Rush
Rush

This picture was taken with a really cheap digital camera. Cover looks crisper and much brighter than what is picture here.

Close up of slight shelf wear at the top of the album cover.

Close up of slight dent to bottom left hand corner, and Moon catalog number MN-100 printed in the lower right hand corner.

Close up of slight shelf wear on back cover.

Close up of small seam split on top spine.

Close of slight shelf wear shown on side spine.

Both labels mint condition.

1974 Moon Records
Moon MN 100
Canadian pressing

Here it is... THE HOLY GRAIL for Rush Collectors!!! The original release of the first album on Moon Records. Only 3,500 copies were pressed on Moon before Mercury bought the rights to the album and released it on their own label. Mercury in fact changed the front cover, printing the red logo to a pink logo. This copy sports the original red logo, and this is the first spare I have had of this record in a long long time. This one is in very very nice condition.

I HAVE A VERY FAIR RESERVE PRICE SET ON THIS ITEM CONSIDERING A COPY OF LESSER CONDITION JUST SOLD ON EBAY A FEW WEEKS AGO FOR $199.99 USD. (This previous copy which just sold had much more visible ring wear and was in fact a promotional copy with radio station's call letters stamped onto the record label)

THIS IS NOT A PROMOTIONAL COPY! THIS IS AN ACTUAL STORE-BOUGHT COPY!

The LP has been previously auditioned but is in fantastic condion. Take a look at the scans.

Track Listing:  Finding My Way / Need Some Love / Take A Friend / Here Again / What You're Doing / In The Mood / Before And After / Working Man

RECORD COVER: I would call the condition of the cover as a solid EX++ to M-. The cover shows the slightest hint of the beginning of some shelf wear, mostly noticeable in the red logo area (see scan). Bottom left hand corner has been dented and shows a bit of paper wear as well. The record spine shows wear as well and the RUSH title and MOON RECORDS MN 100 catalog number is just still barely visible (see scan). Same story for the back cover which is just starting to show some signs of shelf wear, mostly visible in the large black areas. The record jacket has a small split seam approximately ½ inch long along the top edge about 3 inches from the left corner. It does not detract from the graphics in any way.

RECORD: Safely call the condition of this record as a strong EX- condition. The vinyl still has the original sheen but does contain a few surface marks, the worst being a small ¼ inch scuff halfway through Working Man, and a small ½ inch scuff towards the end of Here Again. None of the marks on the vinyl can be felt to the touch and none of the marks can be heard or affect the play in any way. The record plays very quiet in between each cut at medium to high volume. Very listenable. The label on both sides is perfect in every way.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RELEASE: 

After the disappointing reaction to their first single, Rush and their management team found themselves ready to go for bust and record an Lp. They went back into Eastern Sound Studios and recorded "Rush". The Group and the management both felt that David Stock, the producer, had taken the the rawness out of the Lp, so Ray and Vic called a friend to see if he could help them out. Over the space of two days Terry Brown remixed the Lp at Toronto Sound Studios with two songs being re-recorded "Need Some Love" and "Here Again" while "You Can't Fight It" and the single "Not Fade Away" were dropped from the Lp in favour of "Finding My Way". Once again Vic and Ray approached London Records and managed to get them to distribute the Lp. Showing their faith in Rush both Ray and Vic decided that instead of pressing the minimum 1000 copies they would get 3500 pressed.

The Lp was due to be released in December 1973 but was delayed due to the OPEC oil crisis making vinyl too expensive to produce - The Lp "Rush" was eventually released in January 1974. To their credit CHUM-FM a local Toronto Radio Station began playing the record and while Rush continued playing at every opportunity they could, more people began to take notice. Donna Halper the Programme Director at WMMS in Cleveland, Ohio, heard the record and started the ball rolling by giving the Lp radio airplay in the US and by organising copies of the Lp to be imported from Canada. Ray and Vic organised live dates through American Talent International and spoke to Ira Blacker of ATI regarding a record deal, who subsequently became Rush's American Co-Manager. This partnership would eventually cost Rush $250,000 in an out of court settlement through a dispute. With Casablanca Records on the verge of signing Rush a copy of the Lp eventually reached Cliff Burnstein at Mercury Records Promotion Dept in the USA and after hearing the record he knew Mercury had to sign Rush. Over the telephone Cliff Burnstein along with Mercury President Irwin Steinberg agreed terms with Ira Blacker. Rush received an advance from Mercury of $50,000 plus $25,000 towards future recording costs. Mercury and A.T.I then orginized a five month tour beginning on August 14th with Mercury also deciding to re-release the Rush Lp on the Mercury Label.

