THE PRIMITIVES-Ostrich/Sneaky Pete 7"VELVET UNDERGROUND

$

1,005

The Primitives- Ostrich b/w Sneaky Pete.

Original Pickwick City pressing from 1964. Catalog # PC-9001, MONO, D.J. Copy. etching on vinyl trail-off reads "PC-9001A -2 RSVP 8-2 12.64.

This 7" is 100% original, not a bootleg or reissue on Dickwick, THIS IS THE REAL THING!

Vinyl is (a very conservative) NM, there is a very modest amount of hairlines/sleeveburn. The 7" has clearly been played lovingly, kept in its sleeve, and has no deep scratching/marking of any kind. Play grading confirms the high grade, save for the few light ticks on the lead-in on both sides, the 7" plays 100% MINT without so much as a tick or pop. (I just play-graded it at inhuman volumes and cannot find a flaw). I've included a "supersized" picture of the entire 7" so that hopefully you can see its exceptional condition. The labels are very clean as you can see in the images.

2 versions of the 7" exist, one without the date etched into the trail-off/dead wax (cat# PC-1001), and this one, (PC-9001), with the date in the dead wax/trail-off. There seems to be no debate online as to which the first was, but one would assume the dated one, this one, would be the first. Either way, this is a fantastically rare item. To put its dollar value in perspective, one sold last year, in vastly inferior condition ("VG looking with loads of scuffs, marks and light scratches") for $960.00. NO RESERVE, low opening bid!

The music itself is as astounding as the scarcity of the item. Both songs are credited to Reed (Reed/Vance/Philips), and both songs are sung by Lou Reed. Richie Unterberger, writing about Ostrich for All Music Guide puts it this way "Ostensibly a dance song, but delivered with out of tune guitar plucks and Reed's typically forceful sing-squeak vocals. There was also a crunching rhythm section, ludicrously high-pitched backup vocals, and lyrics about laying your head on the floor to have it stepped on-that was how you did the "Ostrich" dance. The flip was a more basic Garage tune that nonetheless, like the A-side, bore the unmistakable stamp of Reed's cool vocals and faculty for simple, grungy, yet arresting guitar chords."

My take would tend more towards a twisted Phil Spector production in the underworld, or a Motown tribute as performed by the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. In fact both John Cale and Tony Conrad joined the group after the single, Unterberger 's words again... "all the strings (Guitar on Ostrich) were tuned to a single note. This was similar to what Cale and Conrad were doing with the experimental composer La Monte Young."

Amazing pre-Velvet Underground aural document, I never say this because it's rarely more than empty hyperbole, but this time it is warranted: Don't miss this auction, it'll be a while before you see this one again, and in this condition, perhaps never!

7" comes in plain brow paper sleeve, the sleeve it was found in, presumably the original, however at this point that's only a guess.

I will ship the item any way you choose, however I would strongly suggest Insured of Global Express. I would prefer to package the 7" in a reinforced LP mailer to safeguard the 7". We can discuss the exact details of postage after the auction, you pay EXACT shipping cost.

Check out my other auctions. Thanks.