YES - FRAGILE - IMMACULATE MINT 1971 UK FIRST PRESSING PLUM/RED VINYL LP MINT/EX

	£		51
	$		68

Artist & Title: Yes ?– Fragile

VERY RARE IMMACULATE MINT 1971 UK FIRST PRESSING 9-track vinyl LP on the plum/red Atlantic label, with Arnakata/Kinney Music copyright notice for track two, in the original gatefold picture sleeve designed by renowned cover artist Roger Dean with lyrics and eight-page integral booklet. The record is in as-new flawless Mint condition and sounds as wonderful as ever and the clean and sharp cover is in Excellent condition for its age – the integral booklet being MINT. See pics. A superb collector’s copy of this definitive album from the classic line-up of arguably the greatest prog-rock band of all time.
Highly desirable for its very rare 2401019 A//1 2401019 B//1 first pressing matrices and labels,  and immaculate Mint condition vinyl, and very difficult to find in this condition. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to add this rarity to your collection at an extremely advantageous price.

Catalogue Number: Atlantic – 2401019

Release date: 26 Nov 1971 (The day I bought it.)

Overall Grade: Mint/EX (LP/Cover)

Matrix (Runout): Side 1: 2401019 A//1 11 8      Side 2: 2401019 B//1 11 13

Notes:
Two label variants exist: One crediting Arnakata/Kinney Music as publisher for track A2 (the version offered for sale here) and the more common version not crediting Arnakata/Kinney Music as publisher.
Rondor Music is misspelt as Ronder Music on side two.
Recorded at Advision Studios, London, September 1971
Published by:
1, 3 & 4. Rondor Music (London)/Yessongs (tracks A1, A3 to B5)
2. Arnakata/Kinney Music
POLYDOR RECORDS LIMITED
Red/plum Atlantic label.
Gatefold sleeve with booklet.
? 1971
MADE IN Gt. BRITAIN
Gatefold sleeve designed by Roger Dean, the first album he designed for Yes and the start of the band’s enduring logo design. This original issue comes with an attached promotional booklet, again designed by Roger Dean and featuring biographies of each of the band members. Later versions of the first issue have a loose booklet.
Sleeve printed by MacNeill Press Ltd (credit on inner gatefold).
‘Fragile’ was the first album to feature Rick Wakeman on keyboards, replacing founder member Tony Kaye.

This historic LP is hardly ever offered for sale in this condition – if ever.

“Fragile is the album that most fans would consider Yes' first real masterwork.”

This is the extremely rare real thing: a genuine flawless MINT CONDITION 1971 UK first pressing on red & plum Atlantic labels with the Arnakata/Kinney Music copyright notice for track two. The record is in immaculate as-new condition and the cover is in excellent condition for its type and age. The interior of the cover and the attached booklet are in mint condition. All items are free from any major defects such as tears, dog ears or writing. See pics. (For some reason, the cover is actually nicer than it looks in the pictures.) All items are the genuine originals bought together by me in 1971, not reprints or replacements. The LP is the original 1971 UK stereo LP, which was only played on top-end audiophile equipment and lovingly cared for.

“Fragile was as perfect a record as the group would ever make, and just as flawless in its timing as its content.”

Fragile was Yes' breakthrough album, propelling them in a matter of weeks from a cult act to an international phenomenon; not coincidentally, it also marked the point where all of the elements of the music (and more) that would define their success for more than a decade fell into place fully formed. The science-fiction and fantasy elements that had driven the more successful songs on their preceding record, The Yes Album, were pushed much harder here, and not just in the music but in the packaging of the album: the Roger Dean-designed cover was itself a fascinating creation that seemed to relate to the music and drew the purchaser's attention in a manner that few records since the heyday of the psychedelic era could match. Having thrown original keyboard player Tony Kaye overboard early in the sessions – principally over his refusal to accept the need for the Moog synthesizer in lieu of his preferred Hammond organ – the band welcomed Rick Wakeman into its ranks. His use of the Moog, among other instruments, coupled with an overall bolder and more aggressive style of playing, opened the way for a harder, hotter sound by the group as a whole; bassist Chris Squire sounds like he's got his amp turned up to "12", and Steve Howe's electric guitars are not far behind, although the group also displayed subtlety where it was needed. The opening minute of "Roundabout," the album opener – and the basis for the edited single that would reach number 13 on the Billboard charts and get the group onto AM radio in a way that most other Prog-rock outfits could only look upon with envy – was dominated by Howe's acoustic guitar and Bill Bruford‘s drums, and only in the middle section did the band show some of what they could do with serious amperage. Elsewhere on the record, as on "South Side of the Sky", they would sound as though they were ready to leave the ground (and the planet), between the volume and intensity of their playing. "Long Distance Runaround", which also served as the B-side of the single, was probably the most accessible track here apart from "Roundabout", but they were both ambitious enough to carry most listeners on to the heavier sides at the core of this long player. The solo tracks by the members were actually a necessity: they needed to get Fragile out in a hurry to cover the cost of the keyboards that Wakeman had added to the group's sonic arsenal. But they ended up being more than filler. Each member, in effect, took a "bow" in mostly fairly serious settings, and Squire's "The Fish" and Howe's "Mood for a Day" pointed directly to future, more substantial projects as well as taking on a life of their own on-stage. If not exactly their peak, Fragile was as perfect a record as the group would ever make, and just as flawless in its timing as its content.
Fragile received a positive reception upon its release and was a commercial and critical success, reaching No. 4 on the US Billboard Top LPs chart and No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart. "Roundabout" was released as a single in the US which reached No. 13 and is one of the band's best known songs. The album is certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 2 million copies.

This may be your only ONCE IN A LIFETIME chance to own this rare piece of music history in this condition.

“This is a true masterpiece, this album opens and closes, in a perfect way, with Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise respectively...”

A fantastic time warp example of this rarity in amazing condition, a true investment grade item - get it while you can!

AND IT MUST SELL IN THIS ONCE ONLY AUCTION

You can read more about this album, Yes and the individual band members all over the web.

I pack my records professionally in stiff corrugated cruciform record boxes leaving the Vinyl (housed in anti-static bags) outside the Sleeve.

Postage discounts for multiple orders are available: £1 per additional LP, up to a maximum of 4, in the UK.
£4 per additional LP, up to a maximum of 4, in the Rest of the World.

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“Superb piece of vinyl - wonderfully packaged”