FRANK ZAPPA / MOI Freak Out UK Orig Stereo.

	£		205
	$		272

Hi, I am Mike, now 50 – yes the big FIVE-O! Old enough to remember black and white television with valves and William Hartnell playing Dr Who – Bill & Ben – Pinky & Perky – Mr Pastry – The Woodentops – Lost in Space – England winning the football World Cup and man landing on the moon in 69 while still at primary school and the first flight of Concorde – it passed over my house on its maiden flight. Also petrol costing a £1 a gallon was deeply frowned upon – now it’s a £1 a litre!!!!!! 78 rpm records I played as a lad from my father’s collection, mono record players, vintage stereo radiograms and the first colour TVs and snooker seen as it should be – in colour.

Also records from the 1960s and 70s bought from the shops from new, I have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 36 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.

Please read all my extensive details on Posting & Packing Prices and Methods at the end of this description, including discounts, offers and payment terms. 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.

Album Title: Freak Out! (original first pressed UK single album version).

Producer(s): Tom Wilson.

A Special Note about this Record: Firstly, this is likely to be my only album on offer until next weekend due to heavy work commitments putting the World’s most famous sportsbook to press again for the 25th time. Yes I have been producing Wisden Cricketer’s Almanack for a quarter of a century now. So if only one album can be offered this week, well let’s make it one of the greatest, influential and most important albums ever issued in the underground rock scene. Not only that, this I regard as the rarest UK Zappa album ever issued and is in truly beautiful condition too. A British first pressed copy of this in stereo is near impossible to find and those few that do show up are most often trashed and unplayable. This record is stunning and given its 42 years of age, its simply amazing. Few stereo copies of this would have sold on issue, few sold at all initially infact and this is certainly, in my experience anyway, the rarest Zappa title of them all. Mono originals show up sometimes, again in very poor conditions, but the stereo pressing has always been highly elusive and I feel sure, few were even made. Rarely purchased by hi-fi connoisseurs, but just a select few of curious collectors – hardly anyone would have spent their money on a new group of (clearly weird) Americans in the UK at this time and few even owned stereo units to play them on. Freak Out was the birth of underground psychedelic music and little was the same thereafter. It’s importance cannot be overstated and to this day the daring nature of its contents still have the ability to captivate and entertain. The UK copy remains almost unique as it was issued here in a single format with three of songs missing from the US version which was a double set (rock’s first 2 LP set) – I guess UK Verve could not justify spending the extra money in producing a double set that was almost certain not to sell in any great volume. With a record that plays with practically flawless sound with near immaculate playing surfaces, clean labels with few spindle marks and a very strong EX+ cover, this is a copy for the Zappa connoisseur. I have included the ‘Freak Out Hot Spots’ insert, taken from the ‘Old Masters’ set to make this very special record kind of ‘complete’. An insert only issued in the US and originals being ultra rare and near impossible to find. I have sold many Zappa/Mothers albums on Ebay, but this the very first example of this title as a UK original stereo. So a classic in superb condition I am more than proud to offer, this will not be seen often and rarely in such lovely all round conditions – do not lose this one.

Track Listing: Side 1: Hungry Freaks Daddy; I Ain’t Got No Heart; Who Are the Brain Police?; Motherly Love; Wowie Zowie; You Didn’t Try to Call Me; I’m Not Satisfied; You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here. Side 2: Trouble Every Day (Original UK short version); Help, I’m a Rock; The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet.

Cat Number: SVLP 9154.

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: 144 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).

Label/Format: Verve – Original black and silver format. This original copy includes the embossed KT tax codes on side two. Both these letters have very clearly defined embossing with no flattening and no ink loss, rubbing or damage. Always strong indication that these vintage records have received few plays. Label text includes ‘Solid in UK’ etc. (Please see my label scans for any information needed).

