FRANK ZAPPA Hot Rats RARER ORIG UK 1969 EX+ RSLP LP, STUNNING SOUND MASTERPIECE.

	£		88
	$		116

ONEADAYRECORDS – Serving-up a Christmas & New Year Feast of Entertainment

I would like to wish all my customers, regulars and newcomers, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR

Over the Holiday Period, I am offering some interesting Christmas ‘Crackers’ – lovely albums – some rare – ENJOY!

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £16.50 (£2 per extra record). All boxes sent FIRST-CLASS & TRACKED in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS with extra 7mm side protection and bubblewrap.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: FRANK ZAPPA

Album Title: Hot Rats

Producer(s): Frank Zappa, who composed and arranged all songs

Engineer(s): Dick Kunc

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Peaches en Regalia; Willie the Pimp; Son of Mr Green Genes.

Side 2: Little Umbrellas; The Gumbo Variations; It Must Be a Camel.

Label/Format: Reprise – original 3-colour riverboat format with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and attractive with a small, neat, light name on side two as seen. Any spindle traces hardly even register. The record plays with immaculate sound and was a thrill to play-grade.

Catalogue Number: RSLP 6356

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Weight of this Record: 150 grams. A heavy top-quality first issue with sound to match.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: The actual album itself, moderate, this was Zappa’s most commercially successful album in the UK, although strangely it failed to sell well in the United States. Available relatively briefly on the first label format before being repressed on the new tan format, initially with the same catalogue number. Then subsequently on new Kinney Reprise with the usual K- number prefix.

Original Year of Release: 1969

Matrix Nos: RSLP 6356 A1 / RSLP 6356 B1 [both matchine punched and clear]

Musicians: Frank Zappa – Guitar, octave bass, percussion; Ian Underwood – piano, organus maximus, flute, all clarinets, all saxophones; Captain Beefheart – vocal on ‘Willie the Pimp’; Sugar Cane Harris – violin; Jean luc Ponty – violin; John Guerin – drums; Ron Selico – drums; Max Bennett – bass; Shuggy Otis – bass.

Brief Artist & Album Info: The album that proved to the world that Frank Zappa was one of the greatest guitarists of his generation – if not THE best ever (even acknowledged by fellow guitar players). A point proven over many years of quality albums, not just a small few. At the end of 1968, Zappa’s contract with MGM expired, he and his manager Herb Cohen set up Bizarre Records. This gave them total control over their own packaging and music. Major distribution was needed, so they chose Reprise, Frank Sinatra’s label which had recently been acquired by Warner Brothers. Hot Rats was the second album to be just accredited to Frank Zappa, he used a 16-track recorder and state-of-the-art production techniques, making this a musical extravaganza with phenomenal sound and detail. Indeed, Zappa was one of the first to utilise multi-track techniques to get real stereo effects from a drum kit on to a record. It proved a successful album in the UK, but mysteriously was a relative failure in his native US. This is a jazz-rock, a predominately instrumental album and (for me anyway) one of the greatest ones ever made. To make it, Zappa called upon the services of some of the great musicians of the West Coast. Don ‘Sugarcane’ Harris features on electric violin with some blistering solos as does French violin virtuoso Jean luc Ponty. Also featured are veteran bassist Max Bennett, John Guerin, a young drummer who had been working with Tom Scott on fusing rock and jazz, also with Shuggy Otis, Ron Selico and Paul Humphrey. Zappa supplied himself with the finest rhythm section money could buy. The other hugely important presence was fellow-Mothers of Invention member Ian Underwood, who played keyboards and electric saxophones. This is one of Underwood’s finest moments recording with Zappa, his blistering electric saxophone solo on ‘The Gumbo Variations’ takes the breath away. Last but not least there is a cameo performance from Don van Vliet, better-known as Captain Beefheart, on vocals for ‘Willie the Pimp’ the lyrics of which are derived from an interview Zappa conducted with a New York-based groupie named Annie. Zappa himself plunges into a virtuoso guitar solo. His wah-wah pedal make the notes talk, but amongst the frenzy there remains a marvellous coherent melody throughout. Frank dubbed in percussion, chains, castanets that added that extra fizz and Underwood is credited for playing ‘organus maximus’ which was a pipe organ.

