YES - Yessongs RARER ORIG UK A1-F1 1973 FIRST PRESS.

	£		61
	$		81

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £5.95. Europe (including Russia) £14.50. Rest of World £18.50. This triple set is HEAVY. 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: Yes

Album Title: Yessongs.

Producer(s): Yes & Eddie Offord.

Engineer(s): Geoff Haslam assisted by Mike Dunn.

Track Listing:

Side 1: Opening (excerpt from ‘The Firebird Suite’ by Stravinsky); Siberian Khatru; Heart of the Sunrise.

Side 2: Perpetual Change; And You And I.

Side 3: Mood For a Day; Excerpts from ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’ (Wakeman); Roundabout.

Side 4: Your Move; All Good People; Long Distance Runaround; The Fish.

Side 5: Close to the Edge.

Side 6: Yours Is No Disgrace; Starship Trooper.

Label/Format: Atlantic – original deep green and orange format.

Label Conditions: All six are very clean, fresh and highly attractive with only light, fine and faint spindle marks. This wonderful triple set appears only very lightly played.

Cat Number: K 60045.

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 Records: 140 / 130 / 130 grams. Much heavier than the more usually seen later pressings.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: The first issues of this triple set are quite rare. These for a brief time has the single one piece, super-wide spine. This was quickly changed to a split double spine and a different opening format for the three superb Roger Dean artwork spreads. Originals opened in traditional ‘book’ style that follows through. Also originals included ‘Yes’ inner sleeves, later ones had plain white ones and the main cover was printed by Robor. Also the labels are darker and the vinyl heavier and sound invariably superior. Lastly, the matrixes all end in ‘1’, later ones had ‘2’s or higher digits.

Original Year of Release: 1973

Matrix Nos: K 60045 A1 / B1 / C1 / D1 / E1 / F1

Musicians: John Anderson - vocals, percussion; Steve Howe – guitars; Chris Squire - bass; Rick Wakeman - keyboards; Alan White - Drums, percussion; Bill Bruford – drums.

Brief Info: Certainly up there with the very best live albums ever issued within the progressive rock field – this massive triple set includes all the classic Yes tracks from The Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge. All performed to virtuoso levels by five brilliant musicians with Anderson’s fantastically unique vocals. This is my favourite Yes album and with a track listing like this, why wouldn’t it be? From the very start, with the haunting ‘Firebird’ opening the show, this triple set is simply breathtaking. All songs are performed very similar to the studio albums with minimal audience disruption or major extended improvisation with one huge exception. ‘The Fish’ is Chris Squire’s piece de resistance: on Fragile it’s only a very short track but on Yessongs, it opens up into a drum and bass masterpiece. At least four times longer with Squire making his bass guitar talk. The interplay between Bruford’s drums and the grinding bass is simply wonderful. On play-grade I cranked this up as high as I dared and my body as awash with goosebumps from the sheer power and dynamics of the sound – this is classic era Yes it has to be heard via this album. Wakeman’s solo is also noteworthy, playful juxtaposing his ‘Six Wives’ album between music from yesteryear which climaxes into a full-blown air-raid with sirens and bomb-blasts from the Moog, sequencers and keyboards in his armoury – again this is brilliant prog-rock from the keyboard wizard. Well recorded and sounding superb, this set has little unwanted. Encased in one of the loveliest covers ever issued too, here with the original super-wide one piece spine and with magnificent Roger Dean artwork. Few live albums encapture the pure essence of a band at their absolute peak better than Yessongs.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: or very close to. A triple unlaminated gatefold with the original and briefly available format with the ultra wide one piece spine. Stunning artwork by Roger Dean, this must be the man’s finest ever cover design with some simply breathtaking artwork and surreal, almost alien landscapes. This original example was printed and made in England by Robor. Later ones were by Gothic Print. The three ‘Yes’ inner sleeves and book are included.

Cover Front: I have rarely seen any version of this cover without significant ring wear and rubbing. This Robor-made cover is darker than later ones and this front has avoided ring wear or rubbing. It has a fairly light crease near the bottom right corner and a few light marks seen under light. One small pale mark is in the printing towards the bottom edge. The lovely Dean front graphic is just a taste of the what is come inside and looks gorgeous. Do not underestimate just how hard it is to find this front, and cover in general in this very fine condition.

Cover Back: Magnificent, even better than the front with any marks or blemishes barely even registering. A truly exceptional back on this most unforgiving cover.

The First Gatefold: Pretty much as made.

The Second Gatefold: Almost as made again and contender for Dean’s greatest piece.

The Third Gatefold: Again stunning artwork with just a mirror-image small surface pull each side near the top edge. Minus this, grading would have been higher. A small few tiny ones too that register far less.

Top Edges: Minimal traces of wear and all straight. A little minor thickening or burring but again, it can hardly be emphasised enough how delicate these are.

Bottom Edges: Similar again, few will ever show much less on such a format, these too the vulnerable resting edges.

Right Edge(s), and Type: This right side has FOUR openings – one for each record and one for the book. All are neat and mostly crisp with minimal thickening or burring. All are guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced on any way. Like the spine, these edges unique to the first issue.

Spine and Text: This has a one piece super-wide spine – later ones have a two double thinner spines. This goes beyond fragile and vulnerable, but against all odds this is uncrushed and erect with barely any real wear. Unfaded and barely creased with all text present and unworn, although centred low. Even the folds are unrubbed and the ends as neat as can be reasonably expected with minimal rubbing or wear. Finding this cover with such a spine is near impossible. For extra good measure, this is very neatly and squarely folded, so the edges all meet up flush and parallel, and without damage, stress or crushing of the spine, they remain as that nearly 40-years after manufacture.

Corners: Minor rub traces to the spine ends and little on the right multi right ones that all retain very fine to excellent shape.

Cover Summary: A beautiful, fresh and impressive all-round example of this very fragile original cover, one that will prove difficult to find much better. Yes a few small flaws on the final gatefold spread but still all the positives outweigh any small negatives. It will please many, if not most collectors.

The Inner Sleeves: Two are NEAR EXCELLENT, one more VERY GOOD. All have the original Yes logo and these are quite rare in themselves. Later ones had plain white inners. All are unlined and none have any splits or repairs. Some reasonably mild ageing/toning and some quite modest creasing and crinkle. One has set-off on the back, that I am sure in manufacture.

The Book: EXCELLENT(++): a 12-page full colour book held together solidly by the original two untarnished staples. Minor handling traces on the outer covers, being matt black, this near impossible to avoid unless gloves are worn – hardly likely for 40-odd years is it? Minor crinkle traces from minimal usage but little else to fault at all. A great archive of the early live band.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(+) to EXCELLENT(++): a very fine visual set that are very clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed at way over average weights. A few ultra fine and faint hairlines seen under bright angled light, but these appear very little played and will again prove hard to find much better as an A1-F1 matrix genuine first pressing.

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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: These records play up to and even exceed of their visual gradings with very little to fault over the six sides. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. This is a superbly recorded live set with performances that even exceed the studio albums in my opinion. Any surface sounds are minimal indeed and no pops or major clicks noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a complex and compelling album. With numerous quiet passages, the odd minor surface trace or click is near impossible to avoid – this has little and will prove very difficult to find better. Not an easy one to store safely over the years, but this has avoided any major knocks and the records appear little handled or likely played. Nothing of any real note spoilt my pleasure when play-grading these rarer original records. First issues will always offer the best in sound and detail and this a case-in-point and this set could prove very difficult to find significantly better and are strongly recommended.

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’.