ZAPPA / MOI Freak Out UK Verve 2 LPs BEST COPY EVER

	£		149
	$		197

Hi, I am Mike, I am 46 and have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 33 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and ellusive items now. 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, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirity, not just bits to guess a grade (on a Rega 3 deck with Ortofon cartridge) - 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 reader – 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. The only thing I cannot guarantee one hundred percent is exact colour matching - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. Variation can sometimes occur too in colour of the label scans and labels taken next to the sleeve with a digital camera, the scanned full label pictures should be the most accurate. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert. 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 or sticks or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

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. 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. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed, you never know - I may just have a copy in stock. I by quality single items and collections also (Email me please if you have quality items for sale).

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Please read all the information carefully - these adverts take an age to compile properly - so it’s well worth a few minutes of your time to read the details thoroughly. I really cannot take any responsibility if any bidder fails to read any facts that are clearly stated in the advert - Thankyou.

Artist or Band: THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION

Album Title: Freak Out!

Cat Number: 2683 004 Select Stereo.

Track Listing:Hungry Freaks Daddy; I Ain’t Got No Heart; Who Are the Brain Police?; Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder; Motherly Love; How Could I be Such a Fool?; Wowie Zowie; You Didn’t Try to Call Me; Any Way the Wind Blows; I’m Not Satisfied; You’re Probably Wondering Why I’m Here; Trouble Every Day; Help, I’m a Rock; The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet.

Label/Format: Verve (Black and silver format).

Label Condition: All four are stunning examples of this famous label. Rarely have I seen such beautifully clean labels for this type of album. Its been played once by me and barely at all by the original owner (a Radio One DJ from the late 60’s). So a near virgin copy of this very important Select reissue. As you can imagine, barely a spindle trace to be seen and not even the remotest trace of any wear around the 2 spindle holes - four sensational examples, quite possibility the best Verves yet. They all look as clean and fresh as manufacture day. (Please see label scans for all information needed, note the still intact flash residue around he centre hole on record one, proving this has hardly ever been on a turntable).

Country of Manufacture: Gt Britain.

Rarity: The UK original Freak Out single album in stereo is without doubt one of the very hardest FZ/MOI albums to find and to be quite honest even this UK reissue is.not that easy now either, virtually mint copies with a stunning cover, well judge for yourselves.

Quick Guide to the Differences 1966 to 1971: The original mono and stereo Freak Out! was edited to a single album. The tracks omitted were: Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder; How Could I be Such a Fool?; Any Way the Wind Blows. Also Trouble Every Day was severely cut from around 6 minutes to 2 minutes something. The missing songs were later issued on the Ruben and the Jets album but different versions and edits. The original was a single format cover and was laminated on the front and had flipbacks and subtle differences to the back artwork. This second edition was a double album, unedited with all songs included. The cover is a gatefold now and never laminated or included flipbacks of course. The UK double album does not exist in mono.

Original Year of Release: 1966. This very important issue was released in 1971.

Matrix Nos: 2352023 A1 420 1 1 2 and B1 420 1 1 2 – 2352024 A1 420 1 1 1 and B1 420 1 1 1. This is almost certainly a first pressing of this essential reissue. This is a very solid pressing, to the standards of the original, it looks and feels fantastic.

Genre Type: Underground rock/psych

Brief Artist & Album Info: It’s always a huge pleasure to offer such an important album in such stupendous condition - I take my Zappa items very seriously as he is my man and items have to be of the highest quality to offer.

