THE MOODY BLUES To Our Children's… RARER ORIG UK VERY LATE 1969 MONO EX+ LP.

	£		60
	$		80

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.

FINALLY: Late payers will now be blocked at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: THE MOODY BLUES

Album Title: To Our Children’s, Children’s Children.

Producer(s): Tony Clarke.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Higher and Higher; Eyes of a Child I; Floating; Eyes of a Child II; I Never Thought I’d Live to be a Hundred; Beyond; Out and In.

Side 2: Gypsy; Eternity Road; Candle of Life; Sun is Still Shining; I Never Thought I’d Live to be a Million; Watching and Waiting.

Label/Format: Threshold – Magenda and White mono format with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both are very clean, fresh and attractive with spindle marks light, mostly fine and faint. For a popular album in mono, this appears to have received very modest and careful usage.

Cat Number: THM 1.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 142 grams. A typical very solid record pressed by Decca.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce: stereo examples are relatively easy to find but mono copies are much harder. By the end of the decade the mono format was in major decline and few ‘new’ titles were being issued in the single channel format. I consider this the rarest standard Moody Blues album and finding them in clean very modestly played conditions very difficult.

Original Year of Release: November 1969.

Matrix Nos: XARL-9281.P-3A / XARL-9282.P-2A

Stamper Codes: 2B M / 1 M

Musicians: Justin Hayward - guitar, vocals; John Lodge - bass, guitar, vocals; Ray Thomas - vocals, flute, percussion, harmonica; Mike Pinder - keyboards, vocals; Graeme Edge - drums, percussion, vocals.

Brief Info: A prolific band around this time, this was the second of two albums issued in 1969. This for me was one of their very best albums ever and considering the quality of their early albums, that is a very bold statement. A conceptual and haunting album with beautiful lush melodies again with wonderful use of the Mellotron and never afraid to experiment. Few, if any bands used that wonderful keyboard instrument more than the Moodies. The track ‘Candle of Life’ is absolutely sublime and for me, ranks as their best song ever, here sounding even more detailed in mono. Blending electric and acoustic pop-psychedelia and now becoming more progressive too, this is a album no-one could fail to like and this wonderful group went from strength-to-strength. Playing this copy was a joy – mono pressings of this album are so hard to find, especially in anything like decent playing conditions. Those who choose the mono format towards the end of the decade usually did so to play them on mono record players. Finding one with nothing unwanted is a near impossibility as this has passages of quietness, so the odd gentle click or crackle trace is almost par-for-the-course. But anything unwanted is minimal, very infrequent and light, and little detracts from the mono experience of this wonderful album.

Cover Grade and Format: NEAR EXCELLENT: an unlaminated gatefold format which matt, smooth surfaces. Printed in England by Garrod & Lofthouse and including the ‘Patent Pending’ text. This includes the original mono sticker on the front as seen in close-up and the early wide spine format that is fragile. The red mono inner is included as well as the original lyric insert sheet.

Cover Cosmetic Improvements: None Apparent.

Cover Front & Back: This is a flimsy and delicate cover and the spine especially understrength. So corner wear is seldom avoided and is seen on the back on the spine ends, mostly on the top. The main surfaces are clean, still quite fresh and attractive with deep, rich colour. A little mainly very light creasing shows little, and the lack of rubbing and ringwear always good news. The basic (and guaranteed original) MONO sticker is practically as made, I had this cover before with exactly the same style of mono sticker included.

Cover Inner Gatefold: A little lower corner tip rubbing with any creasing minimal and light.

Top Edges: Both thin and delicate, any rubbing minimal with just the odd tiny chip here and there.

Bottom Edges: Surprisingly, barely any rubbing or wear, any present on the right corner.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, quite sharp with little wear, any thickening or burring light as seen viewed end-on. Both edges are open as made for storage, no enhancements.

Spine and Text: The spine is wide as early covers were, understrength and delicate. This has moderate rubbing near the ends, elsewhere any rubbing is light and patchy, all the text is still present and unworn. Fairly solid and not crushed, but a gentle tilt to the right that is near impossible to avoid to some degree.

Corners: Fairly light to moderate corner rubbing with a little tip creasing in places. The main rubbing seen on the back near the spine top. Fair to fine shape largely retained.

Cover Summary: Early-made covers for this album are difficult, so finding them with minimal wear is incredibly hard. With that in mind, this is a highly respectable example. Not for the perfectionists, but with the main areas looking clean and attractive it should please many collectors.

The Lyric Sheet Insert: MINT(–): little short of as-made – clean, fresh, barely creased and attractive.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): the Decca-style polylined red mono inner is in very fine condition. Clean with few marks (a few natural traces on the front) or creases and all edges unsplit with no repairs. It has the date code: 10-69 (October 1969) reitterating how late this mono record is.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): a very fine mono record that has lovely clean, shiny and fresh looking surfaces. This appears very modestly played and has avoided the dangers of heavy-tracking mono stylus. Any surface marks are ultra fine and faint as seen under bright angled light. As I often state for mono records, just one arm drop or jolt, and another potential classic ruined. Nothing remotely the case on this splendid copy, any ‘needle’ marks minimal. 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 age-defying and beautiful record plays up to, and most all even above its high visual grading with little to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear which for any mono record is even more important. Such records were not really designed to be played on high-end stereo turntables but when they survive so relatively unscathed, they are a joy to hear. More and more serious collectors are now demanding the mono pressings of the classics. They offer a different presentation of the music which is warm and punchy. They have deeper basslines and dynamics and subtle differences to the details. Sound quality is impressive with a wide dynamic range and clarity. The Moody Blues albums were always amongst the very best produced albums from this era. High quality pressings and sound and only abuse and overplaying ruined the wonderful sounds. Well these grooves have survived and still impress – vocals and instruments sharp and fully focused. Any surface sounds very light and infrequent, the odd crackle trace or sporadic click is near impossible to avoid totally. Just looking at the complex grooves, which resembles more a classical record, will make clear of what to expect. Loud and quiet passages, the ultimate test for any vintage record. Few available mono copies will match or outperform this high quality pressing significantly I feel sure. Little of any note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this classic album– a long standing favourite I never tire of hearing again. It will prove very difficult to find significantly better, and finding the mono version is always a challenge initself. Even with the odd minor blemish, I simply have to recommend it strongly. One of the greatest albums ever in my humble opinion, it helped close the greatest decade in music perfectly. Note quite for the audiophile purist, but it comes pretty close.

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’.