NICK DRAKE Five Leaves Left SCARCE UK 75 3rd ISLAND FORMAT N/M LP. SUPERB SOUND.

	£		64
	$		85

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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 will now be blocked 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: NICK DRAKE

Album Title: Five Leaves Left.

Producer(s): Joe Boyd.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Time Has Told Me; River Man; Three Hours; Way to Blue; Day Is Done.

Side 2: Cello Song; The Thoughts of Mary Jane; Man in a Shed; Fruit Tree; Saturday Sun.

Label/Format: Island – Blue Rim format with matt, smooth surfaces, this being a third label version pressing.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive, any of the very few spindle marks being fine and light.

Cat Number: ILPS 9105.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 108 grams. Quite light, but this is pressed on top-quality pure vinyl with fantastic, little short of perfect sound throughout.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Original Year of Release: 1969. The second pressing in 1970. Then in 1975 this new blue rim format took over. It is documented that all Nick Drakes albums were never deleted, so logic tells me this is when this copy was made.

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9105 A-3U / ILPS 9105 B-3U [these exactly the same as the last pink rim copy I sold around four years ago]

Mothers / Stampers: 1 / 1

Rarity: Very rare as a ‘first pressing’, and with a massive price guide value. The second pink rim pressing is also elusive and that has increased considerably as well of late. So never any hesitation in offering a 1975 copy in super condition. In the great scheme of things, this is still an early copy and is now 40-years-old in its own right. It took the record-buying public an age to really discover this man, hence this is almost as elusive the pink rim copy – in fact I have seen more of those than this pressing. This record is superly pressed, hardly played and still includes the gatefold cover with the same artwork as the previous label versions. Selling so few even up to mid-1970s, many of the early ones that surface are in very poor conditions as well, especially the cover which always wears very badly. The delicate acoustic music and that wonderful dreamy vocal often ruined by old vintage record players. So in terms of value-for-money, this hugely impressively copy, that still sounds exactly the same as the previous copies could be the perfect choice for many wanting a still relatively early issue of this evergreen classic without potentialy spending a king’s ransom on a first or early second issue.

Musicians: Nick Drake - vocals and acoustic guitar; Paul Harris – piano; Richard Thompson – electric guitar; Danny Thompson – double bass; Rocki Dzidzornu – congas; Clare Lowther – cello; Tristram Fry – drums & vibraphone.

Brief Info: Born Nicholas Rodney Drake on June 19, 1948 and died November 25, 1974. An English folk-singer-songwriter of immense talent. He made just three albums and they all failed to sell during his lifetime. Over time, his work has since grown massively in popularity and stature and all three are highly sort-after and he is now regarded one of the most influential folk singer-songwriters of the last half decade. He signed to Island Records when only 20-years-old, and released this, his debut album Five Leaves Left in 1969. His first two albums are reputed to have sold less than five thousand copies as first issues and his reluctance to perform live or give interviews were major factors to his total lack of commercial success. He suffered with depression and insomnia and his song lyrics often portrayed these troubles. He died after the completion of his third album from an overdose of an anti-depressant. On this timelessly beautiful record he is backed by Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention) and Danny Thompson (Pentangle) amongst others. His vocal lacked a great range but it remained highly expressive nonetheless and indeed it took me some time before appreciating this now iconic artist myself. Like most others, his albums bypassed me for many years but the wait was well worth it. This is such a rare album as an original and also difficult on the early pink rim versions, especially in better conditions. So many have very worn covers and badly scratched records when they do surface. So I have no hesitation whatsoever in offering this splendid blue rim Island record from the mid-1970s – 40-years-old itself, so still very much a vintage piece. Bought and appreciated by only a lucky few initially, this man’s original works are amongst the most sort-after for album collectors these days. The lack of sales at the time were not helped by mediocre reviews either – opinions on that have also turned around. Such is the strength of this blue rim record, it more than justifies the memory of this sadly tragic young man. An important historic piece that does him and the album itself practically full justice. Clearly not as rare as the ‘block’ or early pink rim first issues, but never underestimate how difficult this still relatively early repressing is either – I have found this little easier than the previous versions and this one should please many, if not most collectors.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: this being somewhat cautious, few ‘Day’ versions will be found looking half this fine these days. An unlaminated gatefold cover that was printed and made in England by Robor. This is practically the same as the first made versions apart from the imprint, and is just as unforgiving of wear. The green front especially is near impossible to find in anything like top conditions. This rubs, fades and even ringwears, most are far from pleasant to view putting this one into real perspective. At 40-years-old, few will survive a great deal better.