The cover is as famous as the music: it features Christine Frka (Miss Christine) of the infamous GTO’s, lurking inside a disused swimming pool in Beverly Hills. A striking image that was seen under many an arm in the heady days of the late 1960s. She is often credited as the inspiration for the Alice Cooper look, both recorded on Zappa’s Straight label. A notably thin Czech girl, she sadly she died in 1972. ‘Hot Rats’ charted at 9 in the UK and a miserly 173 in the US. A work of genius that must have opened many eyes, ears and minds on issue. Even non-Zappa fans who simply never understood his music usually appreciate this album. Anyone who likes the sound of the electric guitar cannot fail to be impressed by this blistering set. Some rock guitarists have been quoted as saying Hot Rats contains impossible to play guitar chords, well this great man played them, and how. This easily ranks in my top 10 greatest albums ever made, I never tire listening to it and this impressive original does it strong justice. It plays with hardly anything unwanted with all the detail, warmth and dynamics of a master-recording. This a gateway into Zappa’s recording studio itself and no other formats will better it. Indeed, for my own personal usage, I painstakingly copied my entire practically Mint Zappa vinyl collection to CD so I can enjoy it anywhere, no CD versions I have yet heard really comes close to capturing the sound and essence of any Zappa vinyl record. The great feeling of holding and playing a first-pressed ‘Hot Rats’ is a pleasure in itself. There will never be a better way to enjoy the king of the bizarre than on record – a timeless excusion into Frank’s world of jazz-rock, the word ‘masterpiece’ is often overused, but not in this case. If you have not experienced the wonderful world of Zappa, there is no better place to start – but be warned – this man’s music is highly addictive and his catalogue vast. I have a great selection of his albums on Ebay at the moment, most in beautiful clean condition.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or close to. An unlaminated gatefold format with a matt, smooth surfaces. Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press, it of course has the RSLP 6356 catalogue number, beware of Kinney covers being offered as ‘Original’, they look practically the same, but with the later Kinney catalogue number. The original polylined inner sleeve is included.

Cover Front: One of rock’s most famous and well-known front cover – this seen to near maximum advantage on this fine example. Wear-prone, but this has little. Any grubbiness, creasing or blemishes little, fine and faint and no sticker issues or fading. All very impressive and a pleasure to hold and view.

Cover Back: A cover often seen with significant ring wear as the thicker earlier record pushes into the very deeply coloured card. This has barely any, any rim impression very gentle and faint. A couple of light marks (look hard) and a mild thumb crease on the left edge towards the bottom, then largely as per the front.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Any blemishes or set-off minimal and small, all impressive really. The odd tiny pull mark, this often caused by adhesive spread in manufacture and is pretty common on unlaminated gatefolds. Note the close-up of the great Captain Beefheart circa his classic 1969 Trout Mask Replica era. Two of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century, both sadly gone and much missed.

Top Edges: Both straight, flat and flush, the front edge with nothing to fault. The back has some patchy rubbing.

Bottom Edges: Again straight with light to moderate patchy rubbing. The front is white, so this shows less.

Right Edge(s), and Type: The closed front edge is clean with barely any wear. The back opening edges are also sharp with minimal trace of thickening as seen viewed end-on.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with minimal compression, any tilt minimal. Folded squarely, so the edges meet up flush and parallel. Hardly any wear to the black surface – that quite unusual – all text near perfect and unworn as-seen, this also very well centred for good measure.

Cover Summary: One of rock’s most famous covers and this is a splendid example giving only modest hints of it’s considerable age. No disputing the vintage of this one: RSLP covers were gone by 1971. It should please many collectors.