Led by the genius that was Frank Zappa, The Mothers of Invention were outsiders, even on this their debut album. Older than most of their contemporaries, they brought a cynicism to their work that celebrated joys without recourse to nostalgia. Telling parodies of pop forms that were as engaging as those upon which they drew, while experimental pieces, drawn from avant garde compositions by Varese and Stravinsky, took the notion of ‘rock’ into unchartered territory. Zappa’s skills as a musician and engineer ensuring the innovative nature of this creation. Still, even today, its great fun to listen too. The original did not chart in the UK and only made 150 in the States. Made with a budget of $25,000, some $6,000 more than average at this time the albums’ producer was Tom Wilson, he laid his job on the line to make this album and stayed with the band for four albums. This copy on offer is the Select reissue - but it varies so much from the 66 release is reissue the correct word? - like all Zappa Verve albums, this is vital to any collection, all the Verves were different and Freak Out, along with Money are the most essential. Even from the opening bars of ‘Hungry Freaks Daddy’ with its distorted riff which replicates the Stones ‘Satisfaction’ the stage is set. It has a leering savagery and points the finger at Mr America and suggests a wave of non-conformism. The original album, issued in 1966 was a single album, several songs included here were missing and some were abridged, including the stunning groudbreaking ‘Trouble Every Day’ a song about the Watts race riots in America at this time. The astonishing ‘Help, I’m a Rock’ which concludes side three must be the ultimate ‘Freak Out’ track - this must have send shock-waves out to listeners on first issue, nothing had been heard like this before. Side four is even more challenging: ‘The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet’ a modernist sound-composition, it has to be heard many times to be fully appreciated, almost like ‘Revolution No 9’ from The Beatles White Album. This track alone saw Zappa trashing 60s top ten pop music - this was loud, rude and mind-shattering - one subtitle, ‘Ritual Dance of the Child Killer’ - referred to the plot of Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring, but in this scandalous context, with ‘Suzy Creamcheese’ (a high-school virgin, who tells us this band is crazy and that they all smell bad on the cover), played by Jeannie Vassoir, shes sounds as if she’s simultaneously losing her virginity and having an orgasm, but this was the 60s and nobody noticed. A stunning conclusion to a remarkable work - nothing had ever been heard like it before (or since). Zappa with the greatest moustache in musical history, put the snarl and sneer into music, he did not conform and this album, like the man himself was a true original. Too weird and unconventional for most at the time, Freak Out remains one of the most important albums ever, breaking so much new ground, its influence and importance cannot be overstated - its was rock’s first double album too. This copy is probably the best I have ever seen, its in remarkable condition that’s both records and the cover - finding either in anything like mint is rare, make no mistake about that. This cover is virtually never found looking nice. This pair of heavy pressed records - no thin cheap replicas on this one - are truly exceptional, this will never be found looking like this again, I say this with total confidence. They even come in their original double patent lined inners which like all else included here are near mint too. So in terms of musical history and development of the underground ‘alternative’ scene, few records come close to the importance of Freak Out. I think this full double set is THE definitive version. This record almost single-handedly reinvented rock and little remained the same thereafter. If this was type was not for you back when it all happened, try it now, no serious album collection can ever be taken that serious without this legendary masterpiece being included. [Whooooo could imajun, They would Freak Out on Ebay? - Ebay, Ebay doo doo doo doo doo doo].(Sorry, a bit of nostalgia for the ‘old folks’ there).

Cover Condition and Format: Mint(-) (I think this is fair taken into consideration how wear-prone this sleeve is), It’s a gatefold format (again different from the original which was only a single), Its unlaminated and was printed by MacNeill Press. For once a cover to drool over, this is a real rarity in this condition. Just look at the US double version covers, honesty have you ever seen one devoid of ringwear or rubbing or splits? This has so little wear and looks fantastic, nothing more than a few very light surface creases that show little. Just to make this already stunning set even more appealing, I include a replica of the near impossible to find US insert of the Freak Out Hot Spots. (Please see picture scan of this). I stress this is a copy, not the original, but its full size and very high quality. I would guess many non-US collectors have never even seen this and it makes the set ‘complete’. The US copies, even though they had very inferior non-lasting covers, often included inserts that were never made available in the UK copies which was a real shame because they add that extra pizzazz to these rare underground records.

Cover Front: One of THE covers of all time and this does it near full justice. So clean and fresh and avoiding the dreaded rubbing and ringwear that blights so many if no most. Rich colour and no fading, this one has clearly been handled little. This too has remained unchipped, there is barely a mark to this astonishing artwork. There are just light crease traces to the top and bottom right but honestly unless you go searching critically they show very little. No deep indentations and even surface marks are minimal and even any pressmarks are as light and minimal as they ever get. Double albums, dark artwork and no laminate are a recipe for long-term disaster, this clearly has been lovingly stored and cherished and this front sets the standard for others to try to match.

