STEELEYE SPAN Hark The Village Wait RARE RCA UK Orig

	£		56
	$		74

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: STEELEYE SPAN

Album Title: Hark! The Village Wait.

Producer(s): Sandy Roberton.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: A Calling-on-Song; The Blacksmith; Fisherman’s Wife; Blackleg Miner; Dark-eyed Sailor; Copshawholme Fair.

Side 2: All Things are Quite Silent; The Hills of Greenmore; My Johnny Was a Shoemaker; Lowlands of Holland; Twa Corbies; One Night As I Lay on My Bed.

Label/Format: RCA Victor – Original, first-made, full orange format with a lovely super-smooth glossy sheen.

Label Conditions: Both immaculate and look brand new: ultra fresh, shiny with that lovely ‘grip’ when running over the fingertip. I cannot see any spindle traces at all. Always a delight to see this wonderful piece with the original RCA Victor labels.

Cat Number: SF 8113.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 134 grams. A very good solid weight for this record.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce on RCA, easily as difficult to find as early Fairport albums. This title was only briefly available on the original RCA Victor label before being repressed in 1971 on UA. This ultimate fisrst pressing with the difficult to find -1E/-1E matrixes includes the insert and a cover with little wear.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: ZGBS 0358-1E / ZGBS 0359-1E

Musicians: Tim Hart – Vocals, electric guitar, electric dulcimer, fiddle, 5-string banjo, harmonium; Ashley Hutchings - electric bass guitar; Maddy Prior - vocals, 5-string banjo, step dancing; Gay Woods - vocals, concertina, autoharp, bodhran, step dancing; Terry Woods – voals, electric guitar, concertina, mandola, 5-string banjo, mandolin.

Brief Artist & Album Info: Classic folk-rock debut from one of the best and most popular bands within this genre, I personally consider this wonderful album to be one of the very greatest folk albums ever. With Maddy Prior and Gay Woods featuring on this album, two of folk’s finest female vocalists briefly together making the most beautiful music. This was Gay’s brief stay with the band as she left soon afterwards to pursue a solo career. Taking their name from a Lincolnshire wagnoner celebrated in song, Hark! The Village Wait features mostly classic traditional material expertly arranged into a folk-rock sound that works perfectly – many still feel this was the band’s finest ever album and I would not argue against this for a second. This easily compares to the brilliance of the early Fairport’s albums and no music lover could ever be failed to be moved by this one. For sure this vintage album rarely shows up on the original RCA label, it was only available for a relatively brief time before being repressed. This album came from the superb collection recently purchased, the only issue is, it was played once and then left inside a lined inner that has dulled the surfaces. This a common hazard from untouched records over the decades, totally harmless and in this case, little pattern, just dulling. So not for the visual perfectionist, but the surfaces have barely a real mark to be seen and few will ever boast that from a 41-year-old record.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: High.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): a single unlaminated format with matt smooth surfaces. The insert was printed in England by Delga Press Ltd, the cover is uncredited. The reissues had a very different cover and remember, this example would have been one of the earliest to make the shops.

Cover Front: A superb front with little to fault at all, this being quite thin and delicate, I have rarely seen one with such little wear. Any creasing or marks are minuscule and this has barely aged at all, worthy of another look.

Cover Back: Very similar again in most respects, a couple of light surface creases near the left edge but the lack of ringwear really is a big bonus on this one, few ever avoid it.

Top Edge: Practically as made and very straight too.

Bottom Edge: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with barely a hint of wear and guaranteed untrimmed. Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: Solid but quite thin, mainly straight with just a couple of small compressions. All the text is present and unworn.

Corners: Tiny tip rubs only and all retain excellent shape.

Cover Summary: A very impressive all-round example of this seldom seen RCA original, one that will prove very difficult to find better. This attractive original should please most collectors.

Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT: only marked down for age discolouration, there is barely any real wear at all. A vintage unlined RCA inner that promotes cassettes and 8-track cartidges on it’s text. Unlined with barely a crease to be seen, two immaculate window circles and all edges unsplit with no repairs. Moderate darkening on both sides. The original owner placed the record inside a replacement polylined inner instead.

The Insert: MINT(-): and guaranteed totally genuine. This is often missing and was not included with the reissues. Clean with neat sharp edges and uncreased or aged. This is printed both sides on matt thick paper and looking practically as made.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT: but how do you grade a now twice played record that is practically devoid of any marks, but has dulled for lack of usage from being stored inside a lined inner? Still an impressive visual copy, probably undergraded, that is very clean but lost it’s natural shine, intense black and very solidly pressed. Some lined inners had the habit of dulling the vinyl surface if left undisturbed for many years – known as ‘bag rash’, this has left little in the way of pattern, but has consistently dulled both surfaces – it has NO effect on sound whatsoever. This only really noticeable when viewed up close under light. So not for the visual perfectionist, but if sound quality and rarity – this being the only -1E/-1E ultimate first issue I have ever seen – are priorities over sparking clean looks, this should please.

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 miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This wonderful early folk masterpiece plays even above it’s still impressive visual grading with very little to fault. This evergreen folk classic plays with strong, fully focused, clean sound and no pops or clicks noted. With an array of complex instruments and vocals the sound of this RCA ‘original’ will not be beaten. This a label that proved somewhat variable when switching to the orange format. I have heard so many disappointing late 60s and 70s albums on RCA - often invisible pressing issues that certainly can be heard. This record has no such issues. This has a fantastic production and real high-end fidelity. The two girl singers excel and this record exudes pure class. With some quiet passages, total silence is a very tough ask, but any surface sound is very gentle and infrequent and this first pressing will take a fair degree of beating. I feel sure most folk connoisseurs will cherish this wonderful album and it can be strongly recommended (if the dulled surfaces are not an issue).

Final Summary: Even today, still one of the most popular and respected English folk bands, some while ago receiving a lifetime achievement award on TV (and justifiably so). Who would have thought after the release of this album the band would still be making music for a further five decades? Anyone wanting an RCA, complete copy of this one will rarely find a much better example. The cover is very attractive, the insert in super-fine shape, both labels stunning and the record impressive as is the sound – folk-rock hardly gets better than this.

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’.