THROBBING GRISTLE 20 Jazz Funk Greats c/w RARE POSTER.

	£		78
	$		103

Artist or Band: THROBBING GRISTLE

Album Title: 20 Jazz Funk Greats

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: 20 Jazz Funk Greats; Beachy Head; Still Walking; Tanith; Convincing People; Exotica.

Side 2: Hot on the Heels of Love; Persuasion; Walkabout; What a Day; Six Six Sixties.

Label/Format: Industrial – deeper coloured originals (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both very clean and attractive with only very light and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area.

Cat Number: IR 0008.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 121 grams. [These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl. Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 135 to 145 grams. Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, many records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 50 records from these eras.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Original Year of Release: 1979

Rarity: Initial pressings are very rare and a some included a poster as here and included different matrix numbers. These are: IR+0008+A / IR+0008+B, Later pressings were recut on 30-11-79 and the new matrix numbers and messages were: AIR008 A2 and B2. ‘RECUT 30-33-79’ and ‘AH POOK WAS HERE’. These original pressings were very limited and the posters are getting near impossible to find especially unmounted. Now with this quartet’s music being re-evaluated they are fast becoming highly collectable and sort after. In terms of numbers of made, this poster is one of the rarest to be included in any record and few collectors will own one.

Brief Artist & Album Info: Emerging from Manchester around the same time as Punk Rock, this infamous band’s music was far more revolutionary. They made a sound like no other at this time, or probably since only the early German experiments Kluster really compare. Their ‘music’ was very angry, even ugly, it was designed to counterpoint the squalor and cruelty they saw in late-20th century city life. Very uncommercial with little sales potential, the number of records pressed reflected in the number they probably expected to sell, although they were later repressed in the same small numbers. They were derided or ignored by the music press. Airplay was practically zero, even John Peel did not play their music and he was never afraid to promote the obscure. They only made three studio albums, this being the third, although their catalogue is vast as they recorded all their live gigs. Their official output, as stated is very limited, rarely seen and highly collectable and sort-after. This album, do not be fooled by the spoof title, is another dark album, that said this is easily the most accessible record they ever made, and for them, even slightly commercial. The usual subject-matter is covered: death, pornography, disease, sex, injury, suicide, despair and a bad day at the office? (‘What a Day’ - with its ugly electronic riff has to be heard). Now this may all sound totally unlistenable to most readers of this advert, but I would totally disagree - this groundbreaking quartet had something to say and did not hold back. They had their ideas about the bad things in life and simply put them to music.

“Pain is the stimulus of pain; But then of course nothing is cured; This is the world now”. – Six Six Sixties

Their live work was far more severe with levels of intensity that few other bands or artists ever matched, chaos often reined. This studio album is actually quite easy to listen too and even includes four gentle electronic instrumentals. Music soundscapes are created with use of strange instruments and sampling including female member, Cosey Fanni Tutti playing an eerie cornet - this creates some unearthly unsettling sounds. She provided the glam to this very bleak unit and was a former actress in the ‘adult’ movie scene. ‘TG’ were led by Genesis P-Orridge, who later formed Psychic TV, his vocals were capable of making the blood run cold. The full line up were: Chris Carter: Roland synthesisers, sequencers, rhythms and vocals; Peter Christopherson: Tape, vibes, cornet and vocals. Genesis P-Orridge: Bass guitars, violin, vibes, synthesiser and vocals and Cosey Fanni Tutti: Satellite lead guitar, gizmo guitar, synthesiser, cornet and vocals. This band and album are not for the faint hearted but have an addictive quality and actually become very likable. I have to confess to being a fan right from the early days and was one of the few owners of the 5-album box set that actually made it to my local record shop in Colchester back in my earlier years. This copy is near mint and plays superbly with little unwanted. Never take this for granted as many do crackle, Industrial were only a small subsidiary label. Both cover and poster are in supreme condition, the ultra rare insert being unmounted and as new and guaranteed original. Complete originals are incredibly elusive and rare and seldom offered, for those who have never heard this daring and pioneering band, there is no better place to get a taste of Throbbing Gristle.

Cover Grade and Format: EX+, a single unlaminated format with a matt finish, the later examples had very slight semi-gloss sheen.

Cover Front: Taken at Beachy Head and orginally including a dead naked body below the feat of the four band members. This was never allowed to be issued on this album cover and can only be seen in black and white within the ultra rare box set inner. This is very clean and attractive with minimal marks or creasing, clean and clearly modestly handled. A very slight record impression near the top that has darkened a fraction but this colourful front will prove difficult to find much better.