Label Condition: High attractive examples that will rarely get seen much better on this title. It has to be realised these vintage originals were rarely bought by a hi-fi connoisseurs or every day pop music fans. Far more likely purchased by certain types of the more adventurous music fan with a taste for the weird and wonderful – guess you know what I am saying – suffice to say, most of these ‘Freaky’ albums were trashed and ill-treated, its a pleasure to see what I regard as one of the most important albums EVER, looking this clean. These labels have only very light and faint, fine spindle traces – indeed side one has only two or three. The hole rims have no chipping or wear, a mere faint friction trace on the delicate silver ink, nothing more. Beautiful vintage jet black Verves, so rare like this, clearly handled with great care and barely played, connoisseur standard.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Very Rare indeed – the books have no idea and give few clues to the rarity of this single issue in stereo. I know my Zappa pretty well – he is my man. I regard this as the rarest regular UK issue in stereo. This mono original is easier to find, but both very difficult in even decent VG condition. This record grades a Mint(-) and plays the same (or even better). Most all have distortion, heavy marks, deep damaging scratches and surfaces that resemble a ploughed field rather than a record. Finding this with a strong cover and a clean record that actually plays superbly, with distortion-free sound and devoid of pops or clicks is almost remarkable. Yes even the unaccompanied section on side two is clean with no inherent surface sound. So not only a very elusive title as a stereo original, this is made rarer still by it’s fantastic condition.

Original Year of Release: 1966 (single album, SVLP and VLP series), the double UK version was not issued until 1971.

Matrix Nos: V6 5005 A-1 / V6 5005 B-1.

Stamper Codes: 1 G / 1 R

Musicians: Frank Zappa - guitar, vocals; Ray Collins - lead vocalist, harmonica, tambourine, finger cymbals, bobby pin and tweezers; Jim Black - drums, vocals; Roy Estrada - bass, guitarron, soprano vocals; Elliot Ingber - alternate lead and rhythm guitars.

Brief Artist & Album Info: It always gives me immense pleasure to offer such an important album in such outstanding condition – no easy task for this groundbreaking debut I can tell you - I take my Zappa items very seriously, he has been my favourite rock artist since I was an early teenager. Items have to be of the highest quality for me to offer and this one even exceeds my high minimum standard for a copy of this classic title.

Led by the genius that was Frank Zappa, The Mothers of Invention were outsiders, even on this their debut album. Older than most of their contemporaries, they brought a cynicism to their work that celebrated joys without resorting to nostalgia. Telling parodies of pop forms that were as engaging as those upon which they drew, while experimental pieces, drawn from avant garde compositions by Varese and Stravinsky, took the notion of ‘rock’ into unchartered territory. Zappa’s skills as a musician and engineer ensuring the innovative nature of this creation. Still, even today, its great fun to listen too. This original issue did not chart in the UK and only made 150 in the States. Made with a budget of $25,000, some $6,000 more than average at this time the albums’ producer was Tom Wilson, he laid his job on the line to make this album and stayed with the band for four albums. This copy on offer is the 1966 UK original, single album format in glorious mindblowing stereo. It has three songs less than the 1971 Select reissue and a shorter-edit version of ‘Trouble Every Day’, which I feel certain is unique to this UK pressing. This may sound like an inferior original, but far from it. The sounds embedded into an original pressing with the V6 matrix are amazing, no details are hidden and it takes you into the recording studio itself. Wilson’s production is quite astonishing. Like all Zappa Verve albums, this is vital to any collection, all the Verves were different and all remain absolutely essential. Even from the opening bars of ‘Hungry Freaks Daddy’ with its distorted riff which replicates the Stones ‘Satisfaction’ the stage is set. It has a leering savagery and points the finger at Mr America and suggests a wave of non-conformism. This original album, issued in 1966 was a single album, the US version was a double. The powerful ‘Trouble Every Day’ a song about the Watts race riots in America at this time and was highly controversial – as was the whole album. The astonishing ‘Help, I’m a Rock’ must be the ultimate ‘Freak Out’ track - this must have sent shock-waves out to listeners on first issue, nothing had been heard like this before. The final track is even more challenging, and even today will scare the daylights out of most unsuspecting listeners: ‘The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet’ a modernist sound-composition, has to be heard many times to be fully appreciated, and this even blew me away with the incredibly detailed stereo mix. This track alone saw Zappa trashing 60s top ten pop music - this was loud, crude and mind-shattering - one subtitle, ‘Ritual Dance of the Child Killer’, referred to the plot of Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, but in this scandalous context, with ‘Suzy Creamcheese’ (a high-school virgin, who tells us this band is crazy and that they all smell bad (on the Select cover), played by Jeannie Vassoir. She sounds as if she’s simultaneously losing her virginity and having an orgasm, but this was the 1960s and no one barely noticed, Zappa’s ability to outrage was apparent right from the very beginning. A stunning conclusion to a remarkable work - nothing had ever been heard like it before (or since). Zappa with the greatest moustache in musical history, put the snarl and sneer into music, he did not conform and this album, like the man himself was a true original. Too weird and unconventional for most at the time, Freak Out remains one of the most important albums ever, breaking so much new ground, its influence and importance cannot be overstated. This record, given its age, type and history is in fabulous condition and finding a better example could prove near impossible. The original triple-flipbacked single sleeve also is way above the average found and note its the ORIGINAL and correct stereo format. The Mothers albums had a unique cover for both mono and stereo pressings. So in terms of musical history and development of the underground ‘alternative’ music scene, few records come close to the importance of Freak Out. This record almost single-handedly reinvented rock and little remained the same thereafter. If this was type was not for you back when it all happened, try it now. No album collection should ever be without this legendary masterpiece being included. [Whooooo could imajun, They would Freak Out on Ebay? - Ebay, Ebay doo doo doo doo doo doo].(Sorry, a bit of nostalgia for the ‘old folks’ there).

