COMUS First Utterance SCARCE 91 Repress N/M LP + Single

	£		43
	$		57

Hi, I am Mike, now 50 – yes the big FIVE-O! Old enough to remember the golden era of original, high quality music, bands, artists and television.

Also records from the 1960s and 70s bought from the shops from new, I have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 37 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and elusive items now. 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 reader – 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 one hundred percent is exact colour matching for covers - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. 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 or sticks 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 Ortophon 520 Mk II cartridge (tracks at 1.75 grams). Amps: Arcam 2 x 125W Pre-Power. 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.

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: All records are posted in professional mailers or boxes as deemed appropriate for the individual item 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. Records are posted with TWO (at least) massively thick stiffners for protection and also heavier protection if deemed necessary depending on the content. These stiffners are the thickest possible and custom supplied for ‘Oneadayrecords’ – these are NOT commercially available and you will not have seen thicker protection anywhere. 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. 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 possible. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the cheapest and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional’ P&P. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.2 per percent based on over 2,000 items sold in over 5 years Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. Since the introduction of my ‘special’ stiffners it’s a rate of zero.

Album Title: First Utterance.

Producer(s): Barry Murray.

Issue & Country of Manufacture: This is a 1998 limited reissue pressed on massive 180 gram virgin vinyl in Italy. A two record set as it includes the original full length album, originally issued on Dawn in 1971 along with a 12 inch EP version of their only single. All the original artwork is reproduced and both records are audiophile standards which cannot be said for most of the originals (if you can indeed find them).

Track Listing: Side 1: Diana; The Herald; Drip Drip. Side 2: Song to Comus; The Bite; Bitten; The Prisoner. Side 3: Diana (single version); In the Lost Queen’s Eye. Side 4: Winter is a Coloured Bird.

Label/Format: Get Back (under licence from Castle Communications) (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: All four practically as new with just a couple of light spindle marks only.

Cat Number: GET 541.

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: 175 / 174 grams. [A fraction below the stated 180 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).

Rarity: The original Dawn pressing is very rare and commands huge prices hence I never have any qualms in offering the rarest albums as audiophile standard reissues. The original pressing has a poor reputation for sound quality also, usually very crackly and poorly pressed on thin vinyl. Often when albums have little commercial potential they are rushed out and quality skimped, another such folk-prog gem was ‘Fresh Maggots’ where the playing surfaces on the RCA Victor original represented brail making it near unlistenable. As stated, this Italian repressing is manufactured on massively thick virgin vinyl and sounds stunning with pristine sound. The breathtaking original artwork is fully reproduced and the inclusion of the hopelessly rare single as a vastly superior 45 rpm 12 inch single is a massive bonus. Records are to be played and enjoyed and this pressing will never be beaten for sound quality.

Original Year of Release: 1971 this repressing was issued in 1998.

Musicians: Roger Wootton - acoustic guitar, lead vocals; Glenn Goring - 6-12 acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide, hand drums, vocals; Andy Hellaby - fender bass, slide bass, vocals; Colin Pearson - violin, viola; Rob Young - flute, oboe, hand drums; Bobbie Watson - vocals, percussion.

Brief Info: There is no accurate Ebay category to place this album under. The word ‘unique’ is vastly overused but this album is truly just that. First Utterance blends folk with progressive rock, elements of psychedelia and paganism and is one of the darkest and macabre albums ever issued. The critics of the day were largely unimpressed and the album failed to sell but one of their biggest admirers was a certain David Bowie who used them as his support in 1969 at a London gig. The album is mostly acoustic with use of Eastern percussion and artistic influences, the whole album has a very unsettling atmosphere of darkness and mysticism – innocence against dark power – bleak and unnerving. This is an album of intense experiences, mostly of fear, despair and confusion but odd moments of sublime beauty – throughout, it’s a chilling experience. Lyrically uncompromising and very dramatic with songs about rape, violence, murder and the insane. A creepy eeriness can be felt as soon as the album begins and vocally the intensity rarely lets up with unhuman sounds and strange female harmonies – this is Comus. No great surprise sensitive reviewers of the time were scared off, nothing had been heard like this before or since really. As stated, this album is totally unique and its certainly not for the faint-hearted, the amazing packaging should have guaranteed more sales but this flopped and sold very little. Regarded now a classic album and much in demand from folk fans and those prepared to try something different. The band did issue a second album after splitting with new members but that proved to be their last. First Utterance remains a mini-classic and without doubt one of the most original albums of all time.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: High: [Unlaminated covers are always the most vulnerable for rubbing, fading, sticker tears and ringwear, gatefolds are more prone still and the darker they are, the more this type of wear occurs and shows. Some sleeves have a textured finish or die-cut shaped edges or ‘windows’. These are even more delicate and the hardest to find in top condition. Fully laminated covers are more resistent to wear but often the laminate ages with dulling, creases and blistering. Many 60s covers have outer flipback construction, these are very vulnerable to damage]. (US covers are the most fragile of all, very rarely laminated and made with thick brittle card that rubs and ringwears badly. Seams and edges split easily). Please see format below to access this cover’s potential for wear and damage.

Cover Grade and Format: Mint(-) an unlaminated gatefold format with the same classic artwork as the original. Printed and made in Italy. The inner includes the song lyrics.

Cover Front: As new bar a tiny pressmark near the top, probably from a sticker removal.

Cover Back: Practically as new again with any rub trace or record impression miniscule. Clearly this could over time attract ringwear with two massively pressed records inside. I would suggest to any winning bidder to store the records outside this classic cover.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Perfect, as made.

Edges & Corners: All edges and corners, including spine as all again practically as made with no noteworthy wear or blemishing.

Cover Summary: One of the most astonishing covers ever made and as dark and chilling as the contents. This amazing item should please all collectors.

The Inner: Mint as new.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-), probably played no more than twice after my play-grade. A superb visual copy that is super clean, shiny, intense black and massively pressed. A few light transit surface marks which are rarely avoided expecially from hard unlined inners. These have NO sound whatsoever and this will blow the Dawn pressing by a mile. A lovingly made reissue for the connoisseur and copy to be played and enjoyed without fear of surface noise, pops and clicks. Visually a fine record that should please all collectors again.

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 album is an amazing experience and both records play up to their high visual grading with nothing to fault. At at, Comus for the connoisseur, play this alone in a darkened room for full effect and listen to those lyrics. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is astonishing with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. No noteworthy surface sounds or pops or clicks and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly difficult album. Few original copies will match or outperform this specialist pressing I feel sure. As stated, the Dawn pressing does not have a great reputation for quality and the only copy I have ever heard was far from wonderful. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly and has been clearly well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this groundbreaking record. This awesome package will prove very difficult to find significantly better and can be strongly recommended to all with a nerve to listen.

SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS:

1 LP (First Class Standard with included £32 Maximum Insurance) = £3.

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with included £30 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

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

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with included £32 Maximum Insurance) = £4.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £8 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. US; Australia; Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with included £32 Maximum Insurance) = £7.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £11 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

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 (£35).

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.

Debutant Bidders: Many sellers refuse first time buyers: I do not follow this practice (everybody has to start somewhere), but I would appreciate any first timer letting me know their intentions for payment method and very prompt communication, preferably before any bid or soon after the auctions ends. This gives confidence that their intentions are honourable, and I in return guarantee extra special good feedbacks to get zero rated Ebayers off to a flying start to help them with future transactions.

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.

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’.