Cover Back: Similar to front, no chipping or ring wear and probably the best I have ever seen. So prone to surface chips and ring marks, few seem to avoid them. With few marks or creases, this back sets its standards high.

Top Edge: Almost as made and very straight.

Bottom Edge: Very similar again up to the actual corner tips.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear and no feathering, a tiny surface scuff on the back if being critical. Record entered on this edge.

Spine and Text: Totally as made: Solid with no compression and remaining very straight. All text solid and present with no wear.

Corners: Small tip rubs only on the bottom pair, still nicely shaped.

Cover Summary: Never an easy to find, very few were ever manufactured and this still remains somewhat elusive. A very fine example that should please most collectors, they will rarely be found better.

The Poster: Practically Mint as made: Almost as rare as any poster ever issued, seldom seen or offered, this is totally genuine and was only included with a few originals. A typically dark and sinister black and white picture of the early TG band, this will be owned by the few and seen rarely. This is unmounted and probably hardly even unfolded or exposed to daylight. I have never seen a better one – not that I have seen many – I think this is my third ever. Lovely crisp edges and the fold are totally unstressed or weakened, even the back is clean and untoned. A reference standard example that will delight the connoisseur collector of the rarest inserts.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Graded Mint(-) and clearly hardly played or even likely handled. The few of these that exist were often purchased by the curious and many put back in racks and left and this looks very much to be the case here. Super clean, shiny and very black, try finding this rare first-pressed industrial record better. Visually a stunning example that should please all collectors.

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 snippetts 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: This super rare record plays up to its high visual grading with little to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear. A very fine pressing too – not all are – any surface sounds are minimal, there are some very quiet moments on this album but this plays well with only the odd minor crackle trace. Devoid of pops and clicks, both channels are clean and sharp as you would expect from such a lightly played record. Practically nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this unique album, time has lessened its impact little and this dark and compelling album remains a favourite of its type. A rare copy with the impossibly rare poster that will prove near impossible to find significantly better.

Final Summary: Throbbing Gristle were pioneers of the modern industrial sound, this was their label and they were in total control of what they put out, and they did not hold back. Genesis P-Orridge stated on the later live album ‘Heathern Earth’, “this is a campaign, it has nothing to do with art” he felt the mission was over within three studio albums, there was nothing else to say. Love or loathe them, they were original, daring and ultimately rewarding - be afraid, very afraid – unreservedly recommended for those with an ear and mind to listen.

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 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

POSTING & PACKING: What You Get: I usually post on Fridays, most will arrive Saturday to make signed-for delivery easier. All records are posted in professional boxes (NOT mailers) with the record(s) 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 TWO thick stiffners for even extra protection. The cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. Printed address labels are used for clarity and well as sender label. 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. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but NOT surface mail abroad. I never make profit on posting and offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends, with the total costs including ‘standard’ or ‘optional extra insurance’ P&P – ALL UK and Russian packets go out non-negotiable Recorded Delivery. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than 0.1 per percent based on over 4,000+ items sold in over 7 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional.

PLEASE NOTE: I will now only send packets to Russia with Recorded Delivery at a cost of £7 per single LP. If this is unacceptable to Russian collectors, please do not bid. I only want my records to arrive safely and this gives packets a better chance to do so. Also ALL UK packets will be sent with either Recorded or Special Delivery as standard (both have to be signed for). All shipping costs and rules can be found after my description. If they are not acceptable, please do not bid.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & OPTIONS:

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

1 LP (First Class Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4 (OPTIONAL).

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: ALL EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA (NOT RUSSIA, see below) (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £5.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £9 (OPTIONAL).

Posting & Packing: RUSSIA (Recorded Only, if this is unacceptable, please do not bid):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ only £7) = £9 (OPTIONAL extra insurance as above).

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (any part); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet Standard with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) = £8.

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with included Insurance to Item’s ‘Sold’ Value, £500* Maximum) = £13 (OPTIONAL).

* If Rules allow for that country.

PLEASE NOTE: I always get a Royal Mail ‘Proof-of-Posting’ receipt for ALL packets that are sent out and I am happy to prove this to any customer who wishes to see it via email.

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders.

The customer can choose their method of shipping with the exception of second class or surface mail overseas – these I will NOT use. The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£35).

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. 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 minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help.

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 neccessarily 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’.