VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR PAWN HEARTS UK ORIGINAL+ INSERT

£ 36

$ 47

£ 36 Sold For

Dec 20, 2008 Sold Date

Dec 13, 2008 Start Date

£ 30 Start price

5 Number Of Bids

Belgium Country Of Seller

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Description

VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR PAWN HEARTS (pink charisma UK 1971) ORIGINAL+ INSERT

ULTRA RARE LP which sold in very small quantity on first commercial release in 1971, in fact so small that it was rare even then as a UK FIRST PRESSING, FIRST ISSUE on this PINK CHARISMA B & C RECORDS ‘SCROLL’ LABEL. Consequently, the ORIGINAL FIRST PRESSINGS, like this one, with FIRST MATRICES & STAMPERS ON THE PINK LABEL WITH B & C CREDITS on an IMPRESSIVE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL with its SUPERB CONDITION FIRST ISSUE E. J. DAY GATEFOLD (which are notorious for vulnerability to extensive ‘ring wear’ front and back and extremely difficult to find like this) are MUCH RARER THESE DAYS AND INCREDIBLY HARD TO FIND in this near EXCELLENT condition throughout. Furthermore, the relatively few ORIGINALS sold were all supposed to have the LYRIC INSERT but, according to Peter Hammill, some were forgotten or missed out, and I quote - "...I'm getting Charisma to send you a copy of the Pawn Hearts lyric sheet, there was meant to be one with each album, but I only remembered to check that they were getting it all together at the last minute, and they weren't, so some went out without..." - Peter Hammill in a letter to Jem Shotts, 21st February 1972 - so this particular album, which includes the ORIGINAL LYRIC INSERT HAS THAT ADDED RARITY.

The key features are:

COMPLETE ORIGINAL UK ALBUM AND FIRST ISSUE
A UK FIRST PRESS WITH FIRST MATRICES & EARLY STAMPERS
SUPERB HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL IN NEAR EXCELLENT CONDITION
STEREO RECORDING FORMAT DELIVERING SENSATIONAL AUDIO
ORIGINAL THE FAMOUS CHARISMA PINK SCROLL B & C LABEL
ORIGINAL UK GATEFOLD BY E. J. DAY RARE EXCELLENT TO PLUS
EXTREMELY RARE UK ORIGINAL BLACK LYRIC SHEET INSERT
HARD TO FIND SUCH A GOOD ORIGINAL EXAMPLE OF THIS ALBUM

LINE-UP : Hugh Banton, Guy Evans, Peter Hammill, David Jackson

guest contribution by Robert Fripp on guitar.

Recording Format: STEREO

Record label: ORIGINAL ‘THE FAMOUS CHARISMA LABEL’ FULL PINK WITH

SCROLL DESIGN, WHITE TEXT AND B & C CREDIT BOTTOM PERIMETER.

Catalogue Number: CAS. 1051

Country of origin and first published date: MADE IN GT BRITAIN 1971

Vinyl ‘run off’ matrices side 1: CAS 1051 A-1U (all machine stamped)

Vinyl ‘run off’ matrices side 2: CAS 1051 B-1U (all machine stamped)

Vinyl ‘run off’ stampers side 1: 2 G L (machine stamped) plus the cryptic or nom de plume ‘BOBIL’ very faintly hand etched next to the stampers.

Vinyl ‘run off’ stampers side 2: 1 G L (machine stamped)

Track listing as per label: SIDE 1: LEMMINGS / MAN ERG / SIDE 2: A PLAGUE OF LIGHTHOUSE-KEEPERS / EYEWITNESS / PICTURE/LIGHTHOUSE / EYEWITNESS / S.H.M. / PRESENCE OF THE NIGHT / KOSMOS TOURS / (CUSTARD’S) LAST STAND / THE CLOT THICKENS / LAND’S END (sineline) / WE GO NOW

The fourth, and maybe the best brilliant album from the uniquely talented and pioneering Van der Graaf Generator. Regarded by proponents of progressive rock as a masterpiece and by others as confusing when it was first released it has become, with the passage of time, one of the iconic classics - this coupled with the fact that relatively few originals were produced means that they are SCARCE AND HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE and TOP QUALITY EXAMPLES LIKE THIS ARE AT THE SCARCEST END OF THE RARITY SPECTRUM. Interestingly the album was a bigger success in Italy where, through touring, VDGG had built up a loyal following and it spent 12 weeks at #1 in the Italian album charts in 1972. There is no doubt in my mind that their first three albums were very special, the ‘Classics’ and this is an essential album to have, in this variant, if you want a meaningful collection of 60’s - 70’s progressive rock. It is incredibly difficult to find a worthwhile example; BUT here is a COMPLETE ORIGINAL FIRST PRESS ALBUM WITH LYRIC INSERT in generally EXCELLENT CONDITION. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely excellent and you will struggle to find a better one, that’s if you can find another one. This is an enjoyable and collectible example of an outstanding album.

RECORD VG++

SLEEVE VG++

(rw,cw)

GRADINGS:

Records are graded first,then covers
S/S = still sealed
M = mint , new or unplayed condition…cover is nice and new looking with no ring wear.
M- = near perfect copy, played only a few times.
EX = only slight signs of wear; very clean, only light surface marks which will not distract
        significantly from the sound…sleeve also has only slight wear, and is still in nice
        collectible.
VG++ = played often with moderate surface wear and some moderate noise, still plays well…
        sleeve may have medium overall wear or some ring wear.
VG+ = overall wear, but no skips of serious defects, more noisy sound during quiet passages…
        sleeve is well worn, usually with considerable ring wear.
VG = plays a lot, heavy wear on record and cover…guarantee does not apply to vg- or worse
        condition records.
A FEW ABBREVIATIONS: