(s): King Crimson

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Great Deceiver; Lament; We’ll Let You Know; The Night Watch; Trio; The Mincer.

Side 2: Starless and Bible Black; Fracture.

Label/Format: Island – pink rim format with matt, smooth surfaces, except the area inside the inner ring ridge that is gently textured. These are rarer, subsequent pressings were totally smooth all over.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with only a couple or three light and quite fine spindle marks and no wear around the hole area. This record plays superbly with little unwanted, this for another hugely challenging King Crimson classic

Cat Number: ILPS 9275

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 135 grams. A very good weight for this album.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: Moderately scarce as a first issue with the lesser-seen matrixes seen below and with the deeper inner ring ridge and semi-rough area inside towards the hole. These earlier issues offer a far better chance of cleaner sound which this copy more than delivers. The condition is a major factor too. The unprotected white cover is very hard to find clean and devoid often major grubbiness. The fragile inner sleeve is often missing or torn – and then the record. A typical King Crimson album with hugely contrasting levels of volume. Some almost silent passages, then ferocious volume that shakes the rafters. A clean pressing is imperative for maximum audio pleasure – something that is far from certain, even difficult – this copy delivers on all accounts and such copies are really quite hard to find. This copy is very well pressed and plays superbly – yes the odd gentle tick, but this is near impossible to avoid on such material. Although I have seen other examples, this is the first I have offered in over five years the others simply not up to the standard needed. This one of the finest I have heard to date.

Original Year of Release: 1974

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9275 A 2M / ILPS 9275 B 3M (these are the much rarer first pressed, punched matrixes)

Mother & Stamper Codes: None seen

Run-Out Groove Etchings: ‘S. D.’ / ‘Sean & Ray’

Musicians: Robert Fripp – guitar, mellotron, devices, electric piano; John Wetton – bass, vocals; Bill Bruford – drums, percussion; David Cross – violin, viola, mellotron, electric piano.

Brief Info: Sandwiched between the brilliant ‘Lark’s Tongues in Aspic’ and the sublime ‘Red’, this album often does not get the due credit it deserves in the mighty ‘first-phase’ King Crimson catalogue. The band had now shrunk to just four members, gone are the percussive skills of Jamie Muir heard on ‘Lark’s Tongues’. This is another powerhouse recording with some stunning material. Mostly instrumental and typical King Crimson being a roller-coaster ride in sound extremes. Some very delicate and quiet passages and songs, none better than the stunning ‘The Night Watch’, a haunting beautiful song that here plays beautifully. Side two has Fripp at his brilliant best with two immensely powerful tracks. Slow building and sparse but exploding into frenzy with speaker rattling sound later. I still rate King Crimson as one of the greatest progressive acts ever, their albums always immensely difficult and challenging on vinyl due to the near silence at times. This is a quality pressing and plays with very little unwanted – the odd click or trace being close to impossible to avoid. King Crimson are always best enjoyed to the maximum via the analogue source – the inherent detail and dynamics within a super-clean pressing can never be beaten, especially when played on a quality system. Special mention always to Bill Bruford’s percussion, my second favourite drummer after the legendary Keith Moon, his immense talent deserves far more credit than it ever seems to get. This record gives a superb performance with audiophile sound values, the music so compelling and captivating. With a very clean, little-worn cover and intact inner sleeve, this is a copy that should delight most collectors.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: and this being very critical on very unforgiving surfaces. An unlaminated gatefold format with matt, textured surfaces, including the centrefold. Printed and made in England by Robor. Includes the elusive lyric inner sleeve.

Cover Front: This cover is seldom seen in clean conditions, usually grubby, ringworn and tired looking. This one has defied the years and perils of bad storage or over-handling. The front is still very clean with minimal traces of any discolouration or ageing and practically devoid of creasing. These pale finely textured surfaces seldom escape scuffs and even sticker marks, this has none and any marks are tiny, very few and faint, the same for grubbiness, the odd tiny trace being critical. The artwork itself is pristine and this one sets a very high standard.

Cover Back: The back does have a little grubbiness near the edges and one or two gentle handling marks. But much else, and knowing this cover very well, it will take something near exceptional to better it significantly.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Both faces are little short of pristine, practically as new.

Top Edges: Straight, flush and flat with barely any hint of wear.

Bottom Edges: Largely as above, the odd gentle friction mark being critical.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The front has a real tucked and folded edge that has barely worn at all. The back opening edges are mostly clean and sharp with minimal wear and guaranteed untrimmed. Not quite flush in manufacture, the inner one is almost pristine, naturally protected by the outer edge that has only gentle traces of thickening seen viewed end-on. These are guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced.

Spine and Text: The white surface has only gentle hints of darkening, but is way above average in real terms. Very solid, straight and hardly compressed, folded square, so the edges meet up perfectly together and parallel. All text is near perfect and unworn, an ultra fine natural crease from opening is near impossible to avoid.

Corners: Any tip rubbing is tiny and faint, being white, any traces hardly register. Excellent shape is retained with no knocks, any tip creasing is tiny.

Cover Summary: An impressive all-round example of this highly intolerant 1970’s cover, one that will prove very difficult to find much better. A great survivor simply because the original owner looked after it. This very attractive, but not pristine item should please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: a thin paper, unlined lyric inner, printed one side only. This again is clean and aged little with all edges unsplit with NO repairs. Any creasing mild and any marks or ageing little and light. Two issues for the purists: the original retailer in Ipswich, Suffolk, put their shop stamp on one corner, which is very neat indeed, also the ILPS 9275 catalogue number is written opposite. Many retailers did this for identification and cheap promotion – it was very common back in the 1960s and 1970s, personally, I do not consider it an issue at all.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): a superb visual copy that is very clean with impressive shine and solidly pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence with any surface trace marks tiny, few and very faint. No penetrating scratches or marks at all, this the equal of the superb ‘Red’ I recently sold. Visually a super record that should please most 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 superb, little-played record plays up to its high visual grading with very little to fault. Offering massively powerful, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound with no tracking issues*. Another stunning production by Fripp and his band, this will again test out systems. Any surface sounds are minimal and faint, as stated already, it is nigh-on impossible not to have the odd sporadic tick or minor crackle trace. As much as I love Island records and most of the artists that recorded for them, pressing quality was not always perfect and many prove variable. I have heard some horrendous examples of ‘Lark’s Tongues’ and this album in particular. But this pressing is a delight and up there with the best I have heard. The complex groove patterns indicate the vast differences in volume, with many darker bands with compressed grooves indicating the quiet passages, of which there are a fair number. These are most vulnerable, any tiny fragment that hits the stylus means a minor sound, that’s why I pro-clean every record I sell on a high-end VPI machine to minimise this happening. Few copies will match or outperform this top quality pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been generally well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Little of any note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record – what a delight to hear those delicate, gentle passages play so cleanly and largely devoid of that irritating crackle many suffer, especially seen with gritty, dusty surfaces – the difference here will more than evident. This copy will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended. My highest recommendation is mandatory for this explosive prog classic.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

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 new VPI-17 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 boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are 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 at least TWO, 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. When larger boxes are used, 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. I do not profit on posting, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

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] = £4.75

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

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

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; 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 [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an 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: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. 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 necessarily 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’.