CREAM WHEELS OF FIRE MONO FIRST PRESS RARE DOUBLE VINYL

	£		210
	$		278

CREAM

RARE DOUBLE VINYL LP

WHEELS OF FIRE

POLYDOR ORANGE TEXTURED LABELS - MADE IN ENGLAND 1968

 CATALOGUE NO. 582031 & 582032 (N.B. THE ORIGINAL FIRST PRESSINGS LIKE THIS ONE DO NOT HAVE A PUBLISHED SET NUMBER)

MONO

MATRICES: RECORD 1 SIDE A - 582031 Av1 420

MATRICES: RECORD 1 SIDE B - 582031 Bv1 420

STAMPERS:  SIDE A - 1 & 1    SIDE B - 1 & 1

MATRICES: RECORD 2 SIDE C - 582032 Av1 420

MATRICES: RECORD 2 SIDE D - 582032 Bv1 420

STAMPERS: SIDE C - 1 & 2   SIDE D - 1 & 2

(please note that the ' v ' in the matrices between the letter and number is intended to represent an inverted triangle and is characteristic of the mono first press matrices, some mono and stereo first or early pressings had a // symbol)

TRACK LISTING..RECORD 1 - SIDE A: WHITE ROOM. SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD. PASSING THE TIME. AS YOU SAID. SIDE B: PRESSED RAT AND WARTHOG. POLITICIAN. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN. DESERTED CITIES OF THE HEART.  RECORD 2 - SIDE C: CROSSROADS. SPOONFUL. SIDE D: TRAINTIME. TOAD

ABOUT THIS ALBUM: THIS IS EXCITING BECAUSE I HAD NOT SEEN ONE OF THESE SUPERB AND HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE DOUBLE ALBUMS, WHICH WAS WORTH BUYING, FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS AND THEN WITHIN THE LAST MONTH I HAVE FOUND TWO LOVELY EXAMPLES. I SOLD THE FIRST ONE ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO AND NOW THIS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING  ONE HAS COME INTO MY POSSESSION, AND IT'S THE BEST ONE I HAVE EVER SEEN OR HEARD.  I TRY TO TREAD THE DIFFICULT LINE BETWEEN OVERSELL AND UNDERSELL IN ALL OF MY LISTINGS, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO UNDERSTAND VINYL WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY THAT IT IS SOMETIMES VERY HARD, BUT IN THIS CASE I CAN AFFORD TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC IN MY DESCRIPTION .

FIRST THERE IS THE TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE OF THE MASSIVELY IMPRESSIVE MONO FORMAT HEAVY DUTY VINYLS (I have checked and they match weight at 160 grammes each) WHICH DELIVER  BREATHTAKING AND SENSATIONAL AUDIO PERFORMANCE FROM THOSE DEEP GROOVES AND CORRESPONDS WITH THEIR EXCELLENT CONDITION. THIS IS A POWERFUL LOUD CUT, REALLY QUITE DIFFERENT FROM IT'S STEREO COUNTERPART. WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THIS YOU REALISE WHY IT'S THE DOMINANT BIG BROTHER OF THE TWO FORMATS AND COMMANDS SO MUCH MORE INTEREST FROM COLLECTORS. THESE ARE GENUINE FIRST PRESSINGS - JUST LOOK AT THE MATRICES / STAMPERS - QUITE HONESTLY THIS IS THE REAL THING IT SIMPLY DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS.

EQUALLY ASTONISHING IS THE ERNEST J. DAY GATEFOLD COVER WHICH IS NORMALLY THE ACHILLES HEEL OF THIS ALBUM. DUE TO ITS RATHER FRAIL LAMINATED FOIL CONSTRUCTION IT IS NORMALLY FOUND FALLING TO PIECES AFTER 38 YEARS; BUT NOT THIS ONE - JUST LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS - IT IS IN ABSOLUTELY FIRST RATE CONDITION CONSISTENT WITH A WELL CARED FOR ALBUM OF THIS AGE....AND THE SPINE IS AMAZING WHICH IS WHY I HAVE FEATURED IT IN THE GALLERY PHOTOGRAPH. USUALLY IF THE COVER HAS SURVIVED IN REASONABLE ORDER THE SPINE HAS DEFINITELY GONE TO PIECES, BUT THIS ONE IS NEAR NEW. THE COVER AND SPINE ARE THE BEST I HAVE SEEN.