Cover Back: Similar to front in all respects, if anything even better.

Cover Gatefold Inner: This is folded beautifully square - many are not, a slight overhang on the bottom edge of around 5mm. This centrefold is close to perfect, still very white and clean with almost zero wear.

Top Edge: Very light rub traces - I can hardly imagine this one with absolute zero.

Bottom Edge: Same again, probably as light as will ever be found.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with little wear. Records entered on right outside edges.

Spine and Text: Solid and square with almost no wear, text is perfect and unworn, very unusual again.

Corners: All four show little wear at all, a couple of tip whites and that’s it. All still nicely shaped.

Cover Summary: An incredible all round example of this fragile early 70’s cover, one that could prove near impossible to find significantly better. This strong item should please all collectors.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: Mint(-), and as close to mint as they get. Here lies the difference: all four sides are sensational, probably the best Verve records I’ve ever seen. Even the flash plastic around the centre hold is still present. These came to me with probably no more than a single play, maybe even unplayed. These are to my eyes completely unmarked and really justify a mint grading. They are clean and shiny and are pressed on early thick vinyl. I am loathe to call this set a reissue because it is just so different from the single format 60s copy. This is a first press ‘proper’ Freak Out, the 60s UK pressings were edited down to a single record. I guarantee you will never find this double set of records better.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: The records play as good as they look. Clean undistorted sound with great detail and definition. Minimal unwanted sounds, no pops or ticks and the pressing quality is fine. Even from way back this album had amazing sound, it has a slightly crude sound quality but not in a low-fi way - its dynamic and exciting and still thrills today. Some albums from this time were flat and muted, Freak Out was not one of them, this will leave the senses swimming and mind numb. Just listen to the sheer brutality of the sound on ‘Brain Police’, also the aforementioned finale that occupies all side four. This is huge production masterwork, again for 1966 so advanced - no expense was spared. You want this pair like new, you have them here.

Mono vs Stereo: Always a matter of opinion. For any serious collector where there is a choice e.g. Beatles, Stones, Hendrix etc. both are essential. True Stereo albums give great imagery and presence whereas mono albums usually are more dynamic, louder and present the detail more clearly. Mono albums are far harder to find in genuinely top playing condition. Most were heavily played, particularly the truly great bands and artists, often covered in mark and scratches, many severe and labels that were a mass of spindle marks. The majority were played on vintage and unsubtle decks with heavy tonearms and thick styli (often sapphire, not diamond, that chipped more easily) that rendered heavy wear in a very short time to many a fine classic record. Wear to the delicate groove walls, particularly the innermost tracks to the labels were most vulnerable where the tracking angle became more severe and the backdrag actually stripped the delicate groove walls. This resulted in surface noise and mild/moderate distortion or worse. These old decks tracked by sheer weight and little of any refined engineering. Next time you see such a deck at a local record fayre, feel the weight of the arm, it almost makes you wonder how any records survived at all. The point of this paragraph is emphasise that when a truly clean, lightly played and great sounding 60s mono album (or stereo come to that) is offered, treasure it, because for sure theory are truly getting vary rare and precious - beware - demand only play-graded records.

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Final Summary: I quote from the back cover - its written by the (in)famous Suzy Creamcheese “These Mothers is crazy. You can tell by their clothes. One guy wears beads and they all smell bad. We were gonna get them for a dance after the basketball game but my best pal warned me you can never tell how many will show up…sometimes they guy in the fur coat doesn’t show up (Zappa) and sometimes he does show up only he brings a big bunch of crazy people and him and they dance all over the place. none of the kids at my school like these Mothers…specially since my teacher told us what the words to their songs meant.’’

