THE DOORS The Soft Parade RARE ORIG UK 68 LP with INSERT.

	£		82
	$		109

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75. Europe (including Russia) £12.50. Rest of World £16.50. ALL signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes.

PLEASE NOTE: Overseas packets that go through the customs system, can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to process and deliver, this IS normal. For Russia, this can take even longer and is out of my control, so please be patient.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: THE DOORS

Album Title: The Soft Parade.

Producer(s): Paul A. Rothchild.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Tell All the People; Touch Me; Shaman’s Blues; Do It; Easy Ride.

Side 2: Wild Child; Runnin’ Blue; Wishful Sinful; The Soft Parade.

Label/Format: Elektra – original orange and silver format.

Label Conditions: Both very clean, fresh and highly attractive with a lovely rich colour. Spindle marks are light, quite few and mostly fine with modest visibility with normal viewing. A lovely original that plays superbly well too with very little unwanted.

Cat Number: EKS 75005.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm. [this album was not issued in mono]

Weight of this Record: 158 grams. A very impressive weight even for a first pressing – the heaviest copy I have ever held by 8 grams.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: This original EKS album is quite rare and I have always found this the hardest UK pressed Doors album to find. This copy does have some cover wear, I make no excuse for that as this is very prone to all forms of it. What is far more important for me is the record – this one plays superbly with barely anything unwanted and it offers clear, precise, focused and quiet sound with all the detail and dynamics you would expect from a first issue. And also, this copy includes the rare original insert lyric sheet. An insert not included with later pressings and very elusive, this one being in superb condition and guaranteed original.

Original Year of Release: July 1969.

Matrix Nos: EKS 75005-A1 / EKS 75005 B1

Musicians: Jim Morrison - lead vocals; Robby Krieger - guitar, vocals; Ray Manzarek - keyboards, bass guitar, vocals; John Densmore - drums, percussion. Guests: Harvey Brooks and Dough Lubahn - bass; Curtis Amy - saxophone; George Bohanan - trombone; Champ Webb - English horn; Jesse McReynolds - mandolin; Jimmy Buchanan - fiddle; Reinol Andino - conga.

Brief Info: The Door’s fourth album that marked a slight change in direction, moving away from the ‘Underground’ into a more commercial sound. An album that received more mixed reviews at the time, it’s overall sound was probably a surprise. All the basic ingredients remained, but this album included brass and strings, and even includes a bluegrass song (‘Runnin’ Blue’). A lush production that took far longer to record than previously, and although this album is often rated as average within the Morrison era, I still personally consider it as another superb Doors set. Notable too, it was the first NOT to be issued in both mono and stereo. Possibly slightly biased maybe, this legendary band have long been favourites of mine and they could do no wrong as far as I was concerned. This original group never made a bad song for me, let alone album – this one is simply a little ‘different’. Less intense but with wonderful melodies and Morrison again in sublime vocal form – I just love this album. I can not say the cover is anything like top draw, but in terms of this one, still very respectable with mainly bottom edge wear. The record is magnificent and plays with very clean sound and is pressed on very thick heavy vinyl with impressive ‘first-press’ weight. The difference between a clean-cut original and a later repressing is significant, the details embedded into these vintage grooves will not be beaten. The inside cover artwork is stunning and here is almost perfect as can be seen on my close up pictures. The icing on the cake is the rare insert sheet – printed on both sides – one graphic, one lyrics. I have seldom seen a better example of this and I can say the same about the record. For Doors fans needing this original where sound is the priority, this will take some beating and I enjoyed this immensely – and, being honest, the cover will better most too, my pictures possibly do not do it justice with the flash over-emphasising wear.

This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High+, and few will ever escape of very heavy wear.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(–): an unlaminated gatefold format with matt, smooth surfaces. This has the original EKS catalogue number of course, beware of substitutions because early reprints are similar. Printed and made in England by Ernest J. Day and includes the rare original insert sheet and Patents Applied For inner sleeve (as seen in close-up).

Cover Front: A cover well-known for all forms of wear and often severe. This has some rubbing on the edges and a little near the top and bottom, this as mentioned already, probably over-emphasised by my camera flash. Any marks or creases are very fine, few and faint. It retains excellent colour, and against the odds a very respectable degree of freshness.

