CAPTAIN BEEFHEART Lick My Decals Off Baby RARE STRAIGHT

	£		22
	$		29

ONEADAYRECORDS – Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Artist or Band: CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND

Album Title: Lick My Decals Off, Baby.

Producer(s): Captain Beefheart.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Lick My Decals Off, Baby; Doctor Dark; I Love You, You Big Dummy; Peon; Bellerin’ Plain; Woe-is-uh-me-bop; Japan in a Dishpan.

Side 2: I Wanna Find a Woman That’ll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have to Go; Petrified Forest; One Red Rose That I Mean; the Buggy Boogie Woogie; The Smithsonian Institute Blues (or the big dig); Space-Age Couple; The Clouds Are Full of Wine (not whisky or rye); Flash Gordon’s Ape.

Label/Format: Original UK Straight (please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both clean and very attractive, a very small surface scuff on side one can be seen on my scan. Spindle marks are light and very light and show little.

Cat Number: STS 1063.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 120 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 140 to 150 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 20 records from these eras. Later pressings were usually lighter still).

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: This title on any label is pretty scarce. The Straight originals are quite rare and seldom seen in decent conditions – the cover’s especially are usually in very poor conditions, rife with heavy ringwear and severe rubbing. This is one of the better ones I have seen but still has blemishes. This includes a lyric insert taken from a US version, I have never seen this before.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: STS-1063-A1 / STS-1063-B1

Brief Artist & Album Info: Beefheart’s second recording for Frank Zappa’s Straight label consolidated the artistic freedom expressed on its predecessor Trout Mask Replica (still for me, one of the greatest albums ever made). Avant Garde blues-based rock and free jazz melt into a montage of sound. Jagged guitars and ravaged soprano saxophone splinter through the mix while ex-Mothers of Invention drummer Art Tripp, herein renamed Ed Marimba, brings new rhythmic possibilities to the Captain’s heady sound. Beefheart prowls around the proceedings with consummate ease, his expressive voice and wonderful use of the English language, which echoes bluesman Howlin’ Wolf, emphasizing the adventurous nature of both music and lyrics. By demolishing previous notions of tonality and structure, Captain Beefheart (Don van Vliet) inspired a whole generation of post-punk disciples, from Pere Ubu to Sonic youth. An album for long periods out of print and only very sporadic, very limited issues on CD were available (currently out of print again). Always an artist popular with the critics, Beefheart’s music was so groundbreaking and cutting-edge he was always too extreme and weird to be popular with most. Few could understand his music and remains a cult artist with sales being only very modest. Decals is amongst his most challenging work, often referred to as a mini Trout Mask Replica. This second legendary set did not even chart in his native US but surprisingly did make No 20 in the UK. It’s long overdue that Don van Vliet is more understood and appreciated by more listeners than just the critics and musically adventurous – the man was a musical genius and most of his albums should be included in any serious collection – you may just never want to listen to ‘Pop’ music again.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High++, one of those you rarely see even VG.

Cover Grade and Format: VG+ which for this cover is worthy of an extra half mark as most look terrible these days. This does have a small sticker pull which has been tipped-in as I feel sure have the edges, I never blame any collector wanting their covers to look at their best and this cover is as close to impossible to find with no wear as they ever get. This is a single format and unlaminated. It was printed and made in England by Shorewood Packaging Co Ltd and of course has the original Straight logo and correct catalogue number of STS 1063. The Reprise reissues have a different number altogether. It includes a lyric insert taken from a US issue. Great to see those amazing words on paper so they can be followed and understood more easily.

Cover Front: Still quite attractive, the small tipped-in sticker mark has only modest visibility as do a scattering of light half moon surfaces creases near the right edge. There are a few other mild creases too but deep penetrating ringwear has been avoided, a light record rim dull is present near the top but no loss of ink. A few light handling traces but in terms of this cover, not bad at all. The bizarre artwork of the Magic Band on the flash staircase shows no wear.

Cover Back: The back is pretty much the same again minus any sticker blemishes. The lack of ringwear of heavy creases is a real bonus.

Top Edge: It appears to have no wear but I feel sure this has been very neatly enhanced. I dont think I have ever seen any version of this cover with no edge rubs.

Bottom Edge: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, quite sharp with little wear and no feathering. Record entered on this right outside edge. Again fine tip-ins look apparent to me. (I emphasise NOT by myself).

Spine and Text: A very decent spine, not perfect but better than many I have seen. Solid, straight, uncompressed this appears not to have many or any tip-ins. All text present except the word ‘Band’ that has rubbed.

Corners: Again these have been tipped-in but neatly - again I feel this looks better than a white edge on a black cover and I guess the original owner did so too.

Cover Summary: Some light creasing and enhancements to edge wear and a small sticker pull - hardly unusual on this unforgiving cover. One day a near mint example will show up but I won’t hold my breath. No one for the connoisseur (obviously), but still a very respectable one for the more average collector. The record more than makes up for the slight cover’s short-falls. The lyric insert has text on both sides and is taken from a US version. Never seen on of these before.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Strong EX, side one even better. A record that can go either way: many are seen totally trashed from heavy use by the big fans… or consequently, in very fine conditions from collectors who bought from curiosity and hated what they heard and hardly played it. This is a fine visual copy that is super clean, shiny, intense black and quite heavily pressed. A few light surface hairlines on side two with little to fault at all on the first. Complex groove patterns verify this has intense and amazing sounds embedded and finding a better looking Straight could prove difficult. Visually a super record that should please most collectors.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippetts or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This amazing record plays even above its high visual grading with nothing to fault, infact one of the best copies I have ever heard. Straight Records were not always the best of pressings and often proved variable. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is astonishing with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds barely registered and no significant pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a very challenging album. This band sounded like no other and the complex musical structures can be followed easily on this excellent example and recording. The Captain’s voice is beyond my words, all remains focused and clear with no stressing to the highly complex signals that create his unique sound. Few copies will outperform this original Straight example significantly I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp and this vintage copy has suffered no needle abuse from the distant past. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, one of the most challenging in the ‘rock’ field ever pressed to vinyl. This actual record could prove difficult to find significantly better and can be very warmly recommended.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

POSTING & PACKING: What You Get: I now offer the fastest possible posting, mostly the very next day after payment is received or within 48 hours maximum. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT mailers) with the record(s) REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with TWO thick stiffners for even extra protection. The cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. Printed address labels are used for clarity and well as sender label. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but NOT surface mail abroad. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with the total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional extra insurance’ P&P – ALL UK and Russian packets go out non-negotiable Recorded Delivery. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.1 per percent based on over 4,000+ items sold in over 7 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional.

PLEASE NOTE: I will now only send packets to Russia with Recorded Delivery at a cost of £7 per single LP. If this is unacceptable to Russian collectors, please do not bid. I only want my records to arrive safely and this gives packets a better chance to do so. Also ALL UK packets will be sent with either Recorded or Special Delivery as standard (both have to be signed for). All shipping costs and rules can be found after my description. If they are not acceptable, please do not bid.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: ALL EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (NOT RUSSIA, see below) (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £5.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £9 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: RUSSIA (Recorded Only, if this is unacceptable, please do not bid):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ only £7) = £9 (OPTIONAL extra insurance as above).

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (any part); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £8.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £13 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

PLEASE NOTE: I always get a Royal Mail ‘Proof-of-Posting’ receipt for ALL packets that are sent out and I am happy to prove this to any customer who wishes to see it via email.

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders.

The customer can choose their method of shipping with the exception of second class or surface mail overseas – these I will NOT use. The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£39).

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT neccessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.