LES IRRESISTIBLES Story Of Baxter Williams 1967 RUBBLE SF SORROW PSYCH LP LISTEN

$

55

LES IRRESISTIBLES "THE STORY OF BAXTER WILLIAMS" LP

ORIGINAL 1967 LP ON THE FRENCH CBS LABEL, STEREO S7-63458

COVER IN EXCELLENT SHAPE, LIGHT WEAR

VINYL PLAYS VG+, LIGHT CRACKLE, MOSTLY UNDER MUSIC

I can’t help think that if the Bee Gees had ever written a concept album like S.F. Sorrow or Tommy, it would have ended up sounding a lot like this 1968 rarity from Les Irresistibles, called The Story of Baxter Williams.  Oh sure, I know what you’re saying – you’re saying “Hey, Odessa was a concept album, wasn’t it?” but if it was, its concept was lost on me, and besides, what self-respecting concept album comes wrapped in flock paper?  At least here you get a nice cover (well, sorta) and you know what the concept is right from the start.  It’s a life story, only this time it’s Baxter Williams instead of Tommy Walker or Private Sorrow.   And if that ain’t a concept, then Billy Joel can drive.

And so you can imagine how grandiose and beautiful The Story of Baxter Williams must sound, which is exactly what you’ll have to do if you don’t have a turntable, because this incredible popsike treasure has YET to be reissued in the handy little 5-inch compact disc format.  Which is an even bigger shame when you realize that there are about a half million Matchbox 20 CDs out there that really shouldn’t even exist.  Songs like “My Year is a Day” and “Lands of Shadow” (both released as singles, by the way) are pure popsike masterpieces, big orchestrated baroque manna from Heaven for the Fading Yellow crowd.  This whole album is full of big sweeping choruses and grand arrangements, and it sure sounds like the French CBS label gave ‘em a big budget.  Along the way, Les Irresistibles even drop in a few heavier fuzz-psych numbers, like the nifty little garage punker (okay, by Bee Gees standards) “To Experience,” which sounds like it coulda been released by some tiny little record label out of Des Moines in late ’67.  And “Baxter’s Blues” ain’t blues at all, thank God, but a jazzy little lounge romp with some more of that big distorto fuzz guitar.  Go ahead and find some of that in your Bee Gees collection.

I bet if The Story of Baxter Williams was released on the British Morgan Blue Town label, it’d probably be worth hundreds today.  But it only came out in France, and who looks for big budget orchestrated popsike concept albums in France?  No one, that’s who.  Turns out Les Irresistibles weren’t even French – they were an American band who were known as Arch of Triumph (and sometimes the Beloved Ones) back here in the States, where they could only eke out a single release of “My Year and a Day.”  And yet despite all their lies and deception, The Story of Baxter Williams remains one of baroque pop’s finest concept albums – if not the only one – sorta like if the Left Banke covered Tommy after buying a fuzz guitar and a 30-piece orchestra.  Maybe you’d like it better if it had a flock paper cover?

HEAR IT!

PLEASE NOTE I NO LONGER SHIP TO ITALY DUE TO A CORRUPT POSTAL SYSTEM (THERE, NOT HERE).  BUYERS FROM ITALY AGREE TO PAY FOR GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL INSURED ONLY!

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  I accept payments through Paypal. 

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

 For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.