Shipping charges will be added at the end of the auction and must be paid for by the bidder. Typical shipping rates for one record to the US are listed below:

  6.95 Small Packet Airmail (no insurance)
16.95 Expedited Parcel Rate with insurance
21.95 United Parcel Service with insurance
26.95 Fedex with insurance

LOOK HERE!!! A super find and a LOW MINIMUM BID!!!
DON'T LET THIS ONE GET AWAY!

Please read the Auction Rules BEFORE bidding!!!
excuse the lengthy amount of auction rules but we have had an extraordinary amount of bidders lately who didn't bother to read the rules and send us personal cheques! Personal cheques are NOT acceptable for payment!

ONLY ACCEPTING BIDS FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, EUROPE, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND!
NO BIDS FROM SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST AND OTHER HIGH-RISK COUNTRIES!
PLEASE DON'T BID IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO MAKE GOOD ON YOUR PURCHASE!

ABSOLUTELY NO NEWBIES
OR BIDDERS WITH ZERO (0) FEEDBACK OR LESS
BIDDERS MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE POSITIVE FEEDBACK COMMENT!!!
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE BIDS FROM BIDDERS WITH LOTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF AUCTIONS END.

NO PERSONAL CHEQUES! NO GREEN US POSTAL SERVICE MONEY ORDERS!

Regular (green coloured) US Postal Service money orders are NOT CASHABLE outside of the United States, and therefore will NOT be acceptable for payment. Please make sure your money order is cashable in Canada.
Because of the high percentage of NSF cheques we have had returned to us we will no longer be able to accept personal cheques as payment either. All personal cheques will also be returned with negative feedback.

SHIPPING FEES
Winning bidder agrees to pay for all shipping costs. Method of shipment is the buyer's choice.
We have 50 other cool LPs on auction as well. Bid on a few and save on shipping!
Only $3.00 per additional LP shipped within North America, and only $8.00 per additional LP shipped overseas.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: Double albums are heavier than single LP pressings and ship the same as 2 LPs.
All records are shipped in double-strength cardboard LP mailers for secure delivery.
All shipping insurance is taken care of on our end.

PAYMENTS
The only acceptable forms of payment are:

•    •    •
• PayPal
• INTERNATIONAL (Orange Coloured) US Postal Service Money Orders
• US Bank Money Orders
• (Well Hidden) CASH

If paying by credit card please go straight to our secure eBay auction payment site located at http://www.NewWorldCds.com/SecurePaymentSite.htm 
If paying by INTERNATIONAL US money order or (well hidden) cash CLICK HERE for instructions on where to send the payment.
No need to wait for a confirmation.

Payment must be received within 3 weeks of auctions end.

RECORD GRADING
Mint: As stated with no defects
Near Mint: As stated near mint, or mint minus, same thing, very clean with no defect to sound or visual appearance. One scuff or mark may be permitted but it will be mentioned in the description. A near mint record looks and plays very clean.
Excellent: Not much below near mint, may have a delete hole and/or a minor defect or two not visually detracting from the record cover, the vinyl will appear shiny and in clean condition with very minor surface defects not affecting the sound, still very clean and very collectable!
Very Good: Still a very nice copy with minimal cover wear and/or delete marks or splits. Still visually appealing, the vinyl will retain its original gloss and can have some minor scuffs/scratches that don't affect the sound that much.
Good: A little more cover/ring wear and/or delete marks, seam splits, etc. The vinyl will still retain much of the original gloss but with a bit more scuffs and/or scratches.
Fair: Obvious cover/ring wear which is starting to detract from the cover's appeal. The vinyl will have obvious scuffs and/or scratches which affect the sound.

Satisfaction Guaranteed! Good luck to everybody!