Cover Condition and Format: Very Strong EX+, it’s the original single stereo (SVLP) format with laminated front and three large rear flipbacks. This has the word ‘mono’ printed on the front, its NOT a sticker. It was printed and made by Garrod & Lofthouse and still has the ‘Patents pending’ text. One of the best Freak Out covers I have ever had in either format, most are trashed often like the contents inside. Just look at the US double version covers, honesty have you ever seen one devoid of ringwear or rubbing or splits? This has clean shiny laminate and three super-neat clean flipbacks on a highly attractive and minimal discoloured back. Finding any of the ‘Verves’ with backs that can still be descrived as ‘white’ is rare. Just to make this already stunning set even more appealing, I include an example of the near impossible to find US insert of the Freak Out Hot Spots. (taken from the ‘Old Masters’ set). This insert has never been available in the UK and only a handful exist in the US.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Quite 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 Laminate and Front: One of THE covers of all time and this does it near full justice – the spooky, surreal sillouette of the original Mothers looks superb. This remains very shiny and clear and has no peeling, dry blistered areas or lifting and marks or indications being very small, light and faint, there is the odd edge laminate chip but look hard to see them. There is some creasing however, or this would get a super-high grading: A couple of moderate(-) (or less really) creases near the right edge and a few light surface half moons which are largey lost on the very intensely coloured artwork – even the larger ones have low visibility and little impact on the eyes. There are some hairline edge type creases too but let’s be honest, how many 40+ year-old covers will avoid these? Barely any friction rubs or dulling and still looking really superb. The right edge sees the laminate ending a little short of full width and even this has remained devoid of chipping or ugly grime-line build up. This vintage treasure still retains a high-degree of freshness will take a lot of beating.

Cover Back: Stunning and part from one small stain spot, centre of right edge (possible a tiny piece of aged glue residue from the flipback construction), this has little to fault and actually still remains very white with any ageing or grubbiness miniscule or less. The top right flipback has the words: ‘File under POPULAR : Pop Groups’ (somewhat ambitious of the record company, The Mothers were never a ‘pop group’ or even popular [I am delighted to say]). Just below this is the original shop seller’s price, written in very small and super neat pencil, 32/6 (32 shillings and sixpence – 1 pound and 62.5 pence in current decimal money). The bottom flipback has the important G&L imprint and the rare ‘Patents pending’ text – all pristine under the wrap around laminate. This is one of the most unworn Verve original backs I have ever seen, these always darken and brown with age, clearly this has had minimal exposure to light and looks little handled. No rubbing, grubbiness of note, ringmarks or creasing. The very clean (no grime lines on the ends) flipbacks are in superb overall condition with no damage or burring to their ends, all fully adhered and neat. Some surface creasing to their laminate which is near impossible to avoid but with little visibility. Given its considerable age, type and genre, this back (and front) are in pretty remarkable conditions.

Top Edge: Virtually unworn bar the odd tiny surface rub trace.

Bottom Edge: Superb with barely any trace of wear at all, still ultra smoother to the fingertip.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with barely a trace wear and no feathering. Miniscule wave trace viewed end-on if being hyper-critical. Record entered on right outside edge.

Spine and Text: Great spine too: Solid and square, quite straight with minimal compression. All text perfect, very bold and sharp under the solid and uncracked laminate. The ends have slight manufactured end tapering.