Forget the ‘Reissue’ tag, this is the definitive unabridged version of Freak Out!, and its the first pressing of this album proper in the UK. Vinyl like this comes along infrequently, for this album and type especially. Many are poor, even trashed. An almost perfect set that will thrill even the most fastidious Zappa collector. Early FZs on Verve are fast disappearing and that’s all of them, not just the originals. Like many great albums, this was too ahead of its time, the world was not ready to ‘Freak Out!’, its just a shame that only after his untimely death does the world more fully appreciates this mans greatness. Freak Out has to be regarded as one of the most important debut albums ever, a true landmark record - only label-‘mates’, The Velvet Underground’s debut, and maybe The Doors challenges this in the underground rock music genre. Enjoy this sensational vinyl, you wont find these two records better. Remember: neccessity is the Mother(s) of Invention – Mike.

Having the Powerseller Logo: This is recognition from Ebay for the highest possible customer services, satisfaction and quality, it should reassure any potential bidder that all items are described, graded and shipped to the highest standards possible. Customer care of the highest order is a standard feature here and I am proud to have achieved this recognised standard of excellence from Ebay with help from collectors and buyers from all over the World - I thank you all.

Payment Details please read carefully - I know its boring but essential:

UK First Class: = £3.00; Recorded Delivery (Recommended) = £5.50 Special Delivery (Next day, insured up to £250), the best service available = £7.00

Europe Air Mail: = £4 Insured: £8.00

Overseas, non-Europe e.g. USA, Japan, Australia etc. Airmail:= £7; Insured with recorded delivery (where available) = £11.00

Singles: (Packed to the high standards of the LPs)

UK First class: = £2.00 Insured: £4

Europe Air Mail = £3.00 Insured: £5.50

Overseas, non-Europe (as above) Airmail £3.50 Insured: £6.00

Doubles add extra £1, triples add extra £2. Box sets add extra £3 (£4 overseas and Europe)

Any item that sells for over £85 will be sent Special Delivery in the UK at no extra cost. Items over £125 get the same service Overseas. This is gives peace of mind for the winning bidder and myself for valuable items. Reduced postage of course for multiple items.

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 (£28). PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT use surface mail, its too slow, with a higher risk of loss and damage.

Mailing Details: Please note I do NOTprofit on postage (my packing standards are high and the package weighs a little more and I often actually lose money on this part of service - I simply refuse to compromise with poor packing. All records are sent in plastic covers with the record taken OUT of the sleeve and sent in professional mailers with FOUR professional stiffners for extra protection (if space allows), I do NOT use old cardboard boxes or cereal packets for protection. More expensive items are also inserted into a de-luxe heavy duty padded bag AS WELL to give that extra protection. I truly want ALL my items to arrive to their destination in the same condition they leave me. I will also include in most cases a brand new lined inner, but will include the original inner if available and in a condition to be worthwhile.

I can accept cash for payments worldwide in UK Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars - but this at the senders OWN risk. Please send registered and insured if this method is chosen. I cannot accept responsibility if any cash payments do not turn up. This system is very reliable and rarely goes astray. The same goes for any shipped uninsured item, I can only try to claim for any undelivered or damaged article at basic insurance levels if no enhanced insurance is requested and paid for (unless the value threshold is high enough for me insure as standard, see above)

Overseas bidders please note conversion rates for Pounds to Dollars and Pounds to Euros will be charged at 1.7 to cover PayPal or cash conversion costs.

PLEASE NOTE: Any PayPal user can now pay me with UK Sterling if they wish with no need to convert to US dollars (although they still can if they wish to). Any instant PayPal transaction from anywhere in the world will mean the item will be sent immediately - it makes deals fast and very efficient.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. I now only accept PayPal, International money orders or cash from overseas bidders (UK Sterling, US dollars or Euros). Cash, cheques, postal orders and PayPal are fine from the UK. I allow maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if this does not happen I will relist the item and may send negative feedback unless an explanation is given. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask. Please keep watch on my Ebays, I have other interesting items coming very soon. Thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: As listening to every single record I offer all the way through is difficult timewise, can I make it clear 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. I still endeavour to play all the items in their entirity for grading if at all possible and is usually the case.