THE CAKE (1st Album) RARE & STUNNING UK 1968 MONO N/M RECORD, COVER & SOUND.

	£		125
	$		166

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrived damaged in them at some time. More details on my packing 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 to keep things moving – cash-flow is important to any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

Artist or Band: THE CAKE

Album Title: The Cake.

Producer(s): Brian Stone & Charles Greene.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Baby That’s Me; World of Dreams; You Can Have Him; Medieval Love; Fire Fly; Rainbow Wood.

Side 2: I Know; Mocking Bird; Ooh Poo Pah Doo; Stand By Me; What’d I Say.

Label/Format: MCA (pressed by Decca) with matt, smooth surfaces (Please see my label pictures).

Label Conditions: Both in stunning condition and these could pass for new. Ultra clean, fresh and highly attractive with barely a spindle trace to be seen. This remarkable and scarce mono record appears barely handled or played, reitterated by pristine sound throughout. An age-defying museum-quality record, labels and cover that will prove near impossible to match or find better.

Cat Number: MUP 303.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 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: 147 grams. A typical very solid weight and so typical of any Decca-press record.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce: and try finding this original UK mono copy better.

Original Year of Release: 1967. 1968 in the UK.

Matrix Nos: MG-11174-1B / MG-11175-1B

Mothers / Stampers: 1 B / 1 B (the ‘B’s’ not pin sharp, but I am quite sure these are correct), B stampers on Decca records being the ultimate first ever pressed.

The Cake: Jeanette Jacobs, Barbara Morillo and Eleanor Barooshian – Vocals.

Musicians Include: Bass – Bob West, Cliff Hils; Drums – John Boudreaux, Richie Frost; Drums, Bongos – Leslie Milton; Guitars – Carol Kaye, Charles Wright, David Cohen, Don Peake, John Simmons, Melvin Brown, Mike Deasy, Mike Post; Harpsichord – Mike Rubini; Percussion – Dave Dixson, Gene Estes, Jesse Hill, Jon Keliehor; Piano – Harold Battiste, Mike Melvoin; Piano, Organ, Guitar – Mac Rebennack; Woodwind – David M. Sherr, John Neufeld.

Brief Info: This was the first The Cake album, an American vocal trio with quite varied material, including some self-written songs. Some had that famed Spectoresque ‘Wall-of-Sound’ feel, but some Mediaeval Baroque influenced songs as well. Skillfully blending RnB into these sounds, The Cake were a highly talented trio but had minimal success, especially here in the UK. They only made two albums and folded, they then became session singers and even joined Ginger Baker’s Airforce for a while. Neither of their albums are easy to find and are vastly under-priced in the guides. This is a remarkable copy that truly does come close to reminding of new. I doubt if this record has hardly been handled, let alone played, and probably not seen light-of-day for decades. For fans of 1960s female vocal acts, this is unmissable. Please checkout their second album I am also offering in equally superb condition from the same ultra careful owner.

Cover Grade and Format: PRACTICALLY MINT: and as close to a full Mint grading I could ever imagine for a cover this remarkable age. A single format with Clarifoil front laminate. The back is matt and smooth, it has no peep-hole mono/stereo indicator as these came in 1969. Printed and made in England by Robert Stace and includes the date-coded Decca-style inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: Absolutely stunning! – this using the ‘!’ in it’s intended and true context. A jaw-drop example of an early 1968 cover that looks practically as made. Made even more remarkable as Clarifoil laminate tends to acquire issues over time. This has immaculate shine, super-freshness and clarity with NO lifting, creasing worthy of any real note or dulling. The black graphic still intense with no fading or ageing at all. The fine unlaminated strip on the right edge immaculate and as clean as when issued. Even with utmost scrutiny under angled light, I am struggling to find even a hairline blemish to the silky smooth laminate surface – this is simply stunning and of connoisseur quality. Just the merest trace of rim impression near the bottom edge from a thick Decca-pressed record that is nigh-on impossible to avoid and nit-picking almost for the sake of it. This has to be one of the finest vintage covers I have ever seen or had.

Cover Back: This clearly wear-prone back is just as incredible as the front. I cannot find anything worthy of criticism, and for me, that is remarkable too. Any handling traces to the revealing matt black surface are minuscule and the lack of rubbing, creasing, grubbiness and especially ring wear is simply remarkable on a cover like this. See IS believing, a case of having your cake and eating it.

Top Edge: Unworn, smooth and as straight as any thin Decca-style cover will ever be. So many of these bow badly, but this has practically avoided it.

Bottom Edge: Like new, nothing to add.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Very clean, mostly very sharp with barely any hint of wear. Any thickening or burring minuscule as seen viewed end-on. Record enters on this edge that is guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced in any way.

Spine and Text: Solid, and as straight as these get with minimal traces of compression and any bowing minimal. Will any Clarifoil laminated cover ever be gun-barrel straight? – let’s be honest. All text is pristine perfect under the solid, uncracked, unpeeled and silky smooth laminate. Also beautifully centred on quite a narrow depth.

Corners: All four practically mint as made with perfect 90 degree angle shape retained with no dinks, rubs or creases.

Cover Summary: For collectors who want their vintage gems looking like new, well this more than fits the criteria. If anyone owns this scarce original mono coded cover better, well I sure would like to see it. This beautiful item should ALL collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): a vintage Decca polylined inner that has aged little. Two pristine window circles and ultra clear lining. Minimal creasing and all edges unsplit with no repairs. Any discolouration gentle and faint, this mainly near the edges on the seam adhesive as rarely fails to darken over time (at very best). This is date-coded 2-68.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: MINT(–): as visually stunning as the cover. A beautiful early 1968 mono record that is very clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence with any surface trace marks minuscule and faint as seen critically under bright angled light. The odd ‘brush’ trace being ultra critical even considerably finer than a hairline, will any record like this ever be better? Visually a gorgeous record that should please all collectors again.

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 quality RnB album plays even above it’s high visual grading with nothing 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. Surface sounds? What surface sounds? This is an exceptional clean pressing but as you would expect from Decca. The difference being, this has not been ruined by any usage with any blunt or worn mono stylus. In fact this record looks barely even played or handled at all. Few copies will match, let alone outperform this ultimate first pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, even when play-graded on a highly sensitive stereo LP12 turntable, for which this was not really designed for. Beautifully and carefully stored in a non-smoking environment and cover-protected. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record. A cover and record time has simply overlooked, this copy will prove nigh-on impossible to find better and merits my highest possible recommendation.

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’.