OSIBISA (1st) RARER Orig UK 1971 1st Press EX LP

	£		39
	$		52

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Please see my Detailed Packing Description Further Down & All Shipping Costs and Options – NOTE: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment.

Artist or Band: OSIBISA

Album Title: Osibisa.

Producer(s): Tony Visconti.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The Dawn; Music for Gong Gong; Ayiko Bia.

Side 2: Akwaaba; Oranges; Phallus C; Think About the People.

Label/Format: MCA – original orange and claret ‘dogbone’ format, pressed by Decca (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with only light, fine and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area.

Cat Number: MDKS 8001.

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: 139 grams. A very good weight for this era, but typical of Decca of course.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce as a first pressing - most seen are later issues.

Original Year of Release: 1971

Matrix Nos: 7-LNMG-236-1L / 7-LNMG-237-1L

Mothers / Stampers: 1 U / 1 C

Run-Out Groove Etchings:

Musicians: Teddy Osei – tenor saxophone, flute, African drums, vocals; Sol Amarfio – drums; Mac Tontoh – trumpet, flugelhorn, kabasa; Spartacus R – bass guitar, assorted percussion; Wendell Richardson – lead guitar, vocals; Robert Bailey – organ, piano, timbales; Loughty Lasisi Amao – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, congas, percussion.

Brief Info: The debut album from this English African-Caribbean band that skillfully blended rock with African rhythms and funk. They became quite popular being one of the first major acts for this style of music. This and the second album (also on offer) featured cover artwork by Roger Dean, this prior to his more well-known graphics on the future progressive albums by the likes of Yes, Gentle Giant, Uriah Heep and Greenslade et al. Not an easy one to find as a first pressing, the MCA label was being changed within months or even weeks to new designs, and this first ‘dogbone’ format label is not seen often. This is a great record and the bands drive, enthusiasm and music was quite infectious, and heard to maximum advantage from this scarce first issue.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: High.

Cover Grade and Format: VERY GOOD(+): an unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces. Printed and made in England by Robert Stace.

Cover Front: Superb artwork of the flying elephants, one of the most colourful and famous within the Dean catalogue. This deserved to be laminated as the lack of protection means this is prone to all forms of wear. This has a little gentle rubbing near the top and bottom edges and a few light surface marks only really seen viewed right up close. Also a very mild thumb crease near the right edge, again it shows little. A few small and fine tip-ins on the top edge made by the original owner.

Cover Back: A tiny nick split on the left edge barely eve shows and any rubbing, especially in context of this cover, is light. A mild rim arc rub near the bottom edge and a mere hint near the top. Most of these are seen with deep penetrating ringwear which this has avoided, and overall both front and back look quite impressive.

Cover Inner Gatefold: The inside spread has little to fault at all with any rub traces being very light and faint.

Top Edges: A few smallish surface chips, but neat and straight.

Bottom Edges: Some fairly light rubbing on the back, very little on the front.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, quite sharp with little wear and no feathering or trimming. Record enters on either edge as both are open, this being correct as neither has any glue residues.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with slight tilt but folded square, so the edges meet up very closely together and parallel. This has aged a little with some relatively mild surface rubbing and moderate fading. The only catalogue text still present.

Corners: The corners have rubbed but retain a fine degree of neatness with very fine shape retained.

Cover Summary: A difficult wear-prone cover and this one is not perfect but still represents a very attractive visual example. The main areas look really strong and clean and even the edges have only modest wear. So not for the perfectionist as the grading suggests, but the Very Good grading is arguably harsh and many collectors will enjoy this one.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: a heavy-duty Decca polylined inner that has only mildly aged with some of the usual adhesive darkening on the seams. Neat corner creasing and two very crisp and undamaged window circles. The lining seen here is ultra clear and fresh with minimal crinkle. All edges are unsplit with no repairs, this is British patented with ‘Foreign patents pending’ text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: an attractive visual copy that is very clean with fine shine, intense black and very solidly pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence with any surface marks few, light and faint. Visually a super record that should please many 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 scarcer first issue record plays even above it’s high visual grading with practically nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing as you would expect from Decca. Few copies will outperform this first pressing significantly I feel sure. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this quality record. This disc will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be highly recommended.

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 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 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. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 stiffeners 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 FIVE 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: Please as me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, 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 and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). 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.

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 [£46 maximum]) = £10. (Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 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 [£46 maximum]) = £14. Add £4 per extra LP. (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’.