QUEEN A DAY AT THE RACES 1U/1U 1st PRESS 1976 GREAT AUDIO EX+/NEAR MINT
£
98
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130
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Description
Queen : A Day At The Races 1U / 1U 1st Press
This first pressing plays with great clarity and depth and only minimal interference on S2. S1 is stunning and is one of the finest examples I have ever heard on a first pressing.
The gatefold does have some shelf wear but in no way an excessive amount. It is very susceptible to wear of course but this one remains in very good condition and the picture inner is in excellent shape.
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EMD 1003 // YAX 5245 - 1U / YAX 5246 - 1U // LG 2 / GL 1 // STERLING stamped on both
The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- for the majority / Track 2 Ex+ to Near Mint)
The audio on S2 is Near Mint (T2 & T3 intros Ex+ / T5 Ex+ but intro & final few seconds VG+)
The gatefold is VG+
The labels are Near Mint
The picture inner is Ex
Visual grading
The vinyl has been very well looked after and still has a very strong glossy sheen. There are no marks or scratches and all I can detect are a small number of very faint sleeve removal hairlines but they are not easy to find! There is a 'squiggly' type hairline/scratch on the final track of S2 but it is very small and not obvious at all. The run out grooves are super clean and the labels are in great condition with no marking or writing and only a minimal amount of spindle wear.
Play grading
The opening section on 'Tie Your Mother Down' plays superbly with no interference and only 2/3 very light dust ticks. This is a Mint- intro for sure. As that familiar riff comes in the audio is of the highest standard possible and it continues to play with supreme power and definition. This really is an outstanding version, every section is 'as new' and there is no distortion on the top end. Mint in every way :-)
'You Take My Breath Away' as any Queen collector will know is often subject to a lot of static/crackle but this is without doubt one of 'cleanest' examples I have heard. The 'choral' intro has only a small number of dust ticks and the piano intro is similarly as good with barely any 'background'. The first verse is nigh on perfect and rarely have I heard such great clarity. It continues in much the same way and with only one static tick it could not play much better. On a first 1U/1U pressing I have never a definitive perfect version but the audio here is very impressive indeed. The final section has only the lightest of background static and overall this ranges between Ex+ and Near Mint in my opinion.
'Long Away' goes one better and grades as Mint as there is no interference of any kind, not even a solitary dust tick. An immaculate rendition from start to finish.
The piano intro on 'The Millionaire Waltz' for once has no 'background' and the first verse is equally as good. It's not often you get a Mint start with this track but we have one here! From then on it plays so clearly - there are of course so many quiet sections and yet the clarity throughout is so good. There are a small number of very light static ticks (not clicks!) during the 'My fine friend...' section but is not intrusive in any way and I only mention it to be 'complete' in my grading - this section still plays exceptionally well! The remainder is flawless and Near Mint is infinitely deserved. No word of a lie this may well be the finest version I have ever heard on a first pressing.
'You And I' ends the side with 'high end' audio and no interference. So often marred by distortion this plays to near perfection with only a couple of dust ticks towards the end. A Mint- finish.
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The classic 'Somebody To Love' plays with sublime clarity from the very first groove and continues in the same precise way. The sonic quality on offer here is phenomenal, each note plays so clearly and there is no 'muddiness' to the sound at all. The only 'background' is a couple of static ticks at the start of the 'Find me somebody to love...' section and minimal light static on the fade out. A Near Mint grade is correct, not quite perfect but damn close to it!
'White Man' has only a little static and one minor static click on the intro but the music still plays very clearly. The first chorus is 'as new' and thereafter plays to same impeccable standard. I often think this track is underrated, it certainly never features highly on any polls! However, when you find a version as strong as the playback is so impressive and plays with a real sense of depth and power! There is no distortion and the quiet end section has only the one static click. The intro is Ex+ but the rest is Near Mint for sure.
'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy' has only minimal static on the intro and then plays with stunning clarity and only a couple of light ticks for company. This again has an Ex+ intro but would grade the rest as Near Mint
'Drowse' is superb from start to finish and has no real 'background' at all. There are 3/4 light ticks but they are easily missed as they are so quiet and there are certainly no clicks or pops. There is a little more static on the fade out so will grade as Near Mint overall.
'Let Us Cling Together' does have some static on the intro but very much decreases just after the vocal comes in. The second verse has only minimal light static and the first chorus plays perfectly. From that point it plays with great clarity and cannot be faulted. The emotive 'When I'm gone...' section near the end is stunning and for a change the following 'choral' passage has hardly any distortion. The instrumental end section has a small number of very light ticks and some static on the final grooves also. The intro and final few seconds are VG+ but everything else in between is Ex+
In summary this first pressing plays to an excellent standard and S1 in particular is stunning. S2 does have a little more 'background' but is only a little intrusive on the final track I would say. The audio overall is still a very impressive and not many play with a clarity and definition as good as this. 'You Take My Breath Away' and 'The Millionaire Waltz' are certainly two of the finest versions I have heard in a long time.
The Gatefold & Picture Inner
This cover is one of the hardest from the Queen catalogue to find in decent condition. Whilst not perfect this is in very good shape and one of the best around in my opinion. The edges do have some rubbing but the wide spine is very clean with only a few white 'specks' and a little wear on the corners. The right hand corners of the front cover have a little wear also but the ones on the back cover are in excellent order and the opening edges looks to be untouched. For once the front cover is very clean with no marking as such, just a couple of faint scratch lines. The back cover is clean but does have a few 'sweep' type lines across it and a small number of faint creases around the edges. The inside of the gatefold is in great condition with only very minimal fading and a faint mark on the right side. Overall a very good first press cover that has withstood the passage of time very well.
The original picture inner is in excellent condition with only one very small side split and a small rub on the bottom edge. There is no marking or creasing either.
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
EMD 1003 // YAX 5245 - 1U / YAX 5246 - 1U // LG 2 / GL 1 // STERLING stamped on both
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
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Postage & Packaging
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