THE ONLY MINOR FLAW I CAN FIND WITH THIS ALBUM, AND IN MY OPINION IT IS TINY, IS THAT ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE ORIGINAL ORANGE TEXTURED LABELS IN GENERALLY EXCELLENT CONDITION THERE WAS CLEARLY A SMALL FAULT IN THE ORIGINAL LABELLING PROCESS AND THERE ARE TWO SMALL PIECES OF THE LABEL WHICH DID NOT 'TAKE' ON SIDE 'C' OF DISC 582032. I HAVE SHOWN THIS CLEARLY ON THE LABEL PHOTOGRAPHS - IT CAUSES NO DETRIMENT WHATSOEVER BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THE LABELS HAVE A FLATTER APPEARANCE THAN THEY DO ON THE OTHER DISC AND THERE IS A SMALL VISUAL EFFECT. 

THIS ALBUM (MONO FORMAT 582031/582032 NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH ITS STEREO COUNTERPART 583031/583032. ALSO, THE ORIGINAL MONO FIRST PRESSINGS, WHICH THIS IS, DO NOT HAVE A SET NUMBER PRINTED ON THE ALBUM, IT WAS ADDED TO LATER PRESSINGS 2612 001) IS, FOR MANY, THE 'GOLD STANDARD' OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK COLLECTIBLES AND THIS ONE HAS ALL THE CREDENTIALS TO MAKE IT ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE.

YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT GET MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE TO BUY SUCH A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS VERY RARE ALBUM; IT IS BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND BY THE WEEK SO IF YOU WANT ONE, AND ONE OF THE BEST, I SUGGEST YOU TAKE A BIDDING INTEREST IN THIS ONE NOW.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A 38 YEAR OLD ALBUM WHICH HAS BEEN CAREFULLY USED AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT IS NOT WITHOUT SIGNS OF WEAR SO PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR VALUATION AND ENTER THE BIDDING PROCESS.

BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE RATINGS I INVITE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY OTHER ALBUM LISTINGS WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED ON THIS ONE BY 'CLICKING' ON THE 'VIEW SELLERS OTHER ITEMS' IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND SIDE BOX OF THIS LISTING - THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

 I RATE THE COMPONENTS OF THIS ALBUM AS FOLLOWS:

VINYLS (visual / physical appraisal) - BEAUTIFULLY MATCHED TOP QUALITY HEAVYWEIGHT (160 grammes each) POLYDOR VINYLS. A FAIR AMOUNT OF OF WISPY, SUPERFICIAL, SURFACE LIGHT LINES IN PLACES, WHICH IN MY EXPERIENCE ARE EVIDENT ON EVERY USED VINYL WHEN VIEWED UNDER A BRIGHT LIGHT. THEY ARE CAUSED BY MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF THE INNER SLEEVES, AND HAVE NO TANGIBLE DEPTH OR AUDIO SIGNIFICANCE. THERE ARE A FEW MORE NOTICEABLE ONCES BUT NOTHING OF ANY AUDIO CONSEQUENCE. BOTH VINYLS RETAIN THEIR GLOSSY BLACK SHINE AND LIE FLAT ON A MOVING TURNTABLE MAT WITH NO VISIBLE DISTORTION, GREAT VINYL'S - MY RATING 85% (PLEASE ALSO READ THE PLAY GRADING  BELOW)

LABELS - GENERALLY EXCELLENT BUT THE MANUFACTURING FLAW ON THE SIDE 'C' MENTIONED ABOVE SHOULD BE NOTED, OTHERWISE NO DAMAGE, NO TEARS, NO ARTIFICIAL MARKS, NO VISIBLE SPINDLE HOLE WEAR (please see photographs) - MY RATING 86%

GATEFOLD COVER - THIS IS AN EXCELLENT CONDITION GATEFOLD DOUBLE OUTER COVER 'Printed by Ernest J. Day & Co. London W.11.' - WITH MINOR VERY FAINT RUBBING FRONT AND BACK WHERE IT FOLLOWS THE OUTER CONTOUR OF THE VINYLS. SOME VERY SHORT LIGHT SURFACE LINES TOWARDS THE EDGES. ABSOLUTELY TINY LOCALISED SCUFFING ON ALL FOUR CORNERS. VERY SMALL LIGHT BRUISING AT THE LEADING EDGES WHERE THE VINYLS ENTER THE COVER. INSIDE / CENTREFOLD IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION - MY RATING 85%

SPINE - A LINE DOWN THE CENTRE WHERE IT HAS BEEN CAREFULLY OPENED AND CLOSED, TINY SCUFFING ON THE CORNERS, LOVELY SQUARE SHOULDERS, CLEAN, CLEAR, FULLY READABLE - ALMOST AS NEW - MY RATING 88%

