ANCIENT GREASE - USA LP 1st PRESS 1970 PSYCH PROG RARE

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ANCIENT GREASE

"Women And Children First"

very rare original 1970 USA pressing Vinyl LP:

ANCIENT GREASE

"Women And Children First"

1970 USA Mercury Original  LP

Was only on sale for a very short time and was a massive flop all those years ago, so an incredibly hard to find album!! Was quickly deleted from sale, hence the massive rarity of this awesome rock classic!!

A CLASSIC EARLY 70's ORIGINAL PROGRESSIVE ROCK ALBUM.

Here is an original 1970 USA Mercury 1st pressing of the band's only LP. Fantastic heavy-prog with Wild Turkey, Big Sleep and Man members, originally released in 1970. Very eclectic mix of riffy, fuzz-laden numbers with a few folk-prog, mellower tracks.  This four piece, coming from Wales, may well be another one of those 'better' early1970's lp's that you've never heard!! Among the many stand out tracks are the grinding heavy prog rock opener "Freedom Train", the foot-stomping "Don't Wait", the semi-Zeppelin like "Eagle Song", the well-played acoustic "Time To Die" and the title cut "Women And Children First". This album is highly recommended for fans of Free, Uriah Heep, early Led Zeppelin and maybe Humble Pie. A short lived project, this is not the squalling effort of clueless stoners but the work of pedigree members of Wales's music 'mafia', the core being future Racing Cars covers act Strawberry Dust. Penned largely by future Man drummer John Weathers, replete with the distinctive rasp of Graham 'Morty' Mortimer, it's a sub-Free and Led Zeppelin style early 70's period meaty hard blues progressive guitar-snarling rock from the opener 'Freedom Train' to the concluding title-track (with churning Hammond courtesy of Man's Phil Ryan) counterpointed by well-conceived melodies and even a singalong moment in the Lindisfarne-like 'Mystic Mountain'. Released in 1970 on Mercury, the band was to succumb to the familiar tale of bust-luck but find better fortune elsewhere in the world of Rhondda rock!

ANCIENT GREASE

GARETH MORTIMER - VOCALS

DICK OWEN - DRUMS

GRAHAM WILLIAMS - GUITAR

JACK BASS - BASS

GARY PICKFORD-HOPKINS - GUITAR/VOCALS

PHIL RYAN - KEYBOARDS

JOHN WEATHERS - DRUMS

USA MERCURY RECORDS FIRST PRESSING STEREO LP - Cat No. SR 61305

AS WELL AS BEING INCREDIBLY RARE THIS, UNLIKE SOME COLLECTORS ITEMS, IS ALSO A REALLY GREAT ALBUM!!

Tracks

Side One

1. Freedom Train
2. Don't Want
3. Odd Song
4. Eagle Song
5. Where The Snow Lies Forever

Side Two

1. Mother Grease The Cat
2. Time To Die
3. Prelude To A Blind Man
4. Mystic Mountain
5. Women And Children First

Format: LP Record

Record Label: Mercury Records

Catalogue No: SR 61305

SR 61305

Year of Release: 1970

Country of Origin: USA

CONDITION

Sleeve: Near Mint Condition

However, the original shrink wrap is scotch taped to the cover.

It is nicely done, and there is no yellowing. Beside that, which I know is a lot, there is a very mild ring wear under the shrink wrap, and a (promo) hole punch @ the top right.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Labels: Near Mint

Clean and Unmarked with only some very mild spindle marks.

Vinyl: Very Good Plus Plus to Near Mint Condition

Plays Excellent

Notes

Ancient Grease were actually a band named Strawberry Dust from Neath in South Wales. This album was a collaboration between a few people from the hippy underground band Eyes of Blue and Stawberry Dust. The result features some fine dirty rock'n'roll alongside a number of mellow songs, such as the dreamy, psychedelic-folk of 'Time To Die' and the rootsy 'Mystic Mountain'.

Extremely rare and seldom up for sale original 1970 USA heavy prog/blues/psych LP by the afore-mentioned Ancient Grease entitled "Women And Children First". This album sold in tiny numbers on release and soon vanished without trace, hence it's massive rarity these days! Strange that this happened as it's such a great album!

This is one of the best obscure early 70's progressive hard rock albums I've heard, you can group it with other rare and cool early 70's underground hard rock LP's such as Elias Hulk, Human Beast, Red Dirt and Czar. Ancient Grease play like there is no tomorrow and sound like Led Zeppelin without inhibitions circa 1970. Exceptional album of an experienced band combining powerful hard rock with heavy prog & psych touches, similar to other early 70's bands such as the afore-mentioned Red Dirt, Uriah Heep, Free, Procol Harum, Led Zeppelin etc.. etc.. Foot-stomping anthems, guitar riffs, heavy organ-driven psychedelic ballads - it's all here and more!! A truly great album and one that is becoming ever more sought after as the years roll on!!

"Ancient Grease" were not unknowns - they started their life as a Welsh R&B band "Eyes of Blue" who had a couple of moderately successful 60's albums and as vocalist had Gary Pickford -Hopkins (later "Wild Turkey" and THE VOICE on Rick Wakeman's "Journey to the Earth")."Eyes of Blue" became "Strawberry Dust" and, finally, "Ancient Grease" (when they got signed by Mercury). The album didn't get enough support from brainless execs of the label - usual story - although it had a huge potential. The lead guitarist, Graham Williams, sounds like Jimmy Page on overdrive. The lead singer, Graham Mortimer (Morty) is excellent and later was the main man in the group Racing Cars.

On offer here is the very rare LP by Ancient Grease called 'Women & Children First' and is a 1970 Stereo USA 1st Pressing!!!! THIS LP IS EXTREMELY RARE AND VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND!!!!  THE LP SUNK WITHOUT TRACE ON RELEASE AND FINDING ANY COPIES OF THIS RARE LP TODAY IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE!!!! SO DONT MISS OUT!!!! This is an ORIGINAL Mercury USA  Stereo pressing from 1970 and is in Near Mint Condition!!!! The record is pressed on THICK heavy early 70's Vinyl.

This record only occasionally comes up for sale!! Don't miss this rare chance!!

Don't Miss Out On This Very Rare Original ANCIENT GREASE 1st USA Pressing Early 70's Progressive Hard Rock LP!!

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER RARE ORIGINAL LP'S CURRENTLY LISTED ON EBAY