Cover Back: The back has a little fairly gentle ring wear mostly near the top, but very little rubbing to the unforgiving surface. Again minimal traces of creasing and less rubbing on the edges – the most on the bottom left corner tip. In terms of this back, this is almost exceptional.

Cover Inner Gatefold: Fantastic artwork and this is near perfect and looks very impressive as I hope my close-ups show. I have rarely seen this centrefold, which is still prone to wear as well, look better.

Top Edges: A little light patchy rubbing on the back edge, which is more moderate towards the corners. The front edge has very little and both are straight.

Bottom Edges: Fifty per cent light (to little), the rest with moderate rubbing. Again, both are straight.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Both clean and sharp with little wear and no feathering. Any thickening or burring very light and faint. The manufactured trim is not quite flush with the printed area so a little bare care is seen on the front and inside right – that totally out of my control and hardly unusual. Record enters on the back edge, the inside has a name written quite small inside, this invisible of course unless you actually look inside.

Spine and Text: Quite solid, straight with only a little mild compression and a trace of gentle tilt. Folded square so the edges meet up closely together and parallel. The top corner has rubbed, any rubbing to the face and fold hinges is small and patchy. Somewhat against the odds, practically all the text is intact and present.

Corners: All corners have moderate rubbing and a couple with a little rounding or tip creasing, but not too bad in context.

Cover Summary: Minus the typical edge rubbing, this would be a very fine example overall. With the main four faces in impressive condition and the spine text being nigh-on fully present, the positives far outweigh the negatives. No splits or tears either. Enjoyment for viewing a cover for me is to look at the front, back and inside with the edges of least importance. I am not saying they are not important, but not as crucial as the main areas. So, clearly not for the more discerning collector, but many fans will still enjoy it. The original unlined open window white inner is included that has the ‘PATENT APPLIED FOR’ text. Modestly aged with a little very mild darkening but minimal creasing. Both window circles are crisp and totally undamaged. All edges secure and solid with no splits or repairs.

The Lyric Insert: MINT(–): this is guaranteed original. Very clean with just one tiny tip crease, with razor-sharp edges that are guaranteed untrimmed. Clean, fresh and totally magnificent, this is so rare to even find, let alone in this incredible condition. Great band artwork one side and the song lyrics on the other. This only came with the first-made originals and try finding one better than this. Both this and the lovely record more than compensate any cover edge wear.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+): with any surface marks very few, light and faint in the form of super-fine hairlines that have NO effect on sound at all. This is very well pressed and without pressing bumps and blisters I have seen previously on some. Very clean, fresh, shiny, intense black and heavily pressed with two impressive original deeply colour labels. A copy very modestly played and still in lovely condition. Visually a lovely record that should please man, if not most collectors. Originals of this album are never easy to find, let alone much better.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. [I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise. I do NOT play snippets or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: A record that plays even above it’s high visual grading and offers all the power, precision, details and grace of a heavyweight first issue. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - including the horns and strings that are always more of a challenge on older vinyl records. These complex sounds more intolerant of heavy tracking equipment more used from the past. Sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. A strong production and clean sound this was a real pleasure to hear again via a vinyl source and they rarely sound a great deal better than this. The lack of any distortion, pressing noises or groove wear is the most important factor and barely any surface sound either – this being played on a very sensitive system. Often the reeds and strings can clip and break up on less than fine copies which ruins this more fragile recording – this has none of that and this is a superior first pressing that will not be matched for sound on later examples. Few early pressed copies will beat this for clean and focused sound. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful, and still unfairly underrated record and I can strongly recommend it. The cover is a little down, sure – but the record totally blew me away – the iconic Jim Morrison lives on and here sounded in the room – my wife and I are visiting Paris in the next few weeks and plan to visit his grave. A difficult record in all respects and do not underestimate that rare insert sheet either.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. 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 collector – 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 total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. 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, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are 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. The boxes are then reinforced with at least TWO, ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. When larger boxes are used, the thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand+ based on over 8,000+ items sold in over 10 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. 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.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT necessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.