INNER SLEEVES - STANDARD WHITE PAPER WITH ANTISTATIC POLY-LINERS, A LITTLE LIGHT CREASING AND BROWNING BUT NOTHING UNUSUAL - MY RATING 80%

REAL AUDIO TEST / PLAY GRADING: I PLAY ALL MY VINYLS ON A PRO-JECT DEBUT lll DECK FITTED WITH AN ORTOFON OM 5E CARTRIDGE DOWNFORCE SET AT 17.5 mN (1.75 g) THROUGH A B&O AMPLIFIER WITH BASS & TREBLE SET TO ZERO AND UNFILTERED DELIVERED BY FOCAL CHORUS 706 LOUDSPEAKERS. I RATE THEM IN PERCENTAGE TERMS, AS I DO FOR THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE ALBUM; WITH OF COURSE A SPECIFIC COMMENT IF THEY SKIP, JUMP, SLIDE, SLIP OR SLUR ALTHOUGH I DO NOT EXPECT TO BE SELLING ANY VINYLS WITH THOSE DEFECTS. FOR THE ALBUM IN THIS LISTING THE RESULTS FOLLOW IN GREEN PRINT.

I HAVE TO BALANCE MY ENTHUSIASM FOR THE MUSIC AND THE TECHNICALLY BRILLIANT BREATHTAKING SOUND WITH THE AUDIO FACTS. HOWEVER, THESE ARE SENSATIONAL VINYLS AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO OVER-RATE THEM ! I WAS DELIGHTED WITH THIS AUDIO TEST - IT CERTAINLY RATES UP THERE WITH THE BEST I HAVE EVER HEARD. AS WITH MOST AUDIO REPRODUCTION YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT AS IT WAS INTENDED TO BE HEARD UNTIL YOU LISTEN TO IT ON VINYL - THESE MASSIVE MONO VINYLS DELIVER UNPARALLELED TOP QUALITY SOUND. EVEN WITH MY AUDIO CRITICAL SETTINGS THAT ARE SO INTOLERANT OF SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS IN ORDER TO EMPHASISE ANY INTERFERENCE THEY ARE HARD TO FAULT. I COULD NOT DETECT ANY SIGNIFICANT GROOVEWEAR, A LITLLE LIGHT CRACKLING ON THE QUIET SECTIONS NOW AND AGAIN AND BETWEEN TRACKS, BUT THATS ALL - MARVELLOUS. FANTASTIC FOR ME, SMOOTH, CONTINUOUS, RAW AND FULL BODIED. AS WITH THE LAST ONE I HAD I WAS SO TAKEN BY THE AUDIO PERFORMANCE THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD TO LISTEN TO IT AGAIN, PURE ENJOYMENT AND SPOONFUL STILL STIMULATES MY AUDIO SENSORY PERCEPTION - I RATE THE AUDIO QUALITY AT 85% TECHNICALLY - BUT IF YOU'RE AN ENTHUSIAST IT'S NEAR PERFECT 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PERCENTAGE RATINGS GIVEN DO NOT COMPLY WITH ANY NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS THEY MERELY REFLECT MY OPINION BASED ON A COMPARISON WITH NEW BEING 100%. HOWEVER, IF YOU PREFER DESCRIPTIONS OF CONDITION USING A MORE WIDELY RECOGNISED INDUSTRY STANDARD MY INTERPRETATION OF THE 'RECORD COLLECTORS' GRADING SYSTEM SUGGESTS THAT THE COMPONENTS OF THIS ALBUM WOULD BE CATEGORISED AS 'EXCELLENT' with a + if you're into real Cream !

DESCRIPTIONS are given in good faith, but they are based on my opinion and standards.  Bidders should note that they offer at their own risk and must satisfy themselves that they have sufficient information about the item before they enter the bidding process.  Please ask questions before you become involved with the auction, NOT afterwards! Where I list sizes/dimensions they are either as stated on the item/label by the supplier/manufacturer or reasonably accurately hand tape measured; however, they are not necessarily precise, should be taken as approximate and not relied upon where absolute precision is required.

INFORMATION: Whilst I take care to try and provide accurate information on the original listing it is possible that new information may become available to me afterwards. I therefore strongly recommend that all bidders read any revisions and the ongoing questions / answers section of the listing before bidding as they may contain updated information which could affect your valuation of the item(s). In the event that new information is published, after the time you have become the high bidder, which adversely affects your valuation of the item(s) and you wish to withdraw from the bidding process please email your request and we will use the cancel bid option with no ongoing liability to any of the parties involved in the auction.