Corners: Tiny laminate chips but little actual wear and all retain very fine shape and good defintion.

Cover Summary: An outstanding sleeve, one of the great rare original UK originals to own, just compare to most seen. This really should please most collectors who will probably know what most will look like these days.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: I think to trade this beautiful piece of vinyl much less than Mint(-) would be doing it a great disservice. With most trashed or in very poor shape, this is in simply amazing condition and here lies the difference. This is ultra clean and retains a lovely shine and is pressed on thick, heavy vinyl. This is a first press ‘proper’ 1966 Freak Out, in glorious stereo, it has nothing more than a very few ultra faint and fine hairlines that of course have NO sound whatsoever. There is nothing that even comes close to representing a ‘scratch’ proper and these few mega fine hairlines are not even that easy to see, only under close scrutiny under angled light. A copy that has not been chucked around or been ploughed up by a Dansette with a blunt needle. One that has clearly been looked after and played little. This gem will prove very difficult to find this clean again (if ever).

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This trip into the psychedelic underground plays as good as it looks. Clean distortion-free sound, never take this for granted on any record this great age let alone one with such complex and powerful sound qualities with great detail and definition. This true stereo mix – not electronically created or enhanced – is amazing with pin-sharp sound. Even the fragile high frequencies remain totally unclipped and precise. Barely any unwanted sounds at all and even the intricate vocal parts on ‘Rock’ play superbly and quite. Even from way back this album had awesome fidelity, it has a slightly raw sound quality but not in a low-fi way - its dynamic and exciting and still thrills today, an amazing masterstokeof production by Wilson. Some albums from this time were flat, muted and lifeless, Freak Out was not one of them, this will leave the senses swimming with the mind-numbing sounds. Just listen to the sheer brutality of the bass on ‘Brain Police’, also the aforementioned ‘Monster Magnet’, with its crazed pulsating percussion, the sounds that burst out of these unworn stereo grooves have detail I swear I had missed before, this is almost scary. This is a huge production masterwork, again for 1966 so advanced - no expense was spared. You want fantastic early stereo imagery and effects detail with clear sound, you have it here, this will copy will prove near impossible to ever beat.

End Piece: To emphasise the type and era of this record I quote from the back cover of the Select reissue (not this original cover) - it’s written by the (in)famous Suzy Creamcheese “These Mothers is crazy. You can tell by their clothes. One guy wears beads and they all smell bad. We were gonna get them for a dance after the basketball game but my best pal warned me you can never tell how many will show up…sometimes they guy in the fur coat doesn’t show up (Zappa) and sometimes he does show up only he brings a big bunch of crazy people and him and they dance all over the place. none of the kids at my school like these Mothers…specially since my teacher told us what the words to their songs meant.’’. This original sleeve has text ‘What is Freaking Out’, I will let the winning bidder read this for him/herself.

Vinyl of this type and era comes along so infrequently this is sure to be a record that will remain in my mind for some time to come. Many are poor, even trashed, this one gives only tiny clues to its great age. Early FZs on Verve are fast disappearing and that’s all of them, not just the originals. Like many great albums, this was too ahead of its time for most, the world was not ready to ‘Freak Out!’ It’s just a shame that only after his untimely, premature death does the world now more fully appreciate this man’s work and greatness. A unique artist who simply wanted to entertain. Freak Out has to be regarded as one of the most important debut albums ever, a true landmark record - only fellow Vervsters, The Velvet Underground’s debut, and maybe The Doors challenges this in the underground rock music genre. Enjoy this powerful stereo vinyl, you wont find a better all round copy easily. Remember: neccessity is the Mother(s) of Invention.

For more information about oneadayrecords and special offers simply email me. WANTS LISTS WELCOME.

Payment Details please read carefully - I know its boring but essential:

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 and P&P Details & Methods:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account. I will NOT under any circumstances accept Western Union payment.

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 (£32). My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 1 per 1,500 over the my selling time on Ebay and I consider that pretty exceptional.

All records are posted in professional mailers or boxes as deemed appropriate for the individual item with the record 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 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’. 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. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if possible. I never make profit on posting, in fact I actually lose money but I consider it a small loss against the safe arrival of all my items. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional’ P&P.

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. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed, you never know - I may just have a copy in stock. I buy quality single items and collections also (I am regularly told I offer the best prices – please Email me if you have items for sale).

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.