Spring - orig foldout LP, Neon, Psych, Mellotron Prog

	£		77
	$		102

Spring - debut LP 

ORIGINAL COPY. FIRST UK PRESSING. Released 1971. Stereo. Neon Records, catalogue number AGBS 0521.

Overall Sleeve Condition : VERY GOOD

Outer cover:  Triple foldout cover (difficult to photo) of a dead British soldier with the band in the background, maybe they've just been watching `Zulu'. There are light surface rubs and some small creaes

Inner cover:   A few light rubs, nothing serious 

Edges/Corners/Opening Slit:  No actual tears or splits but the foldout sleeve design means that there are some fairly obvious edge rubs and scuffs, particularly to the left hand spine. 

Label Condition : EXCELLENT (NEAR MINT).

Light spindle wear around centre hole.

Vinyl Condition, Visual: GOOD Fairly serious scuffs and two feelable scratches on side one. Side 2 has light scuffs and marks.

Vinyl Condition, Audible: GOOD

As this record is enormously scarce and priced at £140 in the RC guide, I've gone through it thoroughly. In summary, the marks don't look as bad as they sound and this is a pretty good playable copy. The scratches on side 1 actually have very little effect on playback.Tracklisting and faults as follows;

• The Prisoner (Eight by ten)
• Grail - light clicks
• Boats
• Shipwrecked Soldier - A light click for about 60 seconds
• Golden Fleece - 1 pop immediately before track starts
• Inside Out - light wear, clicks, one small jump
• Song to Absent Friends (the island) - light crackles and clicks
• Gazing - recurring click in the final 30 seconds

Mention the name Spring to devotees of early 70's progressive rock and you'll be met with quotes like "amazingly professional live" and "one of the first bands to use the mellotron as an integral part of their sound". However equally as many people will say "Spring? Who?" as so little is known about the band.

Formed in 1970 and based in Leicester, vocalist Pat Moran, guitarist Ray Martinez, drummer Pick Withers, bassist Adrian Maloney and keyboardist Kipps Brown had all previously played in local bands. Following a gig in Cardiff the Spring touring van broke down on the way home leaving the band stranded 'somewhere in Wales'. It was then that fate dealt one of its kinder blows for the first car to stop and help them was one driven by Kingsley Ward who owned Rockfield Recording Studios. Recalls Ward: "I'd spent months trapesing around the country in search of new talent and here I meet a group in a broken down truck in my own home town". Inviting the band to audition, Ward snapped them up for management, heavily influenced by their mellotron-driven progressive rock. Prior to the release of their self-titled debut album (NEON NE6), produced by Elton John cohort Gus Dudgeon, Spring toured the UK supporting Velvet Underground also played with the likes of Keith Christmas and The Sutherland Brothers. This highly collectable LP, released in a triple gatefold sleeve, remained their only official release as the band went their separate ways in 1972 though historians might like to note that the three extra tracks included on the CD reissue are actually taken from a second album which to this day remains unreleased.

Following the band's demise, vocalist Moran pursued a career in production and his credits include Iggy Pop, Robert Plant, Lou Gramm and Eddie Bickall to name but a few. Ray Martinez became an in-demand session guitarist working with the likes of Alkatraz, Michael Chapman, Gypsy, Tim Rose and Robert Plant. Currently a member of Showaddywaddy, Martinez also played in late 70's rock band Airwaves, whose first LP was produced by Moran. Kipps Brown worked with Ian Anderson and continues to play in local bands in Leicester whilst bassist Maloney retired from music. Pick Withers, like Martinez, took up session work and helped out the likes of Chris Jagger, Bert Jansch, Prelude, Magna Carta and Dave Edmunds before joining Dire Straits in 1978.

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    Our accurate condition gradings are based on those used in the UK 2006 Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide. Please see below for a complete explanation.

This record is deleted and not available new on vinyl or CD.

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UK Record Collector Grading System:

MINT: The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in the sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition.

EXCELLENT (US version of this term: Near Mint): The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in the sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.

VERY GOOD (US version of this term: VG++): The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover, or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

GOOD (US version of this term: VG): The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits etc.