Cover Front: A near exceptional matt finish cover, the green almost fully intact and lacking the usual rubbing most acquire. The odd light mark or fine hairline edge crease, but retaining deep rich colour and even freshness. A little rubbing on the edge of the edges and corner tips, but try finding one without. The lack of sticker marks or damage and fading on the edges or main surface is a major positive as well. The main picture graphic is practically pristine, again that is a huge factor.

Cover Back: This is also challenging – a little mild grubbiness and gentle rim impression on the mid-areas of the pale edges, but not a great else. With many seen with deep penetrating ringwear, this has also fared well.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside is superb with very little to fault – the haunting picture of Drake seen in the shadows is quite chilling and effective.

Top Edges: Both straight and flush, a little mild, very patchy rubbing only.

Bottom Edges: Moderate patchy rubbing on the front green edge, any on the pale back barely registers. Again both straight and flush.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The front has a real tucked and folded edge, this has patchy rubbing also. The back entrance edge are crisp and mostly very sharp with any thickening or burring minimal and small as seen viewed end-on. Guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced, in fact the manufacture trim is not quite flush.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with no compression or crushing, also folded square so the edges are very flush and parallel. A little patchy rubbing only, but the really good news is most-all of the text is present with minimal traces of any wear. Very unusually on this cover, both fold hinges are barely worn at all with no fading. That is something rarely seen on the older covers.

Corners: All corners have light to moderate rubbing, with mostly very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: A very impressive example of this ruthlessly unforgiving cover. With most of any wear on the edges, this will take some beating. Although now made by Robor, this still has the same look, finish and feel of the E. J. Day original. One to please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: the blue Island is polylined and only gently aged with the usual seam adhesive darkening. A little crinkle and odd crease, all edges unsplit with no repairs.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): and practically Mint(–). A superb visual copy that is very clean with beautiful shine and fairly solidly pressed. Not heavy, but pressed on very pure vinyl with no dulling or mottle seen in the vinyl at all. Also a copy hardly played, reitterated by amazingly clean playing surfaces and superb, practically reference quality sound. Any surface traces being minuscule, even finer than hairlines – imagine what a first issue could be worthy in this stunning condition – if an available one could even be found. Visually a supreme record that should please most-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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: I found tapping out words and spaces impossible while listening to this record, hence I played this in it’s entirety uninterrupted and doing nothing but admiring what I was listening too. This Island masterpiece plays up to, and even exceeds its high visual gradings with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is wonderfully detailed with a wide dynamic range and in-the-room clarity. Beautifully produced with a genuine atmosphere, this is a gateway into the recording studio with Drake’s voice and guitar having ultimate definition with no tracking issues*. Any surface sounds barely registered and no pops or significant clicks were noted, this is an exceptional clean pressing for a very challenging acoustic album. Mainly a low-volume melancholic album, this has few passages to hide the odd minor blemish but glad to state there are barely any anyway. Few albums like this and of such an age will play through devoid of the odd single groove tick, the format hardly allows it but this gives a stunning high-class performance and was a sheer thrill to listen to. Do not dismiss this wonderful copy due to not being an original, this sounds just the same – but without the usual issues early, often abused copies acquire. Few will match or outperform this still quite early issue I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I feel very sure this record has been played very lightly and has been quite well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, a true delight, it really is a shame this did not sell in greater quantities simply to satisfy the amazing rise in interest for this man’s work. An album of immense beauty, possibly not immediately apparent, but when these songs get into the subconscious, little else will better it in this field. A work of true genius, the song arrangements are simply breathtaking and the purity of the voice and instruments are sheer high fidelity class. ‘The Cello Song’ simply sublime. With so few originals around, the reissues are an option for the more average collector. Although a mid-1970s copy, it will certainly prove difficult to find significantly better and is strongly recommended. A beautiful and still elusive record that more than justifies the memory of the legendary, mysterious and elusive artist.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Blue 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 programmes. 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 Blue 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’.