ROLLING STONES Goat's Head Soup UK 1973 A2/B1 1st Press LP both inserts STUNNING

	£		44
	$		58

                    THE ROLLING STONES - GOAT'S HEAD SOUP               

An increasingly rare (especially in condition as truly wonderful as this) and sought after copy of this 1973 UK 1st pressing rock classic on the ROLLING STONES label, STEREO COC 59101

The dead wax matrix numbers are :

Side 1  COC 59101 A2 with stampers "B" and "45" at 4 o'clock and 10 o'clock respectively, with "ROLLING STONES RECORDS" hand etched

Side 2  COC 59101 B1 with stampers "A" and "51" at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock respectively, with "ROLLING STONES RECORDS" hand etched

Note the "ROLLING STONES RECORDS" text which has been hand etched into both sides of the dead wax area - indicative of a first pressing, and also the low stamper numbers confirming this to be an early first production run copy

The appearance of the vinyl is excellent+. Completely flat and heavy vinyl and still retaining it's original beautiful glossy and jet black lacquered sheen. A true "gleamer". Under a bright light it's possible to pick out just a few (and I really do mean a few) very fine, small wispy hairlines but these are very few and far between, all strictly surface only, only just detectable under a bright light, and certainly do not detract from the wonderful audio quality. I am sure that many would grade the condition of this vinyl as "near mint". Outstanding, especially considering this record's 45 year antiquity. This record has obviously been played just a few times.

The labels are excellent+. No blemishes with the iconic red Rolling Stones "tongue" logo, and all black text on the matt textured yellow background, in perfect condition. Just a couple of very faint and small spindle trails adjacent to the centre hole on each side, and even these you have to look hard to detect even under a bright light. Apart from that...perfect!

The non-laminated, matt textured David Bailey outer gate fold sleeve is again excellent+. All edges, including the spine, remain rigid and are completely devoid of any scuffing - remarkable! And the same can be said for the corners, which remain perfectly defined right angles with no rubbing. All spine text is perfectly intact and legible and even each end of the spine is like new. I really am struggling to find any faults on this outer sleeve, but I will try : there is a tiny white "nick" on the reverse side towards the top edge and there are a couple of tiny very, very mild surface indentations (I had to inspect very closely and under a bright light to find them), but these are insignificant. Honestly, this gate fold is in the same beautiful condition as if it has just been bought new from the shop - gorgeous!

The quality of the audio is excellent+ (at least!). There is wonderful tone and clarity throughout and with no distortion, even on the higher frequencies and at higher volume. No skips or clicks and no background crackle - stunning, with every track making for a great, great listen. There is the occasional nano second of static but this is no more or less than what you would expect from a brand new piece of vinyl when first played. Stunning from start to finish!

The tracks are :

Side 1 :

1. DANCING WITH MR. D

2. 100 YEARS AGO

3. COMING DOWN AGAIN

4. DOO DOO DOO DOO DOO

5. ANGIE

Side 2 :

1. SILVER TRAIN

2. HIDE YOUR LOVE

3. WINTER

4. CAN YOU HEAR THE MUSIC

5. STAR STAR

The original, coveted x2 Richard Davis inserts are of course included and each is in perfect, unused condition.  

Comes with original poly-line plain inner sleeve, with "MADE IN ENGLAND" and PATENT..." text, with no splits, tears, fraying, or age discolouration and just the minimal of creasing towards the top two corners - near perfect! Note that I always post the record in a new plain white inner sleeve in order to protect the original.

In summary an absolutely wonderful condition copy (I hesitate to use the term "near mint" but the condition of this copy is certainly at least an "excellent plus") of this increasingly rare and sought after 1973 UK original STEREO 1st pressing Rolling Stones classic -  worthy of gracing any vinyl collection and only continuing to gain in value. There can't be many UK first pressings in better condition than this.

 If you require any further information, including photos, then let me know and I'll do my best to oblige. 

If this record interests you then take a look at my other 60's & 70's classic vinyl listings.

A bit about myself : I have been collecting vinyl for more than 48 years and have amassed a huge collection covering a varied genre, but mostly of 1960's and 70's origin. Most of my records were originally bought by myself for my own collection, but during the past 30 years I have embellished my collection by buying records from a variety of sources : friends/acquaintances, car boot sales, auctions, and even through putting up a "vinyl wanted" notice in my wife's shop! I am now retired and take great delight in being able to spend more time scouring the country and attending boot sales and auctions in the hope of unearthing more vinyl gems...I am 63 years of age now and am still discovering bands and music of the 60's and 70's that I have never come across before. Wonderful! Richard

My ebay feedback speaks for itself so rest assured that you are buying from a trusted seller and in the very unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase just e-mail me and I'll sort out the problem. I offer a "no quibble" refund policy. 

On the subject of postage, I take great care in the packaging of all items, using a proper vinyl cardboard mailer along with at least two cardboard stiffeners. I take great care in separating the record from the outer sleeve in order to help prevent sleeve damage in transit and I always insert the vinyl, outer sleeve and inner into a clear plastic sleeve, thus adding further protection. 

** I DO POST WORLDWIDE ** 

For this item postage & packaging will be :

for the UK, Royal Mail 1st class, tracked and signed for  : £6.00, 

for continental Europe international tracked & signed for : £11.00

and for Rest of the World international tracked & signed for £15.00

 I do discount post & packaging costs for multiple purchases. I do NOT profit from postage.

Good luck with your bidding! Richard

NOTE : My vinyl descriptions comply with the official Record Collector vinyl grading guidelines :

Mint

The records itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items, such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent

The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and /or creasing.

Very Good

The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good

The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.

Fair

The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents are torn, stained and/or defaced

Poor

The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents are badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad

The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler