PINK FLOYD LP-PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN-MONO RARE ITEM

	£		250
	$		331

Artist or Band: PINK FLOYD

Album Title: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Producer(s): Norman Smith.

A Special Note about this Album and its Rarity: Original copies mono of this psych masterpiece are rare and for many rock collectors, is the Holy Grail of mono albums. The mixes on both formats are very different and both are essential – I have no preference for either – both are truly astonishing. Another factor is condition: so many copies are now rendered unplayable due to the amount of times they were actually played. Often on unworthy equipment that tracked heavily or subjected to chipped or worn stylus. A sad fact is, few ever changed them as often as they should have done and many blunt stubs were used to play these vintage classics. This album does not tolerate needle abuse well and few will be found that play with high quality sound these days. This is a very early-pressed copy,  This came from a supreme collection of early pressings and this ranks up there with the very best sounding mono Piper I have yet heard. The sounds embedded into these hardly used vintage grooves took psychedelia and space-rock into a new genre of music and introduced the world to Syd Barrett. The crazy diamond’s masterwork. If you have not experienced ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’ on a Columbia ‘first pressing’ in mono, well you probably haven’t really experienced it at all. It has sounds and details that are simply missing from the CD versions. It has depth, power and intricate details that Norman Smith the producer wanted the listener to hear and are unique to the original analogue recording. We have all seen this album in mono and stereo trashed and almost written-off for the more discerning collector. All evidence suggests this record has been played very few times. The labels are in supreme condition with just a couple of the faintest spindle marks you will ever wish to see. The playing surfaces are in very good condition  - in fact this beautifully preserved gem plays  and tracks effortlessly – incredible but true. This is now my definitive mono Piper that I can now listen to anywhere, I can hardly imagine finding one to better it. This one has never been subjected to mono stylii or damaged pick-ups. The cover is gorgeous: the only blemish is a few crease,s on the front . The inner sleeve which includes the ‘Patents Applied for’ text is in good condition – and guaranteed original. This Floyd space-psych masterpiece goes beyond rare like this and the very early pressings will rarely ever get seen better or be offered and this really is an opportunity not to be missed.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Astronomy Dominé; Lucifer Sam; Matilda Mother; Flaming; Pow R. Toc H. Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk.

Side 2: Intersellar Overdrive; The Gnome; Chapter 24; The Scarecrow; Bike.

Label/Format: Columbia - turquoise, black and silver format. Side Two has the fine embossed ‘K T’ tax codes which are both pristine and unchipped and without even a hint of wear. 

Label Conditions: Both immaculate and truly beautiful condition: you could go a life-time before finding a clean, more gorgous looking pair of mono labels on this record. Ultra clean, fresh and highly attractive with only a couple of very light and fine, faint spindle traces and no wear around the hole area. The hole rims are little short of as made with no give at all and the record is still a very snug fit . As  I am the source of this record  I know it has been well cared for and played on a bang and olufson deck ON LABEL SIDE 1-(XAX.3419)  SIDE 2-(XAX.3420)

Country of Manufacture: England.

Cat Number: SX 6157.

Mode / Speed: Mono / 33.3 rpm

Rarity: Rare and one of the most highly prized mono albums ever issued. All Floyd fans want this one and this is a beauty. The cover crease apart, this is a top-drawer example and little short of connoisseur standard. A premium-quality mono example that has hardly been played – such copies are rarely seen let alone offered. Similar ones are usually locked away in valuable collections and this is a rare opportunity not to be missed.

Original Year of Release: 1967.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 : ETCHED ON RECORD NEAR LABEL &GROOOVES IS     ----XAX  3419  -2          ( OTHER SIDE)    XAX3420   -1 

Musicians: As listed on the back cover: Syd Barrett - lead guitar, vocals; Roger Waters - bass guitar, vocals; Rick Wright - organ, piano; Nicky Mason - drums.

