Very Rare NWOBHM 7" Single by Firebird (SRTS/79/CUS 576-A) signed by Ian Gillan
£
133
$
176
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Description
Very Rare NWOBHM 7" Single by Firebird (SRTS/79/CUS 576-A) from 1979, featuring their original songs Change and Nightride. Complete with original artwork by 'Binoo on a gate fold sleeve, lovingly blue tacked to the cover by the band. One of only 500 copies from a private pressing, but this one is extra special as it is signed by Ian Gillan.
Legend has it that Ian Gillan donated a raffle prize of a days studio time and the pressing of a single at his local fete. Someone won it but had no way to make use of it, so sold it to Firebird. I believe that this studio time was meant to part of the Mr Universe sessions at Kingsway studios. Firebird turned up and recorded these two songs under the watchful eye of Ian Gillan, who got a producer credit and Chas Watkins who engineered the day. I have been reliably informed by members of the band that Ian Gillan signed a few copies of the single when he came to see Firebird play at Emmer Green Youth Club, of which this is one.
I ended up with the single because my sister was going out with the rhythm guitarist James Carter. When they broke up it sort of ended up with me.
So here's the deal: I intend to spend all the money raised from this item on a band reunion and curry at the Standard Tandoori in Reading (once lurgy restrictions are gone). As a winning bidder you would be invited to that session. Please bid generously otherwise I'll be well out of pocket!!
I have managed to contact all but one of the original band members (Steve Ricks ... I know where you work!) who uniformly thought it was a bit of a bobbins idea, but were broadly up for beer & curry using the proceeds of this auction.
To the all important condition: I am not a record appraiser but to my untrained eye the record looks perfect. I'm not even sure if it has been played. The cover and sleeve however are showing signs of their 41 years of age. There are some small tears and some discolouration, which can hopefully be seen in the photos. Importantly after 40+ years the blue tack is losing it's grip and the gate fold sleeve is not perfectly attached.
I had thought that it would be best to hand over the artifact at the reunion / curry ... but if the lurgy lingers on that could be too long a wait for a collector to get their hands on such a prized addition to their collection.
A rare item ... and it's signed by Ian bloody Gillan!!!! ... Oh and there's the curry bit too.
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