SANDY DENNY North Star Grassman and the Ravens inc RICHARD THOMPSON.

	£		23
	$		30

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all. More details on this 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 ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: SANDY DENNY

Album Title: The North Star Grassman and the Ravens.

Producer(s): Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, John Wood.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Late November; Blackwaterside; The Sea Captain; Down in the Flood; John the Gun.

Side 2: Next Time Around; The Optimist; Let’s Jump the Broomstick; Wretched Wilbur; The North Star Grassman and the Ravens; Crazy Lady Blues.

Label/Format: Island – Original pink rim format with matt, smooth surfaces. (Please see my label scans).

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with only a tiny few, very light, fine and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area. Just a small and very light tone spot on side two at the 9 o’clock position as can be seen on my label scan.

Cat Number: ILPS 9165.

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: 132 grams. A very good solid weight for a record made in this year.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce, especially the earlier pressed examples.

Original Year of Release: 1971

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9165 A-1U / ILPS 9165 B-1U

Stamper Codes: 1 GR / 1 GR

Run-Out Groove Etchings: ‘STERLING LH’ (on both sides)

Musicians: Sandy Denny (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano); Richard Thompson (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, accordion); Trevor Lucas (acoustic, electric & 12-string guitars, background vocals); Jerry Donahue (electric guitar); Buddy Emmons (pedal steel guitar); Barry Dransfield (violin, background vocals); Ian Whiteman (piano, flute organ); Pat Donaldson (bass); Gerry Conway, Roger Powell (drums); Royston Woods, Robin Dransfield (background vocals).

Brief Info: After splitting from Fairport Convention after three albums and then dissolving her folk-rock ‘supergroup’ Fotheringay, this was Sandy’s ‘solo’ albums. Now free to concentrate on her own material but still including many of her former band’s members, this album is a true delight and must rank as one of her finest. Nine of the 11 songs were self-written with the inclusion of the almost mandatory Dylan Song (‘Down in the Flood’) and a rock n roll standard in ‘Let’s Jump the Broomstick’. Still so sadly missed, this lady had the most wonderful voice and her its again used to full effect. For those still to discover this legendary lady, there are few better places to start.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: an unlaminated gatefold cover made with very heavy thick card, the surfaces are matt with very gentle hints of texturing. Printed and made in England by Howards and includes the blue Island lined inner sleeve.

Cover Front: A cover very prone to all forms of wear and is seldom seen without it. This very dark graphic has withstood the test-of-time very well overall. Any rubbing is only very light around the edges and has minimal traces of any creasing. The top right has a faint price sticker residue trace seen under light, but no pulling or tearing to the surface, hence it shows very little. Given to some of the horrendous examples of this I have seen before, this one will take a fair degree of beating.

Cover Back: Seldom seen without deep penetrating ring wear, this has only very light traces again near the very edges, and the least I have seen for ages. The odd small mark and one fairly light press mark near the top right, again seen more under angled light, but again, hardly any creasing. Given to the unforgiving nature of this back especially, again it sets a very high standard.

Cover Inner Gatefold: A very impressive centrefold that is almost as prone to wear as the outside faces. A terrific portrait of Sandy and seen to nigh-on maximum advantage with only the odd tiny surface chip and little else.

Top & Bottom Edges: The top pair are thick and very straight with little wear at all. The bottom storage ones have a little patchy very light surface rubbing and are again straight.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The front has a real tucked and folded edge, this straight with just a very small rub near the bottom and little else. The back storage edges are clean and mostly sharp with minimal wear. Any thickening or burring is light and little as seen more critically viewed end-on, this guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way.

Spine and Text: A fantastic spine, and so rare to see like this: Massively thick, solid and robust. Straight, uncompressed and folded square, so the edges meet up perfectly together and parallel. All text and artwork is practically perfect and unworn as are both the vulnerable folds.

Corners: Most of any rubbing is seen on the bottom right pair, but still only small and light. The spine pair are very impressive and show little at all. The odd small tip crease on the front bottom right with very fine to excellent (or better) shape retained.

Cover Summary: Even with a little gentle wear, I consider this a very fine example of a difficult and uncompromising cover. It will prove difficult to find much better and it should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: with only gentle ageing. This blue lined Island inner has very little creasing and all edges sound and unsplit with no repairs. The lining remains intact as well, some gentle darkening of the seam adhesive but overall it retains very fine colour, many fade almost to white and generally clean too.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): very clean, shiny, intense black and solidly pressed. Any surface marks are very few, fine and faint as seen with scrutiny under bright angled light. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence and 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 classic Sandy Denny record mostly plays up too and even above its visual grading with little 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 light and quite infrequent, but not entirely silent for all. I have rarely found a copy of this that has been. Pressing quality around this period varied – a plain and simple fact. Oil supply was short and often vinyl was not of virgin purity, often mixed with recycled returns. I remember buying a copy of ‘Earthbound’ by King Crimson from new, that also on Island, that actually had a large piece of old record label stuck within the actual record. No clearer or more definitive proof needed. So basically, some records were never dead silent even from brand new. Overall, this lightly played copy gives a very fine account of itself, but with a little gentle reminder occasionally, it is a vintage record being played and not a clinical squeaky clean digital version. No really loud passages to hide any imperfections, the odd minor sporadic pop or click is difficult to avoid. I do not think this will be easily found a great deal better – it has NO penetrating scratches and has certainly has not been abused or played much. I also remind I play all my records on very revealing equipment including the Linn LP12 turntable. This copy could prove difficult to find significantly better and can be solidly recommended, but if absolute silence is mandatory, this is not quite that for all.

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 Terrarium 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 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 10,000+ items sold in over 12 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 2 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). 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 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] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (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 [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced 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 [£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’.