really great jazz rock progressive FANTASIA Same Hit Hat Finland 1975

$

187

 

ASTRAL DREAM RECORDS

We are a well established web records shop since 1995 specialised in original vinyl lps from sixties and seventies with special care for UK and worldwide progressive music. We  assure a professional and competent service with more than 35 years of experience in the record collecting market. Be confident on our service! Please come in our site clicking the above link, you're Welcome!

PLEASE CONSIDER THAT IN THESE EBAY AUCTIONS I USE A STRICT RECORD COLLECTOR MAGAZINE GRADING SYSTEM THAT CAN'T DISAPPOINT ANYONE BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT ,FOR EXAMPLE,  A VG+ COVER OR A VG+ VINYL  IT'S EQUIVALENT TO "BAD CONDITIONS" BUT SIMPLY THAT MY GRADE IT'S STRICT AND PROBABLY EQUIVALENT TO AN EX OF SOMEONE ELSE WITH  NOT A SO STRICT GRADE. I HAVE SOLD IN THESE AUCTIONS EX- RECORDS THAT WERE SURELLY M- COPIES BUT I PREFERE TO BE STRICT TO AVOID ANY DISAPPOINTEMENT BECAUSE I TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY REPUTATION.

The auctioned item it's very rare,  3 stars on a scale of 6 in the 3001 Hans Pokora Book. It hasn't been sold in ebay in the last 2 years. Last auctioned copy was in 2006 for 129 euros.

graded VG++/VG++ for a strict Record Collector magazine grading system


label: The light brown faded label it's perfect hence EX.
cover: The non laminated but brilliant cover does have a delicious painting, one of the best i can remember in the scandinavian progressive market and it's very well preserved with firm corners and excellent spine just a little general wear...I can give a VG++.
vinyl: The vinyl does not have marks...does have a bit of dust and a couple of lights scuffs...plays absolutelly well and I grade it a super strict VG++...because I prefere be super conservative in these ebay auctions...
review: Fantasia's roots lie with the St. Marcus Blues Band, which was formed in Pietarsaari in 1967. As their music became more experimental, the group changed their name to Fantasia in 1973. Bassist Markku Lönngren took the name from Amazing Blondel's 1971 album Fantasia Lindum. Early Fantasia described their music as a mixture of hard rock and progressive rock. To prove their commitment, the band members told that they had invested FIM 40 000 into musical equipment and were practicing almost every night.Early Fantasia comprised Hannu Lindblom (vocals, guitar), Jukka Halttunen (guitar), Markku Lönngren (bass), Paavo Osola (keyboards) and Karl-Erik Rönngård (drums). However, musical differences caused rifts, and in 1973 only Lindblom and Rönngård were left. Fantasia became a quartet with the addition of Harri Piha (bass) and Roul Helantie (keyboards, guitar, violin).The new Fantasia took part in the Finnish Rock Championship contest, which was held at Kulttuuritalo in Helsinki in December 1974. The decision to take part had not been unanimous. It was only reached after some members threatened to leave the group if Fantasia skipped the contest. It was a good move in retrospect, for the jury liked Fantasia's style and the group won the contest. Their poor gig situation improved considerably as a result. In 1975 they were signed by Hi-Hat, a new record company set up by Finnlevy. [Finnlevy was one of the few large record companies dominating Finnish record industry at the time. Hi-Hat was their attempt to capture a piece of the young, progressive music market, which had been largely Love Records' domain.]Fantasia's eponymous album came out in late 1975, as the new company's seventh LP release. The album was produced by [Wigwam drummer] Ronnie Österberg and Mikael Wiik. It was recorded at Finnlevy's studio in Helsinki. Additional musicians were Mikael Wiik, who played the guitar solo on "Depressio", and saxophonist Pekka Pöyry [of Tasavallan Presidentti, among others]. University of Turku's student magazine described the album: "Influenced by Wigwam, but with an honest and idiomatic approach. Fantasia want to create impressions, raise social awareness and make people listen and develop their relationship to music."Wigwam comparisons were unavoidable. Waldemar Wallenius [one of the founding fathers of Finnish independent rock journalism] wrote in the Soundi magazine: "Some nitwit may fault the album for being too monotonous, but I for one enjoy its cohesion and harmoniousness. Some other blockhead probably spots clear Wigwam or even Tabula Rasa influences, which again I don't mind, because the album sounds pure and pleasing - and not too derivative of anyone. Yet another lamebrain might take offense on the lyrics, which may feel a bit pretentious. But the lyrics are mercifully few and they don't call much attention to themselves. And while not fantastic, they are not too bad."Fantasia sold about 2000 copies, which fell well short of what the record company had expected from this rising new group. Hi-Hat may have been open-minded and ambitious in signing new artists, but the company was less patient about the artists' commercial success. Hence Fantasia and most of the other early signings never got to make a second album. After 1976 Hi-Hat's activity was heavily curtailed and the company soon shrunk into Finnlevy's sub-label that had to heavily rationalize its release policy.With the album's failure and the public's ebbing interest in progressive rock, Fantasia's line-up began to change. First to leave was bassist Harri Piha. Roul Helantie took over bass duties, while keyboard player Paavo Osala re-joined the band.In 1976 Fantasia toured the Soviet Union, with concerts in Leningrad, Moscow and Riga. Afterwards their line-up went into flux, while their music allegedly became more danceable. After various stylistic and line-up changes, Fantasia was buried at the turn of the decade and the St. Marcus Blues Band resurrected. The group is still touring and recording music today, but that is a different story."..3 Stars in Hans Pokora Books too so... Don't miss!




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