The Inner Sleeve: NEAR EXCELLENT: a heavy-duty polylined white inner that has moderately aged with the usual darkening of the white paper and seam adhesive. This is UK patented with ‘Foreign Patents Pending’ text. Two crisp, very neat window circles and intact polylining. No hard creasing, but some crinkle, all edges with no splits or repairs. This has a retailers stamp on one edge ‘Serendipity Records Hampstead’.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): with any surface marks few, very fine and faint as seen under bright light. No penetrating stylus scratches, viewed in average room light, barely anything registers, this is a beautifully preserved record. Clean, fresh with excellent shine and very solidly pressed at above average weight. It opens the studio door and this is for me, is one of rock’s most amazing experiences that pushed sound and engineering technology, at the time, to it’s limits. For the ‘early-bird’ Zappa fans who bought this from the back end of the 1960s into the early 1970s, most played it into submission – imagine the thrill of hearing this masterpiece for the first time. Although recently reissued, NOTHING gives the thrill of a tri-coloured first pressing. Hardly any surprise it has acquired ‘Classic Album’ status and it remains (for me) one of the greatest ever made. This contains musicianship, composition and sound of the highest possible calibre and few would have even known the brilliance of this long-haired American at this time. Visually, a record to please many, if not 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 snippets 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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality & Audio Grading – The Hot Rats Hi-Fi Experience: This copy plays very impressively with very little to fault – crank this up loud and prepare to be thrilled. Well pressed on thick, heavy vinyl – the tan Kinny versions were usually much thinner – any surface sound minimal and faint – the odd sporadic one-off faint tick apart – this is fantastic. And how many 1969 albums will not have the odd minute blemish as the barest minimum? Both channels are clean, precise and sharp, the sound and production are up there with the very best from this period with stunning stereo separation and detail. Zappa spared no expense in recording this classic, he was a sound perfectionist and only wanted the highest quality possible. His ‘solo’ masterpiece, the sonic delivery of the music defies it’s substantial age. With the highest possible technology of the day utilised, this has not aged at all and will better anything the digital age has to offer – and in this case – that is NO understatment. It makes worthy systems excel with high quality and beautifully produced sound. The delicate high frequencies of the electric violins, percussion and winds are unclipped and simply rasp and fizz from the speakers. Zappa’s frenzied and blistering guitar work is heard to maximum effect and this will leave fans wanting more. Played loudly enough, Underwood’s electric sax solo on ‘The Gumbo Variations’ is almost capable of ripping off the speaker cloth. What set’s this analogue recording apart are the bass-lines which are warm and deep and fully focused, and more importantly – present! The CD versions are leaner and lack that vital depth, grace and power. In fact the bass is almost lost in places on the CDs – I simply had to copy not just this album, but ALL my complete Zappa collection to disc for my own pleasure anywhere. That too with immense success, you would hardly know a CD could sound this good reproducing the vinyl source. My Sondek gave this record real pace and rhythm with effortless tracking* and nothing of any note spoil the experience. Beefheart’s cameo role on ‘Willie the Pimp’ is famous as he shrieks Hot Meat, Hot Raaaaattttzzzzz, Hot Zitz, Hot Wrists, Hot Ritz, Hot Roots, Hot Sooooottts… this is the album’s only vocal track and it Fizzzessssss, the man’s voice totally unique and rarely sounding better. Nothing beats an original copy – a stepping-stone to his more challenging works. They do not make records like this anymore and the spirit of this much-missed musical genius lives on in this monumental work. My musical world has never been quite the same since his sad and untimely death. Visually impressive – the audio fantastic and enjoyable.

His Legacy: Frank Zappa issued over 60+ official albums in his own lifetime – now expanded to over 100 official albums – and most I consider essential. Sadly leaving us all too young, it’s such a shame his work, music and talent was only recognised by many after his untimely death, but not unusual for a genius in the arts. But for lifelong fans, his name was known from his early years and lives on forever. With more and more music fans still discovering the master guitarist and musician’s work, this is the ideal place to start. It simply emphasises the mundane mediocrity around these days, the greatest entertainer in rock will always live on.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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 programs. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 805 Nautilus (bi-wired with Tellurium Black terminated cable) with REL subwoofer. All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 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. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are 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 at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is minuscule in over 14­ years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

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

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 per extra LP.

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

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. 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. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

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 necessarily 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’.