PHOTOGRAPHS: All photographs contained within this listing show the actual item (s) offered – they are not catalogue, archive or library photographs.  Furthermore they are direct images and not re-touched or modified in any way. I try to make good and comprehensive use of images on the listing in order to give the prospective bidder the best opportunity to evaluate the item(s); however it is possible that in some circumstances the photographs can enhance the appearance of the item(s) due to compression so please take this into account before bidding and do not hesitate to ask for more images or information which I am happy to send by attachment to email. This is particularly recommended with overseas buyers where returns are often not a viable option.  

OVERSEAS BUYERS WELCOME – I am pleased to deal with buyers from anywhere in the world. My method of LP packaging reduces the risk to your valuable vinyls & covers in transit. Makes no sense to me to buy something important and then play the ‘high risk of damage game’ when having it shipped around the world – I hope you feel the same. Packing and Postage charges differ internationally SO I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT OVERSEAS BUYERS ASK FOR THESE COSTS BEFORE BIDDING. Unless the prospective bidder / buyer states a preference I always quote Airmail as Surface Mail does not usually cost much less and takes a long time (again more risk of damage or loss I think). Also please note that for British Pounds £3.30 extra you can have an International Signed for service which includes insurance up to £32. Insurance quotations to a value you specify in advance of shipping are available on request. PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR REASONS OF CONVENIENCE AND CURRENCY CONVERSION I CAN ONLY ACCEPT PAYMENTS BY PAYPAL FROM OVERSEAS BUYERS.

WHERE POSTAL INSURANCE IS INCLUDED IT IS SUBJECT TO ROYAL MAIL STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS. QUOTATIONS FOR OTHER INSURANCE OR PREMIUMS TO COVER INCREASED VALUES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

PACKING & POSTAGE:  Vinyl’s are removed from covers/sleeves and placed in separate transit sleeves to travel outside of the covers. All components are packed in polyliners for safety and sandwiched/sealed between two stiffeners before being placed in high quality mailers for posting. I use ‘Premium Quality 600 Micron Card Mailers’ with ‘Ultra Safe’ double 3.5 cm. wide latex strips across the whole of the mailer which provides excellent adhesion and protection. Internally I use 2 of the highest grade ‘B’ flute corrugated card stiffeners to prevent bending, deformation or edge/corner creasing. Packing & postage prices are NOT negotiable on items dispatched individually or separately. However, if you are a similar time multiple buyer where all items purchased are being sent to the same address and they can be combined safely, you can ask for a discounted quotation before bidding. I will always try to be fair with buyers on p&p costs but if you do not want to pay the prices on the listings or quotations please do not bid.  I am not interested in hearing from successful bidders afterwards questioning and complaining about cost of packing and postage! I always keep proof of posting but unless you pay for Recorded Delivery, International Signed For, Special Delivery or Full Insurance I may not be able to assist you with recovery of the item or any of the costs.

PAYMENT: I accept payment by PayPal only from overseas buyers and Paypal, Personal Cheques and Postal Orders in British Pounds Sterling. Cash is an option but only by Royal Mail Special Delivery and no coinage (rounded up). Payment must be completed/cleared into my account within 7 days of the auction ending otherwise I reserve the right to void the transaction

CANCELLATION: The Seller reserves the right to cancel any bid, entirely at his discretion and without giving prior notice, in the following circumstances:

Where they have reason to believe that the bidder has not complied with the terms of their offer as set out on the listing.

The bidder’s feedback is of such limited quantity that it cannot be regarded as reliable.

The bidder’s feedback is of dubious quality and/or gives the seller any indication or reason to doubt the credibility of the bid.

RETURNS: I DO have a standard returns policy (please see details further down in this listing) AND I am always prepared to consider anything which is reasonable. If you have a problem with an item which you buy from me for a reason which was not apparent or disclosed prior to purchase as a result of my omission or fault then I will usually accept return and full refund, including postal charges. In the unlikely event that we cannot resolve our differences by direct communication I am prepared to consider arbitration.

MY FEEDBACK POLICY: I LEAVE FEEDBACK FOR BUYERS AFTER THEY INFORM ME THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE ITEM(S). IF THERE IS A PROBLEM ON RECEIPT I WILL ALWAYS RESOLVE IT IN A FAIR AND REASONABLE WAY PROVIDING THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN USED CARELESSLY. PERSONALLY I DO NOT USE THE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK SYSTEM; I CONSIDER IT TO BE DIVISIVE AND COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. IF I DON’T LIKE A DEAL I JUST DON’T DEAL WITH THAT SUPPLIER AGAIN. IF YOU EVER RECEIVE SOMETHING FROM ME THAT YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH CONTACT ME ON email: somemightsell_e@btinternet.com AND WE WILL SORT IT OUT.