MR. FOX TRANSATLANTIC 1ST UK PRESS FEM VOX SPIROGYRA TOP DARK FOLK PROG EX++

	£		56
	$		74

MR. FOX

First Press UK 1970

Title: Self titled

Catologue number: TRA 226

Machined Matrix Numbers - A-1G / B-1G

****THIS IS AN ULTRA SCARCE ALBUM RARELY SEEN THESE DAYS****IT IS ON PAR WITH THE TREES AND SPIROGYRA IN ITS SCOPE***

Brief History:

Mr Fox were an early 1970s electric folk or folk rock band. They were seen as in the ‘second generation’ of electric folk performers and for a time were compared with Steeleye Span and Sandy Denny’s Fotheringay.[1] Unlike Steeleye Span they mainly wrote their own material in a traditional style and developed a distinct ‘northern’ variant of the genre. They demonstrate the impact and diversity of the electric folk movement and the members went on to pursue significant careers within the electric folk and traditional music genres after they disbanded in 1972 having recording two highly regarded albums.

 Origins

By the late 1960s Bob and Carole Pegg were already well-established singers and musicians on the British folk scene based in Yorkshire. In 1969 they moved south and played London folk clubs, where they met Ashley Hutchings, who had recently left Fairport Convention and was attempting to form a new group involving members of the Irish band Sweeney's Men including Terry Woods. They took part in rehearsals but the embryonic band soon broke up and Hutchings went on to form Steeleye Span with Woods and his wife Gay.[2] The Peggs were approached by record producer Bill Leader. They adopted the name Mr Fox, the title of one of their songs and a nod towards one of the recurring figures of folklore also known as El Diablo or The Devil.

 The albums

The group’s first eponymous album released in 1970, was in some ways very similar to the work of Steeleye Span, but, consisted largely of original compositions, mainly by the Peggs, with a Dave Mason tune, ‘Little Woman,’ and the songs ‘Salisbury Plain’ and 'Mr Thrill's Song' with lyrics by Hutchings. The use of classically trained musicians and the wide variety of instruments used (including organ, melodeon, tin whistle, terrapin, fiddle, cello, flute, clarinet) made for very complex arrangements and sounds. It was well received by the music press and was made Melody Maker album of the year.

Massey and Myatt left soon after the first album and the second, Gypsy (1971), as a result, had less complex instrumentation, but more experimentation.

A more varied album than the first offering, it was also based around self-penned material, but included two traditional songs 'The House Carpenter' and the finale 'All the Good Times' on which the Gridley Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra guested.The band had a reputation as an unpredictable live act, sometimes startlingly good and sometimes lack lustre. At the Loughborough Folk Festival in 1971 they were on the same bill as Steeleye Span and, while the latter put in a memorable performance, Mr Fox were on bad form and the band was heavily criticised in the press, an event often seen as a turning point in the band's fortunes.[5] Recordings made by the couple before the group was formed were released as He Came from the Mountain (1971), but by this point the Pegg's marriage was already under strain. In 1972 Eden and Lyons quit to join Trees, and were replaced by guitarist Nick Strutt and Ritchie Bull on bass. When Carole left later that year the band dissolved.

KILLER DARK FOLK/PROG - YOU WONT FIND A BETTER COPY THAN THIS

!!!!A VERY HARD FIND!!! Most have been bought up by collectors!! This is hardly offered in this splendid condition these days!!

 Sensational sound quality, I have played this through in its entirety and it was a great joy!!! NO skips or jumps. NO clicks or crackle, this is really a stunning heavy glossy jet black vinyl that has barely been played.  Two or three spins at most. Inspected under an intense lightsource and angled.

Vinyl: EX. Nice and heavy glossy vinyl which retais its original deep sheen. This has hardly been played, the winner will be very happy with this absolutely scarce album. Needless to say there are NO skips, NO jumps, NO clicks. An exemplary copy of this extremely rare record.

  Sleeve: EX.

  A really nice sleeve esp. with it being so flimsy. Ususally this would have heavy wear and seam splits, NOT THIS ONE!! Just a small discreet name to the rear top left. Not intrusive at all. The lightest onset of ringwear to the back. All in all it will be very hard to find this at all leave alone finding this in a better condition.

***This is a unique investment opportunity and an upgrade for most copies!!! Finding this album in any condition at all is nearly impossible!!! This is  a great and seriously collectable super album!!  You will buy into a piece of  prog core history.*** 

Labels: EX. Light yellowing spots.

             This is a unique investment opportunity!!! Finding this album in this condition  is nearly impossible so late in the day. This value of the album is only going to go one way ... up and up ... until it will be totally unavailable at all for a reasonable price.

Important : International postage will be registered and insured if over GBP 41.00.  Please wait for my invoice before paying. Postage will be according to Royal Mail rates. Postage is NOT a money spinning exercise for me.

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items, I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!  PLEASE REMEMBER to contact me FIRST,  if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy! Similarly with the amount of stars, anything less than a full 5 * rating is effectively detrimental to a seller's rating as lower ratings will incur higher Final Value Fees  and lower priority in the bidlists eventually making it unattractive to list items on Ebay at all. I know of at least one major previous Ebay seller who has decided not to list via Ebay again. Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again!!

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer soon.