ROLLING STONES "Let It Bleed" 1969 UK 1st BOX STEREO

	£		104
	$		138

 
ROLLING STONES "Let It Bleed" 1969 UK 1st BOX STEREO 1st PRESS w/UNCENSORED BLUE INNER & POSTER, EX+ AUDIO

THE ROLLING STONES
Let It Bleed

ORIGINAL UK DECCA (SKL 5025) FIRST *STEREO* PRESSING (December 5th, 1969) OF THE STONES' "Let It Bleed" LP

Let It Bleed was released just at the time DECCA were making their label change from non-boxed to boxed and dropping mono production and you could probably have found four different versions of Let It Bleed in the record shops at the same time in December of 1969 (all of which can be considered first pressings) - Mono non-boxed and boxed and Stereo non-boxed and boxed. So this is the first pre-1970 Stones LP were you can say that the boxed logo is an original.

MATRIX: XZAL - 9363 - P - 1W / XZAL - 9364 - P - 4W (with 'JT' tax code on both run-offs)
MOTHER/STAMPERS: 1/IU and 1/HI

FIRST ISSUE BOX LABEL CRITERIA:
* The first boxed label used in late 1969 this has the "SPEED 331/3" indication on the left under the ffss band and BIEM/NCB logos on the right side
* The cover is the variant "Sleeve printed in England" one with the Mono/Stereo hole in the upper right corner
* The sticker on the cover was used in 1969 and 1970 to indicate that the LP had the poster with it. This copy has lost it's original sticker but there is clear sticker reside on the front of the sleeve where this sticker originally was (this can easily be cleaned off but I have left it on to indicate that this is the original stickered sleeve)
* The poster is included in all original first prints from the end of 1969 and beginning of 1970. Most original posters are printed on glossy paper (this one however, is matt - which is unusual but it seems unlikely that it's a later addition)
* Uncensored blue inner (shortly after the release of the LP, The London Bach Choir took exception to some of the lyrical content on the record and no longer wanted their name associated with it). This uncensored bag credits The London Bach Choir (later bags had the credit censored with a black line before the credit was completely dropped on subsequent print runs)

ALL THESE CHARACTERISTICS CONFIRM THAT THIS IS THE EARLIEST PRESSING RELEASED IN THE UK IN DECEMBER 1969

Mostly recorded without Brian Jones -- who died several months before its release (although he does play on two tracks) and was replaced by Mick Taylor (who also plays on just two songs) -- this extends the rock and blues feel of Beggars Banquet into slightly harder-rocking, more demonically sexual territory.
The Stones were never as consistent on album as their main rivals, the Beatles, and Let It Bleed suffers from some rather perfunctory tracks, like "Monkey Man" and a countrified remake of the classic "Honky Tonk Woman" (here titled "Country Honk").
Yet some of the songs are among their very best, especially "Gimme Shelter," with its shimmering guitar lines and apocalyptic lyrics; the harmonica-driven "Midnight Rambler"; the druggy party ambience of the title track; and the stunning "You Can't Always Get What You Want," which was the Stones' "Hey Jude" of sorts, with its epic structure, horns, philosophical lyrics, and swelling choral vocals.
"You Got the Silver" (Keith Richards' first lead vocal) and Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," by contrast, were as close to the roots of acoustic down-home blues as the Stones ever got.

Track Listing:
Side 1: GIMME SHELTER / LOVE IN VAIN / COUNTRY HONK / LIVE WITH ME / LET IT BLEED
Side 2: MIDNIGHT RAMBLER / YOU GOT THE SILVER / MONKEY MAN / YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT

LABELS: The labels are clean and bright with no unwanted marks/writing. There are some spindle traces (some randomly placed) but not an excessive amount - this copy has been played but not over-played
VINYL Visual: The vinyl surfaces still retain their original deep, glossy sheen with just some superficial light scuff marks - these are shallow, purely cosmetic and have no audio consequence - the record sounds sensational
VINYL Audio: Outstanding audio on this first pressing with a very deep, heavy, rich, warm and detailed sound - very, very impressive indeed - not unexpected as Decca cut some of the finest sounding records of the period. On playback at a loud volume (which is how I always listen to my records prior to listings) there are no scratches, no skips or jumps, no surface noise, no groove-wear or distortion and barely any 'ticks' (really, hardly any worthy a special mention and none which are loud or rise above background). The whole LP plays beautifully and cleanly throughout with practically silent run-ins and track divisions and with the quieter tracks playing just about as quietly as you could wish for. Critically graded EXCELLENT(+) for audio - this is a great sounding copy
SLEEVE: The original sleeve (one of the four different "Sleeve printed" variations originally issued with the iconic image of Delia Smith's cake) is front laminated with a 'pinched' spine and Mono/Stereo hole on the back. The sleeve originally had a front sticker indicating it comes with a poster - this has fallen off but there is clear evidence of its presence - please see close-up photo. Condition-wise, the sleeve is clean, crisp and fresh - the edges and sharp with no wear and the spine is straight and true with all text clear and bold. The laminated front has a deep glossy sheen with only minimal rubbing and the untreated reverse is clean and unmarked and there are no creases anywhere on the cover. Overall, a very fine example - EXCELLENT+
INNER SLEEVE: The original uncensored Blue Stereo inner is in EXCELLENT condition - clean, bright and unmarked with hardly any wear and no splits to any of the edges, just some inevitable creasing. The LP is now housed - and will be posted in - a new inner to prevent any 'knifing' damage to the original during transit
POSTER: The four panel poster ('designed by Victor Kahn') is in unused/unmounted MINT(-) condition. The poster is printed on one side of thin matt paper - normally the original posters are glossy but I have no reason to think this is a later addition to the set and believe this is the original as issued with the LP in 1969

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GREAT COPY OF THIS CLASSIC LP - PLAYS BEAUTIFULLY THROUGHOUT
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 333 (GS 5.4.2 (333))