Brief Artist & Album Info: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was recorded during the spring of 1967, while The Beatles were at Abbey Road finishing Sgt Pepper, Pink Floyd were upstairs recording an album that would have a similarly immeasurable effect on the development of psychedelic rock. Its name taken from the famous children’s books The Wind in the Willows (one of Syd Barrett’s favourite books), this album was a child’s garden of acid, an album-length trip on the effects of LSD on a troubled mind. One of the first ‘head’ albums, it was rumoured that the tracks contained sounds - conversations, even - that one could only hear while tripping. Rumours of subliminal messages hidden in the songs. All very likely, this legendary album is as important now as it always was. The ultimate psychedelic space-ride to the stars and beyond from the incredible mind of a troubled man – a flawed genius that was Syd Barrett. This man gave the early Pink Floyd that wonderful unique sound and eerie spaciness. Let’s get this into perspective: Barrett did little else with the Floyd album-wise, and his legendary name and fame was practically all earned from this incredible debut album (along with a few singles). This was the era when Richard Wright’s wonderful keyboard skills were fully utilised and blended with Mason’s powerful percussion. The sheer chaos and drama of ‘Interstellar Overdrive’ has to be heard on an original vinyl record to be fully appreciated with its hidden depths and details. Each individual instrument is clearly heard and not just a swathe of mixed sound – it’s an incredibly complex piece. Right from the opening sounds of those mysterious voices on ‘Astronomy Domine’, the tone is set as the ‘ship’ passes distinct planets and their moons. “Jupiter and Saturn, Oberon Miranda and Titania, Neptune Titan, Stars can frighten… youuuuuuuuu”. Incredible mono power with real depth and clout, this really does get the senses reeling – take up thy stethoscope and walk… and experience the ultimate mono experience – this will be one of the rarest opportunites you will get from a copy in this condition.

Cover Grade and Format: It’s a single format with a laminated front. The laminate wraps around the closed edges on to three large rear flipbacks. It has the correct SX 6157 mono Cat No and it was printed and made in England by Ernest J. Day & Co Ltd. This has the correct top right hand back corner area with NO ‘File Under’ text, these came slightly later when reprinted.

Cover Front: Age-defying and looking magnificent, providing near full justice to one of rock’s most famous covers. The laminate is clean, fresh, clear and very shiny with no traces of dulling or friction rubs. Just a few crease,s. With full-on viewing, this has modest visibility, angled viewing brings it out more. . All the rest is fully adhered and any other creases (of which there are barely any) are tiny and faint and barely even register.  For one over 40-years-old now, it looks magnificent. The artwork simply looks as printed, clean with genuine freshness with bright vivid colours – the young original Floyd at their psychedelic best. Always worthy of mention: the laminate ends slightly short on the right opening edge. The fine exposed strip is ultra clean and undamaged or faded. No chipping or grime-line formation and a great indicator of NO trimming for cosmetic improvements. The clarity of the laminate allows maximum pleasure from one of the most famous covers of its era and of all time. However, if the crease is an issue, please do not bid.

Cover Back: If the front is superb, the back is simply incredible. The main back panel is unprotected and matt finished with a thick heavy record inside all these years – a sure-fire recipe for rubbing, ringwear and grubbiness. This beauty has practically none and could prove the cleanest one you will ever be offered. Ultra clean with barely any traces of toning or grubbiness or even handling marks. This almost beggars belief, clearly this has been very carefully preserved .  The three enormous flipbacks are in beautiful condition too with no damage and almost devoid of any wear.   We all know how these large flipbacks can get caught and torn in rack storage but here it simply hasn’t happened. A magnificent back to complement a wonderful front. All this and a fantasatic mono record inside along with an inner that could pass for new – it hardly gets much better than this.

Top Edge: Practically unworn and very smooth to the fingertip.

Bottom Edge: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear . Record enters on this edge.

Spine and Text: Practically perfect and little short of ‘as-made’. Solid, straight, uncompressed and square, all text is perfect and unworn under the solid and very solid (and still shiny) laminate.

. A mono example that has more than just ‘survived’, it looks and plays superbly. For Floyd fans and collectors of the classics, this really is the Holy Grail. Syd Barrett himself would have enjoyed listening to this.

SIDE ONE, ETCHED ON LEFT  1  ON RIGHT SIDE P

SIDE TWO ETCHED ON LEFT 1 ON RIGHT SIDE G

THINK THESE ARE CALLED MOTHER/STAMPER MARKS